Literacy This week, our class has been exploring chapters 8 and 9 of Matilda by Roald Dahl, where two unforgettable characters take center stage: Miss Honey and Miss Trunchbull. These contrasting teachers each leave a significant mark on Matilda, offering an excellent opportunity to discuss the impact of different characters in stories.

Miss Honey: A Model of Kindness and SupportMiss Honey embodies the type of teacher every child hopes for. She’s gentle, attentive, and genuinely invested in her students' learning. When she notices Matilda’s remarkable intelligence, Miss Honey makes a point of recognizing and supporting her talents. Through Miss Honey’s kindness and thoughtfulness, children see a positive role model who brings out the best in her students.

Miss Trunchbull: Strict, Scary, and UnforgivingOn the other end of the spectrum is Miss Trunchbull, the strict and fearsome headmistress. Miss Trunchbull’s approach is harsh and unkind; where she enforces strict rules. Her character provides a contrasting example of a teacher who chooses to instill fear. This character has sparked classroom discussions about respect and ways that we can treat each other with kindness and respect.

Our Grade 3 students have also been using their reading of Matilda by Roald Dahl as inspiration to practice writing four different types of sentences: statements, questions, commands, and exclamations. With prompts based on scenes and characters from the book, students are learning how each sentence type can add variety and emotion to their writing.

Here’s how they’re exploring each type:

Statements: Students make observations about Matilda’s life or her school, such as "Matilda loves reading more than anything."
Questions: They think of questions related to the story, like "Why does Miss Trunchbull act so mean?"
Commands: Inspired by characters, they write commands like "Imagine you are Miss Trunchbull and write a rule for the class!"
Exclamations: To add excitement, students write sentences that express strong feelings, such as "Matilda’s parents don’t care about her at all!"

This activity not only strengthens their understanding of sentence structure but also allows them to dive deeper into the story and express their thoughts creatively.

MathsThis week, our young mathematicians have been diving into fractions, specifically learning about halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, and tenths. We’ve been focusing on how to add and subtract fractions with like denominators, so students are practicing combining pieces like 1/4 + 2/4 to get 3/4 or subtracting 2/5 - 1/5 to get 1/5.They’re discovering how fractions work together, which builds their number sense and gives them confidence in breaking down and reassembling parts of a whole.

A big focus has also been finding the "missing piece" needed to make one whole. For example, if they have 3/5 of something, how much more is needed to reach a whole, or 5/5? This skill is helping students think flexibly with numbers and understand how different fractions can combine to complete a whole.

We’re proud of the progress they’re making and excited to see them grow even more in their fraction knowledge.

Integrated

In Integrated Learning, our Grade 3s have been diving into the world of emotions! Over the last two weeks, we’ve focused on disgust and sadness, exploring what these feelings mean, why they matter, and how to recognize them in ourselves and others. Through discussions, students learned to identify the physical signs our bodies show with each emotion, building empathy and self-awareness in a fun and engaging way.

Meanwhile, in Humanities, we’ve been exploring changes over time, with a special look at our local area. Students were amazed to compare photos from over a century ago to now, noting what’s stayed the same and what’s evolved. They’ve loved discovering how our community has grown and changed, sparking conversations about the impact of history on our lives today. It’s been a fascinating journey into both the inner and outer worlds of our students!

End of Year Excursion

Our end of year excursion to Ballam Park and Gravity Zone is quickly approaching, this is taking place on Wednesday the 4th of December.

Permission and payment for this is due next Monday, the 18th of November. If you haven't, please head to Compass to give permission for your child to attend, or decline the event. All students require a response by this date.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Kind Regards

The Grade Three Team 🙂

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