Dhumbadjirri "Talk Together"

Year 3/4 Mainstream

Celebrating Learning

What we’ve been up to:

This fortnight, we have been preparing for and conducting student-led conferences, which have been hugely successful.  Students confidently shared a compilation of portfolio work from Semester 1 of this year and came away feeling accomplished. Some classes commenced gardening this week, with 3/4C kicking off the Semester transporting soil to ready other classes in creating garden beds- this required lots of shovelling, wheelbarrow work and yoga afterwards! In addition to this, 3/4 have been engaging in their new History Unit, ‘The Cause and Effects of Australian Colonisation’, with lots of research and note taking. As we move into Week 3, 3/4 prepares for NAIDOC Day, with a sole focus on First Nations Perspectives through our Unit. 

 

Maths

In Maths, students have been learning about the concept of mass through both informal and formal measurement. We began by estimating and comparing the weight of everyday classroom objects using balance scales and informal units, such as blocks, soft toys, and stationary. This hands-on exploration helped build a strong sense of measurement and comparison.

As our understanding developed, we moved into measuring mass using standard units (kilograms and grams) and learned how to read and use real measuring tools. Students also worked on problem-solving tasks that required them to think critically about combined mass and simple conversions.

Some of the questions that have guided our thinking are:

  • How can we estimate the mass of an object before measuring?
  • What objects are the same size but have different masses?
  • How can we record mass using standard units?
  • What happens when we combine the mass of several items?
  • How do we convert between kilograms and grams?

This unit has provided a meaningful connection between number, measurement, and real world applications, laying the foundation for further learning in problem-solving and interpreting data.

 

Literacy

In Reading, students have been researching our History Unit on “The Cause and Effects of Australian Colonisation”. We started our unit by investigating what events led to the British choosing to colonise Australia, then moved on to learning more about who the British colonists were. Students collected research from various sources in profiles and illustrations. They have also begun exploring timelines as a tool for recording significant historical events. 

 

In Writing, students have been compiling their research into summaries through profiles and events listed in timelines. Through Writer’s Workshop, they have also continued to hone their own editing skills through individual and peer revising and editing sessions.

 

What’s coming up:

  • In Literacy, students will be looking at First Nations perspectives in varying literature.
  • Students will complete timelines for their class between 1750-1800 for History. 
  • In Maths, students will be learning about multiplication and division, exploring both mental and written strategies to solve problems efficiently and deepen their understanding of number relationships.

 

Things families can talk about at home:

  • NAIDOC Day and the celebration of achievements made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait people and communities. 
  • Use the multiplication and division practice links that will be available on Google Classroom next week, providing fun and interactive ways to reinforce times tables and division facts.
  • Multiplication and division in the real-world: cooking, shopping, sharing, making. 
  • Timelines, perimeters and area talk!