Year 3/4
Welcome
Dear Families,
It has been wonderful to welcome students back after the holiday break and see them settle smoothly into the school routine. Although Term Four is our last term in the school year, it’s packed with exciting learning opportunities and events, including our upcoming Inquiry Excursion to the Zoo.
In the classroom, students are exploring a range of topics across all learning areas, with a strong focus on developing their Reading, Writing, and Mathematical problem-solving skills. We’re looking forward to another productive and enjoyable term of learning together.
Kind regards,The Year 3/4 Teaching Team
English
We have begun a new novel study of The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. As part of this unit, we will continue with the combined two-hour session that integrates both literacy and literature. This allows students to engage more deeply with reading and writing through a rich, cohesive learning experience.
The structure of the literacy block is as follows:
- Daily Review: A brief, fast-paced review of previously taught content.
- Literacy Skills: This component covers instruction across grammar, handwriting, reading fluency and spelling.
- Literature Block: This component covers reading the class text, with a focus on developing text-level comprehension, incidental and explicit vocabulary instruction, and sentence- and text-level writing.
The Novel of The One and Only Ivan follows a gentle silverback gorilla named Ivan, who has spent years living in a cage at a shopping mall. He spends his days watching TV, drawing, and thinking about the past, with little memory of life in the wild. Ivan's quiet world changes when he meets Ruby, a young elephant taken from the wild. Her arrival forces Ivan to see their captivity in a new light, and he makes a brave promise to protect her. Told from Ivan’s perspective, this story explores friendship, empathy, and the importance of standing up for what’s right.
Homework: Reading Daily, Weekly Tasks
Students are expected to read for 15-20 minutes each night and record their reading in their diaries.
Please record the reading using the following format:
Title:
Time Read:
Pages:
Parent signature:
After completing the reading, it would benefit your child to talk about what they have read. This ‘verbal processing’ helps them remember and think through the book's themes. Ask questions before, during, and after a session to encourage reading comprehension.
Questions before reading:
- What do you think this book will be about based on the title or cover?
- What kind of story do you expect: funny, mysterious, sad, or exciting?
Questions during reading:
- What has surprised you so far?
- How are the characters changing as the story continues?
Questions after reading:
- What part of the story stood out to you most, and why?
- If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?
You may also like to visit the local library and select books that interest your child.
Homework: Curriculum Tasks
Homework tasks will be presented to each child at the beginning of the week on Monday. These tasks are based on the prior week's learning. Tasks are assigned to take no more than 20 minutes per session.
Homework tasks for this term commenced in Week 2 (13th October). The last week of homework will be handed out to be completed in the second-to-last week of term.
Mathematics
Daily Review: Students continue to participate in a one-hour Mathematics lesson each day. Each session begins with a 10-minute Daily Review, where students revisit a mix of current and previously covered concepts. This regular practice helps strengthen their understanding, build fluency, and transfer knowledge into their long-term memory.
Maths Rehearsal: After Daily Review, students move into Maths Rehearsal and Teacher Sprint groups. During this time, they build fluency in key mathematical skills through engaging games and collaborative activities. Meanwhile, teachers work with small focus groups to provide targeted instruction and support on specific concepts.
To start the term, students explored a Mass and Capacity unit, using hands-on measuring tools and materials. They learned to read formal measurement scales, estimate and compare the mass of objects, and measure using scaled instruments. They also developed their understanding of capacity by reading and interpreting different measurement scales. The students are now working on a Data unit, creating and interpreting column graphs and pictographs to represent and analyse information in meaningful ways.
Other mathematical concepts to be covered this term are:
- Week 3: Space - Location
- Week 4 & 5: Space - 3D Objects
- Week 6 & 7: Probability
- Week 8 & 9: Number - Multiplication & Division
Inquiry
This term, our students are diving into the fascinating world of Biological Science through our Inquiry unit “Life! It’s Alive!” They are investigating a variety of animal species and exploring the unique features that make each one special. Students will also examine the impact humans have on biodiversity and discover the vital work being done to protect endangered species. To bring their learning to life, we’re excited to be visiting the Melbourne Zoo later this term, where students will have the opportunity to observe animals up close and deepen their understanding of our Inquiry topic.
Religious Education
Students will explore the work of the Catholic Mission, discovering the many ways it supports and serves those in need both locally and around the world. They will deepen their understanding of God’s love by reflecting on the stories of Jesus and Mary through the Mysteries of the Rosary. The students will explore the process of sainthood and the people who have served as examples of faith and holiness. As Advent approaches, students will reflect on the season of preparation and hope, exploring its symbols, traditions, and connection to the joyful celebration of the Birth of Jesus at Christmas.
PBL
PBL is our whole-school approach to supporting positive behaviour and building a respectful, responsible, and resilient school community. Each week, students learn and practise a new focus topic related to our core values of Respect, Responsibility, and Resilience. Throughout the school day, students earn Dojo Points for demonstrating these values. Points accumulate at both an individual and class level, with students working towards Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald certificates, and classes earning whole-class rewards throughout the term.
Dates For Your Diary
27th October - 3/4s Zoo Excursion
30th October - All Souls Day and All Saints Day Whole School Mass
3rd November - School Closure Day
4th November - Melbourne Cup
11th November - Term 4 Learning Celebrations
16th December - End of Year Mass & Last Day of School
As dates can be subject to change, please check the school newsletter weekly.
How to Contact Us
All 3/4 team members can be contacted at the following email addresses. When sending emails, please note that we will respond within 48 hours during our working hours, 8:00 am to 4:45 pm.
Tahira Tannen 3/4T - ttannen@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au
Lachlan Ware 3/4W - lware@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au
Emily Casaceli 3/4EC - ecasaceli@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au
Rosario Corio 3/4RC - rosario@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au
SPECIALIST PROGRAMS
Art
Dear Families,
In Term 3, students explored a range of creative projects. They painted sunset silhouette scenes using layered paper cut-outs, designed and decorated Mondrian-inspired 3D gift boxes for Father’s Day. They created bold AFL banners using colour, text, and symbols to express messages and team spirit. These activities helped students develop skills in colour, line, shape, composition, and visual storytelling.
In Term 4, we look forward to exploring Aboriginal art, learning how symbols, patterns, and stories connect people, animals, and Country. Students will also enjoy spring-inspired artworks and festive Christmas projects, celebrating the creativity and imagination of our young artists.
Warm regards,
Mrs Milena Santoro
Physical Education
Welcome to the last term of the school year!
The 3/4 students have been demonstrating remarkable growth in their teamwork, communication and sportsmanship throughout the year. We will continue to focus on these skills as they are essential for all sports. The year 4s will have their first year in 2026, participating in interschool sport. We will focus on learning the skills and rules needed for their sport choices next year in term one, including: sof crosse, volleyball, cricket, basketball and softball. Throughout learning these sports, we will emphasise the importance of playing fairly, demonstrating respect, and encouraging others while playing games.
We are looking forward to a fun last term of learning!
Miss Kayla Puetz
LOTE- Italian
Ciao a tutti e bentornati a scuola.
Dear parents and caregivers, welcome to Term Four
The students will begin the term using both familiar and newly acquired language and grammar to write sentences, answer questions, and complete comprehension tasks in the target language. Using the Italian pasta map, the students complete the map of Italy by matching and drawing the pasta dish with its region of origin. They will also learn the names of various types of pasta sauces.
The students will learn to express likes and dislikes regarding their favourite pasta shape and type of sauce, and will conduct a survey of likes and dislikes, of most liked to least liked types of pasta and sauces of their peers. They will also write an original pasta sauce recipe under the heading La mia Ricetta in Italian and will create an original pasta shape, give it an Italian name and then present it to the class. Students may choose to illustrate the ingredients and the steps involved in the recipe or write them out.
On poster paper, they will create an ad for their own pasta brand, including the name, the shape and the sauce that best goes with it. They will include a slogan in Italian that will entice customers to buy their brand. The emphasis will also be on pair and group work, creating and writing a poem/song for presentation to the class. A particular focus will also be on correct pronunciation and expression of key phrases in Italian. During the lessons, the students will continue to participate in playing topic quizzes, games and completing interactive tasks on Languages Online and Duolingo.
Cordiali saluti,
Signora White
Performing Arts
Hi 3/4 Students and Families,
Welcome to Term 4! Massive thanks to everyone who supported Mary Poppins in Term 3, whether it was making costumes, helping with shopping, volunteering on the night, coming to watch the show or even just putting up with your students practising S. U. P. E. R. over and over. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our wonderful St Andrew’s Community, so thank you! Congratulations to every single student involved.
This term, students will learn about the piano. They’ll learn about black and white notes, sharps and flats, the names of the notes and some simple melodies. The 3/4 ‘s will revisit reading notes on the treble clef, using the following:
(the lines) Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit
(the spaces) The notes in the space spell the word face.
Students will also learn more about chords in music, the structure of chords and how to play them on the piano. They will also be able to practise chords in time to the beat and transition between chords, enabling them to accompany themselves in a song.
Later in the term, I’m really excited to start learning some Christmas carols and songs with the students on a variety of instruments. We’ll revisit concepts in song, such as volume and tempo, to really give the music meaning.
Here’s to a great term!
Mrs Emma Cooper
Library News
In Term 4, our Library lessons for Years 3 and 4 focus on strengthening positive reading habits and fostering deeper engagement with a wide range of texts. Students are encouraged to explore both fiction and non-fiction books that reflect their personal interests while also extending their thinking. To support reading stamina, each lesson includes dedicated, uninterrupted reading time. Students are also developing the ability to choose books that match their purpose—whether they’re reading for enjoyment, information, or inquiry. Through guided discussions, book recommendations, and reflection activities, students are becoming more independent and thoughtful readers who can explain their choices, share their opinions, and make meaningful connections to their learning. Our goal is to nurture lifelong readers who are curious, confident, and able to engage with a variety of texts for different purposes.
New in the Library – Book Suggestion Box!
We’re excited to introduce a new Book Suggestion Box in the library! This gives students the chance to share their ideas and recommend books they’d love to see added to our shelves. Whether it’s a much-loved series, a fascinating non-fiction topic, or a title they’ve come across elsewhere, all suggestions are warmly welcomed. This initiative empowers student voice, allowing everyone to play a part in shaping our library collection and inspiring others with fresh reading ideas.
Best wishes - Mrs Daniella Polites