Mr Jones (Class Teacher)
Mrs Gourlay (Support Staff)
- Year 3 Reading Spine (532KB)
- Year 3 Reading Intent (178KB)
- Year 3 Meet the Teacher (805KB)
- Year 3 Intent (182KB)
- Year 3 Homework Grid Autumn 2024 (661KB)
Autumn 2024
A warm welcome to all the new Year 3 cohort! I have been thoroughly impressed with the way they have all stepped up to Key Stage 2, and am confident of the year ahead of them.
In our Reading lessons we have started studying fables, using Michael Rosen’s retelling of Aesop’s Fables as our starting point. We have started looking more deeply at fables in English, by unpicking the common features we have seen so far. This has led into developing our storytelling skills by practising intonation when reading aloud. We have also done a detailed read of War and Peas by Michael Foreman as a less typical fable. The children are getting prepared to write and perform a fable of their own!
In Maths we refreshed representations to 100, before developing new skills in partitioning numbers and more sophisticated number line work. These skills will help us to level up to four digit numbers, developing a strong grasp of place value before moving into formal methods of addition and subtraction.
I’ve been impressed with the scientific minds that have come into Year 3! We’ve begun the term looking at light, what constitutes a light source, how light moves, and how it is reflected. We will develop a strong scientific rigor throughout the year, learning to write like the scientists we are while conducting experiments!
We are learning about the Impressionist movement in Art, and the importance of Claude Monet this term. I have been impressed with the artistic flare that has come out in our artist study, and can’t wait to see the final pieces produced.
In Computing we are starting to think like coders, learning how it is that the marvels of modern technology work and begin to speak the language of computers. We are making simple animations in Scratch throughout this term to demonstrate the growing fluency in these digital natives.
In History we are looking at prehistoric Britain. From the Stone Age through the Bronze Age and into the Iron Age, we have been considering the enormity of time, and how we can go about gathering insights into how people used to live before written records.
In PE we are going for swimming lessons, and at Manland we have been looking at pitch dynamics, finding space and making numbers count in invasion games.
Summer 2024
I can’t believe we’re approaching the end of the year already! Year 3 have been a delight to teach and are rounding off the year with an excellent summer term.
In Reading we have been continuing our focus on non-fiction, this term looking at the effect humanity has on the world around us. This is paired with the persuasive writing we have been doing based on the story ‘Stella and the Seagull’. The class has been writing and delivering some incredibly convincing speeches on why we all should reduce the amount of plastic we use. We are consolidating the writing skills developed over the year, extending ideas with conjunctions, pairing thoughtfully considered points of view with emotionally powerful adjectives and grouping information into themed paragraphs.
In Maths the class has continued to impress me as we consider additional and subtraction of fractions. Their ability to focus on increasingly complex mathematical thinking is truly a delight, and Maths has remained one of my favourite lessons to teach this class.
In Science we have started the term learning about the different types and categorisations of rocks. Building on our learning about volcanoes last year, we have been looking at how rocks are formed. We have been exploring how we can learn about a time before humans, by examining sedimentary rocks found around the world for fossilised evidence.
Year 3 are very excited to be studying the effect of the Roman Empire on Britain this term in History. Living in Hertfordshire (so close to St Albans) means that we have excellent evidence of Roman influence right on our doorstep! We had an interesting trip to the Verulamium to see real Roman artefacts and deepen our knowledge of the effect Roman settlement had on Britain.
In Art, we are looking at how single frame images viewed in quick succession can form animation. Starting with flipbooks, we have been creating our own simple animations that can be made with only a pen and pad of paper. Later in term, we will look to move into the world of digital animation, building on our skills developed last term in Computing to create short stop-motion animations.
In Computing we are looking at how networks of information can be linked together. Taking a cue from repositories such as Wikipedia, we are looking at building our own database of knowledge using Google Sites.
In PE we are coming to an end of our swimming lessons. I am incredibly impressed with how far Year 3 have progressed! During our PE lessons at school, we are taking part in ‘bat and ball’ games to enjoy the improving weather and build on our skills developed over the year.
Finally in Music, the class have been working on musical notation and the skills that go into reading sheet music to go with their continued efforts with the clarinet.
Spring 2024
Year 3 have started 2024 with a bang! I am continually impressed their attitude towards their learning and can’t wait to see how far they progress this term.
In Reading we have been looking at science fiction, reading The Iron Man as well as the sequel The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes. The Iron Man has also been our focus book for our unit in English: writing a narrative ending. We have been building on our emerging skills of grouping information into paragraphs (started in autumn term) to write our own endings to the story. I’ve been very impressed with the ambitious verbs and adjectives that have been used in our increasingly sophisticated writing.
In Maths we’ve started on multiplication and division, both with and without exchange. The discussions and explanations of the class during Maths is truly wonderful – Year 3 are developing into a fine group of mathematicians!
We’re looking at animals including humans in Science. Starting with what animals need to survive and thrive, we’ve been looking at nutritional elements of diet and applying what we’ve learned to modern living by taking a closer look at the food we eat. Later this term, we will be looking at categorisation of animals by skeleton type and taking a deeper look at the human body.
We’ve been learning about the combination of textiles and paint in Art. The texture and motion that using fabric or string can bring to a painting is a novel concept that the class has been very engaged in analysing, and including in the planning of their own pieces.
In Computing we have been looking at the presence in front of, and the technical skills behind, the camera when presenting a report. Taking cues from news stories we have been using programs that allow for editing of videos and photos to compile our own reports on ancient Egypt.
This brings us neatly onto History in which we are looking at ancient Egyptian society. Following on nicely from our study of prehistory last term, we have turned our focus to one of the earliest great civilisations of the world. We are excited to have a guest, Mr Egypt, come and speak to us about this enduring society too!
In PE, we are continuing our weekly trip to the local swimming pool, and have made excellent progress, while, at Manland, we have started Gymnastics.
Finally, in Music, we are starting to learn how to play Clarinets. The class has been enthusiastic about this new instrument and I can’t wait to hear how they develop this new skill!
