Year 3 update

Hello everyone,

Here's a quick update about what the children have been learning about this week:

In English, they have been reading the book The Tear Thief. They will be working towards writing a field guide to The Tear Thief and the different types of tears. At the moment, they have been thinking about how to write descriptive sentences, including adjectives, and learning about metaphors and similes.

In Maths, they have been learning how to use the column method when adding two numbers together, including with exchanges. Next week we will look at subtraction. As ever, it would be great if you could give your child opportunities to practise number bonds so that they have quick recall of these number facts. We will start sending flashcards home to those children we think would benefit from more practice, but if your child doesn't bring a set home, please do feel free to ask for one if you would like one.

In Music, the children have been continuing to learn about the music of Tchaikovsky, noticing the features of his music and considering what they like and dislike about his pieces. They have also been learning how to play the recorder, with the hope that we may be ready to perform a song later in the term.

In Art, the children have been working hard on their sculptures. They started with wire, which they have begun modelling. Next week, we hope to start painting these.

In Computing, the children have been learning how to touch type. A skill that Ms Browne still can't competently do! We have all been learning about the home keys and which fingers should ideally be used to hit each key.

In French, the children are learning how to say the colours. As the class are so good at British Sign Language, we have decided to teach the BSL colours alongside the French words for the colours. With support from the wonderful Ms Geddes, I have been genuinely impressed by their recall of both the French and the BSL.

For this week's home learning, I would like the children to show you the signs for the colours whilst saying the French words for them. They may also like to colour in the worksheet, but if colouring is not their thing, then speaking the French and doing the signs is the most important part. 

Home learning sheets and spelling sheets or RWI books should come on Friday after school but here is an electronic link in case yours doesn't.   

Home learning

Spelling Group 2

Spelling Group 3

Upcoming Dates:

Friday 13th November - Children in Need Day (non school uniform day)

Thursday 19th November - POWSA Film night 

Wednesday 25th November - POWSA lights switch on

Friday 27th November - Non school uniform day 

Kind regards,

Ms Browne & The year 3 Team

 

 

This week's learning

Hello everyone,

It has been lovely seeing the children again after the half term break. They have settled back into school routines well and seemed excited to be back at POW. 

This week in maths, the children have been learning how to use column addition where you do not need to exchange (where the numbers added together are not greater than 9 and you don't need to carry tens or hundreds). 

Next week, we will look at column additions that involve an exchange and will introduce this practically using base tens and counters before using the formal written method.   

In our maths fluency, we have been getting the children to practice their quick recall of doubles and halves. They have also been reminded of what happens when you add or subtract 0 and also that the answer is zero if you subtract a number from itself. 

Regular practice of these addition and subtraction strategies helps children gain confidence in their maths and they can start to use these strategies with bigger numbers. 

In English, we will start reading the Tear Thief and the children will explore descriptive and figurative language including metaphors and similes.    

In art, the children have started making their winter sculptures which will form part of a school wide winter exhibition of learning.   

In this week's home learning the children are being invited to be inspired by Autumn. They may like to take a photo or create some Autumn inspired artwork or written work. Any photographs can be shared to my email c.browne@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk and I can print them out for display. 

The children also have some suggested maths fluency practice at home. They should come home with a paper copy of their homework sheets today but an electronic version can be found here.  

It would also be great if the children can read regularly to an adult recording their reading in their journals. They will also either have a RWI book to read or some spellings to practice:

Group 2 spellings 

Group 3 spellings

   

Welcome back to Autumn Term 2

 

Hello everyone,

This term, the children will have PE on Fridays, so please continue to send them into school wearing their PE kits on Fridays.

On Thursday afternoons, we are delighted to have staff from Castle Hill Heritage Skills working with Year 3. During these sessions, the children will learn about life from the Stone Age onwards in a hands-on and practical way.

The clothing they will need on Thursday afternoons is similar to what they would wear for Forest School during the winter months. This includes wellies, long, sturdy trousers, long-sleeved tops (multiple layers are recommended) and a protective jacket.

This week is a busy one, with lots of celebrations. On Tuesday, the children will have a presentation from Dorchester Fire Service (assuming they are not called out!) to talk about fire and firework safety ahead of Thursday's Bonfire night. 

On Friday, the children will enjoy a Diwali dance workshop (thank you, POWSA!), with Friday marking the start off Diwali ahead of the main day on Sunday.  

We hope you have had a lovely Half term break and are looking forward to welcoming your child back to school on Tuesday 2nd November. 

Kind regards,

Ms Browne & the year 3 team

      

School Uniform tomorrow please

Dear parents and carers,

Tomorrow, on the last day of term could the children wear their full school uniform please.  Due to the harvest festival celebrations and forecast wet weather, there will not be an opportunity for the class to do PE. 

Apologies for the late notice of this notice, please could someone share this blog with other parents and carers via any social media group chats. 

Thank you,

Ms Browne   

Last week of Autumn 1

 Hello everyone,

As we come to the last week of our first term with the new Year 3s, myself and the rest of the team are so pleased with how the children have settled into the new year. 

It was really lovely meeting so many of you this week during our parent and carer consultations. It was a great opportunity to talk about your wonderful children and discuss any issues that may come up. If you weren't able to make one of these sessions please do get in touch to arrange an alternative meeting time. Also if you ever have any questions or concerns please catch a member of the team on the door or email me directly. 

On our last day of term we will have our Harvest celebration and we hope you can make it. Our assembly starts at 2.50pm and any donations for the Dorchester Food bank will be gratefully received when the children arrive in the morning.  

Thank you to those families that are supporting their child with their home learning.

When we come back to school after half term the children will start learning about formal written methods (column addition and subtraction) but before that it is very helpful if they can securely add number bonds mentally. Children vary and so meeting your child where they are is really important.

- You may find that your child would benefit from using physical equipment like pencils when they are counting.

- It may be that your child understand the number bonds but would benefit from lots of repetition to help them retain them and build fluency. 

- Some children with a secure recall of number bonds may like to use them for number bonds to 20 or by adding then to 2 digit or 3 digit numbers. E.g knowing 3 + 7 = 10 can be used to calculate 43 + 7  or 327 + 3. 

As well as some maths questions, this week's home learning also invites your child to bring in some Autumnal items for Friday. Paper copies should have been brought home on Friday but an electronic copy can be found here.  We would also like your child to get into the regular routine of reading and recording their reading in their reading journal. Regular spellings practice is also really important (I hope to have individual spellings lists for RWI children after half term).    

Spellings for this week should also have been brought home but an electronic copy can be accessed below:

- group 2 spellings

- group 3 spellings 

Kind regards,

Ms Browne & the Year 3 team 🍁😊

 

Year 3: Fabulous trip to the farm.

Thank you so much to farmer Hazel for another very informative trip to the farm. Our learning this morning linked to our Science curriculum as we learnt about the crops they grow on the farm. We saw hoe seeds don't need soil to grow. We looked and compared different seeds and watched the JCB move around silage into a mixer. Of course the cows are always a highlight.....and the muddy puddles! Well done Year 3 for another brilliant trip to Maiden Castle farm 🚜🐮

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! 

🚜Mrs Thorpe and the Year 3 team 🚜

Class Trip Today

 Hello everyone,

Just a quick reminder that it is the class trip today (Friday 16th). 

Please can children still come to school with school tops for PE (with school jumper on top for warmth) . Instead of PE shorts they may like to wear joggers or leggings. 

Also, if they don't have wellies in school please could they be sent in.
Thank you.