YEAR THREE

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School provides a range of holistic learning experiences to enable students to:

• Participate in the life and mission of the school.
• Deepen their knowledge and engagement with the Catholic faith and tradition.
• Build capacity to continuously reason, reflectively, logically and critically.
• Embrace interdependence of human existence as global citizens, who are responsible to and for themselves and others.
• Engage in learning in a multitude of ways, through personalised and self-paced learning.

Religious Education

3.3 Easter: A time to celebrate the presence of the Risen Lord 

The Easter unit recalls the events of the Journey to Emmaus and how the risen Jesus is present with us, through the Holy Spirit, in our relationship with Jesus, in the Word and in the ‘breaking of the bread’. The unit explores the celebration of Easter in the Church. It highlights the importance of Baptism in the Easter season as a sign of new life.

3.4 Pentecost: The Holy Spirit gives us strength

This unit explores the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It focuses on the Holy Spirit as a source of strength to continue the mission of Jesus. The unit looks at the Holy Spirit as the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise not to leave us alone.

English

This term the students will explore hybrid texts through literature. These texts include Searching for Cicadas by Lesley Gibbes and Dry to Dry - The Seasons of Kakadu by Pamela Freeman. Our novel study for Term 2 is Matilda by Roald Dahl. The focus is on further developing students' reading comprehension and writing, whilst exploring the author’s purpose, effective vocabulary and structure of the text. Students will continue to follow the ‘Seven Steps of Writing program’ to assist the structure of their written texts. Students will be taught explicit skills in grammar, punctuation and vocabulary. They will also continue to engage in the ‘Sound Waves’ spelling program that is implemented throughout the school.

Mathematics

Flexible learning groups will continue this term. The activities are differentiated, and the children are grouped in order to cater to their needs and abilities. The students are explicitly taught concepts from the NSW Mathematics K-10 Syllabus. The topics taught in Term 2 include; Area, Fractions and Decimals, Angles, and Two Dimensional Space. The students will continue to engage in a numeracy fluency program to develop counting patterns, as well as facts and strategies for mathematical operations.

Science and Technology

This Semester, students will continue to engage in the Science and Technology unit ‘Living World’. Having focussed on the classification, life cycle and survival of living things in Term 1, students will examine and consider the agricultural processes used to grow plants and raise animals. They will be given the opportunity to design and support the growth of a plant and/or animal by following a design and production process, using digital solutions and programming software. This will culminate in recording and sharing their findings in a science portfolio.

Mandarin

This term students in Kindergarten to Year 6 will continue to participate in the Chinese language program called the Meg Language Program. The Meg Curriculum is written by the co-author of the Australian Curriculum. All students and teachers will participate in the digital learning platform via Zoom weekly sessions with educators in China.

Geography

This term the students will continue studying the Geography unit ‘Places are Similar and Different’ commenced in Term 1. Students will examine the natural and human features of Australia and the diverse characteristics of neighbouring countries. They will explore different climates, settlement patterns and demographic characteristics and use this information to imagine what it would be like to live in different places. Students will have the opportunity to compare and contrast the characteristics of some of Australia’s neighbouring countries and consider how people’s perceptions of places are the basis for action to protect natural and human environments. 

Amadeus Music Program

Students will continue with the Amadeus Music Education Program and participate in activities in listening, performing and organising sound within their regular Classroom Music lessons. 

• It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they:
  • Arrive on time for each lesson
  • Bring their instrument and required accessories to every lesson
  • Bring their Essential Elements* music book
  • Bring a lead pencil and eraser

Creative Arts

In Visual Arts the students will focus on exploring the elements of design with links to the literature including Searching for Cicadas and Dry to Dry - The Seasons of Kakadu. Students will use sketching techniques and learn the importance of perspective to create realistic cicadas and Australian landscapes. 

During Music this Term, students will be exploring the musical concepts by singing, playing and listening to a range of music. They will learn basic musical notation and develop an understanding of rhythm while playing percussion and stringed instruments. 

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

This Term students will continue the Open Parachute program. Open Parachute aims to provide practical support on mental health to students. The program aims to reduce stigma and generate authentic dialogue in classrooms about the real issues students face. The psychological skills-building exercises aim to increase empathy, self-compassion, self-awareness, mental health literacy, and self-efficacy in students.

The Stage 2 Physical Education unit is aimed at providing opportunities for students to develop their skills and build confidence in Athletics activities using Fundamental Movement Skills. Students will practise and apply these skills through activities and team games. Games are encouraged to build teamwork, communication, strategy and resilience.

Homework 

It is recommended that Year 3 students spend a duration of 30 minutes on Homework per day. This includes 20 minutes of reading every night, with the remaining time spent completing Spelling and Mathematics activities. Students are required to record their reading in their School Diary each night. Parents are to sign their child’s diary and return to school fortnightly, alongside their homework and Maths Plus book for the teacher to view. Homework will be provided fortnightly. 

Important Dates for Year 3

Sport

Students are required to wear their sports uniform on the following days:

3 White: Monday and Friday

3 Blue: Tuesday and Friday

3 Gold: Wednesday and Friday

Amadeus

Each student is responsible for bringing their instrument to and from school every Thursday. If your child forgets their instrument, they will not miss their music lesson. Please do not drop forgotten instruments to school during the day. 

Library

All classes are required to return and borrow library books every Friday. 

School Photos

Wednesday May 3rd 2023 - Students are to wear full winter uniform 

School Term - 26th April - 30 June 2023

Parent calendar available at this link 

We look forward to working with you and your child this term. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher via a note or by appointment via the office. 

Miss Taylar Puskaric (3Blue)

Miss Kathleen Kennedy (3Gold)

Mr Thomas Gair (3White)