Learning our "Times Tables"

Dear Parents,
Today we had the first of our "Quick Times Tables Tests". The children had a choice of whether to take part in the "2s and 10s" or the "3s and 5s". They had 10 (mixed up) questions.
I am encouraging the children to see if they can improve on their scores next week.

For those children that scored 10 out of 10,-  they have been encouraged to try for the "extra challenge test" - Next week this is the "4s and 8s".

DM

Home Learning - (Friday 30th Jan)

Planning our stories.

Next week the children will be writing their own stories in the style of an ancient Greek myth. For their "home learning" this weekend, I have asked them to begin to start planning some ideas:
Who will their hero (or heroine!) be? What will be the reason for their quest/adventure? What monster or obstacles will they meet on the way? What magical help will they receive?

I have given the children a "planning form" to help them to draft out some ideas.
It would be great if the children could have a chance to chat over their thoughts.

I will be modelling the writing process by developing my own story in front of the children.

This is a project that will progress throughout the week.                                                 Many thanks,

Duncan MacBean

Well done Year Three, great class assembly!

Well done Year Three, great class assembly!
We are very proud of you. Great acting and you all said your lines brilliantly!
DM

Waste Wizard Competition - reminder

Dear Parents,
- another reminder:
We are hoping that the children are able to have a go at entering the D.C.C. "Waste Wizard Competition".
The children have to make a “Wizard” out of any items that can be recycled (excluding glass) to try to win a fabulous “Eco Pack Prize”.
The children should bring their recycled Wizards to school by no later than Friday 6^th February.
Thank you,
Duncan MacBean

Year Three Assembly Reminder

Dear Parents,
A reminder that the Year 3 Class Assembly is this coming Friday 30th January at 9.20am in the school hall. We are presenting mini-dramas to act out four ancient stories.
Hoping to see you there,
Duncan MacBean

Perseus and Medusa (Year 3)

Perseus and Medusa
As you will know, we have been enjoying learning about the ancient Greek myths and using some of these to develop our writing skills.

Next week's myth:

The terrifying tale of heroic Perseus and the evil Medusa

DM

Times Tables - Year Three

Dear Parents,
We are having a push on learning our "Times Tables".
I have told the children that I will be giving them a "test" next Friday (30th Jan).
Because we have lots of children at different levels of expertise with multiplication, I have asked the children to choose between whether they take the "2s and 10s Times Tables Test" or, alternatively, the "3s and 5s Times Tables Test".
We are intending to encourage the children to learn different "Times Tables" each week for a "test" in this way  - for a number of weeks.
Many Thanks,
Duncan MacBean

Coco is the winner

Coco is the winner of this month's
"Wow Writing!" in Year 3.
She did a fantastic piece of writing about Orpheus and Euridice. Come and take a look at her work on the display in the hall.
                                                                          DM

Theseus and the Minotaur

The children in Year 3 have been enjoying using the story of Theseus and the Minotaur to explore adjectives, adverbs and other powerful vocabulary.
There is lots of excellent creative writing taking place. Well done Year 3!
                                                           DM

Home Learning, -Year Three - Homophones - Assembly words

Home Learning, -Year Three           week of Fri 16 -Fri 23 January

1. Homophones

Homophones- words that sound the same but have a different spelling and meaning.

Can you find some pairs (or groups) of homophones?
Bear  Bare
Eye     I
You    Ewe    Yew

 

2. Assembly Words -

The children have been given their "lines" for the class assembly on Friday 30th January. I have asked them to spend some time reading these through (or even, trying to learn them).

Many Thanks,

Duncan MacBean

plastic bottles please

Dear Parents,
We are on the look out for plastic bottles to change into "ancient Greek style pots" (-with the addition of papier mache, cardboard, paint etc).

Please send in any plastic bottles.

Thank you,

Duncan MacBean

Our Writing this week (year 3)

Dear Parents,

This week the children are being challenged to address a variety of elements in their written work. We are using the story of Daedalus and Icarus as an impetus for our writing:

 

• improving our story writing by using adjectives/adverbs/powerful words
• linking clauses with connectives (+use of comma)
• use of speech marks to "bring our stories to life"
• proof reading – for accuracy and to make improvements in content of our writing.
• an emphasis on neat handwriting (I'll be very keen to praise select examples.)

DM

Waste Wizard Competition

Children in Year Three to enter the Waste Wizard Competition

In our school assembly today, we were visited by Kirsten Juniper from the Dorset Waste Partnership. She set the children the challenge of entering another special recycling competition. The children were asked to make a “Wizard” out of any items that can be recycled (excluding glass) to try to win a fabulous “Eco Pack Prize”.
The children should bring their recycled Wizards to school by no later than Friday 6^th February. I will be judging the Year Three entries and announcing the winners at a special assembly that we will be having (on the 6^th February).

Some of the winners will then be sent on Kirsten to be entered in the next stages of the competition.

After the children’s fantastic response to our “recycled Christmas tree decoration”, I am confident that the children in Year Three we will create some more brilliant entries for the competition this month.

I look forward to seeing some magical creations!

Duncan MacBean

Home Learning Year 3 (for the week of Monday12th January)

I have given the children the challenge of measuring various things around the house and finding out the weights and capacities of various things. (These are listed on an activity sheet.) They will need to borrow a tape measure (or ruler) and the kitchen scales will be handy too.
This practical measuring activity is to back up lots of measuring (of lengths, capacities and weights) that we are doing at school in our Maths sessions.
Many thanks,
DM

Myths and Legends

The children have enjoyed their first week of learning about "myths and legends". We started with the tragic tale of Orpheus and Euridice.
Our class assembly on Friday 30th January will be a compilation of 4 mini-dramas, representing a myth from ancient Greece, a Celtic myth, an Anglo-Saxon legend and a Viking saga.
                               We do hope that you can come along!   DM    

Happy New year

Happy New Year!

We hope that you've all had a lovely holiday and are now looking forward to the Spring Term.

In the first week back, we will be beginning our work on "Myths and Legends" in our Literacy lessons.

Our Maths focus this week will be Measurement of Length (mm, cm, m and km).

See you on Monday,

Mr. MacBean