Welcome Back To Year 3!

I hope that you’ve had an amazing festive break. I'm excited for the children to experience our new class topic: Rocks, Relics and Rumbles! Miss Leng and I have lots of fun and engaging activities planned, so don’t forget to ask your child questions about their school day. 

Rocks, Relics and Rumbles: This project teaches children about the features and characteristics of Earth's layers, including a detailed exploration of volcanic, tectonic and seismic activity. They will investigate tectonic plate boundaries and get active with volcanoes.  Class 3 will understand the cause and consequence of earthquakes. 

Spelling and Times Tables Homework is set every Friday! Also,  please keep reading journals up-to–date. We aim for a minimum of 3 reads each week. Finally, don’t forget our PE days are Tuesdays and Fridays!

Maths: This year we will be continuing with the ABACUS programme of Mathematics to build on the children’s knowledge. Also each lesson will contain a reasoning challenge to encourage deeper mathematical understanding.   

Maths Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Use multiples of 5 and 10 and bonds to 100 to solve additions and subtractions: add and subtract 1-digit numbers to and from 2-digit numbers 

• Comparing, ordering and understanding the place value of a 2- and 3-digit number 

• Count on and back in 10s and 1s to add and subtract 2-digit numbers 

• Solve addition and subtraction problems 

• Compare and order 2 and 3 digit numbers 

• Know multiplication and division facts for the 2, 5, 10, 3 and 4 times-tables 

• Doubling and halving 

• Know and understand the calendar, including days of the week, months and years. 

• Tell the time to the nearest 5 minutes on an analogue clock and digital 

• Know the properties of a 3-D shape 

• Stops Reasoning Questions (RUCSAC method) 

English: This term our novel study is ‘The Firework-Maker's Daughter’. We will become immersed in our class text during our Reciprocal Reading lessons.  St Thomas follows the Write Stuff scheme as a stimuli to become creative, independent writers. 

The written genres that we will be covering are:  

• The Secret black Rock- Narrative

• The Flood - Narrative

• Earthquake - Nonchronological Report

• How A Robot Dog Work- Explanation

Reading 

The text will be used as a stimulus to build on their reading skills. In class, our Reciprocal Reading activities will focus on different skills: from group/ paired discussions to independent Cracking Comprehension activities. We will be looking at strategies on how to answer a range of questions.  Also, we will be clarifying unfamiliar words to build on the children’s evolving vocabularies. 

Spelling & SPAG 

We will follow the Year 3 Read Write Inc Spelling Programme to focus on a fortnightly spelling pattern and Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum Spellings. Additionally, children will have exposure to the Rising Stars Skills Builders scheme of work which will revise, consolidate and build on their Spelling, punctuation and grammar knowledge. 

Physical Education  

Class 3’s PE days are Tuesdays and Fridays (Swimming Session)

The children will attend statutory swimming lessons at Wath Leisure Centre. The children must wear swimming caps, one-piece costumes  or trunks / tight swim shorts.

St Thomas will encourage lots of opportunities for children to exercise and adopt a healthy lifestyle.  

Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Dance
• Gymnastic
• Basketball

Science 

Class 3 will be taught to apply scientific methods, skills and lead practicals through the Cornerstones programme of study. 

Science Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Different types of rocks
• Soil testing
• Fossils and how they're formed
• Earthquakes and tsunamis 

History  

Pupils will be taught about the changes in Britain . 

History Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Historically valid questions relate to aspects, such as significance; time and chronology; continuity and change; comparing and contrasting or cause and consequence.

• Marry Anning palaeontologist (scientist who studies fossils). 

• Pompeii the ancient Roman city that perished when Mount Vesuvius erupted

Geography  

They will use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present their findings. They will be aware of human and physical features in their local areas and further afield.  

Geography Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle.
• Exploring Tectonic plates
• Locate significant volcanoes on a world map
• Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography
• Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night).
• Knowledge Year 3

• Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night).

• Identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night).

Art and Design  

Class 3 will use their sketchbooks to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas. They will have opportunities to get creative with a range of different medias. 

Art and Design Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Use a range of sketching pencils to capture their observations  

• Self portraits using sketching pencils

• Exploring ammonites

• Sculpture

• Lowry People and Places

Design and Technology  

They will Use research and develop design criteria to innovative products. Their products will be aimed at a particular group and fit a purpose. 

Design and Technology Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Making it Move- Machines and mechanisms
• Design and create a toy

Religious Education  

Class 3 will follow the Rotherham agreed syllabus supported by the Discovery RE syllabus. Together these will reinforce the children’s understanding of Hinduism and Christianity.  

Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Christianity-  Theme Jesus’ Miracles

• Christianity – Theme Forgiveness

PSHE & RSE 

PSHE will complement our RE work. The JIGSAW programme of study and The Discovery RE work simultaneously and instil a deeper connection. St Thomas core values and British Values will give each child a well-rounded insight into understanding society. 

Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Dreams and Goals

• Healthy Me

Music 

St Thomas follows the Charanga scheme of work which is an active and upbeat scheme that delivers fun and engaging music lessons. 

Music Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Listen and appreciate Music 

• Recognise instruments and the sounds they make 

• Understand different Genres of music 

• Learn choruses and verses to songs 

• Find the beat through body percussion 

ICT

St Thomas follows the Purple mash scheme of work which is interactive and develops the children's ITC skills. The scheme covers, coding, Internet Safety, digital literacy, websites and can be used as a cross-curricular tool to support other subjects.

ICT Learning Coverage for this term: 

• Spreadsheets
• touch Typing
• Email

Spanish MFL  

The children will have frequent practise to listen, comprehend, speak, read and write in Spanish. The I Languages scheme of work is interactive, fun and engaging. 

I thoroughly look forward to the Spring term.

Thank you,

Mr Turner

Miss Leng