Year Three 2016-17
Dear Parents,
We have had a very enjoyable Spring Term. The next half term also promises to be full of fun learning activities! Here is what we plan to do:
English
We will start off the half term by writing a report about the human skeleton and its functions in the body; this is centred on what we will be learning in science. Following on from that, we will be writing a traditional tale based on the story of Dick Whittington. This will involve understanding the different characters through role play and imagining how the characters might react in a range of situations. This unit of work also includes a visual literacy element where we will develop our descriptive skills in order to describe key settings in Dick Whittington. Please make sure your child continues to read for 30 minutes daily at home.
Maths
There will be continued focus on using expanded and compact methods in order to add and subtract 3 digit numbers. In addition to this, we will also be using more formal written methods to multiply numbers, starting with the grid method. Measurement and shape will be re-visited too this half term, where we will build on our knowledge of converting units of measurement.
Science
We will be starting a new topic on the human body with a particular focus on how muscles and the skeleton work together in order to help us to move parts of our bodies. As ever, we will learn about this through a combination of fun activities as well as practical investigations. We will also be doing some art and display work based on what we have learned.
Topic
Topic work will look to developing our awareness of the UK and Europe, and how they fit into the world. Therefore, we will improve our map skills by locating the UK and mainland Europe on a world map. After that, we will take a more in-depth look at some of the key cities and counties in England and consider why they are significant. London will be a key part in this section of the curriculum.
P.E.
In PE, the children will have the opportunity to develop their cricket, tennis, gymnastic and athletics skills. The girls in 3E and 3R will also be attending swimming sessions at Balsall Heath Swimming Baths. We would like to remind you that the PE kit is a white t-shirt, black shorts/tracksuit or leggings.
R.E/PATHS
In RE this half term, we will be looking at the different religions’ perspectives on courage, integrity and being silent and attentive. We will continue to look at recognising and accepting ‘comfortable’ feelings and effective strategies to deal with ‘uncomfortable’ feelings in our PATHS lessons.
Computing
Following the exceptionally well-received filming unit last half term using i-PADs, we will continue to improve and refine the skills that were introduced. We will also work on improving the accuracy and speed of our keyboard skills.
Other important dates to note are:
Thursday 4th May – School Closed for Elections
Friday 5th May – Festival of Culture (Dressing up day)
Friday 19th May – Roman Discovery Day
Monday 22nd May – Walk To School Week/Road Safety Week
We look forward to another great half term!
Regards.
The Year 3 staff
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Dear Parents,
We hope you have all had a relaxing break after a very enjoyable but busy Autumn term. This next half term promises to be even better! Here is what we will be learning:
English
There will be a focus on e-safety in the first week of term, which we would all agree is an essential skill .The children will then go on to use this knowledge to produce e-safety information posters. Look out for these as the children will be bringing them home! We will also continue to develop our writing skills by looking at reports and a narrative about a boy who goes back in time. As in the Autumn term, the themes will be based on our topic work, which is The Stone Age to the Iron Age. As ever, can we remind you that regular reading has huge benefits for children’s academic and personal development. Hence, please try to ensure that your child reads regularly at home for 30 minutes daily and that the Reading Records are completed.
Maths
In maths, we will be revisiting and improving calculating skills based around the four operations with the aid of number lines. We will be looking at money and measure as well as collecting and representing data. The children will continue to learn key times tables, aiming to know the facts by heart. We would therefore encourage you to practise these tables at home with your child, in particular the 2,3,4,5 and 10.
Science
We will be learning about rocks and soils and, where possible, link it to the topic work of the Stone Age to the Iron Age. As ever, we will plan and carry out investigations based on finding out about the properties of rocks, as well as creating paper models of the process of rock formation.
Foundation subjects
Our topic this half term is The Stone Age to the Iron Age, where the children will get an appreciation of the timescales involved by looking at timelines. In addition to this, they will be gaining an understanding of the changes that happened during pre-history with regards to homes, farming, tools and art. At the end of this unit of work, there will be an art focus and the children will be producing their own version of cave paintings.
PATHS
Children will carry out activities developing their understanding of feelings and how to deal with them. They will revisit some key social skills of being a good friend and consider what qualities are needed to achieve this. They will have opportunities to practise using ‘peaceful problem solving’ in relation to the theme of when they fall out with friends.
P.E.
This half term 3E girls and 3SB girls will attend swimming sessions at Balsall Heath swimming baths. The children will also be developing their invasion games skills. Hence, they are moving on from football to using similar ideas in netball. In addition to this, gymnastics and orienteering skills are also covered this half term. Can we please remind you to send your child in with the full PE kit, which is a white t-shirt, black shorts/leggings and black pumps.
R.E
As part of the RE curriculum, we will be exploring the concepts of being just and fair as well as living with integrity. The story of Rosa Parkes will be discussed as well as thinking about how to make the right choices through the story of Adam and Eve. In addition to that, we will be learning about how to be a good and loyal friend.
Dates For Your Diary
| Tuesday 10th January | 3R’s Class Assembly |
| Monday 16th January | Purple Attendance Day |
| Thursday 19th January | Stone Age Workshops |
| Wednesday 25th January | 3E’s class letter |
| Friday 27th January | Teacher Training Day |
| Wednesday 1st February | 3SB’s class assembly |
| Thursday 2nd February | Flamenco Dance Workshop |
| Friday 3rd February | National Number Day |
| Wednesday 15th February | Parents’ Evening |
As always, thank you for all your support.
Regards.
The Year 3 Team.
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Year 3 visit to the Gurdwara
3SB went to the Gurdwara – It was very informative and beautiful
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Dear Parents,
We have had a very enjoyable start to the year. This next half term promises to be even better! Here is what we will be learning:
Topic
Our topic for this term is ‘Weather Around the World’. The children will be learning about hot and cold climates and how animals cope with surviving in extreme conditions. We will also learn that the Earth has temperature zones, varying from the North and South Poles to the Equator, and how this influences the weather and the types of animal that lives in these areas.
English
We will be continuing to develop our writing skills, with an emphasis on visual literacy, using a short animation as the focal point. Not only does this very popular unit of work cover the English curriculum but also links seamlessly to our topic of Weather Around The World. English will therefore start off with narrative work set in Antarctica followed by the children writing reports on animals from the Arctic and Antarctica. Towards the end of the term, we will be writing poems based on the seasons of the year, again bringing together the subjects of science, topic and English.
Can we ask that you ensure that your child continues to read regularly at home, as this has not only been shown to be one of the most effective ways of improving reading skills but it also helps children make progress in many other aspects of school life!
Maths
This half term children will be collecting and representing data. There will also be a focus on estimating and measuring, as well as learning about fractions of shape. Hence, we will be learning about telling the time, measuring length and weight as well as continuing to develop the core operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We would like to take this opportunity to remind you to encourage your child to learn the 2,3,4,5,6 and 10 times tables.
Science
We will be learning about ‘Plants and Growing’. We will plan and carry out investigations into what plants need to be able to grow, moving on to learn about how get nutrients and water and noting how plants respond to different conditions. We will take into account the role that weather plays in the lifecycle of a plant, particularly the effect of the sun and rain.
P.E.
Depending on the units covered last half term, the children will be participating in dance, orienteering skills or swimming. 3BR and 3R girls will be going to Moseley Swimming Baths for their swimming lessons up until Christmas and will require a swimming costume and a towel. Please make sure that children have the correct kit of a white t-shirt, black shorts/trousers/leggings, pumps for indoor PE and trainers for outdoor PE.
R.E/PATHS
In RE, we will be learning about the meaning of community and the similarities and differences in different religions. This will be followed by thinking about Christmas and different ways it is celebrated around the world. In PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) we will be learning how to deal with feelings in a positive way, listening to other people and working co-operatively.
We look forward to another successful half term.
Regards.
The Year 3 team
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YEAR 3 PARENTS’ MEETING 2016
