Week 8 Snapshot
English
Students in Grade 3 have been focusing on developing their reading and spelling skills this term, using an explicit phonics approach. The 'Write 2 Read' program explicitly teaches the students letter-sound correlation via flashcards that we call our 'codes'. English is a 'coded' language and the skills we develop through this program will assist them to unlock the code. You will have seen in our 'Word Study' homework tasks, we have also started to introduce them to some spelling 'rules' (eg y always replaces i at the end of an English word). The students have greatly enjoyed exploring these rules and trying to find 'rule breakers'. This has prompted many interesting discussions and investigations into the origin of words (eg ski, sushi, confetti).
Recently, our writing focus has been narratives (one of the potential text types that will be assessed in NAPLAN testing). Students have been working on the planning stage of writing. through character development and consideration of settings. The next stage is the drafting stage, where students will begin to develop their story lines using the formal structure of a narrative (Orientation, Events/Complication, Resolution, Conclusion).
During library sessions, students are encouraged to select their take-home reading books as well as their in-class book for the week. By allowing students to self-select titles that interest them, and are self-assessed as 'best-fit-for-me' books, we hope to develop and encourage a love of reading that can sometimes wane as children get older.
Home Learning suggestions for English:
As we are learning about the structure of narratives, students have been watching these videos and answering the questions.
https://www.literacyshed.com/nightzoo.html
Mathematics
This term, students have been consolidating their number skills. Most recently, we have been looking at odd & even numbers, as well as rounding up and down to the nearest 10 / 100. Over the next couple of weeks we are relating these concepts to money, and will be using supermarket catalogues to investigate how coins and notes can represent different financial amounts.
Home Learning suggestions for Maths:
Give students opportunities to round numbers to the nearest ten and hundred. Using dice or playing cards (picture cards removed) make two or three digit numbers. Can your child round these numbers to the nearest ten or hundred?
Unit of Inquiry
During our PYP unit of Inquiry into 'Who We Are', the students have been exploring how people learn in different ways.
We looked at how we are all connected as learners and therefore the responsibility we have to ourselves and each other, in order to support and encourage effective learning.
When writing their speeches for the Junior School Council election, students reflected on their strengths and shared their ideas for ensuring our school was an inclusive environment for all learners.
By participating in a variety of challenges within the classroom and through their home learning, our students have also explored how challenges are opportunities for us to learn. There were many feelings of frustration during some of these activities, however we discussed how these feelings can urge us to try harder and improve our approaches to a task, often leading to greater success in the long run. The newspaper challenge in particular, proved harder than it first looked and provided an opportunity for students to collaborate as a team to design and build the tallest tower they could.
Home Learning suggestions for our Unit of Inquiry:
Students have viewed the following videos and discussed how mistakes can lead to discovery and success. To demonstrate 'their understanding of Growth Mindset', students created their own drawing of the Learning Pit .
Michael Jordan "Failure”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mMioJ5szc
Michael Jordan “Maybe It’s my Fault”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zSVu76AX3I
The Learning Pit
Home Learning
Every Monday the Home Learning blog will be updated with that week's tasks. Students are asked to bring their 'Home Learning' book to school every Friday to share their learning with the teacher and classmates.
According to Department of Education guidelines, students in Grade 3 are expected to do no more than 30 minutes of home learning each day. Tasks will provide opportunities for students to apply new knowledge or to review, revise and reinforce newly acquired skills, and will mainly consist of daily reading to, with, and by parents/carer or older siblings.
Please click on the following link to view this week's tasks:
https://grade3homelearning2020.edublogs.org/
Wellbeing
Congratulations to the following Grade 3 students who have been selected as the Junior School Councillors for 2020.
3A - Zoe Frawley
3B - Edie Blazey
3C - Harry Feller
3D - Charlotte McCoy
The process for selection included a rehearsed speech, which was peer-assessed against a rubric of criteria, previously determined by the class. A short-listed group were then interviewed by two teachers (their own and one other). It was inspiring to see so many of our students show the confidence to nominate for these roles. We know many were disappointed not to be selected, but the resilience they showed in the face of disappointment was a true credit to themselves.
Reminders
* Homework is published on a Monday and is due back on a Friday to the class teacher.
* Swimming and the swimming carnival have been postponed until a later date. More details will be provided when our PE staff have been able to make alternative arrangements. Thank you to all those who had volunteered to assist.
* Friday 27th March - last day of term one, 2:30pm finish.
* Friday 17th April, 9am - 11am - Excursion to meet the Bayside mayor at the Brighton Council Chambers. Please provide permission on Compass.
* Tuesday 12th - Thursday 14th May - Australia-wide NAPLAN testing
* Wednesday 9th - Friday 11th December - Camp to Arrabri Lodge, Warburton
Grade 3 Team
Sylvia Zanati (3A), Georgia Kirk (3B),
Shae Langford-Jones (3C), Amanda Kerr (3C)
Bill Kolivas (3D) & Amy Chadwick (Hearing Unit)