Year 3

Welcome to Year 3

Mrs Reed, Mrs Long and Mrs Brogden

Autumn 2

Welcome back! 

We hope you had an enjoyable half term break and are feeling refreshed and ready for another exciting half term in Year 3. We have lots of brilliant activities planned for the children and the Year 3 team are looking forward to getting stuck in!

This half term our topic is Ancient Egypt, whilst this is a History based unit of learning that we are certain the children will enjoy, there are lots of additional opportunities to also explore Geography and The Arts through this theme.

In maths over the half term, we will cover two main units of learning. Beginning with data, the unit will focus on the children’s ability to interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms, tallies and tables. We will solve problems using information presented in pictograms and scaled bar charts. Children will also have opportunity to apply prior learning about multiplication and division when understanding and using simple scales in pictograms and bar charts.

The second unit of learning will focus on calculating addition and subtraction, beginning with revision of mental calculation strategies first encountered in Year 2. There will be a strong emphasis on using and applying known number facts to develop number sense.  The children will encounter addition and subtraction in a range of real-life contexts and extend their use of the column methods to calculations involving two 3-digit numbers. They will deepen their understanding of the two operations through focusing on known / unknown relationships in problem solving contexts and by interpreting and creating bar models.

Pupils will continue to revise key mental strategies that they have encountered throughout Key Stage One and the learning in these units will be revisited and practised frequently during Maths Meetings, which last about 15 minutes in the afternoon most days, which help to develop fluency and reasoning skills. Throughout Year 3, time, money and angles are regularly incorporated into Maths Meetings.

In English we will be learning to write our own descriptive poems in the style of Jackie Morris, the author of our key text Tell Me a Dragon. We will be using the beautiful illustrations from this text in order to inspire our own fantasy creations, with the intent of writing a non-rhyming poem, using powerful word choices and techniques such as alliteration, simile and metaphors.

In Guided reading we will be expanding our study of our key text, as well as exploring, comparing and contrasting further books by the same author. This will provide us with a fantastic opportunity to get to grips with the tricky skill of inference, using the illustrations to help us understand the many potential meanings of the author’s word choices.

In Spelling we will be learning about homophones: words that sound the same but have different meanings. For example: no and know, write and right, where and wear. Sound you notice any of these homophone words when the children are reading at home, it would be a great idea to discuss the words and their different spellings. How could we remember which spelling matches which meaning?

Ancient Egypt will of course be our History focus for the duration of this half term, which we will kick start on Monday 11^th with our Egyptian day! We cannot wait to share some of the photos with you on our class page…stay tuned!

In our Core Skills Curriculum we are focusing on Developing Independence and Responsibility. Our targets are: I can undertake an activity with minimum support asking for clarification only when necessary. I can prioritise my time in order to undertake activities I have been asked to do.

P.E- P.E lessons will be on a Wednesday and Friday this term, so please ensure that your child has their complete kit on these days.  If you are unsure of the house colour T shirt that your child needs please ask. Fridays will be forest school, please send your children with warm, waterproof clothing and footwear. We may get quite muddy!

Can we remind parents that the only earrings that children are allowed to wear are studs. These will need to be removed/covered over before starting P.E lessons. Please bring in tape/plasters so that this can be done quickly.

Please read and discuss the book your child is reading at least 3 times a week. The children will complete an Accelerated Reader assessment at the start of term which will determine their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). From this they will know which books they can choose from. Once they have read a book at school or at home they should then complete a short quiz about the book in school. Every half term the children are then re assessed to check their ZPD. We will communicate this with the children and yourselves via a sticker in the back of their reading records.

Our home learning will be reading activities that are sent home each half term for the children to choose from and complete a certain number in their book. These are collected in in the last week of the half term and marked.

Spellings – please see the guidance inside the yellow spelling log books. There is not a test each week on specific words. The children need to practice the spelling rule and the words from the year3/4 list.

If you have any queries or questions about any of this information please do not hesitate to come and see us.

Thank you for your support

Mrs Reed and Mrs Long