Welcome to the Year 3 blog!

Each week, we hope to share with you some of the learning that has taken place in our busy Year 3 classrooms. Maybe you could talk about what the children have been doing at school when you are at home with them?

Friday 26th April

This week in English, the children have explored the different settings in the story ,‘The Journey’ by Francesca Sanna. They retold the original story using a story map and then as a class planned and rewrote the story, changing the setting and reason.

In maths, the children have been adding values of money and calculating change. Many adults use cards when paying for their shopping and the children have less exposure to seeing amounts of money. At home, why not play some shopping games with your child?

In geography, the children used an atlas to find cities in the UK. They also thought about the eight points on a compass to locate some cities.

In science, the children have started an investigation to find out what plants need to grow well. Where did your child’s class decide to place their plants? What do they predict will happen?

Friday 19th April

We hope everyone had an enjoyable April break. The children have come back with great enthusiasm and have started some new topics this term.

In English the children started the week looking at the different features of a letter. Then we read ‘The Journey’ by Francesca Sanna. The children used this book as a stimulus to write a letter. They wrote using the structure of the key events in the story and included feelings and emotions within their letter.

In maths, the children identified different sized angles. They can recognise a right angle, and state what an acute and obtuse angle are. They have also investigated perpendicular and parallel lines.

In science, the children started a new unit on plants. They identified the different parts of flowering plants.

In geography, the children recalled the 7 continents and 5 oceans on Earth. They created a tool that zooms in from afar to where they were on our planet this week.

Friday 15th March

This week in English the children have explored and examined the features of explanation texts. They read ‘How to be a teacher’ and looked at the features of the text. They will use this text as a prompt to develop their own ideas on ‘How to be a pupil’.  

In maths, we have been adding and subtracting fractions with common denominators. We also found equivalent fractions.

In science, the children investigated how shadows are formed. They observed how the length of a shadow changes when an object (cube) gets further away from the source of light (torch). They predicted what they thought would happen then they tested their prediction. Can you repeat this experiment at home with a different object?

In art, the children used their research on stained-glass windows to create their own piece of art.

This week. the children have been learning how to name animals in French. Can your child remember the name for a monkey, cow, sheep, mouse or duck?

Friday 8th March

In English this week, the children have invented their own myth and written it independently. They were encouraged to use adjectives, expanded noun phrases and paragraphs.

In math, the children found fractions of numbers. They also ordered fractions in ascending and descending order.

In science, the children thought about the dangers of the sun. They created posters to remind people how to stay safe in the sun.

In history, the children used different sources to inspire their own drawings of Boudicca.

Sam Gayton was due to visit our classes this week, but his visit has been rescheduled for next week. There will be a chance to ask this author questions. It would be lovely if the children come to school with a question they would like to ask Sam Gayton about his work.

As part of World Book Day, the children enjoyed coming to school in their pyjamas. One of our school governors came into our classes and read a story to the class. The children also shared books with the older children in Year 5. Some children got the opportunity to go to a bookshop in Margate and get a book. Every child will be given a book token that they can use towards a book or choose a £1 book for free. These vouchers are valid until 31^st March 2024.

Friday 1st March

Last week in English, the children learnt about the minotaur, so this week they invented their own mythical creatures. In addition, they changed the setting and invention from the original story of Daedalus and Icarus. They used all these new elements in their own myth. Within their writing they aimed to use time adverbials, to make their story more interesting and easier to understand for the reader.

In maths, the children continued to expand their knowledge about fractions. They learnt about the role of the denominator and the numerator. They used the bar method to find unit and non-unit fractions of numbers.

In science, the children carried out a simple experiment to develop their understanding of reflection. They learnt that reflection is when light bounces off a material or object. They explored different materials to discover which were best at reflecting light and discussed why.  

In history the children gained a deeper understanding of how and why the Romans conquered Britain.

On Monday, Max from Kent Fire and Rescue visited our assembly to talk to us about fire safety in our homes. He told us what to do in an emergency. He told us about the ‘Stop, Drop and Roll’ method if our clothes happened to catch fire. He also showed us a short video and told us to make an emergency exit plan with our families, just like we do a fire drill in school.  

A reminder that Thursday 7^th March is World Book Day. The children may come to school in pyjamas or lounge wear with a bedtime story and cuddly. Whether your child decides to come to school in pyjamas/lounge wear or school uniform, can they bring a story to share with their peers?

We look forward to seeing your home learning projects on Monday 25^th March.

Friday 23rd February

The highlight of this week has been Roman Day. It was fantastic to see so many children coming in dressed in their Roman costumes. All the children had an enjoyable day building on the knowledge they acquired last term about Romans. During the day they took part in a workshop and enjoyed drama activities. Through drama, they learnt more about the life of a Roman soldier. They also visited the marketplace and other public buildings around the forum.   They children also took part in creative activities, making their own Roman pottery and mosaics. In another activity they learnt more about Hadrian’s Wall. We hope you enjoyed visiting your child’s classroom and seeing the children enthusiastically singing their Roman songs. As well as looking at their Roman pottery and topic books.

In science, the children started a new topic on light. They thought about different light sources and the effects of an absence of light.

In English, the children heard the myth, Daedalus and Icarus. They sequenced the order of events and explored elements of the story. They used a shared plan of the myth to rewrite the story themselves.

In maths, the children have been investigating fractions. They made their own faction walls and found fractions of shapes.

Friday 2nd February

In English this week the children have making changes to their report on the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. They recalled what happened in the historical event and considered some additional consequences e.g. burning building, animals running away in panic. The children have organised their ideas on a planning sheet and then completed their recount. They tried to ensure their writing was factual, in the past tense and written in the first person.

The children have also been looking at using apostrophes for possession.

In maths the children have been discussing and solving maths puzzles with their friends. In the main part of the lesson, they have continued to develop their skills in completing multiplication and division calculations. They progressed to solving word problems using the written methods they have learnt.

In science the classes carried out experiments so that they could explore how water changes state.

In DT the children worked in groups to build a bridge. They used saws and clamps to safely cut the wooden dowels they used in their bridge.

The teachers have loved seeing some of the home learning challenges that have come into school this week. The children’s projects are due on Monday 5^th February, so we look forward to seeing many more. It is lovely talking to the children and hearing how they worked with an adult, or independently, to create the work they bring in.

Friday 26th January

This week in English, the children watched a video about the volcanic eruption in the city of Pompeii in 79AD. They used the information they found out to plan and write a recount.

In maths, the children have been carryout division calculations. They have been dividing 2-digit numbers and progressed to questions involving remainders.

In history, the children looked maps to understand the size and importance of the Roman Empire.

In science, the children have been investigating states of matter (solids, liquids and gases). Last week they investigated changing chocolate from a solid to a liquid. They agreed that this state is reversable. This week they carried out an experiment to discover how heating and cooling playdough changes how easily it can be moulded.

Note that on Thursday 22^nd February year 3 children will be having a Roman Day. They have the opportunity to come to school dressed as a Roman or in their school uniform if they prefer.

Friday 5th January

All the year 3 staff wish the children and their families a Happy New Year.

In English this week, the children have been looking at the detailed descriptions Roald Dahl used to describe the characters in his books. They then focussed on the characters within the book, Fantastic Mr Fox. The children worked as a class to write descriptive paragraphs about the main characters in the story. Within their work they tried to include basic punctuation, time adverbials and inverted commas for speech.

In maths, the children have been using equipment to divide practically. Following on from this, the children have been carrying out division on a number line. This term the children are continuing to consolidate their 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 8 times tables. They are using their knowledge of times tables both to multiply and divide.

In geography, the children identified the position of the Equator and used atlases to identify countries in the Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere and on the Equator.

In French, the children practiced saying hello to different people in French.

The year 3 termly newsletter is available online. Please take a look to see the new home learning challenge for this term.

Friday 8th December

This week we have had lots of exciting events!

We have watched the Year R and 1 Nativity it was amazing! Then we went to King Ethelbert to make our very own soup it was great fun. We learnt the bridge and claw grip and how to use the hob. Some of us even decided when we are older, we wanted to be a chef.

In maths, we have been revising multiplication using arrays. We spoke about how this can help us as it is easy to count as the rows are very clear. After we felt confident with this, we then moved onto looking at number lines using our knowledge of arrays to support us.

We have been looking at the marvellous story of Jack and the Baked Beanstalk, the children edited this story and created their own characters and settings.

During Science, we have been learning about our bodies and how we move. We know that there are lots of muscles and they work together to allow us to move like we do. We wanted to investigate when we move whether out heart rate increases. We monitored our resting heart rate and then our heart rate after exercise and recorded our results. Ask us about our findings!

Friday 1st December

In English this week, the children have been adapting the story of Jack and the Baked Beanstalk by Colin Stimpson. The children have been changing the characters of Jack, mum and the giant to new characters. They also changed the setting of the café, castle and restaurant to a new setting. After planning their own story, they wrote their new tale. The children have also been thinking about where inverted commas (speech marks) should be used. The children are being encouraged to use inverted commas within their independent work.

In maths, the children have been adding and subtracting 3-digit numbers with exchange. They are also continuing to increase their rapid recall of the 4 times table.

Friday 24th November

This week in English the children have been writing their own expanded noun phrases. We also completed two English tests. One test was a comprehension task (PIRA) and the other was a grammar, punctuation and spelling test (GAPS).

In maths, the children completed a maths test (PUMA). The children continued to develop their ability to add and subtract using written methods requiring exchange.

In DT, the children either planned their soup recipe in preparation for their visit to King Ethelbert School or designed a label for the soup they have already made.

In science, the children completed a quiz to see how much they have learnt and remembered about forces and magnets. This week we have also started our new science topic on nutrition, skeletons and muscles.  We recapped understanding of diet and the different food types.

In PHSE the children discussed why it is important to get enough sleep. They created a story map of a good sleep routine. There was some discussion around the use of phones as part of a bedtime routine.

Sleep hygiene in children and young people | Great Ormond Street Hospital (gosh.nhs.uk)

Friday 17th November

This week in English the children wrote their own playscripts. After our previous work exploring the features of playscripts we tried to include as many of these elements into our own work.

In maths, we are developing our ability to add and subtract using written methods requiring exchange. We are also developing our ability to quickly recall 3 times table facts.

In science we made a magnetic game. Take a look at just some of our fantastic ideas.

Last Monday Year 3 took part in a KIC theatre workshop. We talked about healthy living. The children explored the different food groups through drama. They also discussed why energy drinks are not suitable for children due to their high caffeine content. They thought about when it is necessary to take medicines and who they should accept medicines from. The children continued to think about the concept of medicines and who should be responsible for giving them medicines through their work in PHSE.

Friday 3rd November

This week in English, we have been exploring playscripts. We performed a scene from The Twits called Wormy Spaghetti. The following day we looked at The Gruffalo story and turned it into our own playscript.

In maths, we have been using our knowledge of column addition to perform more complex addition questions using stop and swap.

In science, we have started our work on forces and magnets. We learnt that a force is a push or pull acting on an object as a result of the object’s interaction with another object.

In design technology we started to explore different types of soup. We look at the different food groups within some soups.

Friday 20th October

This week in English, we have created our own hybrid animals! The animals we thought of were fantastic, using all of our knowledge of non-chronological reports we made our own on these interesting animals.

We are continuing to develop our understanding on column addition and subtraction. We are doing very well at understanding the layout and moving on to apply this to word problems.

In topic, we have been learning all about Celtic roundhouses. We identified and explained why they have all the features they do.

Did you know that all Celtic roundhouses had hole in them?

In PSHE, all term we have been learning about respect as this as a very important value. We discussed everything we have learnt this term and answered the question “what is respect?” The responses from everyone were fantastic!

Friday 13th October

In English, we have been focusing on Woolly mammoths. We have spent to week writing fantastic non-chronological reports. We have learnt some interesting facts.

Did you know …...?

They are the same size as an African elephant!

This week, we have begun to look at column addition. We have used our super place value to knowledge to support us. This is what it looks like:

To continue our knowledge of the prehistoric age we reviewed all the information we have learnt about the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. We then wrote all the information we knew. They were great to read!

Friday 6th October
 

This week in English we have been looking at non-chronological reports. We explored a variety of reports about different animals and wrote all the key features that they contained and an interesting fact. We learnt that all non-chronological reports need:

• A title
• Subheading
• Paragraphs
• Interesting facts
• Adjectives
• Present tense
• Technical vocabulary

In maths, we have been continuing to use dienes to support our knowledge of place value. We have been recapping how to add one hundred to a three- digit number. We have really been focusing on our presentation.

We have learnt all about the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age, so we sorted lot of facts to the correct age. We also added more facts that we knew!

In art, we had lots of fun producing our final piece of artwork. They were fantastic! We followed our design and used this to support us.

In Computing, we have been looking at recording information in a variety of formats this week we looked at the weight of pre historic animals and created a pictogram.

Friday 29th September

This week in English we have been adapting the story of Stone Age Boy. We wrote the story as if we were a Stone Age person that fell into the classroom today. We produced some fantastic ideas and wrote great expanded noun phrases which has been our focus.

In maths, we have been looking at ordering numbers to 1000 in both ascending and descending order. We have been using great mathematical vocabulary to explain how we achieved our answers. Towards the end of the week, we have been looking at number lines and estimating where the numbers go on a partially filled number line.

We have begun to look at the Bronze Age and how this begun. We have learnt all about the smelting process-which is very interesting! We learnt the order and created a fun but informative poster all about it.

This week we created our own bar charts all about pre-historic animals. We used to excel independently and created a table for five different animals and discovered their heights and used this information to produce the bar chart.

Friday 22nd September

In English, we are continuing to look at the fantastic story of The Stone Age Boy book! We have been trying to understand what it would have been like for the Stone Age people.  We then went on to talk about how we would feel if we were sent back to the Stone Age just like the boy in the story. Our task was to write a letter home to our parents and careers about our day in the Stone Age.

This week in maths, we are continuing to look at place value of numbers using dienes.  We have been looking at how we can partition numbers into hundreds, tens and ones using the Part- Whole model. We have also been continuing to practice writing our numerals in words to 1000!

In art, we have been experimenting using different mediums such as paint, charcoal, pastels, and chalk to copy a Stone Age cave drawing. This allowed us to choose our favourite medium ready to produce our own cave drawing.

In French, we are continuing to practise the 10 colours we have learnt!

In PHSE, we have been discussing wider similarities and differences when it comes to our families. We then drew our families on a jigsaw puzzle piece as we found that we all have similarities when it came to our feelings. As a class we made one big jigsaw.

This week, we learnt about the discovery of Skara Brae, which is in Scotland. This was a very important discovery made which helped us understand the neolithic period of the Stone Age more. We looked at the different features of their homes and learnt how they helped.

Friday 16th June

This week 3W and 3M went to Quex Forest School. 3W got caught in the down pour of rain in the morning. However, both classes enjoyed a hot sunny day in the shade of the woods. The children made dens, roasted marshmallows, visited the farm and learnt about animal skeletons.

In English we wrote a descriptive story using a picture to prompt our ideas. We tried to follow a class plan and include amotions without story through actions rather than using the emotional word.

In maths we have been telling the time on analogue and digital clocks. We have been trying to tell the time to one-minute intervals of an analogue clock. Try asking your child to do this at home. We have also been solving word problems involving time.

In our topic work we compared maps of the City of London to Cliftonville. Ask us what we found out.

On Monday it is our Sports Day. We will be racing for our house so we can wear our house colours if we would like to. If you do not have a coloured top for your team, it does not matter. Just wear your school PE kit. I hope everyone has a great sports day and tries their best.

3M Walpole Bay – Red

3H Joss Bay – Green

3K Botany Bay – Blue

3W Kingsgate Bay - Yellow

Friday 12th May

This week in English, the children have been exploring standard and non-standard English. We looked closely at a picture book called Flotsom by David Wiesner. We used the beautiful illustrations to generate ideas as we wrote a diary entry. We needed to write in the first person, as if we were the boy in the book who found an old camera in the sea.

This week in maths, the children have been investigating maths through money. They added amounts and calculated change. In our increasingly cashless society, it would be beneficial to play money games at home. This will allow the children to become more familiar while working with both coin and paper money denominations.

In our science topic on sound, the children took part in practical experiments and found out that sounds are produced by vibrations. Take a look at some of their observations during the group work.

Your child will have brought two letters home this week about our class visits to Manor House Forest School. Please can you return both the slip on the information letter and Manor House consent form by Monday 5^th June. Without both letters we will not be able to take your child on the visit.

Please note that different classes have their visit on different days.

3W Monday 12 June

3M Wednesday 14^th June

3H Thursday 15^th June

3K Wednesday 21^st June

Friday 5th May

In English, the children used the book ‘The Journey by Francesca Sanna’ as inspiration for their own writing. They imaged a journey and wrote a letter as their character.

In maths, the children have been investigating parallel and perpendicular lines. They have also been adding three-digit numbers in calculations with exchange.

In topic, we have been looking at shadows and investigating how to change the length of a shadow.

Friday 21st April

The children have made a great start to term 5. The year group were praised by Mrs Spackman for showing wonderful manners within school. She commented on the amount of year 3 children who hold a door open for both adults and children. We are very proud of the children who treat each other with respect throughout the school day.

In English the children have been thinking about the features of letter writing. They explored the book, The Journey by Francesca Sanna. Using this book they wrote a letter in the first person and tried hard to include emotions and feelings within their writing.

In Maths the children revised their work on fractions and began to explore angles. They identified right angles in shapes and objects around them.

Friday 31st March

This week in English we have concluded our unit by planning and writing our own explanation text. We based it on our previous work on How to be a Teacher and How to be a Pupil. Ask your child what they wrote about this week, How to be a _________. What did they write an explanation about?

In maths we have been adding and subtracting fractions with common denominators.

Thursday was year 3's Roman Day and it was lovely to see so many children come to school dressed up and having an enjoyable time. The children experienced working within a group to find and read facts about Hadrian’s Wall. They also made clay pots, mosaics and investigated Roman numerals. During the workshop they cooperated within a group of seven and imagined life in a Roman fort.  They also had to role play marching a long distance whilst carrying their kit. We had a lot of very tired Roman soldiers. Then they went to the forum and imagined the hustle and bustle as they children took the role of a potter, baker, vegetable seller, butcher, wine trader, etc.

Friday 24th March

This week, in English, we have been thinking about using a and an correctly in our speech and in our writing. We have also planned and written an explanation text. We adapted a piece of text from last week and wrote ‘How to be a pupil.’ We needed to write in the third person, include key facts, include an introduction and summary, as well as headings and sub-headings.

In maths, we have been learning how to order unit fractions. We found out that the larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction.

In art, we created our own artwork to be entered into the Thanet Young Arts Festival competition. It is organised by Margate Rotary Club. Take a look at some of our entries. 

In our topic work we explored historical Roman evidence e.g., roads, the calendar, aqueducts, concrete, surgical tools, underground heating, and thought about how these Roman inventions have affected our lives today.

Friday 17th March

This week in English, we started a new unit on explanation texts. We read a model text and used this to identify the key features of explanation text. We have also completed a reading test and a test on spelling, punctuation and grammar. Everyone tried their best.

In maths, we compared and ordered fractions. We also worked hard during a maths test. Some children even said, “That was fun. Can we do some more?”

On Friday we came dressed either in red or in our own clothes for Red Nose Day – Comic Relief.

Searching for something to do this weekend? Have you heard about Discovery Planet? They run exciting hands-on science workshops and it is FREE. It is aimed at children between the ages of 8 to 108! There is a workshop this Saturday (Saturday 18^th March) called Earth Matters. It is at 47 High Street, Ramsgate CT11 9AG. The first workshop at 10am is held for those who need a quiet environment. Then at 11 am to 3pm the workshops run on the hour (the last workshop is at 3pm). It sounds like a lot of fun. If you are able to go, please tell your class teacher all about it.

Friday 10th March

In English we have been inventing our own stories and writing independently. We are working hard on our sentence structure and making sure our work is punctuated correctly and neatly presented.

This week in maths we have continued with our learning and understanding of fractions. We found fractions of numbers and solved some word problems.

In assembly we had a visitor from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI). She showed us what a lifeguard wears and the special equipment the people on the lifeboats need. She also showed us some flags that the lifeguards use on the beach. We learned what the flags mean when we see them.

Friday 3rd March

This week in English we have adapted the myth, ‘Deadalus and Icarus’. We thought about the structure of the original story and made changes to the setting, characters and the invented object.

We also enjoyed World Book Day on Friday. We had a visitor from Margate Books. She read us a story and we chose a book which we were allowed to keep. We hope you enjoy reading these books together at home.

We have also written letters to a new pen pal. Mrs Mayhew will take our letters to the children at Newington Primary School and hopefully someone will read our letter and write back.

In maths, we have continued our work on fractions. We have been finding fractions of amounts.

We had a visitor called Anton in our assembly, he works for a service called IMAGO. He told us that he works in Thanet to help young carers. Young carers are someone who has caring responsibilities for a family member with a long-term illness, disability or mental health. If you think your child is a young carer and would benefit from this service please speak to Mrs Priest, Mrs Pender or your child’s class teacher.

Friday 24th February

In English this week we listened to the myth, Daedalus and Icarus. We sequenced the events and rewrote the myth. Whilst writing we tried to focus on our use of punctuation, ensuring we write in the past tense, keep to the third person, use speech correctly and include expanded noun phrases in our written work.

In maths this week we explored fractions and created our own fraction wall to help us learn, compare and identify fractions. We also looked at fractions of shapes. We investigated the numerators and denominators of fractions. Can your child explain to you what these words mean?

In our topic work on Romans, we investigated the symbolism on Roman shields and then designed our own shield. We will be making a shield soon.

This week we studied the events leading up to Boudicca’s rebellion. We looked at historical sources and used these to gain an understanding of what Boudicca looked like. We used these descriptions to create our own images of her.

During our year group assembly our reading bear was named Reggie. So that Reggie can stay in your child’s class for a week, can you listen to your child read at least three times a week? Please write in your child’s reading record so that we can count the number of reads over the seven days. This week Reggie has had a great time in 3H. I wonder where he will venture to next week!

Thursday 9th February 2023

In French this term we revisited how we ask how someone is feeling and the responses we can give. Then we learnt how to ask someone’s name and reply by giving our own names. Can you speak French with us at home to see what we can remember?

In topic this week, we explored the weapons used by the legionaries. Ask us what these four Roman weapons are called and what they are used for.

1. Gladius, a short sword used for stabbing and held in the right hand.
2. Pilum, a throwing spear to throw at the enemy.
3. Pugio, a dagger used as a last resort if the gladius or pilum were not available.
4. The onager, a large wooden frame with a sling attached. It was used to fire large stones at settlements to destroy them quickly.

MathsWhizz

If your child gets 3 or more blue gems on MathsWhizz within a week, they will receive a coloured token for their house when we return to school. If they can get 3 gems or more for 8 consecutive weeks, they can write their name on a wall of fame in the school hall.

In maths, we have been continuing our work on multiplication and division, using formal written methods.

In Design Technology we completed our bridges and tested them to see how strong they were.

In ICT,  we thought about how we use the internet and how to take some responsibility for our safety online.

On Friday we had Maths Puzzle Day. We looked at dot-to dots and created some of our own.

Friday 27th January

In English, this week we have been planning and writing a recount. We watched a video about the volcano eruption of Mount Vesuvius, in Pompeii, that erupted in 79AD. Then we planned our recount by recording what we could see, hear, touch and feel. We used our notes to write our own recounts.

In maths, we have been learning how to multiply, using the column method. We can multiply a two-digit number by a one-digit number.

In Design Technology, we have looked at different types of bridges. Then we designed and made our own bridges.

In English, we needed to innovate our recount of Mount Vesuvius. We changed the volcanic eruption to a different type of natural disaster. We changed where and when it happened. We thought about what we would see, hear, touch and feel. We used our notes to write a recount of a flood, fire, earthquake or tornado.