Year 3/4 News
ENGLISH
Reading:
This term in Reading, we focused on developing our skills in rereading and identifying important information to include in a summary. We also explored nonfiction text features, learning how to navigate them and understand the information they provide. These features included the contents page, subheadings, diagrams, maps, captions, bolded words, and the glossary.
Some students worked on different digraph sounds as part of their individualised learning programs, alongside practising how to hear and identify the different sounds in words. Students also enjoyed selecting and reading books of their choice as part of their reading routine.
Writing:
This term, students explored a range of written genres, beginning with research on a person of interest and composing biographies to communicate their findings. They then delved into poetry, experimenting with various forms such as limericks, haiku, cinquain, free verse, and rhyming couplets.
A key focus in writing this term was grammar. Students learned about different types of nouns, including common and proper nouns, singular and plural nouns, and pronouns. They also learned how to use apostrophes to show singular possession and plural possession, including in irregular nouns. In addition, students explored verbs—identifying doing and being verbs, action verbs, and saying verbs, as well as recognising subject-verb agreement with singular and plural verbs.
MATHEMATICS
Students began the term with a focus on angles, learning to identify right angles as well as angles smaller and larger than a right angle through hands-on activities, including creating chalk art outside.
Our major unit in Number focused on addition and subtraction. During this unit, students learned to use a range of strategies to solve problems, including the jump strategy, split strategy, and compensation strategy. Once students became confident with these strategies, they practised selecting the most efficient one for different equations, helping to develop their intuitive understanding of number.
Students also explored the concept of length, using formal units to measure various items and distances, for example, measuring the length of their jumps. In Geometry, students investigated 2D and 3D shapes, analysing their features and sorting and organising them based on those features. They were encouraged to justify their reasoning and choices.
Throughout the term, all mathematical concepts were explored through real-life contexts to help students understand their relevance and application.
INQUIRY
This term, our learning was guided by the Civics and Citizenship curriculum through the unit Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Students investigated how and why rules are made and explored how certain rules help protect the rights of others. They examined the differences between rules and laws and discussed their importance in maintaining order and fairness. Students also explored how decisions are made within local communities. To apply their learning, they created their own communities in Minecraft, where they practised developing rules and laws that served the best interests of their citizens.
SCIENCE
In Science this term, Grade 3/4 students have focused on the Chemical Science unit of ‘Solids and Liquids’. We investigated the behavioural properties of atoms in solids and liquids, how materials can change from solid to liquid and vice versa, with the addition or removal of energy, usually heat, what matter is, and the ability of materials to change back and forth indefinitely, from solid to liquid and vice versa. The percentage of investigations were undertaken by using experimentation. Students also discussed and engaged in safe experiment practices and developed their understanding of Science and how investigations can be applied in the real world. Students have demonstrated their understanding throughout the unit by creating a diorama.
LOTE-AUSLAN
During this term we learnt about: – Food/Lunch, Inside Appliances, Medical #2, Fingerspelling, Camping, Birds, Materials, HOLM + NMF #2, Constructed Action/Role Shift, including revision. Constructed Action/mime was a feature this term, where students were encouraged to use their bodies and facial expression to extend their Auslan communication. This was a rich feature of the Auslan Language. Developing this skill was both fun and productive in Auslan learning. The students were encouraged to practise their fingerspelling skills to extend and improve their Auslan communication. Handshape ‘minimal pairs’ was taught, where a change of one of the features of Auslan
(handshape, orientation, location, movement, non-manual features) change the meaning of the sign. This increased their knowledge of key features of Auslan.
The Revision lesson introduced the life stories of some Deaf people and their culture.
The students were provided with an opportunity to learn about Deaf Culture, whilst
developing their receptive skills.
ART
The Year 3/4s have had an excellent second term of learning in Art, exploring and deepening their technical skills and knowledge of this year’s big idea, ‘My artistic inner world’. We have had in-depth discussions, analysing and comparing artworks, as well as developing our understanding of art as a vehicle for meaningful communication and self-expression. The students began the term by creating an artwork about a place that stands out in their memory. They came up with a range of different places, including scenes in nature, countries, family homes and even imaginary ones.
Following this, the 3/4s researched an artist that interests them and created an ‘appropriated’ (their own) version of one of their artworks. It was great to see the students respond to the expansive mixture of art on the Google Arts and Culture app, selecting something that speaks to them, asking questions and interpreting it from their unique individual perspectives. Together, we studied the rainbow-hued artwork of David McDiarmid, finding inspiration for artworks that incorporated a message that we each hold personally important. Many of the students chose to create artworks featuring rainbow colours to show respect for the LGBTQIA community, with Pride Month falling in June.
As part of Reconciliation Week, we enjoyed looking at the First Peoples Art Trams, an ongoing project featuring the artwork of First Peoples on Melbourne trams. Each student designed their own art tram in response, which we turned into collages - look out for them around the school! We are currently working on a challenging self-portrait project, aspiring to draw realistic graphite portraits, based on black and white photographs that the students have taken of each other. We are excited to share them with you, hopefully early next term. The students’ ongoing enthusiasm, curiosity, focus and resilience has been exceptional this semester, and I look forward to another brilliant semester in the art room!
P.E.
This term, our Grade 3/4 students have been busy building their skills and having fun through units on soccer, athletics, and Bike Ed. They enthusiastically took part in each activity, learning and practising the key techniques needed to play and participate with confidence. In soccer, students engaged in small-sided games, where they applied their kicking and ball control skills in real game situations. This games-based approach made learning exciting and enjoyable, and it was fantastic to see students working together and supporting one another. We also explored athletics, focusing on the throwing events of shot put and discus. Students learned the correct techniques and had the chance to use real equipment — a new and exciting experience for many! A special highlight of the term was Bike Ed, where students learned how to ride safely and responsibly. They developed important road safety awareness, built confidence on their bikes, and learned how to be respectful riders in shared spaces.
Congratulations to all our Grade 3/4s for your enthusiasm, teamwork, and effort this term. You should be proud of everything you’ve achieved — and I can’t wait to see what you accomplish in the second half of the year!