Year Three
Dear Grade 3 Families,
We are now well into Term 1, and students have established positive routines and strong learning habits. This week has been filled with rich discussions, thoughtful reflection, and deeper exploration across our learning areas. It has been wonderful to see students growing in confidence as they share their thinking and challenge themselves.
It was also a wonderful opportunity to meet so many of you at our Meet and Greet. We truly value the strong home–school partnership and appreciate the time you took to connect with us.
Reading
In Reading, students explored how authors develop characters and reveal different traits using mentor texts such as Sunday Chutney, The Dark, and The Good Egg. They discussed how characters demonstrated IB Learner Profile attributes such as being open-minded, risk-takers, and balanced.
Students practised making predictions, listening carefully to their partners’ ideas, and justifying their thinking using evidence from the text. They explored how characters face challenges, how feelings change throughout a story, and how traits are shown through actions rather than simply stated. During independent reading, they applied these skills by identifying and recording character traits in their own “just right” books.
Writing
In Writing, students focused on building their vocabulary and deepening their understanding of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 words. They explored the differences between everyday words and subject-specific vocabulary and discussed how each type strengthens their writing.
Students practised selecting more precise and descriptive words to enhance their sentences and make their ideas clearer. Through discussions, word sorting activities, and applying new vocabulary in their writing, students developed greater confidence in choosing powerful words to communicate their thinking effectively.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, students have been developing their understanding of place value. They have been creating, ordering, and writing numbers up to five digits, including numbers with internal zeros.
Students explored expanded form, identified the value of each digit, and practised explaining their reasoning using accurate mathematical language. Through hands-on activities with dice, MAB blocks, and place value charts, students generated and compared numbers, renamed numbers in different ways, and justified their thinking. We also revised key vocabulary to strengthen conceptual understanding.
Learning to Learn
Students explored what it means to persevere when learning feels challenging through the concept of the “Learning Pit.” They reflected on strategies that support them when they feel stuck and discussed how learner profile attributes—such as being risk-takers, communicators, and reflective learners—support growth.
Students also completed personal SWOT analyses to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges in learning. Later in the week, they explored the idea of belonging through the story The Invisible Boy and discussed how their actions can help others feel included.
As always, thank you for your continued support. We look forward to a wonderful year of learning ahead.
Important Reminders
Students are required to wear wide-brim hats during recess and lunch in Term One
Please ensure students bring a full water bottle each day
iPads should be brought to school fully charged.
We are excited about the year ahead and look forward to working in partnership with our Year Three families throughout 2026.