Grade 3 News

đ Important Dates & Reminders
đ Thursdays (Weeks 1â5): Swimming Program
đMonday 18th August - Book Week Dress Up Day and Parade
đ§Ž Wednesday, August 6: Australian Maths Competition
đ Friday, August 22: Whole School Production Rehearsal
đď¸ Wednesday, August 27: Fatherâs Day Stall
đMonday 1st September - Whole School Dress Rehearsal for Production
đTuesday 2nd September - Production (A-K)
đWednesday 3rd September - Production (L-Z)
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Learning in Action
đ Literacy
The Grade 3s were very excited to start off the term with our novel study of âCharlotteâs Webâ by EB White. Apart from exploring the related vocabulary, students have enriched their background knowledge of pigs and spiders. The literary devices we are learning to identify in the text are imagery and repetition, including the polysyndeton (repetition of conjunctions) and anaphora (repetition of a group of words at the start of a sentence or clause). In Writing, students have been focusing on the text structure of a narrative and ensuring that they include adjectives and adverbials of time, place, and manner. The theme is âan unlikely friendshipâ, and they have planned and crafted the introduction. In Word Work, students have looked at the ie vs ei spelling pattern, as well as reading and spelling words where âoâ is making the /u/ sound.
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In the upcoming fortnight, students will continue to plan and write the next part of their narrative, focusing on the middle of the story, to include the action and problem.
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â Maths
Over the past fortnight, our Grade 3 students began exploring the concept of time. They have been learning how to read both analogue and digital clocks, as well as developing their understanding of duration. The students were especially excited to begin their time-focused groups, where they are engaging in activities to strengthen their time-telling skills.Â
Our Grade 3 students have launched into their multiplication unit with enthusiasm. They began by brainstorming key vocabulary associated with multiplication, including terms such as times tables, multiply, groups of, array, and doubling. To build their understanding, students explored different strategies for solving multiplication equations, including the use of array models and cherry diagrams.
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Preview
In the coming weeks, Grade 3 students will continue working in their time-focused groups as they refine their skills in reading analogue clocks. In multiplication, students will begin to focus on using doubling as a strategy to solve problems efficiently. They will also revisit and strengthen their understanding of previously learned strategies, such as skip counting and using the cherry model, to help them solve multiplication equations with confidence.
đşď¸ Knowledge Rich Unit
Over the past fortnight, students have been exploring the climate of Australia and our neighbouring countries. They have discussed how the climate of a location can impact the natural features of that area, such as finding lots of forests in temperate regions due to the large amount of rain and sunlight they receive. They have also talked about the difference between managed and constructed features, and compared Australian features to those of nearby countries.
Students then focused more on New Zealand, learning about major landmarks and attractions. This included things like major cities, animals, and landmarks.
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Preview
Going  forward, students will continue to learn more about the popular natural features of New Zealand, including Milford Sound, Pancake Rocks, and Lake TaupĹ. They will also compare the constructed features of Australia and New Zealand, before reviewing everything they have learnt so far in the unit.
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đ Wellbeing
Students began Term 3 by learning about and discussing preferred coping strategies. They created their very own âcalm down sandwichâ, by selecting three coping strategies that work for them or that they would like to try when they are feeling negative emotions and need to calm down. Some of these strategies included taking three deep breaths, going for a walk, patting their pet, and reading a book. Students then acknowledged âFriendship Dayâ on Wednesday, 30th August. They learnt about positive friendships and reflected on ways in which they can be a good friend. They also created a friendship picture to contribute to a whole school mural (Grade 3 pictures are on green paper). This week, students have practised recognising and appreciating similarities and differences between themselves and others, with a particular focus on likes, dislikes, and emotions.
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Next week, students will deepen their understanding of Friendship Fires VS Mean-On-Purpose behaviour, reading and discussing scenarios to help them determine the difference between the two. This will support students in identifying challenges within their own friendships and how best to approach these situations.
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If you have any questions or would like to arrange a meeting with your childâs teacher, please donât hesitate to get in touch via Compass.
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Have a wonderful weekend,
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The Grade 3 Team
Mrs Rosewarne, Mrs Huxley, Mrs Stokol and Miss du Vallon
Updates from around the school
Green Team News
Under the guidance of Mrs Stokol and Mrs Alexander, the Green Team met for the first time this week, and what a meeting it was! Across Years 3 to 5, we had nearly 50 excited and passionate students eager to do their part for the environment.
Whether itâs helping to keep the school free of rubbish, caring for and developing the gardens, or educating our community about sustainability, there was a real buzz in the air as students shared ideas and signed up for various roles.
A new initiative launched this term is the collection of 10c containers. Thanks to the special lunch day last term, we raised $21, a fantastic start! Weâre now working to collect eligible containers daily to reduce landfill waste and turn recyclables into funds that will be reinvested into future Green Team projects.
Participation in the Green Team is inclusive and open to all. Itâs not too late for your child to get involved; weâd love to have them on board!
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Green Team Newsletter #2
The enthusiastic Green Team members from Years 3 to 6 continue to meet with Mrs Alexander and Mrs Stokol each Wednesday lunchtime. Meetings begin with a check-in on how the yard cleaning roster is going. Students report which areas are the cleanest, which need more attention, and share ideas for improvement.
Sustainability remains a key focus. Whether itâs managing waste, maintaining garden spaces, or spreading awareness, students have shown impressive initiative and creativity.
Our 10c container collection is going strong! We've raised over $30 in just a few weeks. Green Team members manage the collection bin outside the canteen on lunch order days, and also visit classrooms weekly to gather containers from specially labelled tubs. By collecting these items daily, we are preventing waste from going to landfill and turning it into cash to support our environmental efforts.
Be sure to check out the Sustainability Display in the gym over the coming weeks to see what weâve been up to!
Did you know? You can support the Green Team by nominating Lysterfield Primary School (LPS) as your donation partner through Victoriaâs Container Deposit Scheme.
Download the app or visit:đ Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme | Learn How To Donate
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Itâs planting season, and whatâs better than free plants?Â
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Help the Green Team â and Earn Free Plants!
Did you know that the Knox Environment Society (KES) offers free native plants as prizes through their Nature Discovery Passport program?
By playing an interactive game and collecting stamps at local reserves, participants can earn plant prizes, and what better way to use those plants than by donating them to our school for the Green Team to grow and maintain?
Explore one of the many beautiful reserves in Knox on the weekend, learn about your local ecology, collect stamps, and claim your prize. Itâs a fun way to get outside, support the environment, and contribute to our schoolâs sustainability efforts.
And who says the fun is just for the kids? Families are welcome to join in too!
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To learn more, visit:
đ Nature Discovery Passport â Knox Environment Society
đ Knox Environment Society Home Page
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Thank you â every little bit helps!
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Mrs Stokol and Mrs Alexander