Year 3 Autumn Term
English
This term the children will study a variety of non - fiction and fiction genres, including suspense stories, poetry and persuasive writing. During each unit of writing, the children will have ‘experience days’ to ignite writing and there will also be an independent write at the end of each unit. There will also be an emphasis on presentation and handwriting, ensuring that all letters are formed correctly and they are correctly orientated. The children will also be given the opportunity to self assess their work and edit it to make improvements. Our first piece of writing will be a narrative, based on 'The wolves in the walls' by Neil Gaiman, followed by the development of a holiday brochure, which will persuade those living in the Paleolithic era to visit Skara Brae.
Alongside this, we will be continuing to practise and embed our grammatical skills. This will of course enhance our writing. During each unit of work, there will be opportunities to complete mini tasks that are word and grammar related.
The children will also take part in daily reading sessions which will focus on developing their ability to draw inferences, find evidence to support their answers and to summarise. It is important that they continue to read at home and should spend at least 10 minutes a day reading to an adult at home. Please ensure that you discuss with your child the meanings of words and phrases and explore other words which have the same meaning. This will help to develop not only their reading and comprehension skills but also their writing.
Mathematics
The Maths lessons will focus on place value, ensuring that the children are able to identify the value of each digit in a 3 digit number. They will order 3 digit numbers, use the symbols relating to greater and less than, count in multiples of 50 and 100, add and subtract multiples of 10 and 100 and develop the skills relating to solving mathematical problems. They will also develop their ability to add and subtract 3 digit numbers, using a range of strategies. An emphasis will be placed upon learning various times tables (the 2,3,4,5, and 10) and the corresponding division facts. Plus they will be revisiting the times tables they have learnt before in a fun and challenging manner (Website: Hit the button). In addition to the formal Maths lessons, the children will also be encouraged to use the ‘Times Tables Rockstars’ website to practise these skills both in school and for homework.
Science
In science we are looking at the units ‘Rocks and soils’ and ‘Forces’. The children will explore the properties of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and how these rocks are formed. The children will design scientific investigation to test the properties of these rocks, whilst learning how to carry out a fair test. They will also learn about the composition of soils. During our topic about forces, the children will learn about contact, non contact and magnetic forces. They will investigate how objects move differently across surfaces due to friction. They will learn about magnets and how poles attract and repel.
History
Our History lessons are based around the question: Who first lived in Britain? and explores Early Man. The children will learn about The Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. They will learn how to use evidence to find out about the past including the tools and weapons that were used. They will also find out about the importance of archaeologists in helping us to understand more about what happened in the past. They will learn about Skara Brae and what it tells us about the Stone Age and how trade change the Iron Age.
Geography
In Geography we will be investigating the question: Why do people live near to volcanoes? During their lessons, the children will learn how the Earth is constructed and mountains are formed. They will also learn why and where we get volcanoes and the effects of volcanic eruptions.
Computing
During lessons, the children will begin by exploring how to use email to send and receive messages and will lean how to send attachments and use an address book. As part of the E-Safety curriculum, we will explore the different feelings that we can experience when online, how photos can be shared and the need to seek permission before sharing a photo online and how people online may try to manipulate others. Throughout these lessons, the underlining message will be the importance of telling a trusted adult if something upsets them.
Art
Year 3 will begin the term by exploring prehistoric art. They will learn how to use scale to enlarge drawings and will learn how to apply and blend use charcoal to create form, shape and tone. They will also explore how natural products produce pigments and use these natural products to create paint as prehistoric artists would have done. As the term progresses, the children will explore how artists use shape in drawings and will learn how to use tone in drawing by shading.
Design and Technology.
We will be exploring pneumatic toys. This will involve looking at how pneumatic systems can used as a mechanism and how they can force air over a large distance. They will design and make their own pneumatic system using springs and balloons and will use these components to make a functioning toy.
RE
We will be learning about Christianity and exploring why the bible is important to people. We will read stories from the bible and discuss the importance of these stories in terms of what we can learn from them in terms of the way in which we approach our lives. We will look at the three themes - creation, fall and salvation. The children will also develop their understanding of what prayer is and why people pray. They will explore what happens during Islamic prayer, how and why Christians pray and how Hindus pray at home and in the Mandir.
PE
During the Autumn term, the children will be taking part in Games and Orienteering lessons led by Ed Start. In their Games lessons, the children will learn the skills of basketball, including dribbling, passing, using their body to defend and changing direction with the ball. In Orienteering, the children will learn how to read a map and navigate partners using points on the map. From Autumn 2, 3DW's PE is on a Monday and 3KA's PE is on a Tuesday.
PSHRE
To begin with, the children will be exploring issues relating to Health and Wellbeing, especially those related to growth and change and healthy lifestyles. The will explore the different feelings and emotions people experience; how feelings and emotions change, managing feelings and what helps people to feel good. They will also learn about making informed choices.
Music
The children will appraise a range of music, using musical words to describe a composition and what they like and dislike. They will be involved in composing music and will learn how to create repeated patterns using different instruments. When performing they will use their voice, body parts and different instruments and will copy create short rhythmic patterns.
Spanish
Using games and songs, the children will learn how to count in Spanish and say the days of the week and months of the year.
