Wow, can you believe we have reached  the final half-term? This year has flown by but we have lots of exciting topics to learn about in the weeks to come.

In Literacy, we are using ‘I Was a Rat! or The Scarlet Slippers’ by Philip Pullman as our core text. We will read, discuss, debate and analyse the characters, setting and plot before writing in role and exploring various roles through drama style activities. We will then write a newspaper report for ‘The Daily Scourge’ by the end of the half-term.

In Numeracy, we will be learning to tell the time, in both analogue and digital, as well as measuring amounts of time.

We will be learning about money and how to calculate in pounds and pence.

During the last 3 weeks we will be learning about angles. We will learn the names of 3 different types (acute, right, and obtuse), how they are a property of shape, and how right angles relate to half, quarter, three-quarter and whole turns.

We will also look at the different types of lines: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, perpendicular and parallel and we will finish off our measurement topic by learning all about perimeter. We will find the perimeter or basic quadrilaterals and simple 2-D shapes.

In Science, across the whole of the Summer term, we will be learning all about ‘Plants’. We will be learning about the functions of the different parts of a flowering plant, we will investigate what plants need for life and growth, we will investigate how water is transported in plants, and look at the life cycle, including pollination, seed formation and dispersal. We will also be researching the key scientist Nehemiah Grew.

In our Geography topic, we will be learning all about ‘The Human World’ and ‘People and Places’. We will learn about different types of settlements and where they are found, and how these settlements impact on occupations in specific areas. We will look at a range of settlements local to our area, and see how and why they have changed over time. For our case studies, we will be focusing on Spain and the Lake District, comparing and contrasting the physical and human features within settlements.

In DT, we will be learning about ‘Textiles’ and designing and making our own cushions using felt and other materials. We will learn two new sewing techniques (cross-stitch and appliqué) before designing, making and assembling the cushion.

Hi everyone, I hope you had a lovely Easter break and you are all excited to be back for an action-packed half-term of learning, full of new topics! Miss McCoy will be joining us again to complete her teacher training. Welcome back Miss McCoy! 

In Numeracy, we will be consolidating multiplication and division.

We will then be learning all about time, fractions and  statistics.  Most of the half-term will be spent learning about fractions. We will count up and down in tenths, find and write fractions of a set of objects, find a fraction of a number, recognise and show equivalent fractions, add and subtract fractions with the same denominator, and finally compare and order fractions. 

With statistics, we will learn how to interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables.

Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS)

The children have been given their logins for Times Tables Rock Stars. They can access the application at home on a laptop or iPad/tablet and even get the opportunity to play against each other or myself some evenings. Please encourage your child to access TTRS at home as this will give them much needed practice of the multiplication facts they are unsure of. Children in Y3 need to know their 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 8x and 10x of by heart. Once secure, they can learn the rest ready for the statutory test at the end of Y4.

Please click the link below to access the TTRS website: 

https://ttrockstars.com/

To find the school name either type St Thomas’s CEP School or type in the postcode BL9 7EY.

In Literacy, we are using ‘Hot Like Fire’ by Valerie Bloom as our core text. It is a collection of poems from around the world with a lot of them based around the Caribbean. We will read a wide range of the poems, performing, analysing, looking at structure and stanzas, etc. We will then use one of the poems to imitate, innovate and write our own poems independently, by the end of the half-term.

Spellings

Children will be given a spelling list every Wednesday. Please ensure your child practises these everyday as there will be a test on the following Wednesday. To support them further, encourage children to use a dictionary to find the meanings of the words, as well as form sentences with the words given.

In Science, across the whole of the Summer term, we will be learning all about ‘Plants’. We will be learning about the functions of the different parts of a flowering plant, we will investigate what plants need for life and growth, we will investigate how water is transported in plants, and look at the life cycle, including pollination, seed formation and dispersal. We will also be researching the key scientist ‘Nehemiah Grew’.

In our History topic, we will be learning all about ‘The Tudors’. We will learn about significant events in the Tudor Era, we will look at a range of artefacts and use our enquiry skills, and we will focus on Henry VIII as our key Monarch. We will learn how the Tudors came to power, all about Henry VIII’s life and infamous wives and look at what life was like for a Tudor child, whether they were rich or poor.

In Art, we will be improving our Art and Design Skills. Using Carl Giles’ art, we will create our own cartoon in a similar style, By the end of the unit, we will have made a variety of puppets to retell ‘The Dark at the Top of the Stairs’.

P.E.

Children will not require their PE kits for the Autumn term due to the change of uniform policy. Our PE session will be on a Monday morning so please send your children in the appropriate clothing and footwear. PE will mainly be outside (depending on the weather!).

Learning Logs

Children will be given learning log challenges each half-term which is linked to the work they will be covering in their topics. Please look at our homework grid below. It states how many tasks need to be completed. Remember to encourage children to be creative and share their learning in different ways. Work can be completed and uploaded onto Dojo when finished to reduce the number of things being brought into school and can be electronically marked.

As always, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch on Dojo or you can speak to me at the end of the day.

Many thanks,

Mrs. Rafferty, Mrs. Ismail and Miss McCoy

Hello everyone,

I hope you are well and looking forward to our new half term.

We have had some good news haven't we! School will re-open on 8th March and I cannot wait to see you all again. So, just another 2 weeks of home learning and then we will be back in the classroom together. Yaaay!!  

In Literacy, we are using ‘Arthur and the Golden Rope’ by Joe Todd-Stanton as our core text. We will read the story whilst pulling apart the key concepts and ideas through the use of VIPERS. We will analyse the characters and setting, look at how a playscript is structured and compare it to a narrative, and focus on dialogue and stage directions.  By the end of the half-term we will use this knowledge to write our own playscripts.

In Numeracy, we will complete our topics on mass and volume. We will also be learning about money.. We will learn how to add, subtract, show and represent different amounts. We will also learn all about time. We will read a range of analogue and digital clocks focusing on reading the time to the nearest minute. We will use the correct terminology to describe time and we will know facts to do with time such as number of seconds in a minute.

In Science, we will be learning all about ‘Forces and Magnets’. We will be learning how things move on different surfaces; how some forces need contact between 2 objects whilst others don’t; how magnets attract or repel some materials and describe magnets as having poles. pulls; We will also be researching the key scientist ‘Magnes’.

In our Geography topic, we will be learning all about ‘The Natural World’. We will learn about rainforest and deserts. We will focus in particular on their climate, weather, structure, location, animals and plants.

In Design Technology, we will be learning all about 'Structures' with a focus on castles. We will consider the main features of castles and their purposes. We will identify 2-D and 3-D shapes, using them to help in the design process and consider how to make our models strong and stable. By the end of the unit, we will have created our own 3-D structures out of recyclable materials and 3-D shape nets. We will then evaluate our castles against given design criteria and and discuss whether the end products match the original designs.

Spring Term update

Unfortunately, we find ourselves in lockdown again. This means that all our learning this half term will done online on Class Dojo. 

Please don't worry. As long as we keep a positive mindset and take one day at a time, we will get through it together. If you do become worried or anxious - children and parents- do not hesitate to message me. I am here to help.

Our learning may look slightly different to how I planned it, but we will still be covering the curriculum. You can access the Curriculum and Literacy medium term overviews below. You will need to log onto Class Dojo to access all activities.

Y3 are enjoying our reading competition at the moment.

Who do you think is reading in the most unusual place ? 

Spring Term

Hi everyone, I hope you have had a relaxing holiday and are ready for Spring term! We have got lots of new learning for you over the next 6weeks so take a look at what's in store...

Maths

In maths we will be continuing with further multiplication and divisiion. This will involve multiplying by a 2 digit number and multiplication and division with regrouping. Please keep practising those times table facts, especially 3, 4, 8 times tables.

We will also be exploring shape, space and measure. We will be using standard units of measure to calculate length in centimetres (cm) and metres (m), mass in grams (g) and kilograms (kg) as well as volume using millilitres (ml) and litres (l). Get baking at home and practise your measuring skills!

TRS

The children will be given logins for Times Tables Rock Stars. They can access the app at home on a laptop or ipad. Please encourage your child to access the website at home as this will give them much needed practice of the Times Tables they are unsure of.

Please click below to assess the TTRS website

https://ttrockstars.com/login

The school postcode is BL9 7EY

Literacy

In Literacy we will be reading 'Ice Palace' by Robert Swindells. This is an exciting tale about a young boy who sets off on a quest to find his younger brother. We will be reading and comparing this story to other familiar traditional tales. We will be learning about the features and structure of quest stories in order to create our own.

Books to Go Home

Reading books will be changed every MONDAY.

Due to COVID, we will not be sending reading diaries home.

Library books will be changed every WEDNESDAY.

It is important that your child reads every evening with the help of an adult or older sibling.

Each new set of spellings will be sent home every Wednesday. Spelling tests will be on the following Wednesday mornings.

Science

Our Science topic this half term is 'Rocks and Soils'. 

We will be learning to compare and group different types of rocks based on simple physical properties. We will be learning to describe how fossils are formed and to recognise that  soils are made from rock and organic matter.

History

This half term, our topic is 'Stone Age to Iron Age' and we will be learning about significant events, people and artefacts from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages of Britain.

We will learn about how people evolved from moving around in search for food to understanding about farming which enabled them to settle in one place. We will explore key changes which led to the Bronze Age and use a range of sources to find out about Celts and Druids in the Iron Age.

R.E

The focus for RE this half term is 'Contents and Significance of the Bible'. We will explore different parts of the bible and discuss their meanings in today's world.

Please can I remind you that PE is every MONDAY MORNING and children should come to school in PE kits and pumps, ready to join in. I have included some useful curriculum documents for this half term.

As always, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch on Dojo or you can speak to me at the end of the day.

Many thanks,

Mrs. Rafferty

Autumn Term 2

Hello everyone, we hope that you had a lovely half term holiday. It was a bit wet wasn't it, but remember we need the rain to water all our gardens and plants! 

We have got lots of new learning for you so take a look at what's ahead...

Maths

In Maths the children will be working on addition and subtraction. We will be consolidating the areas covered last year to ensure concepts are fully embedded as well as using our Maths No Problem scheme of work. This will involve adding or subtracting ones, tens and hundreds from 2 and 3 digit numbers within 1000! We will be using strategies such as counting back or, when renaming, the 'door step' (column addition and subtraction). Let your child show you how we calculate!

TTRS

The children will be given logins for Times Tables Rock Stars. They can access the app at home on a laptop or ipad. Please encourage your child to access the website at home as this will give them much needed practice of the Times Tables they are unsure of.

Please click below to assess the TTRS website

https://ttrockstars.com/login

The school postcode is BL9 7EY

Literacy

In Literacy we will be reading 'The Iron Man' by Ted Hughes. This is an exciting tale about an Iron Man who mysteriously appears one night and sets about eating anything that is made of metal...

We will be reading and analysing this children's classic tale of good conquering evil, building up to us writing a diary entry as if we are The Iron Man.

Books to Go Home

Reading books will be changed every MONDAY.

Due to COVID, we will not be sending reading diaries home.

Library books will be changed every WEDNESDAY.

It is important that your child reads every evening with the help of an adult or older sibling.

Each new set of spellings will be sent home every Wednesday. Spelling tests will be on the following Wednesday mornings.

Science

Our Science topic this half term is 'Light'. 

We will be learning to recognise that we need light in order to see things and that dark is the absence of light. We will know that light is reflected from surfaces, recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and consider ways to protect our eyes.

We will conduct an investigation to find out how shadows are made and to find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change.

Geography

Our topic is 'Geography of the World' and we will be learning about the different lines of latitude and longitude on the Earth. 

We will be identifying the countries that make up the continent of Europe, naming their capital cities, looking at the different flags and creating a case study about Venice. 

We will be researching the counties of the UK, both historic and modern, before finally learning the names and locations of famous rivers and mountains across the world. This will link with our work on Ancient Egypt as we will also be producing a case study about the River Nile.

R.E

The focus for RE this half term is Meaning within Diwali and Christmas. We will be exploring and comparing both celebrations, learning about their importance to Hindus and Christians across the world.

Welcome to our Year 3 page. We hope you have had a wonderful summer break and are ready to work hard this year. Things are a bit different at the moment but we still have lots of exciting things planned for this year.

Please visit this page regularly as it will be updated with photos of our work and links to aid learning. Take a look at our planning documents to find out more about what we will be learning this year.

Maths

In Maths the children will be working on Place Value. We will be consolidating the areas covered last year to ensure concepts are fully embedded as well as using our Maths No Problem scheme of work. This will involve counting up and down in different increments, comparing and ordering numbers and making number patterns. The children will be working in their workbook completing work within numbers to 1000.

TTRS

The children will be given logins for Times Tables Rock Stars. They can access the app at home on a laptop or ipad. Please encourage your child to access the website at home as this will give them much needed practice of the Times Tables they are unsure of.

Please click below to assess the TTRS website

https://ttrockstars.com/login

Literacy

In Literacy we will be reading 'One Plastic Bag' by Miranda Paul. We will be looking at the advantages and disadvantages of using plastic, leading to the children writing an advertising campaign piece.

Spellings will be sent home every Wednesday. Spelling tests will be on the following Wednesday.

Books

Reading books will be changed every MONDAY. Due to COVID, we will not be sending reading diaries home. Library books will be changed every Wednesday. It is important that your child reads every evening with the help of an adult or older sibling.

History

In our History topic, we will be learning all about the Ancient Egyptians and what life was like there as a child. We will learn all about the Great Pyramids of Giza, everyday life, mummification, hieroglyphs, and religion amongst other things.

R.E

In R.E the children will be learning all about Jesus and who he was. They will also be learning about how he helped people and the stories he told.

P.E

As you know, children are currently coming into school ready for PE as we cannot change clothes in school. If this changes, we will let you know.

This half term we are are doing 'multi skills'.

Learning logs

Due to COVID, we will not be sending Learning Log books home. We will post the learning grids on Class Dojo. As and when this changes we will let you know.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to speak to us in the morning or at the end of the school day.

Mrs Rafferty, Mrs Azher and Mrs Ismail