Icarus 

Reminders: 

End of Term 3

• On Friday 19th September, we will be holding a Whole School Assembly at 9:00am in the gym.
• Also on this day, we will celebrate Footy Day. Students are encouraged to come dressed in their favourite sports team colours.
• Special Footy Day lunch orders will be available for students to enjoy.

Term 4

• Term 4 is our Sun Smart Term. Students must bring a hat to wear during recess, lunch and PE. Without a hat, they will need to play in the shade. Families may also choose to send sunscreen or sunglasses, but please ensure all items are clearly labelled.
• Students are expected to bring a filled water bottle to school each day, as frequent trips to the taps can interrupt learning.
• Please pack a healthy fruit or vegetable snack for morning Brain Break to support student focus and energy.
• All items of clothing, especially hats, jumpers and jackets, should be clearly labelled so they can be returned if misplaced.
• Home reading, weekly spelling practice and choice matrix activities should be completed each week at home. Spelling words are given on Mondays and students are tested at the end of the week.

READING

In Reading this term, our focus has been on the topic of Weather. Students are exploring a variety of texts to build both their knowledge and their reading skills. We are practising important reading strategies such as:

• Predicting – using clues from the title, pictures and text to make smart guesses about what might happen next.
• Identifying the Main Idea – looking for the key message or most important point in a text.
• Summarising – retelling the most important information in our own words.
• Questioning – asking and answering questions before, during and after reading to deepen our understanding.

You can support your child at home by encouraging them to talk about what they have read, ask questions about the text, and share what they think might happen next. Reading together and discussing the weather in daily life is also a great way to connect learning at school to the world around them.

WRITING

This term in Writing, Year 3 students have been exploring a variety of text types, with a focus on poetry, procedural texts, and environmental writing. We began by learning about three different forms of poetry: Haiku, Limerick, and Cinquain. Students learned the structures of each poem, practised using syllables, rhyme, and descriptive language, and created their own original poems inspired by The Magic School Bus. They enjoyed performing their poems for their classmates and adding creative illustrations.

We then turned our attention to procedural texts, learning how to write clear step-by-step instructions. Students created procedures for saving water at home and in the garden, linking their writing to our Inquiry focus on sustainability. Using ARMS and CUPS checklists, they revised and edited their drafts before publishing colourful posters with strong titles, detailed steps, and matching illustrations to share their message with others. As part of this unit, students also observed and wrote about a Water Cycle experiment, describing how evaporation, condensation, and precipitation work together in nature.

More recently, students have been writing about the environment through our unit on The Lorax. They created persuasive posters, letters, and reviews encouraging others to protect trees and care for nature. Through these tasks, students not only strengthened their writing skills but also developed their voice as active citizens who can make a difference in their community.

MATHS

Students explored fractions by building a strong understanding of the parts of a fraction, focusing on the meaning of the numerator and denominator. They used diagrams, real-life situations, and hands-on materials to represent fractions like three-quarters, showing how fractions describe parts of a whole. Students also began to make connections between fractions and multiplication by solving problems that involved finding multiple parts of a fraction, such as three groups of one-quarter. These activities helped students see how multiplication can be used to combine equal parts, building their confidence in both fraction and multiplication concepts.

SEL

This term, our Grade 3 students have been actively engaged in Social and Emotional Learning through both the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships curriculum and The Resilience Project.

In the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships program, students explored important life skills such as problem solving, help seeking, recognising and challenging gender stereotypes, and managing stress in healthy ways. These lessons encouraged students to think critically, communicate respectfully, and practise strategies they can apply in everyday situations.

Alongside this, through The Resilience Project, students continued developing their understanding of mindfulness, empathy, and gratitude. They reflected on the importance of appreciating small moments, recognising the feelings of others, and building positive daily habits to support wellbeing.

Our Grade 3s have shown great enthusiasm and growth in these areas, strengthening both their personal resilience and their connections with peers.

INQUIRY

Students have been exploring how health has changed over time, looking at the ways people in the past stayed healthy compared to today’s approaches. They learned about different types of physical activities and discussed how these contribute to overall wellbeing. To bring their ideas together, students worked collaboratively to design their own health and fitness clubs, creating plans to encourage others to stay active and make healthy choices.