Year 3 Spring Term
English
This term the children will study a variety of non - fiction and fiction genres. The children will be practising their oral skills by retelling stories and completing drama activities. Their writing will be based around the text 'Street Beneath my Feet' and 'The Flood'. The children will be exploring vocabulary, including the meaning of words and synonyms. They will also continue to develop their ability to use a range of conjunctions, prepositions, verbs and adverbs and write complex sentences in order to create interesting and informative text.
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 the following :
multiplication and division - how to multiply and divide 2 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers
working with money - adding and subtracting money and converting pounds into pence
statistics - reading and interpreting pictograms, bar charts and tables
length - measuring lengths, equivalent measures (cm and mm), measuring perimeters .
fractions - unit and non unit fractions, counting in tenths, fractions as a number and a set of objects.
An emphasis will be placed upon learning the times tables (the 2,3,4,5, 8 and 10) and the corresponding division facts. The children have access to ‘Times Tables Rockstars’ and Purple Mash to practise these skills.
Science
In science we are looking at the unit ‘Forces and Magnets’. The children will compare how objects move on different surfaces and will notice how some forces need contact between two objects but magnetic forces can act at a distance. The children will design scientific investigations to test which materials are attracted to a magnet and to test the strength of magnets. During these investigations the children will learn how to carry out a comparative and fair test. They will develop their ability to take accurate measurements using standard units. They will record and present their data in a variety of ways, including bar charts and tables. Later in the term, the children will explore the topic 'Light'. Building on from their learning in Key Stage 1, the children will be involved in a number of investigations which explore how we see objects, how shiny objects reflect light and how shadows are formed. The investigations will involve looking for patterns and making comparisons.
History
In history, we will be exploring the question - Why did the Romans settle in Britain? The children will learn about Boudicca and they will develop an understanding of the chronology of the Roman invasion of Britain. The children will explain how the Roman army was organised and will learn about their drills and manoeuvres. They will explain the meaning of legacy and will be able to identify how the Romans changed Britain.
Geography
Who lives in Antarctica will be the question which is explored during Geography this term. Amongst their work, the children will learn about lines of latitude and longitude and will develop their understanding of how the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience seasons at different times. They will learn about the different climate zones and how Antarctica has a polar climate made up of ice sheets, snow and mountains. They will explore how tourism and research are the two main reasons people visit Antarctica.
Computing
During lessons, the children will learn about algorithms and will look at using the internet to locate images and information. Our work on algorithms will explore using the repeat command and timers.
Art
In art the children will learn how texture can be created and used to make art. During this work, the children will explore the work of the artist Max Ernst. The children will also make observations of botanical objects and will use the skills of using simple shapes to sketch form and adding tone by using shade to complete their drawings. The children will also study the work of Georgia O'Keeffe and will explore composition and scale to create abstract drawings,
DT
During our lessons, the children will make a cushion that includes cross stitch and applique. They will learn how to use cross stitch to join two pieces of fabric, how to design and cut templates and will use a range of stitches to decorate their cushion.
RE
We will be learning about prayer and what different people believe about God. They will find out what prayer is and how it is helpful. They will discover what happens during Islamic prayer and what this tells us about Muslim beliefs and way of life. They will also find out how and why Christians pray and how Hindus pray at home and in the Mandir.
PE
During the Spring term, the children will be taking part in Gymnastics and Dance lessons. In their Gymnastics lessons, the children will learn how to travel in different ways and learn about different types of gymnastic balances. The children will also get the opportunity to explore our new gymnastic climbing equipment. In Dance, the children will learn how to move to a beat and perform short sequences in partners and groups, to music. From Spring 1, 3KA's PE is on a Monday and 3DW's PE is on a Tuesday.
PSHRE
The children will learn about keeping safe, both at home and at school. This will include recognising dangers and hazards and what to do to reduce risk and keep themselves safe. They will also explore health and hygiene and learn how to keep their bodies safe. The children will also learn what to do in an emergency and how to deal with minor injuries.
