Year 3

This term we will be working on the following subjects:

English      

Our focus texts will be Secrets of a Sun King, Egyptology, The Nothing to See Here Hotel and Apes to Zebras poetry. While exploring these texts, we will learn how to use descriptive language efficiently in our work through the use of fronted adverbials and expanded noun phrases. We will create longer narratives using a wider range of tenses and organise them effectively into paragraphs. We will also create playscripts, balanced arguments, instructions and reports.

When assessing the effectiveness of our writing, we will suggest improvements in spellings, punctuation as well as correct use of grammar. We will also propose changes to our vocabulary to make our writing more interesting and engaging.

During Guided Reading sessions we will justify answers, opinions and arguments. Further to this, we will discuss our understanding by predicting what might happen next from details stated and implied. We will also draw inferences and justify them using accurate evidence from the text.

 

Maths       

We will be teaching maths using the NCETM materials and guidance. We will be covering non-unit fractions, measurement (length, mass, capacity and volume), parallel and perpendicular sides in polygons and time. The children will be presented with various contexts, representations and manipulatives to support their mathematical learning. We will apply this knowledge to solving word problems, using bar modelling and part-part whole models as a key representation.

 

Science    

We will be studying two science topics this term. In Forces and Magnets, we will be able to observe how magnets attract or repel each other and attract some materials and not others. We will compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of whether they are attracted to a magnet, and identify some magnetic materials. In Animals including Humans, we will identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement. We will identify that animals, including humans, need the right types and amount of nutrition, and that they cannot make their own food; they get nutrition from what they eat.

 

History   

In History, we will study Ancient Egypt. We will discover what Ancient Egypt was like over 5,000 years ago. We will investigate historical evidence and compare Ancient Egypt with other civilisations from that time. We will finish the topic by looking at the pyramids.

In our Bronze Age River Civilisations topic, we will be learning about what makes a civilisation, what a civilisation needs to grow and succeed, what was the greatest achievement of the Sumerians, what was the greatest achievement of the Indus and what was the greatest achievement of the Shang Dynasty and what these civilisations have in common.

 

Music        

In Music this term, we will look at how chords are created and explore them using tuned percussion. We will practice making chords on keyboards and listen to the difference between major and minor chords. We will work in groups to improvise over chords and add lyrics to rhythms and chords to create a whole class song.

After half-term, our unit is based around Indonesian Gamelan. We will look at traditional performances and learn about the instruments used. We will explore the repeating cycles that form the structure of almost all Balinese music and perform the interlocking rhythms in a class version of a gamelan using tuned percussion. 

Recorder lessons will run alongside these topics so that we continue to build on our music reading in preparation for instrumental lessons in Year 4.

 

Computing       

This half-term, we will explore the concept of sequencing in programming through Scratch. We will be introduced to the programming environment as well as to a selection of motion, sound, and event blocks which we will use to create our own programs.

Next half-term we will explore the links between events and actions, whilst consolidating prior learning relating to sequencing. We will explore movement within the context of a maze, using design to choose an appropriately sized sprite. We will be introduced to programming extensions, through the use of pen blocks, and finally, we will design and code our own maze tracing program.

 

Design Technology (DT)   

In our DT unit this half-term we will be learning how to cross-stitch and appliqué to decorate and assemble Egyptian collars, which represent the children's unique personalities. Following this, we will be designing digital wearable technology and developing a program and housing for a Micro:bit.

 

Physical Education (PE)               

Year 3 will continue their weekly swimming lessons during the summer term. Our PE topic this half-term is athletics and this will be followed by Tag Rugby next half-term.

 

French     

We will be learning key vocabulary and phrases through the following topics: French transport and A circle of life.

 

Religious Education (RE)             

In our learning we will focus on is scripture central to religion? and how fire is used ceremonially. These topics will be linked to scripture, beliefs and world views throughout.

 

Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) / Relationships & Sex Education (RSE)     

Our topics this term are: Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing, Growing and Changing and Keeping Safe.

We will talk about the choices that people make in their daily life and how they could affect their health. We will also identify healthy and unhealthy choices (e.g. in relation to food, exercise, sleep). We will discuss what can help people to make healthy choices and what might negatively influence them.

We will learn that everyone is an individual and has unique and valuable contributions to make. We will recognise how strengths and interests form part of a person’s identity. We will identify our own personal strengths and interests and what we are proud of (in school, out of school).

We will identify typical hazards at home and in school. We will learn how to predict, assess and manage risk in everyday situations.

Reminders:

• Your child should read for at least 10 minutes every day. Across the week, this should be a combination of independent reading and reading to an adult. Please talk to your child about the book and check their understanding by asking questions about events and the characters’ actions. Please also explain new or unfamiliar vocabulary. Their book-bag should come into school every day.
• Your child will have PE on Tuesday and swimming on Thursday. The children should wear their PE kit to school on Tuesdays. 
• Your child needs to bring in a water bottle every day.
• We are a Healthy School. Please do not put sweets or chocolate bars in your child’s packed lunch. Please do not send in sweets or other treats when it is your child’s birthday. If you want to celebrate your child’s birthday with their classmates, you could buy the class a book, send in a healthy snack such as boxes of raisins or buy stationery such as a pencil, but due to the impact on the environment, we ask you not to send in plastic toys.
• If your child is absent from school, please contact the school office: 020 8850 5486 and leave a message detailing why your child is absent. If your child has an upset stomach, they should return when they are feeling better.  Please try to book medical appointments outside the school day and note that family holidays will not be authorised.
• If you have any questions or wish to raise a concern, please contact the class teacher in the first instance.

Please see the school calendar and weekly newsletters for information about events for Year 3.