English

In Term 4 students will continue to borrow from the library, read at school and at home every night to improve their comprehension and fluency. Reading is also encouraged to help learn new things, find new interest areas and improve spelling and writing. Students will continue to practise their speaking and listening skills at school through a variety of tasks, including Talking Topics, sharing work and class discussions.

Our English focus this term is on similarities and differences and will focus on building cultural understanding alongside literacy skills. Students will read a variety of texts and are encouraged to form opinions, make predictions and justify their thinking through a variety of written, spoken and reflective tasks. They will work through the Writing Process to independently plan, draft, edit and refine and publish both imaginative and informative texts. Through exploring the Mem Fox texts I’m Australian Too and Whoever You Are, the students will be introduced to the concept of what makes us different as well as what makes us similar as humans. We will look at how their lives are both similar and different to other children across the world through a range of digital and print texts. Students will learn about Australia as a multicultural nation and look at texts from different cultures and backgrounds including Anh Do’s biography The Little Refugee. With a focus on Asia, students will read a traditional fable and another biographical text, The Peasant Prince. The unit will come full circle with a connection between The Peasant Prince, The Little Refugee and the characters in I’m Australian Too, who all come to Australia seeking a better life. These texts allow students to recognise the diversity of Australian people, and the value of multiculturalism. Students are building their skills to make comparisons between their lives and the lives of others. We hope these texts can build empathetic understanding and allow our students to gain the skills to be culturally and socially conscious global citizens.

Mathematics

During Term 4, students will be consolidating their maths skills and continuing to improve their mental maths ability through a variety of class tasks and games. This unit focuses on whole number, applying mental and written strategies for solving numerical and worded problems in all four operations; Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division. Students will also investigate area, volume, capacity, 2D and 3D space, and angles.

Students will develop the ability to make choices, interpret, formulate, model and investigate problem situations, and communicate solutions effectively. They will formulate and solve problems where they use mathematics to represent unfamiliar or meaningful situations, design investigations and plan their approaches, apply strategies to seek solutions, and verify that their answers are reasonable.

Science

During this unit, students will investigate different heat sources and how heat moves from one object to another. Through hands-on activities, students will investigate the difference in conductivity of materials. They will classify heat sources into the type of energy used to produce the heat. Students will explore how materials can slow down heat flow (insulating properties) and use their everyday experience of warming themselves, or use stimulus material about animals trying to keep warm, to generate inquiry questions about heat conduction. Science investigation skills will continue to be developed to conduct fair tests and gather evidence to support their claims.

Geography

While Term 3 unveiled thousands of years of Australian history with our unit on First Contacts, in Term 4, students will look at Australia from a geographical point of view. They will continue to build on their knowledge of Australia and its geographical features, as well as recognise Australia’s geographical position within a wider world context. When looking at Australia in a global sphere, students will look abroad to Australia’s closest neighbours and will learn about some of the countries in Oceania and South East Asia. Students will be focusing on identifying similarities and differences between their own lives and those of our closest neighbours in Asia and Oceania.

Visual Arts

In Term Four students will investigate the world and explore techniques through subject matter, people, other living things, objects, places, spaces and events. Students will make landscape artworks that represent a variety of subject matter and make choices about the forms and techniques used to best represent the qualities of the subject matter. They will discuss reasons why artists create particular artworks and why different interpretations are possible, recognising similarities and differences in how subject matter is represented. Using their imagination to finish a cut out image to complete a picture in a realistic manner they will develop skills on colour blending and colour matching. The students will learn about kinetic art and create their own kinetic piranha. They will be able to create intricate patterns and show that in their work. The students will learn about artists Theo Jansen, Anthony Howe and other artists that create kinetic art. In Year 3, the students continue to develop colour blending skills and learn how to blend colours using oil pastels. They will learn how to draw facial features using correct facial proportion and discuss the artist Frida Kahlo and her self-portraits. At the end of the term, students will compare their portrait from the beginning of the semester and reflect on their artistic development.

Religious and Values Education

In Term 4 RVE, we will build upon the student’s understanding of who Jesus is and consider what it looks like to pray to God, thank God and honour God, in order to live God’s way. The students learn the value of meeting together in Christian community, and will be looking at the Apostle Paul and Silas from the New Testament and how they were joyful despite experiencing great trials. We will conclude the term with a focus on Jesus, the King of Christmas.

Music

In Term 3, students continued working through their structured theory program and further developed their skills for playing recorder. In small groups and with a backing track, students performed a range of simple melodies.

This term, students will complete their theory workbook and also learn songs to sing, dance and perform at the Primary Christmas concert on Friday 8 December.

Information Technology

Research and Construction is the name of the game in Year 3 IPT during Term 4. Students will be asked to work in small groups to research a style of house which they then design and finally construct using Tinkercad. They need to be using their problem solving and communication skills to confidently complete the task.

PDHPE

Term 4 PDHPE looks to develop Year 3 students’ competence and confidence in a broad range of kicking, hand invasion and striking games with a focus on Soccer, Lacrosse, Cricket and T-Ball. They will be learning important fundamental movement skills such as ball handling, throwing, catching, running, striking and fielding including strategic tactics such as attacking and defending, whilst developing spatial awareness and working in a team. Physical activity in the form of games plays a vital role in promoting the physical, social and emotional growth and development of individuals. Students will be relating positively with others in the context of game situations and learn new skills, while at the same time experience feelings of success and enjoyment through improved confidence and competence. The importance of sun protection and safety in our skills and games, as well as having a positive mindset to build our resilience within our learning and experiences in PDHPE, will be a focal theme throughout the term.

Italian

In Year 3 Italian for Term 4, we will be focussing on the key theme: Cultural topic: i monumenti Monuments of Italy and Australia. We will explore this through a fun, interactive and ‘hands-on’ approach using music, conversations, picture story books and drama with a strong focus on verbal communication and pronunciation. We will continue to send home memory/matching cards, song words and stories for your children to share with you which is a great way to reinforce their learning in a fun way with family.

Pastoral Care

Students continue to explore concepts of resilience, self-esteem, bullying and positive thinking. They will continue to read and explore the world of Doug Dragster to learn about positive thinking and making sure they are in control of their wheels – their emotions, body, thinking and actions.

Homework

Students will continue to complete set weekly homework tasks due on a Friday. Spelling words go home on Mondays and tested on Friday, and should be practised throughout the week. Talking Topics are delivered fortnightly and an overview of topics can be found in the student homework book. Students are working on building their speaking and listening skills and are encouraged to prepare and practise delivering their presentations. Nightly reading is required to continue to improve and build reading skills.

MAG Primary Newsletter Year 3

Honour and Excellence

Term 4 2023 · 15 Oct 2023

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