Year 3

Term 4

Wow, the first half of the term has just flown by and before we know it the holidays will be upon us (only 7 weekends until Christmas, but who is counting).

This term the students have really started to challenge themselves and have stepped up their independence in learning and teamwork skills in preparation for grade 4.

We are delighted to welcome Flynn Dealy to our class! Flynn has settled in beautifully and is already making new friends. We also extend a warm welcome to his parents, Tess and Clayton, as they join the St John’s school community. We’re so pleased to have your family with us and look forward to sharing many wonderful experiences together.

Listening and Speaking

Our class has been enjoying a range of speaking and listening activities this term. During Show and Tell, we’ve heard so many fascinating stories — from farming life and ewe sales to family holidays, new siblings, and excitement around the Cup! What amazing experiences our students have to share.

It’s been wonderful to see everyone listening respectfully and asking thoughtful questions that keep our conversations going. These sessions are helping us build confidence as speakers and develop great conversation skills as listeners.

Reading

This term we have been reading The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.

Here is a brief summary of the storyline

Inspired by the true story of Ivan, a gorilla captured from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ivan lives in a cage at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, where he is known as the "One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback." Despite his imposing appearance, Ivan is calm and introspective, spending his days drawing and watching TV with his friends, Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. When Stella gets sick and a new baby elephant called Ruby is brought in to replace her, Ivan forms a protective bond with the baby and starts planning ways to get her out of captivity.

The book is full of rich and new vocabulary, and the students have been working hard to learn new words and then find them and use them in their everyday reading and writing.

Writing

This term we have been learning about persuasive writing and using our class novel The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate to learn about animal welfare in the circus. Our students have been learning how to write persuasive letters, focusing on how to structure them effectively with a clear introduction, strong arguments, and a convincing conclusion. They’ve been practising using persuasive language, emotive words, and powerful reasons to support their opinions. After all this learning, don’t be surprised if they start trying to persuade you at home — they might just convince you with their strong language and well-crafted arguments! Students have been reading about the cruel treatment of animals in circuses and have been deeply moved by what they’ve learned. Using their persuasive writing skills, they have written heartfelt letters to authorities, urging them to take action and help stop this mistreatment. Through their writing, students have shown great empathy and passion, using strong arguments and emotive language to make their voices heard and stand up for what they believe is right.

Handwriting continues to be a big weekly focus, with students currently working on joins to and from the letters r, v and w. For the second half of the term students will be revising the slope, spacing and size of all of their letters in their everyday writing, focusing on key joins and ensuring that their letter formation is neat and efficient.

Maths

This term, our Year 3 students have been diving into the world of mathematics through hands-on investigations in data, location, and probability.

Students are learning how to collect, organise, and display data to help answer real-world questions. They have also been exploring maps, directions, and coordinates as part of their work on location, developing important spatial awareness skills. In probability, students are discovering how to predict the likelihood of everyday events and describe outcomes using words such as likely, unlikely, and impossible.

It’s been wonderful to see their curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills shine as they make meaningful connections between maths and the world around them.

🧮 Data Collection Challenges

Family Favourite Survey: Ask your family what their favourite fruit, sport, or TV show is. Create a tally chart and bar graph to show the results. Extension: Ask your friends too and compare the data!
Weather Watcher: Record the weather each day for a week. At the end, make a picture graph showing how many sunny, cloudy, rainy, and windy days there were.
Toy Count: Sort your toys (or books, Lego pieces, etc.) into groups by colour, size, or type. Make a simple chart to show your findings.

Here are some math challenges you may like to try at home

🗺️ Location Challenges

Map My Home: Draw a map of your house or backyard. Include labels, a key, and directions (N, S, E, W).
Neighbourhood Explorer: Go for a walk and draw a simple map of your street. Mark important places like your house, a park, and any shops.
Treasure Hunt: Hide a “treasure” somewhere at home and write a set of directions using positional language (e.g., Walk three steps north, turn left past the table).

🎲 Probability Challenges

Coin Flip Fun: Flip a coin 20 times and record how many times you get heads or tails. Were the results what you expected?
Spinner Surprise: Make a spinner with four colours. Spin it 30 times and record the results. Which colour came up the most? The least?
Lucky Snack Bag: Put 10 small snacks (e.g., 4 sultanas, 3 crackers, 3 pretzels) in a bag. Predict what you’ll pick before you reach in! Try it several times — how often were you right?

🌸 Sacrament

Celebrating Our Students’ First Confirmation and Communion

Last weekend, we were blessed to celebrate a very special milestone in the faith journey of several of our students as they received their First Holy Communion and Confirmation. It was a beautiful and reverent celebration filled with joy, pride, and a deep sense of community.

Our students—Hannah, Lucy, Lenny, Jed, Chelsea, Emily and Marley in year 4—have spent time throughout the year learning about the significance of these Sacraments, deepening their understanding of what it means to live out their faith each day through kindness, compassion, and service to others. Their preparation was supported by their families, teachers, and our parish community, who have all played an important role in guiding and encouraging them along the way.

A heartfelt thank you to Father Tony, our Religious Education team, and the families who helped make the celebration so meaningful. Seeing the students’ smiles and sense of pride was a reminder of the joy that comes from faith shared and nurtured together.

Congratulations to Hannah, Lucy, Lenny, Jed, Chelsea, and Emily on this important step in their spiritual journey. May you continue to walk in faith and love, guided by the Holy Spirit, and inspired by the values of hope, peace, and gratitude.

Talented Actors in the Making

Last weekend, several of our talented students took to the stage in the captivating play

Flower and Forest: A Medieval Time Loop Adventure. The story followed an unwilling hero caught in a mysterious curse that resets the same chaotic day, forcing him to outwit magic, danger, and time itself.

Harry Rowan, Ollie Capobianco, Jocelyn Riley, Georgia Harris, Bradley Robinson, and Lewis Riley all delivered magnificent performances, bringing their characters to life with confidence and flair. Their dedication and energy made the production truly memorable.

A big congratulations to each of them for their outstanding effort and talent. Mrs Robinson, Mrs Swan, and Ms Ally thoroughly enjoyed the show and were incredibly proud of the students’ achievements. Well done to everyone involved!

Japanese Day

We had a wonderful time celebrating Japanese Day, a special event dedicated to exploring and appreciating Japanese culture. Students took part in a range of engaging activities, including traditional games, cooking, craft, and origami. It was fantastic to see everyone participating with such enthusiasm and curiosity. A huge thank you to Sensei for organising such a fun and educational day — it was a fantastic celebration that everyone truly enjoyed!