Year 3 Newsletter – Autumn Term 2021
Dear parents/carers,
Welcome to Year 3. It is fantastic to be back, and the year 3 team are looking forward to all the learning coming up this year.
English
To begin with, we will be sharing texts from the author Roald Dahl and using his stories to help develop our sentence structure including punctuation, determiners, and conjunctions. Our writing will support improving our word choices such as exciting adjectives and effective adverbs. Through other aspects of the curriculum (science, geography, history etc.) we will be developing our non-narrative skills with explanation and instructions writing.
Ensuring your child reads for at least 15 minutes a day will help their reading skills to develop along with discussions around the text read. It is just as important to read to your child regularly along with listening to audio books. It is important that an adult records in the reading record every time your child reads at home, whether this is a schoolbook or a home book. If your child has read to themselves, get them to tell you what they have read – these discussions should also be recorded in their reading record.
Maths
To begin the term, we will be looking at number systems with a focus on place value, addition and subtraction with explorations around money. We will be using a variety of equipment to help children build their practical mathematical skills to support problem solving and calculations. The children will also be developing their mathematical vocabulary to develop reasoning tasks. To assist with children’s mathematical development encourage them to handle real money and understand the value of coins and notes along with reading analogue and digital time in a 12hr and 24hr format. Continue to practise the times tables and use Times Table Rock Stars – I will be issuing updated log ins over the next few weeks.
History and Geography
We begin the year with a history topic – Ancient Egypt. We will be focusing on the achievements of the earliest civilisation and using our skills of research. In geography we will be exploring climate zones and learning lots of geographical vocabulary and applying this to our class work.
Science
Throughout the Autumn term we will be looking at the area of Science ‘Light & Shadow’ followed by ‘Forces’. For light and shadow, we will be exploring reflection, the need for light to be able to see and much more. In forces we will look at how things move on different surfaces and the affects of magnets on different material.
Computing
This year in computing we will be starting off learning how to programme using the application ‘Scratch’. Children will learn about algorithms, sequencing, and storyboarding. Running alongside this we will continue to focus on staying safe online.
Art and DT
In art we will be developing our sketching skills and getting creative with a range of material through our Egyptian topic. Through DT we will be looking at, designing and making Shadufs to support our Egyptian learning.
RE
In RE we be looking at the local parish church, ideas and beliefs about God, our own ideas, Christian beliefs, Mother Theresa and Advent.
PSHE
Our PSHE learning will lead us to think about mental health, Families and Friendships – what makes a family and features of family life. Safe Relationships – personal boundaries, safely responding to others and the impact of hurtful behaviour. Respecting Ourselves and Others – recognising respectful behaviour, the importance of self-respect and courtesy & being polite.
Music
In Music we will be developing the skills of listening and appraising, musical activities and perform and review. In addition, children will be taking part in Wider Ops to learn brass instruments.
Physical Education
The children will have PE on a Tuesday and Thursday this term. Tuesday’s PE will be dance focused and take place in the hall so please ensure their trainers and socks are easy to remove and put back on. Each child will need trainers suitable for use on the field as well as the playground and when necessary, warm outer layers to be worn over their PE shorts and T-shirts for Thursday’s lesson. Children must come to school dressed in their PE kits for the day.
French
This year, children will begin to learn French at Clavering. We will be starting with the topic ‘Bonjour, ca va?’
Homework
Along with listening to your child read, the children will be set spellings to learn each week. A set on six spellings will be issued for the half term and tests will take place every Friday; please assist them with look, cover, write, check activities to consolidate their learning or an alternative method that suit your child’s way of learning. The children will have one to two pieces of homework to complete each week: these will be English, Maths, Science or Topic work to help support their learning in the classroom. Spellings and homework will be sent home in learning logs – homework is due in every Wednesday unless otherwise stated.
Kind Regards,
Miss Morton