Grade 3 & 4

We are already halfway through Term 3, and what a busy and exciting term it has been! Our students have enjoyed a wide range of experiences, including swimming lessons, the school concert, athletics, and an engaging incursion. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and participation this term, both in activities and in the classroom!

Wellbeing

This term, our wellbeing focus has been on building independence and developing problem-solving skills. Students have explored the idea that problems come in different sizes through our topic “How Big Is the Problem?” They have practiced identifying the scale of an issue and choosing appropriate strategies to manage it. We also worked on effective communication and help-seeking skills, learning about different sources of help and when it is appropriate to seek assistance. Through role plays and scenarios, students have had the opportunity to apply these skills in real-life situations, helping them become more confident and resilient when facing challenges.

Writing

This term, we built on our narrative writing skills and let our imaginations run wild! Students focused on crafting well-structured sentences — simple, compound and complex — and learned how to describe settings using rich, descriptive adjectives. We explored fronted adverbials and prepositions to add detail and interest, and students worked on developing unique characters. A highlight was bringing these characters to life by creating models using recycled materials and designing imaginative settings to match their stories.

More recently, we have moved on to explanation texts, exploring their purpose and importance. Our focus is on sustainability, where students are learning to use technical vocabulary, descriptive language and comparisons to clearly explain ideas. We are also investigating cause-and-effect relationships to strengthen our explanations.

Maths

This term, students have been building their number skills in fun and practical ways. They explored adding and subtracting using the jump strategy on an empty number line, and extended their understanding of fractions, including converting improper fractions to mixed numbers and decimals. A highlight has been calculating change, using real-life scenarios like shopping and everyday problem-solving, which helped students see how maths connects to their daily lives. Through these activities, they have also been developing confidence and independence in using the four operations

Discovery

This term, our focus has been on sustainability! Students have been exploring the difference between needs and wants, discussing what is really important in our everyday lives. They have also learned how greenhouse gases affect our planet by taking part in fun role plays, acting out how pollution can change the world around us.We also investigated what happens to our waste and researched practical changes we can make in our everyday lives to help the environment. It has been wonderful to see students thinking critically and creatively about how they can make a difference, showing curiosity and enthusiasm for this important topic.