Year Three News

Grade 3 News for Term 3

Dear Grade 3 families,

Welcome back to another exciting term of learning. We're thrilled to share some insights into the engaging topics and skills your children will be developing over the next few months.

This term, our Reading program will be a vibrant journey of discovery, blending the magic of storytelling with the power of non-fiction. We'll be embarking on a captivating novel study centered around the wonderful book, "Fish in a Tree." This heartwarming story explores themes of self-discovery, embracing differences, and the challenges and triumphs of learning. Through this novel, students will develop their comprehension skills, delve into character analysis, as well as engage in meaningful discussions and visualisations. Following our novel study, we'll enter into a world of non-fiction reading. This will involve exploring a variety of informative texts, helping students to identify key information, understand text structures, and develop strategies for extracting facts and details. This focus will strengthen their ability to comprehend and analyse information from the world around them.

Our Writing curriculum for Term 3 is designed to empower students to express their ideas clearly and creatively. We'll begin with The Writing Revolution. This highly effective approach focuses on teaching students explicit strategies for writing clear and complex sentences, and paragraphs. It's about giving them the tools to become precise and powerful communicators. Following this, we'll dive into Scaffolded Literacy, providing structured support to build foundational writing skills. This will help students organise their thoughts and construct coherent sentences and paragraphs. Finally, we'll begin our Story Grammar unit. This unit will help students understand the fundamental elements of a story – characters, setting, plot, problem, and resolution – enabling students to plan and write their own compelling narratives.

In Numeracy this term, we're building a strong foundation in number and problem-solving, with a particular focus on developing flexible thinking and efficient strategies. In Number we'll explore various ways to rename numbers and understand non-standard expanded form. In Addition and Subtraction students will use renaming strategies for addition and subtraction, apply their knowledge of odd and even numbers to check answers, and use bar models to solve problems. We'll also focus on creating equations from worded problems and choosing appropriate strategies for calculations, including adding and subtracting 100. In Multiplication and Division we will model multiplication and division, focusing on identifying groups. We'll also work on recalling and demonstrating proficiency with multiplication and division facts for the 3 times tables. In Geometry and Measurement we will compare the time it takes to do activities and record time on analog clocks. Lastly, in Fractions, students will begin their journey into understanding fractions as collections.

In Units of Work will weave together fascinating topics from history, science, and culture: 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives: We will be exploring the significance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, learning about their diversity, longevity and connections to Country (land, sea, waterways, and skies). We'll also acknowledge the significance of NAIDOC Week, National Sorry Day, The Anniversary of the National Apology and The Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum.

Scientific Discoveries: In Science, we'll investigate how living things can be grouped and distinguished from non-living things. We'll also learn how to compare and contrast different Australian plants and animals.

This term, Grade 3 students will have regular homework tasks to reinforce their classroom learning. We encourage students to read for a minimum of 20 minutes, 5 times a week. Reading regularly at home significantly contributes to their literacy development.

For Maths, students will work on Essential Assessment tasks through My Numeracy, Sunset Maths, and Jetpack Algebra, once a week for at least 15 minutes. Students have already explored Essential Assessment in the classroom, so they are familiar with the platform and how to navigate it independently.

Parent Helpers: Your Support Makes a Difference!

We are so grateful for the wonderful response we've had from caregivers completing the online modules to become school helpers! Your involvement makes a huge difference in enriching our students' learning experiences.If you would like to volunteer in your child's classroom to provide additional support, please contact your child's class teacher directly via Compass. We'd love to have you!

Swimming Program: A Big Splash!

A huge thank you to all the parents who have volunteered for our swimming program this year! Your help is essential for this valuable activity. Our swimming program begins on the first Tuesday back and runs for 9 days.

We're looking forward to a fantastic Term 3 filled with engaging learning and growth. If you have any questions about the curriculum or your child's progress, please don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher.

With kindness, 

The Grade 3 Team

Tess, Drew, Marco & Caity