Year 3/4 Team News

Hello Year  3/4 families,   

We cannot believe we are over half way through Term One already! Our Grade 3/4s have well and truly settled into their routines. It has been an exciting fortnight with our Billy Cart incursion being held in the hall this week.

Curriculum Focus: Weeks 7 - 8

Literacy: In Reading, we are learning about the features of information texts and will use these texts to deepen our understanding of our Inquiry Unit ‘How do things move?’ In Writing, we are exploring information reports. In particular, we are looking at creating science lab reports based on the experiments we conduct in our Inquiry lessons. 

Numeracy:  Addition and Subtraction: Using efficient calculation strategies for addition and subtraction problems involving larger numbers.

• Add and subtract two- and three-digit numbers and beyond
• Use a range of strategies such as the jump, split, compensation or vertical method
• Use strategies to solve worded problems 
• Understand and apply the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction

Inquiry: Our inquiry question is ‘How do things move?’ We will continue exploring our understanding of contact and non-contact forces including force, friction and gravity and undertake experiments to deepen our understanding. 

Willy Kids: This term's topic is ‘Willy Kids are Learners’. Willy Kids are always ready to learn and love learning new things! We are exploring how we can show that we are ready to learn.

Respectful Relationships: This term, students are looking at emotional literacy. The lessons aim to ensure students can describe the influence that people, situations and events can have on their emotions. They will also investigate how emotional responses may vary in intensity and understand how to interact positively with others in different situations.

Homework

Homework is a valuable tool in reinforcing what is being learnt at school. We want our students to think of homework as being an important activity that assists in preparation for life-long learning. All students will receive their homework at school on a Monday and it is due back at school on Friday of the same week. 

Homework tasks include:

• Reading – four nights per week for a minimum of 15 minutes. Students are to record the book titles for the week on the homework sheet.
• Maths – playing the number games learnt in class at home to continue building number sense and revising learnt skills. 
• Spelling – suggested activities to help practise the words that your child has chosen.
• Writing – a short writing task to be completed in your child’s Homework Book.

All students have a Homework Book in which they are encouraged to complete their tasks. Please contact your child’s teacher if there are any concerns or questions about the homework tasks.

Billy Cart Incursion

On Monday 2nd March, the Grade 3/4 classes participated in an incursion about billy carts, as part of our 'How Do Things Move?' Inquiry unit. Students worked in teams to construct and test billy carts and model cars. It was wonderful to see students using their critical and creative thinking skills when designing and building. The 3/4 teachers were so impressed with the original and unique ideas that students came up with. 

There were many great discussions about important forces in use on the day including gravity, friction and push and pull.

Please enjoy some photos from the day

Key Dates - Term One

Grade 3 NAPLAN

All NAPLAN tests (except Grade 3 Writing) are completed online using the NAP Locked Down Browser App. Families of Grade 3 students who use a personal iPad at school are reminded to download the app in preparation for next month’s tests.

Please download the app from the app store. Thank you for your assistance. 

We hope everyone has a great long weekend!

Warm regards, 

The Year 3/4 team –  Katja Morris (3/4M), Grace Pante & Kayleen Dumic (3/4P), Alison Standish (3/4S) ,Hayley Thibou (3/4T) & Katherine Buenaventura (3/4B)