Year 3

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Each class in the school has a name based on a country. Year 3 is part of ‘Africa’ and the classes have the following names: Ghana (Ms. Gray’s class), Morocco (Ms. Lewis’ class) and Uganda (Ms. Clinton’s class

Curriculum

English

The children will be writing non-chronological reports about animals native to Africa. Then, they will explore folk tales.

Maths

Our lessons will be focussed on place value. We will also teach times tables and mental maths skills. Your child should already know the 2, 5 and 10 times tables fluently. By the end of Year 3, they should have a secure recall of the 3, 4 and 8 times tables as well.

Science

The children will be learning about forces and magnets.

Geography

We will be learning about the continent of Africa and, specifically, our class countries. Our big question is ‘How does the landscape and climate compare to the UK?’. To answer this, the children will explore the physical and human geography of their class country.

RE

We will explore the big question, ‘What is important to me?’ As part of this, the children will discuss human identity and what it means to be human, and the different communities to which each of us belongs.

PSHCE

Our PSHCE topic will be living in the wider world. The children will reflect on the different places where they belong.

Computing

The children will learn how to use Google Classroom, which they will use for homework. We will also introduce the children to the other online platforms that are used as part of homework: Mathletics, Times Table Rockstars and Spelling Shed. The children will learn the importance of staying safe online throughout this unit. They will be supervised whilst using the internet and our school systems are filtered.

Art

Our art will be drawing African animals focusing on lines, shapes, tonal mark-making and blending.

PE

The children will have two PE sessions each week. One will be focussed on developing the children’s fundamental movement skills, and the other will be dance. On their PE day (see the timetable below), the children should come to school in PE kits. This should consist of a top, shorts, trainers or plimsolls and, if the weather is cold, jogging bottoms or leggings and a long-sleeved top.

	Session 1	Session 2
Ghana	Monday	Wednesday
Morocco	Monday	Friday
Uganda	Monday	Friday

Suggestions for parents/carers

Maths – Please support your child with practising their times tables. They should already know 2s, 5s and 10s and leave Year 3 with secure recall of the 3s, 4s and 8s.

English – Please read with your child every day and discuss their book with them. Share stories and poetry at home. Don’t forget to include reading non-fiction and information texts e.g., signs, maps, catalogues and cereal packets.

Computing – Discuss online safety with your child to reinforce the safety messages we give at school. Remember to regularly monitor your child whenever they are online.

Art – You might like to practise some different pencil shading techniques in preparation for their artwork.

Geography – You could explore your child’s class country on maps, in atlases or on Google Maps to locate physical and human features.

Homework
We use four online platforms to support the children’s learning at home: Google Classroom, Mathletics, Times Table Rockstars and Spelling Shed. The children will be introduced to these platforms during our computing lessons and every child will be provided with their own unique login details for each of the four platforms.

Homework will be set via Google Classroom on a Thursday and is due back the following Tuesday. The homework will include a maths task to complete on Mathletics, a spelling task to complete on Spelling Shed and a list of spelling words that your child will be tested on the following week. In addition, homework will also include a written or alternative task linked to what the children have been learning about during the week.

If you do not have internet access at home, or if your child requires additional support with their homework, please speak to your child’s class teacher.

We feel that homework allows children to develop their independence and take responsibility for themselves. We hugely appreciate your assistance in supporting your child to complete their homework.

Reading
To support reading in school, your child will be given a school book-banded reading book and a reading record. We would appreciate your help in listening to your child read for at least 15 minutes every day at home. We ask that they complete their reading record three times a week as part of their homework. Please sign their reading record at least once a week and remind your child to bring both their school book-banded reading book and reading record to school every day.

Important dates

Monday 11^th September – Year 3 parents’ meeting 5:45pm for food tasting, 6pm presentation. (5:45pm – 6:30pm)

Wednesday 20^th September – Author visit by Katie and Kevin Tsang

Thursday 21^st September – Individual photographs

Thursday 5^th October – Year 3 parents in to look at books (3:20pm – 4:20pm)

Wednesday 11^th October – Online parents’ evening (3:30pm – 5:20pm)

Thursday 12^th October – Online parents’ evening (3:30pm – 6:00pm)

Tuesday 17^th October – IROKO Theatre Company workshop

Friday 20^th October – Last day of half term

Monday 30^th October – TAD day (children not in school)

Tuesday 31^st October – Children return to school

Year 3 Curriculum Map