Year 3/4 News
ENGLISH
Reading:
In our start-up Reading program, Grade 3/4 students will become familiar with the routines and expectations of our reading lessons. We will establish clear expectations for independent reading, support students in selecting “Just Right” books, and teach them how to organise and care for our classroom libraries. Students will also explore and celebrate their diverse reading interests.
We will establish routines for teacher-led focus groups and engage students in meaningful, purposeful reading activities.
Throughout the remainder of the term, students will participate in an author study of Anthony Browne, engaging with a range of high-quality texts. They will practise key comprehension skills, including predicting, inferring, making connections, answering questions, and summarising.
Writing:
To kick off the year in Writing, Grade 3/4 students will become familiar with the structure and routines of our writing lessons. Students will build their writing stamina through activities such as rocket writing, while also developing their handwriting and spelling skills.
Throughout the term, students will participate in both teacher-guided and independent writing. The initial focus will be on narrative writing, with an emphasis on adding detail and using appropriate, engaging vocabulary to appeal to an audience. Students will learn to plan, structure, and sequence ideas, construct clear sentences, and revise, edit, and publish their texts.
The term will conclude with students applying these skills to write persuasive letters.
MATHEMATICS
As part of our Mathematics Start-Up program, students will explore what it means to be a mathematician and engage in simple problem-solving activities. These activities will support students in practising classroom routines and expectations, while also providing opportunities to demonstrate their current understanding to their new teachers.
Our first Number and Algebra unit will focus on Patterns and Place Value, with students exploring numbers up to 10,000 and 100,000.
In Measurement, students will study Time by learning to describe the relationship between hours and minutes on both analogue and digital clocks. They will read time to the nearest minute and solve problems involving the duration of time, including scenarios using am and pm and converting between units of time.
Students will also explore angles, identifying them as measures of turn and comparing them to right angles. They will use angle names to describe angles in relation to a right angle.
Finally, in our Statistics unit, students will participate in guided statistical investigations using categorical and discrete numerical data. They will interpret results in context and practise recording, representing, and comparing the data they collect.
INQUIRY
This term, Grade 3/4 students will ease back into the classroom environment while helping to establish clear routines and behaviour expectations. We will begin by focusing on our school-wide Learning to Learn program, ensuring that positive behaviours are explicitly taught, understood, and demonstrated. These expectations will be revisited regularly throughout the year.
Our Inquiry unit for this term, Think Smart, Stay Safe!, will focus on Health and Wellbeing and Digital Technologies safety.
Key Understanding: Keeping ourselves safe and healthy in our community and online.
Key Questions: • How can we keep ourselves safe and healthy in different places, including online? • What personal information do we share online, and how can we protect it? • Who can we go to for help, and what strategies can we use when we feel unsafe or unsure?
SCIENCE
Science. The topic we will be covering is called ‘Living Things and Life Cycles’. Students will be learning that living things have characteristics that distinguish them from non-living things and things that were once living, including fossils. They will also learn that plants and animals have different life cycles; offspring Welcome back to Science for Term 1. In Science this term, students will be focusing on Biological are similar, but not identical, to their parents. Throughout this term, students will:
be introduced to the differences between living, non-living, and once living things by identifying key features that define each category
learn that some fossils are preserved once living things and can be formed through processes such as sedimentation, pressure and mineralisation
take shared notes on the stages of fossilisation, select a living, non-living and once living thing to create a labelled diagram and describe its key features
learn that living things grow and change through different life cycle
learn the stages and changes that occur during germination
undertake an investigation by following ‘step-by-step' instructions to plant a seed and make predictions, observe and record the seedling's development
explore how animals grow and change through metamorphic life cycles, focusing on the Baw Baw frog
learn about non-metamorphic life cycles by learning about the Tasmanian devil.
LOTE – AUSLAN
Welcome to Grade 3/4 Auslan 2026! During Term 1 we will learn about: On My Holidays, Countries, HOLM NMF – Location, Morning Routine, Lost in the City, A Trip to the Museum, Water – Bodies of Water, A Visit from Grandpa, Numbers #3, Revision (Spinning Wheel).
We will learn new signs that can combine with previously taught signs to extend our Auslan communication, from individual signs to phrases. Videos including fun excursions and games, with lesson activities for practice, will continue to be our focus this term.
As the lessons progress, the students will be developing skills in both signing (Expressive) and understanding others’ signs (Receptive).
The students will participate in small group activities creating a performance and presentation using Constructed Action.
ART
Welcome to Grade 3/4 Art! This term, students will be settling into the art room and learning routines and expectations, including taking care of materials, using tools safely and demonstrating positive learning behaviours.
We will commence the term with students learning to use pattern, shape and colour to create an artwork that shows something about themselves, encouraging creativity and personal expression.
The main focus for Term 1 is Colour Theory. Students will revise their understanding of primary and secondary colours and explore how artists use colour in different ways. Throughout the term, students will investigate the difference between warm and cool colours and apply this knowledge to create a range of fun and creative artworks using different materials and mediums.
We are looking forward to seeing the creativity and wonderful artworks created by our Grade 3/4 students this term!
P.E.
Welcome back to Physical Education for Term 1! This term in Physical Education, our Grade 3/4 students are exploring a range of striking and hitting sports including tennis, badminton, pickleball, volleyball, cricket, kickball and teeball. Through these activities, students will practise skills such as striking, batting, hand-eye coordination and working cooperatively with others in small games and modified team activities. Alongside this, students will also be building on their fitness by participating in the beep test, practising their stamina and learning how to pace themselves during longer runs. Throughout all activities, students will continue to develop teamwork, fair play and respect for others while engaging in fun, active and inclusive learning experiences. I am looking forward to seeing our Grade 3/4s continue to build their confidence and skills this term!