Year 3
Welcome to the webpage for Year 3 at Linaker. Please do check back often and we will try to keep you up to date with everything that goes on.
The children this year are spread across three classes taught by Mr Wilson-Maher, Mr Hirst, Mrs Robertson and Mrs White. (The oldest children in the year group are with Mr Hirst who teaches a mixed class of Year 3 and 4 pupils.)
ENGLISH
This half term, we will continue to work hard to use our fabulous writing skills to describe, explain, record and inform across a range of subjects. Spellings are important in our writing and this term we will be looking at words that are commonly used and that we need to spell correctly every time we use them. Our text this half term is The Iron Man by Ted Hughes.
Well done to all the children who have been working so hard on their reading this year. The reading challenge is half way through now for this term and we would love to see even more children achieving rewards this time. We have seen progress in reading through Read Write Inc and it is particularly important that these children have the opportunity to read as often as possible at home. They can change their books every day in school and although we do have some wonderful support through our reading buddies Dan and Dave, we also need support from you. Our topics this term about the human body and the climates and countries of Europe could provide lots of different ideas for books that children could find interesting.
We will continue to look at new words and finding out the meaning of them in dictionaries so that we can use them in our own writing. We will also look up words in a Thesaurus to find a range of words with a similar meaning.
MATHS
In Maths, we are following the Math No Problem curriculum as we set out to ensure that all pupils finish the year with a fluent understanding of the Year 3 maths skills. This includes the children tackling a daily problem, selecting concrete resources to help them.
We are also looking at different ways in which questions came be asked and developing in our mathematical vocabulary. The children are already showing greater confidence in tackling problems.
This half term we will be thinking about fractions - recognising equivalent fractions, finding fractions of amounts and performing simple addition and subtraction with fractions. If you can find any practical ways to support your child in recognising halves, quarters and other fractions that would help them.
Our daily session of Mental Maths reinforces the speed with which children should recall key facts including number bonds to ten, simple addition and subtraction facts and times tables. We will be working hard this term to make sure that all children know their 2, 5, 10, 3, 4 and 8 times tables ready for year 4. If you require any activities to help your child learn these please ask the class teacher.
SCIENCE
This half term in Science we will learn about several aspects of the human digestive system - from teeth downwards! We will also be trying to assess what science concepts from this year have stuck with the children and which haven't so that we can prepare them for the move up to Year 4.
TOPIC
Our driving topic for this first half term is 'Europe - Climate and Culture.' This will include some map work and will overlap with our art where will will be looking at using colours like Gaudi in a further link to the children's Spanish studies.
COMPUTING
This half term we will be completing our work on coding and using the school's IT systems generally to support learning in other areas. Google Maps will be key for our European studies for example.
Although the weather is currently dire, please do plan for both extremes we are likely to get this half term. Children will always need a coat in school but on warmer days please also remember to apply suncream before your child comes to school and bring a bottle of water for them to drink.
The Year 3 Team
(Mr Hirst, Mr Wilson-Maher, Mrs Robertson & Mrs White)
Key Information -
PE Days - PE will take place on Wednesday this half term and whenever the weather permits, the lesson may be outside so suitable PE kit will be essential - jogging bottoms & tracksuit tops might be important additions to the standard kit! We find it best for children to keep their PE kit in school all week rather than trying to bring it he in just on the days it is required. The children will also receive swimming lessons on Thursday and Friday afternoons 3/4DH and 3RW on Thursday and 3WM on Friday so full swimming kit is essential.
Homework - Maths and English Homework is set on Thursdays for completion and hand in by the following Monday. In addition this year, the children all have a 'Personal Learning Log'. This is NOT further homework but a recognition that children often have their interest sparked by things we do in school and want to take them further. Any extra research, writing, maths or artwork that the children want to do should be recorded in these logs, Teachers look forward to seeing these and rewarding anything done in them.
Reading - As in previous years, all the children have a school reading book and a reading record. They are encouraged to bring these home daily and regular reading remains the greatest support that parents can offer their children. As children progress in reading, discussion of the books becomes as important as listening to them read - by Year 3, the children need to be able to talk about characters and their motives. In common with other year groups, Year 3 are running a series of reading challenges this year to encourage reading beyond the classroom. Details can be found in the letters home section.
An invitation - Parents are always welcome to visit the classroom to see the work that their children are doing - please pop in at the end of the day or have a word with your class's teacher to arrange a time.
High expectations - Parents will be aware that a new national curriculum came into force three years ago and it raised expectations even higher for the things that the pupils should be achieving by Year 3. Just to illustrate what the children are aiming at, the document below provides an overview of the requirements of the National Curriculum in Year 3. The overview of our curriculum for this year is also available:
Maths Homework Help
Addition support
Letters Home
Contact Us
If you have any queries or concerns, please don't hesitate to approach your child's class teacher in the first instance or by all means use this contact form, which will deliver an email to Mr Hirst.