Year 3 News 

English

Reading

During Term 4 in Reading, the Grade 3 students will be completing an author study on texts by Aaron Blabey. Throughout the author study, students will be learning how to analyse and critique parts of texts written by the author. When analysing, students will be looking at the types of language features, illustrations, story events and types of characters that Aaron Blabey includes in his writing. The students will also be critiquing parts of the texts such as their favourite part in the story, the humour in the text or the author's main message.

Along with analysing and critiquing texts by Aaron Blabey, the Grade 3 students will continue to consolidate some of the reading skills already focused on this year such as retelling, making connections, inferring and questioning. 

Students will also be focusing on non-fiction texts chosen to align with the topic of the fiction texts from the author study. This will allow the students to continue developing their understanding of the different types of non-fiction texts, how to read them and how to apply strategies to understand them.  

Writing

This term, Grade 3 students will focus on persuasive text in writing. Over the next few weeks they will build on their ability to independently plan, draft and publish a persuasive text. Their persuasive texts will include a title, statement of position, series of arguments with reasons to support them and a concluding statement. We will also focus on grouping sentences into paragraphs so that our ideas link together. Students will also learn to use different language features to make their writing more persuasive such as using emotive language.. For the remainder of the term we will focus on advertisements, exploring the various persuasive devices used such as slogans, logos and exaggeration. Students will determine the target audience of specific advertisements using evidence of persuasive devices. They will eventually plan, draft and edit their own persuasive advertisements.

 Mathematics

Grade 3 students will begin this term with learning about Mass in mathematics, where students will estimate and measure the mass of objects in grams and kilograms. They will also be able to compare and order objects from smallest to greatest mass. Our learners will then move onto our 3D Objects unit where they will work on identifying and naming the key features of 3D Objects and exploring the creation of 3D objects by attempting to make some out of materials. 

Our Fractions and Decimals unit will then be our next focus. Here, students will learn about how to model, represent and label fractions including one half, a quarter, one third and one fifth in both fractions of a whole and of a collection. Students will then move onto our Money unit, with a focus of representing money in multiple ways, counting the change required for simple transactions to the nearest five cents, and recognising the relationship between dollars and cents. 

Our learners will finish off the year with a focus on revision of place value concepts covered throughout the year. They will count and order numbers to and from 10 000 and explore simple number sequences based on multiples. We will continue to work on our short and long-term goals of building, making, saying and drawing numbers up to 10 000 and ordering numbers on a number line to 10 000.

Inquiry

In Term 4, our Grade 3 learners will be exploring the topic 'Oh the place we could go’. The key understanding for this unit is that life in Australia is both similar and different to its neighbouring countries. Students will be investigating the similarities and differences between Australia and Australia's neighbouring countries, such as New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, and what it would be like to live in those countries. They will research different aspects of life for each country including its flag’s history, the climate and terrain, customs, school and cuisine.

Science

This term students will be investigating chemical science focusing on the states of matter solids and liquids. Students will be investigating how the introduction or removal of heat can change the physical state of a substance. They will predict and then conduct experiments to show the change of state and then record these findings through diagrams, graphs and tables to identify patterns or trends. Once collected, students can make claims based on evidence and reflect on whether the experiment was “fair” or not. 

LOTE – Chinese

Welcome to term 4 Grade 3, the last term of 2022. In this term, the main topic for Grade 3 will be colour. After Grade 3 finished their colour learning, they will review the animals that we learnt in term1 and shapes in term 2. The purpose of reviewing those topics is not only to help them to remember those words individually, but connect them together and put them into sentences. For example, what are their favourite colours and animals or what is that shape’s colour. At the end of the term, students will learn some new fun facts about Chinese New Year. They will be asked to share some fun facts about the new year or dominant festival they celebrated at home to compare and contrast the similarities and differences.

Art

The Grade 3 students have started the term learning about symmetry. The students are practicing their ‘Mirror image skills’ and draw the opposite side of an image to attempt balanced proportions in their drawing. It is interesting to see the students who enjoy the structured mathematical side of art, as opposed to the free drawing, less structured side to art. The students will also celebrate spring and design beautiful ‘Cherry Blossom’ trees, using a Japanese paint blowing method with ink and crepe paper to represent the blossoms. The students will then tap into their ‘spooky creativity’ for Halloween at the end of October. Moving further into the term students will explore the 3D art; exploring height, width and depth, using materials to manipulate into fun objects. They will also explore weaving techniques and beading. The students will end the term design cards and decorations for someone special and for Christmas. I look forward to a fun term, with a positive end to the year in Art, with the grade 3 students.

P.E.

For term 4 the grade 3 students will focus on the sports of badminton, hockey, and netball. They will be asked to apply the skills required in these sports for a games-based approach. Students will be engaged in small-sided games (mini games) in each of these sports which will assist them in the development of the relevant skills required. Some of the motor skills being worked on include throwing, catching, striking, running, and dodging. Students will use their prior learning and skill development which will help them engage and play each sport. Students will have ample opportunity to play each of the sports and learn as they play. Knowledge of rules and problem solving are both going to be explored throughout this term and hopefully provide the starting point for grade’s students as they move into the later years of primary school physical education. This term will be lots  of fun and I can’t wait to work with the grade 3 students again in our final term of the year!