Year Three News

Term 1 in Year 3

Welcome to all the students and their families in Grade Three! The Grade Three teachers are looking forward to a fun year and we have a lot of exciting things planned for 2026. We will spend the first few weeks getting to know each other through a range of engaging activities and games, aiming to develop relationships, build confidence and set the expectations for the year to come.

Reading

This term, the Grade Three team is focusing on developing our love for literature and reading! We have created welcoming reading corners in our classrooms and are encouraging students to choose their own books to read. We will discuss how to pick a ‘Just Right Book’ and the importance of reading for enjoyment. Our first class novel will be ‘Matilda’ by Roald Dahl. Students will often engage in discussions with their peers about the text. These conversations are vital in order for students to build a community, develop important speaking and listening skills, deepen their understanding of the text and most importantly, recognise that reading is fun!

Writing

In Term One, we will be focusing on writing narratives and persuasive texts, in preparation for NAPLAN. Next, we will engage in interesting Scaffolded Writing sessions, where we learn how to write like good authors using the mentor text ‘Zen Shorts’.

Numeracy

Please see the separate newsletter post in last weeks newsletter for more information about our exciting new Numeracy program at FWPS!

Units of Work

For units of work this term, we are learning about Australian Geography. Students will locate Australian states, territories and capital cities on a map. We will learn about the relationships between people and places, with specific exploration of Indigenous places of cultural significance. Students will also learn the traditional First Nation’s names for the capital cities of each state. Did you know that Melbourne is traditionally known as Naarm?

NAPLAN

NAPLAN will occur in Weeks 7 - 9 of Term One this year. We know the idea of formal assessment can be very overwhelming for students, especially in Grade Three. Therefore, we will spend time preparing the students for what they can expect during the tests and what is expected of them during test conditions. Students will have the chance to ask lots of questions and share any concerns or anxieties they have. We will also run through some practice tests that will not be graded, so students know what the format of the tests will look like. If your child is worried about NAPLAN, it’s important to reassure them that it is simply a test that everyone in the country will be doing. We do not wish to put any extra pressure on our Grade Three students, especially this early in the new year. Please speak to your child’s classroom teacher if you or your child has any concerns.

Camp

This year the Grade Three classes will be lucky enough to experience an overnight camp at Campaspe Downs in November (Term 4). Please keep an eye out on Compass for full details, including payment, dates and what to pack.

Homework

Students in Grade Three will be required to complete homework tasks each week. We will begin this in Term Two, after we have settled into the new school year. We will let you know more about the expectations for homework at a later date. For now, we would like students to get into the routine of reading at home 5 nights a week for a minimum of 20 minutes.

Parent Helpers

If you would like to help out in your child’s class this year, you will need to complete the online modules that allow you to come into the school as a helper. Even if you have completed these in previous years, they will need to be completed again this year, prior to you volunteering at our school. Please see the office staff if you need assistance locating these modules. Once you have completed the modules, please reach out to your child’s teacher via Compass to organise a time that works for everyone.

Tissues

We would greatly appreciate donations of tissue boxes for your child’s classroom. Thank you in advance.

Tess, Caity, Holly & Samantha

The 2026 Grade 3 Team