Spring Term Highlights from Year 3

In Reading, our class texts this term have been the Iron Man and Sam Wu is not afraid of Space. There has been some wonderful vocabulary to explore in context from both texts. We have answered questions around the morality of the way the farmers treat the Iron Man throughout the story and used the space theme to get excited about our trip to Winchester planetarium.

Our Geography topic this term was 'where does our food come from?'. We spent time learning about where some of our favourite foods are most commonly grown, for example, avocados and passion fruits. We used globes to locate different countries and learned about the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and finally the damaging effect that food production is having on our planet. Did you know, by adopting a vegan diet, we could solve world hunger, prevent deforestation, and save lives of suffering animals? It is certainly food for thought!

In Art, we have focussed on the artist, Gunta Stolzl, who was well known German textile artist who played a fundamental role in the development of the Bauhaus weaving movement. We spent time weaving thin paper strips to make colourful artwork. Then then moved onto weaving fabric, firstly, we looked at how fabric can be dyed. We used a selection of natural dyes, such as spinach and red cabbage and had a go at dyeing our own fabric. We then weaved fabric using a carboard loom. We celebrated the Chinese New Year by weaving our own Chinese lanterns.

In Writing we have continued to develop our writing sills, we have looked at a number of text types, including, narrative, recounts and descriptions. Aswell as expanding our vocabulary using a thesaurus and emotion wheel. We have focussed on adverbs, similes, relative clause and sentence types while continuing to write for an intended audience following the correct layout of a text. After each writing topic, we then spend time on editing and improving our writing to upscale it even more!

In Maths, the children have been practicing new methods to calculate numbers up to 1000. We have learnt how to use column addition and subtraction to solve large number problems and recognize how, by calculating using the inverse, we can find the answer much more quickly in some instances. We have explored the relationship between different times tables. For example, to times a number by 4, you can either count in fours or times by two and then times by two again.

The children practiced applying two-step methods to multiple times tables including x5 (x10 and ÷2), x 20 (x10 and x2), and x 8 (x4 and x2).

This can initially seem more complex than simply counting in the given times table, however, by exploring the different ways to find the same total, the children are developing a more secure understanding of a range of strategies to find answers most efficiently.

Please keep practicing number bonds and times tables at home with your children, as a secure understanding of these number facts lay the foundations for a huge part of the Maths curriculum.

In DT term, we have enjoyed exploring our topic ‘You’ve been framed’. Over the course of the term, we have studied photo frames, looked closely at different material that can be used to make photo frames. We have then spent time designing our own before practising cutting wood with a saw and gluing the pieces together with wood glue. This has been a fabulous new experience for all the children and something we have thoroughly enjoyed.

As part of our PSHE learning, we conducted an experiment on the effect of drinks on your teeth. We used different liquids and egg shells to predict and then prove how some can be harmful to your teeth. No surprise that full fat coke not only discolours your teeth but will also dissolve the enamel over time!

Finally, Year 3 had a fantastic day at Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium this term. Everyone was really excited to explore somewhere new and we all enjoyed exploring the interactive activities. We then have an informative workshop where we looked closely at lasers and infrared light, we then finished the day in the planetarium watching and taking part in an interactive show about star constellations. Everyone was on their best behaviour and represented our school perfectly, the adults were really proud! Thank you to all of the Year 3 families for your support and commitment to your children’s education. Without your support, a trip like this wouldn’t have been possible.

I would like to wish everyone in Year 3 all the best as I leave on maternity leave, it is definitely bittersweet leaving such a fantastic class. I have enjoyed getting to know your children, their quirky personalities and humour make me laugh everyday and I will miss the smile that they put on my face! I wish you all a happy and healthy rest of the year!