Year 3 

Spotlight on Learning

Dear Families, 

Students have completed another wonderful week of learning, respect and safety in the Ephesus Community in Week 6.

Friendly Reminders:

• Monday 9th March is a PUBLIC HOLIDAY
• Please remember to provide cutlery from home if required for your child's lunch.

Week 6's Learning Focuses:

Religions Education: Reconciliation 

The students have been deepening their understanding of important faith-based concepts such as confess, faithful, just, purify, and unrighteousness, exploring what these words teach us about God’s character and our relationship with Him. The Grade 3 students have also been learning to distinguish between sins, mistakes, and accidents, developing an understanding of personal responsibility, God’s forgiveness, and the importance of seeking reconciliation.

English: 

We have continued reading Matilda by Roald Dahl. This week, we learned about Matilda’s second miracle, when she demonstrates to Miss Honey that she can tip over a glass using only her eyes. We also discovered more about Miss Honey’s home — a small red-brick cottage reached by a narrow dirt path, surrounded by wild nettles, blackberry thorns, and long brown grass. An enormous oak tree stands towering over the cottage, its branches seeming to enfold and embrace the tiny building.

We have been focusing on Persuasive texts and understanding what the purpose is. 

The Grade 3 students have planned their first persuasive writing pieces on the topic, “Old school punishments for students should not be used anymore.” They were required to decide whether they were for or against the statement and to provide clear reasons to support their viewpoint. Through this process, students have been developing their skills in forming strong arguments and justifying their opinions with thoughtful reasoning.

Mathematics: Addition and Subtraction

Our focus has been looking at part-part-whole or part-whole bar models to represent addition problems. 

Auslan: Classroom Instructions and Movements 

Students practiced changing the location and direction of a sign to show who is doing the action from 'looking' and to change what they are looking at. 

Social and Emotional Learning: Personal Strengths 

The Grade 3 students have begun exploring the concept of character strengths and how these positive qualities can be used to support and help others. Through discussion and reflection, they are learning to recognise strengths within themselves and their peers, and to understand how these strengths can be shown in everyday actions.

Integrated Studies: Different environments in Australia

Last week in Integrated Studies Grade 3's students thorouhly enjoyed completing an experiment discovering what happens to soil and sand with and without vegetation when it is affected by wind and rain (Erosion). 

How you can support at home:  Families are key partners in supporting school learning, and there are many easy and practical ways to help at home.

Some suggestions:

• Ask your child what they thought of the house Miss Honey lives in. 
• Ask your child how they feel about Reconciliation. 
• Ask your child to explain to you the difference between Sin, Accident and Mistake. 
• Ask your child about Persuasive texts. 
• Ask your child to show your a part-part-whole bar model or some Auslans signs they have learnt this week. 
• Share with your child some positive strengths that you see in them.  
• Ask your child to tell you how they felt about the Erosion experiment and what they discovered. 
• Reading every night with your child and asking them questions about what they have read (comprehension questions) this one is a must where possible!

There is no need to complete every suggestion listed — regular, simple conversations are often the most powerful way to build confidence and reinforce learning.

TERM 1 KEY DATES — 2026:

• Monday 9 March - Public Holiday — School Closed

• Thursday 2 April - Holy Thursday — Last Day of Term 1

   

  TERM 2 START DATE

• Tuesday 21 April — First Day for Students

   

Contact Us 

ephesus@cranbourneeast.catholic.edu.au OR