Year 3 Autumn 1 Parent Letter
Dear Parent/Carer,
Welcome to Year 3!
We hope that you have had a lovely, enjoyable summer! A warm welcome to Key Stage 2.
We have been busy planning a range of topics to engage the children in their learning and will provide them with a homework grid, to choose from over this first term. We have got an amazing team in Year 3 with Mr O’Neon in class on Monday and Tuesday and Mrs Purver in class on Wednesday and Thursday. We also have Mrs Crockford and Mrs Daniels, who will be supporting the children this year. On a Friday the children will be supported by Mrs Crockford and will continue with their subject specialist lessons for Art, Computing, Music and P.E. In Year 3 the children will also have fortnightly swimming lessons as part of the P.E education.
Topic:
For our first topic we will be travelling back in time and become Prehistoric Adventurers. We will be exploring the Bronze Age and Iron Age. We will be learning about the lifestyles, diet, houses and clothing of these time periods and seeing how they changed. Our Whole Class Text this term will be ‘The Boy with the Bronze Axe’ which is set within the village of Skara Brae as the Stone Age passes into the Bronze Age.
Art:
This term our learning will be linked to our topic with plenty of opportunities to be creative! We will be looking at ‘The Lion Man’ and exploring clay sculptures, cave paintings and creating tones, shades and tints of brown. We will also be exploring natural dyes and brushes as we replicate techniques and paintings from this time period. Also, we will be studying fossils in science and will use these as inspiration for observational art opportunities.
Science:
Rocks and Soils is the area of learning we will be studying this term. We will be carrying out investigations and the children will work in small mixed ability groups to do this. This subject lends itself to a ‘hands on’ approach and we will be encouraging all children to take an active role.
Numeracy:
The focus of this term will be place value and number. We will be ensuring that the children have a good grasp of these areas so that we are able to progressively build on their knowledge and understanding. We will use manipulatives where necessary to help children to understand and will follow the ‘maths mastery’ approach to learning. We are keen that the children have a solid foundation in-order to build upon. As ever, times tables will have an important role to play in ensuring your child feels confident in number. We will be focussing on fluency in recounting times tables and have regular activities to encourage participation and home learning.
Literacy:
We will begin Year 3 by continuing to refine our grammar and spelling expertise as well as improve our writing skills. We will continue with weekly focus spellings which will be sent home for them to practise at home. Most of our lessons will be linked to our topic work, studying ‘How to Wash a Wooly Mammoth and Non-Fiction books for the Bronze Age & Iron Age. The children will have plenty of opportunities to write at length and to refine their writing. Handwriting practise will also be a key focus for this first term.
R.E:
People of God is our theme this term and our big question is What is it like to follow God? As always, we will relate this to children’s own lives and beliefs.
P.E:
Will be on Tuesdays and Fridays. We will be going swimming alternative Fridays. In class, this term we will be concentrating on Netball, learning various passes and attacking and defending skills and techniques. PLEASE make sure your child has their FULL PE kit in school, at all times and that it is clearly named. PE is a vital part of the curriculum and children need to have the correct kit with them.
Computing:
Our first topic is online safety. We will teach the children how to make sensible choices when online and work through some age appropriate scenarios to reinforce understanding and awareness.
French:
This first term the theme will be ‘Getting To Know You’ and we will be learning different greetings and how to ask simple questions to find out more about a person and how they are feeling.
Homework and Spellings:
In Year 3, the children will be asked to complete at least two pieces of homework this term, with the option of completing more if they wish. The children can bring in their completed homework on any day and we often have homework celebration on a Friday, where they can present their homework to the class and it is then filed in their homework folder.
This year we will upload the homework options to our Google Classroom. Your child should be able to access their Google Classroom by logging in to Google with their details. If you need any help then please do let us know, we will be happy to assist.
If you would like an additional paper copy of the homework to be sent home then please do pop a note in their contact book.
Spellings will also be uploaded to Google Classroom and a paper copy will be available if needed. We ask that you please continue to encourage them to write out their spellings and complete extra activities at home. The new spellings will be uploaded each week to our Google Classroom and you will also find different activity ideas there too.
The children will be quizzed on their spellings each Monday and new spellings will then be set.
If you have any questions or concerns then please do not hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to working with you together this term.
Many thanks for your continued support,
Mr O’Neon, Mrs Purver and Mrs Crockford.
