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Welcome to Palm and Pine Class
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PE Days Our PE days are Monday and Friday Please ensure your child comes to school in their PE kit on these days
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Homework Homework is set on a Friday and due back in on a Wednesday Spelling Homework will continue to be accessed via Spelling Shed Times Table Homework can be accessed via TT Rockstars |
English
At the start of this academic year, we will begin by revisiting and revising some of the learning that the children completed in Year 2. This will include a recap on their common exception word knowledge, demarcating sentences correctly, grammar and sentence structure (e.g. conjunction, prepositions etc.) and recognising the features of different text types.
Once we have refreshed ourselves on our previous knowledge, we will begin our first unit of work: to write a narrative based on the story 'Mini Rabbit Not Lost'. This will entail discussing and exploring writing similar to what they are going to produce, discussing and recording their own ideas and then producing their own piece of writing using the features identified from their focus text.
Our second English unit in this half term is free verse poetry which provides an excellent opportunity for the children to showcase their poetry skills and put their vivid imagination and unique ideas to good use! We always love reading the children's poetry as no poem is ever the same!
Alongside our regular English lessons the children are also taught cursive handwriting and spellings.
Maths
We begin the new year building on what the children learnt in Year 2. We will revisit their key knowledge and number fluency skills focusing on number bonds to 10 and 20 and their 2, 5 and 10 times tables. Being secure in these factors of maths will ensure that the children have the confidence to move forwards with the Year 3 curriculum.
After we have refreshed our knowledge we will start to develop our understanding of place value. This will involve learning about hundreds, tens and ones and how their place affects their value in a number. Children will then move onto addition and subtraction and will become familiar with the column method for adding and subtracting two and 3 digit numbers.
At the end of year 4, children will sit a national multiplication quiz. It is important that the children spend this year becoming very confident in the times tables taught so far (2,3,5 and 10) and the new times tables for Year 3 (4 and 8) so we will spent a small amount of time every week practising, revising and developing our knowledge of these times tables in between our regular maths lessons.
Science
This half term we will explore the wonderful topic of animals including humans. The children will identify that animals, including humans, need the right types and amount of nutrition, and that they cannot make their own food; they get nutrition from what they eat. We will also explore that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement. We will learn about the different types of skeletons animals can have and take a look at some x-rays showing different endoskeletons.
History / Geography
In History, we will be learning all about the Sensational Stone Age, the Brilliant Bronze Age and the Impressive Iron Age. We will learn about how the people of these time periods lived and investigate what evidence we have to give us this knowledge.
We are very lucky to be visiting Celtic Harmony at the end of September for an inspiring and exciting trip back in time in which the children can apply the knowledge and skills they have already learnt... and pick up many new ones!
French
The children have the fantastic opportunity to learn a language in Key Stage 2. They begin their understanding in Year 3 by learning greetings, the names of classroom equipment and numbers.
They learn these in a variety of fun ways, mainly focusing on verbal communication with each other.
Music
Throughout the year the children will be using a variety of instruments as well as their voices to play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts. They will also be learning about the history of music and explore it in much greater detail. All of the children's music lessons will be taught by the wonderfully talented and passionate Mrs Ashwell.
Computing
In computing the children will be discussing and learning about how to stay safe online by refreshing their knowledge of the 3 'C's: Content, Contact and Conduct. They will also be practising their touch typing skills and will produce an informative poster using Microsoft Publisher.
PE
This term in PE we will developing our skills in orienteering and multi-skills.
Please send your child into school in plain black shorts, the school PE top or a plain white t-shirt on our PE days (Monday and Friday).
Please also be reminded that any ear piercings should be removed or taped up for safety reasons and no jewellery should be worn on these days.
Art / Design and Technology
For the first half term, we will be working on developing our drawing skills by sketching some still life objects. Following this, we will be extending our history knowledge by exploring Prehistoric cave paintings and the different methods they used to create paint and mark-make using natural products.
Religious Education
In RE we will be thinking about what kind of world Jesus wanted. We are extremely lucky to have a visit from Silsoe Church's very own Reverend booked for later in the term and we will get the opportunity to ask the Reverend all the questions we have about the Christian faith, the church as a place of worship and the Reverend's opinion on what kind of world Jesus wanted.
Reading in KS2
In KS2, children are encouraged to become confident, expressive and passionate readers. Most children will move fairly quickly onto the broader range of books available in the Brown, Grey and Blue book bands. Your child may spend quite a while on each book band. This isn't because they are not progressing, it is rather an opportunity for your child to be exposed to a wide range of authors, genres and styles of writing at a level in which they can comprehend what they are reading. They will be asked to answer comprehension questions to show their understanding of what they have read and encouraged to discuss the books they have enjoyed from the book band and the ones they have disliked.
We aspire to make every child a passionate reader and need your help to do this!
We will try to read with your child as often as we can in school. This will be either 1:1 with an adult, or in a guided reading activity where the children will read in a group and discuss the text together. We aim to read with your child once a week but encourage you to supplement this by reading with your child as often as possible at home.
Ways you can help at home
- Read with your child for 10 minutes every day
- Support your child to complete the homework set each week
- Ask your child questions about stories that they are reading to you, or about stories you are reading to them.
- Ask your child to tell you the time to help them to practise the skill of telling the time. To challenge your child, you could ask them to tell you the time on both an analogue and digital clock.
- Ask children to help you to count out money and ask for change
- Encourage your child to write stories, recounts, shopping lists to help build their stamina for learning.
Websites to help...
Purple Mash
Top Marks Maths Games
Primary Maths Games
TT Rockstars
Spelling Shed
If you have any questions please talk to any of the team in Palm and we will be happy to help you. You can also make an appointment at the school office. Look out for further messages about events in school through parent mail.
We thank you for your support this year.