Overview
English
In Year 3 students will be focussing on extending the student’s independent reading both at school and at home. During reading lessons students will learn skills in finding information through skimming and scanning, reading and responding to texts through discussion and written activities to identify point of view and draw connections. Students will be looking at recognising the audience and purpose when they write. They will focus on using language to engage the reader by learning persuasive techniques and storytelling skills to apply to Persuasive and Narrative writing.
Spelling, Grammar and Handwriting will be undertaken alongside Writing and Reading in Term 1. Students will revisit and continue to perfect their NSW foundation handwriting in preparation for learning to join over the course of the year. Learning and understanding both common and proper nouns and solidifying existing grammar knowledge is the aim of Grammar in Term 1. Students will also learn to identify and use various punctuation and grammar rules to assist their reading and writing. Students will be implementing THRASS applying spelling strategies through classroom tasks and weekly spelling words.
Mathematics
In Term 1, Year 3 students will consolidate and extend their number knowledge. Students will concentrate on Place Value and understand the value of numbers to build knowledge to apply to the four operations; addition, subtraction, and multiplication. The students will also be investigating measurement, geometry, statistics and probability. The students will also take part in Mathematics Groups one period per fortnight.
Visual Arts
In Term 1, students will explore art elements such as colour, line and texture and how they are used to create art. Students will discuss artists and famous artworks as well as create their own masterpieces using a variety of media.
History and Geography
The students will look closely at our local community of Echuca Moama in Term 1. The focus is on how the Murray River has been central to the life of the local community from Indigenous times to the river trade boom and continues to be a vital tourism drawcard today. They will look at Echuca Moama before colonisation, the founders of the area, the importance of paddle steamers and the role of Echuca during the late 19th century and compare it to life today.
Science and Technology
In Science and Technology, we will be looking at living things and exploring plant and animals species and how scientists classify living things. Students will have weekly Technology lessons with Ms Meagan Height where they will learn about cyber safety and develop their creative digital skills.
Religious and Values Education
Students in Year 3 will have one lesson of Religious and Values Education each week with Mr Stuart Martin.
The theme for this year is the Kingdom of God. The students will learn about the kings of the Old Testament and Jesus as God’s perfect King. We finish by looking at what it means to be a 'Kingdom Kid'.
These lessons will include worksheets, games, videos, music, stories, drama, prayer, craft activities and preparations for Chapel Services to explore the Christian faith and see how it is relevant today.
Students may choose to attend a voluntary Christian lunchtime group called JAFFA – Jesus A Friend For All.
Music
This term, students in Year 3 will develop their music appreciation through a variety of activities involving singing and movement. The Term 1 topic allows students an in-depth study of Camille Saint-Säens’ orchestral work, ‘Carnival of the Animals’. During this topic focus, students will analyse and interpret the orchestral songs and discuss the composers’ intent, as well as the types of instruments featured and how they contribute to the song’s ‘story’. Students will also have opportunities for creative movement and improvisation. Students in Year 3 are invited to join the Junior Choir which rehearses on a weekly basis before school. To learn more about our extra Curricular Music Program and what instruments are available to learn through private tuition, please visit our school website.
PDHPE
Welcome back to MAGS in what promises to be an exciting, fun & productive 2022 school year. Year 3 students will enjoy a PDHPE unit called “Ready, Set, Go”. Students will commence with problem solving and cooperative games, with the focus on developing communication skills and the importance of team work. Students will also be developing their fitness for the Annual School Cross Country and hand eye coordination skills through participation of an exciting new tennis program. Students will also reflect upon their own and other’s technique and engage in small group workshops to better understand their own and other’s performances. The importance of sun protection, safety and inclusive peer interactions in PDHPE will be a focal theme throughout the term.
Italian
Ciao! Benvenuti! Welcome to our K-6 Italian program for 2021. I will be teaching all students from K-6 this year which is very exciting for me and I’m looking forward to getting to know all 350 students! We work through each term in each level using ‘Key Questions’ to guide the curriculum. We know that the most effective way to teach children another language is to do it through fun, interactive, hands on ways including music, conversation, picture story books and drama with a strong focus on verbal communication and pronunciation. We want the students to enjoy Italian and feel confident in their ability to learn another language as well as various other cultural and geographical information. Another fun aspect of our program is to give each child their own Italian name which is something that they get great joy from. We will often 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 their family.
The Term 1 ‘Key Question’ for Year 3 is:
Quando è il tuo compleanno? When is your birthday?
Please encourage your children to share some of the Italian words and phrases they know or ask them to sing you a song!
Grazie,
Maestra Rachele
Pastoral Care
In Pastoral Care students will be introduced to Doug Dragster and The Get Happier Project. The program uses the story of a race car that does not always make good choices. It introduces the students to the concept of taking open roads rather than dead end roads. It focusses on the concept of using “your front wheels” – to take control of your thoughts in order to control your actions. The students will also learn about the school values of Compassion, Respect and Integrity.
Homework
In Year 3 students will complete a weekly homework sheet which will be due on a Friday. Each week students will be focussing on a phoneme (a particular sound) during spelling and will complete a weekly spelling test on Friday. Practise and preparation is part of weekly Homework. Nightly reading is required to continue to improve and build reading and comprehension skills. A reading log is inside the school diary and needs to be completed each day by the student and signed by a parent.
Reading aloud is still encouraged as is a variety of text types to make home reading more fun and challenging. To practise speaking and listening skills, each fortnight students will be given a set topic to present to the class. Presentations should be prepared to be given on their set day. This provides an opportunity to practice public speaking skills and share ideas, stories and thoughts about a range of topics.
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
Expect some keen kitchen helpers at home this term as our Year 3 students begin the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. Our budding chefs will learn about the kitchen and how to safely work within this new classroom environment. The focus of the program is to teach and nurture a love of fresh ingredients and healthy meals. Using seasonal produce often grown in our school garden, students will learn how to grate, slice, dice, cook, assemble and eat a variety of foods. The greatest part of the program is the opportunity it provides to see students move out of their comfort zone, try new foods and work together collaboratively with their classmates.