Year 3 Spotlight

Geography

This term in Geography, students are learning all about the unique flora, fauna, climates, terrains and landmarks of the southern hemisphere. To support this learning, the students set out on an excursion to Darebin Parklands. The walk to and around Darebin Parklands was a great way to explore local examples of this and to have a closer look at the diverse range of flora and fauna here in Fairfield! 

While at the parklands, students met with park rangers and learnt about the local plant life and critters that are found along the creek. They were then able to have a closer look at some water samples, and spent time collecting and sorting through the variety of water bugs found in the creek. This included critters such as back swimmers, aquatic earthworms, damselfly nymphs and dragonfly nymphs.

Students used spoons to carefully extract the bugs from water samples and magnifying glasses to examine and identify them. Students worked in teams to take count of how many of each type they found.

As well as the water bug workshop, students had time with their teachers and helpers to go on a lovely nature walk through the parklands. During this time, classes were on the lookout for examples of our local flora and fauna. Students had a go at being ecologists and recorded notes and sketches of what they were finding.

Here’s what some students had to say about our excursion:

• “I learnt about what different types of water bugs there were. I liked it when we went on the nature walk.” ~ Penny, 3A

• “It was very fun because we got to see lots of nature. My favourite part was the water bugs. I found a bug that shoots water out of its butt!” ~ Avery, 3A

• “I liked how we got to try and figure out which water bugs were which and tick it off on the checklist” ~  Alice, 3B

• “I really enjoyed picking up the water bug exoskeletons with my friend Harry. It was fun showing our classmates” ~ Edward, 3B

• “We loved Peter and exploring the water bugs!” ~ Ajay, 3C

• “I liked catching the water bugs because I got to team up with my friends” ~ Vivienne, 3C

• “I liked the water bugs and going for the walk and the game cheerleader” ~ Lily, 3D 

• “I really enjoyed the water bugs, we found a really big one. I also liked the flora and fauna walk” ~ Harry, 3D 

Numeracy

The start of term one has been all about place value, comparing and ordering numbers and identifying odd and even numbers. Students have revised their understanding of place value to the tens of thousands, and have been ordering collections of five-digit numbers from smallest to largest. Students explored what makes a number odd or even and demonstrated this understanding by problem solving during our Launch, Explore, Summarise numeracy lessons:

This week we have begun our unit on time, where we will be learning about reading analogue clocks, discussing language like “half past”, “quarter past” and “quarter to”, as well as exploring the relationship between units of time (minutes, seconds and hours).

Literacy

Literacy blocks are up and running and students are getting used to how this looks in Grade 3. Literacy blocks run for two sessions each day and give students time to explore reading comprehension, phonics, syntax, vocabulary, reading fluency, handwriting and a wide range of fiction and non-fiction mentor texts. This term our mentor texts are linked to the learning we are doing in Geography. Each day students participate in fluency partner reading, independent reading of 'good fit books', and exploring a mentor text as a class. 

The independent task for each day rotates:

• Monday – Rocket write (10-minute writing from a picture prompt) and handwriting.
• Tuesday – Responding to the mentor text.
• Wednesday – Syntax focus (parts of speech, grammar, punctuation).
• Thursday – Vocabulary and building a word journal.
• Friday – Reading comprehension strategies

Students also engage in weekly phonics/spelling lessons. Each week we explore a new focus sound and explicitly explore the use of different suffixes, prefixes, antonyms, synonyms and segmenting the sounds in a word. 

Our explicit writing focus this term is persuasive writing. Students will use the whole term to learn about the features of a persuasive text, persuasive techniques, how to structure and compose a persuasive text and then write, edit and publish their pieces on a chosen topic. So far, students have brainstormed topics they feel passionately about, formed their arguments, drafted introductions and began drafting their first body paragraphs. 

Some topics include: 

• “Everyone should own Donkey Kong Bonanza.” ~ Jack M, 3A

• “FPS should have a pyjama day.” ~ Scarlett, 3D

• “Cats are better than dogs.” ~ Eloise, 3C

• “Plastic should be banned” ~ Max, 3C

Wellbeing

Students have been talking about what it means to have a growth mindset and how this can help us be a learner and be resilient. Students came up with their own growth mindset mottoes to say to themselves whenever they need reminding such as “Mistakes help us grow” or “Give it a try and you will fly”.

In RRRR we have been exploring our emotions across the school day. This meant talking about how to identify different emotions through facial expressions and body language, identify emotional triggers and brainstorm different strategies we can use when we are feeling different emotions.

Year 3 Teachers (Mille, Jack, James, Sophie & Jess) and Students