Year 3 Term 3 Overviews

Wominjeka!

Welcome back to a busy and exciting term. The term began with re-establishing the routines and expectations for Year 3 students, as well as building on a sense of community in each classroom. We are continuing to work together to develop strong relationships with your child to understand and support their social, emotional and academic learning strengths and needs. We appreciate the support you are giving your children with their nightly reading and diary entries.

Our learning this term:

In Reading, students are exploring two different text types this term. 

The first four weeks will see students delve into the world of Poetry, exploring a number of different poetry styles and how descriptive language can be used in this text type to create mood, emotions and create imagery for the reader.  Students will analyse and compare the poetry types and examine similarities and differences in structure and language features, including repetition, rhyme, rhythm and other literary features, that are available for authors use.

 In the second half of the term, students will examine Informative (procedural text) and, through examination, understand that this text type can take many forms.  They will look at texts involving lists, steps, images and even narratives, exploring and analysing the language and structure used by authors of this text type to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of providing detailed and clear instructions.  Students will explore how descriptive language is employed within this text type to create engaging and informative texts.  

 In Writing, students will explore how to create both informative and imaginative texts. Our focus will be on two key areas: Poetry and Procedural Writing. These units will help students develop their ability to organise their ideas, use rich and precise language, and write for different purposes and audiences.

In Poetry, students will explore different styles of poems, including, Diamante, concrete, songs, alliteration poems, and haikus. They will learn how poetic language is different from everyday language and experiment with using rhythm, repetition, imagery, and other poetic devices to express meaning. Students will also learn how to use line breaks and white space to structure their poems in creative and meaningful ways. This unit encourages students to play with language, use their imagination, and express their thoughts and emotions through writing.

In our Procedural Writing unit, students will explore how to write clear and detailed instructions that explain how to do something. They will learn that procedural texts can take many forms, such as step-by-step directions, lists, or how-to guides. Students will practise organising their ideas in a logical order, using number words or transition words like “First,” “Next,” and “Then.” They will include specific details for each step to make sure their writing is easy to follow. To support their written instructions, students will also add labelled drawings or diagrams.

In Maths this term, students will build on their knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to develop efficient mental strategies for solving problems. They will learn to add and subtract three-digit numbers using place value, jump strategy, and constant difference, including partitioning and regrouping to support their calculations. Students will model and solve real-world  Financial problems using number sentences and choose appropriate strategies, including estimating and checking for reasonableness.

They will also extend their understanding of multiplication and division with one- and two-digit numbers, using diagrams, area model, arrays, and different strategies to represent their thinking. Estimation will be a key focus when working with quantities and solving problems. Students will follow and create simple algorithms to explore number patterns and describe what they notice.

In Measurement and Space, students will explore angles as measures of turn, comparing angles in everyday situations using right angles as a reference. They will also interpret and create simple 2D maps of familiar places, identifying the location of key landmarks and describing their position in relation to others.

Multiplicative thinking continues to be a key focus throughout the year, as it is considered a ‘big idea’ in Years 3 and 4. Students are engaging in maths games to practise strategies during regular Number Sense Workshops to deepen their recall of multiplication facts for two, three, five, ten and beyond, along with their related division facts. They are also building their mathematical reasoning through weekly opportunities to solve real-life, worded problems using efficient and creative mental, written and representational strategies. These include drawing diagrams and tables, making models, and writing number sentences (equations).

In SEL this term, students will explore the construction of personal identities by recognising their own interests, passions and strengths, and understanding how these elements shape who they are. They will learn that identity is not dependent on gender and will examine how gender is represented in familiar literature and media, encouraging inclusive and respectful thinking. Students will also reflect on their own areas for improvement and develop a clear understanding of persistence—what it means and how it looks in action. Through classroom discussions, activities and challenges, they will practise demonstrating persistence and resilience when faced with difficulties, helping them grow in confidence and self-awareness.

In Unit of Inquiry, students will investigate Environmental Sustainability through the central idea: “How Everything Depends on Everything” and our dependence on a healthy natural environment. Investigations will focus on the diversity and richness of the natural world and the ways in which humans interact with and impact it. This learning will highlight the importance of caring for and living responsibly with the environment at local, national and global levels. The interdependence of environmental elements is essential to sustaining life on Earth.

This unit connects with our upcoming incursion Restoring Earth’s Ecosystem in Week 4. Students will explore what makes a healthy environment through hands-on activities. From the birds in the trees to the worms beneath our feet, built environments are teeming with life. Students will take their learning outside to explore the ecosystem of their own schoolyard, learn how it supports biodiversity, and discover how they can help protect local habitats.

Payment and consent for the incursion are due by Sunday, 3rd August 2025. More information will be provided closer to the date.

General Reminders:

• Please ensure your child is at school and ready to learn by 8:35 a.m.
• Check Compass daily, as it is the main communication platform used by teachers and the school.
• Students will transport books to and from school in their satchels each day. Readers will be exchanged each morning from the take-home reader boxes in classrooms. Each teacher has a designated day when Green Home Reading Diaries are collected for review and feedback.
• Students are using learning apps including Wushka, IXL and Google Classroom. The safest place to store login details is in the Green Home Reading Diaries. We recommend families also take a photo of these details and save them on their phones as a backup.