Year 3
Mrs Muse
Year 3 2022 - 2023
In Year 3, children start a new Key Stage, they individually grow as a learner and become more independent. They build on their handwriting work from Year 2, becoming more confident joining their letters.
All lessons are planned carefully to ensure all children are supported in their learning. Year 3 love to take their learning outside whether it be Geography in our fieldwork lessons or measuring and comparing in our Maths lessons.
Maths
At St Alban's we follow a Mastery Approach to teaching Maths following the White Rose Maths scheme. This term, Year 3 will be learning Multiplication and Division, Length and Perimeter, Fractions and Mass and Capacity. Alongside this, children will learn their 3,4 and 8 times table.
Children have Maths homework weekly, which corresponds with what they have been learning that week. This supports children to retain what they have been taught and also to be independent with their home learning.
For multiplication and division practice at home, children can battle with online interactive games on Times Tables Rock Stars. They can compete against their peers or independently to earn coins that allow them to improve their rock star avatars.
English
For our English lessons we follow the Pathways to Write scheme. This half term the book we are studying is Stone Age Boy by Satoshi Kitamura. We are learning how to write a story from the characters point of view. To achieve this the mastery keys we are following are:
* Form nouns with a range of prefixes.
* Use present and past tenses correctly and consistently including progressive and perfect forms.
* Use inverted commas to punctuate direct speech.
* Build a varied and rich vocabulary.
Reading
Year 3 have weekly class reading sessions following the Pathways to Read scheme. The book we are reading this half term is The Iron Man. Throughout the sessions children will learn to clarify vocabulary, read, retrieve and record information and explain their answers within small adult lead groups.
Spellings are taught throughout English and Reading lessons and also given for homework.
Children are also expected to read at least three times a week. Books and reading records should be brought into school everyday and are checked on a Monday.
The Reading Plus programme can also be used at home and go towards childrens weekly reads.
RE
As a Catholic School the teaching of the church is at the heart of everything we do. As well as daily worship, we follow the Come and See programme. The topics are delivered in three stages - Explore, Reveal and Respond.
Our topic for this spring term is: Local Church-Community: Journeys. Year 3 will learn that the Christian life is about journeying with Christ sharing his way of life.
Geography
Our Geography lessons will have the enquiry focus of Land Use: A Comparison of Cheshire and Cornwall'.
Year 3 will learn where Cornwall is. What are the human and physical features in Cornwall and Cheshire and how they are similar/different. What are the different types of land use and compare. Explore a four-figure grid reference and draw a map with symbols and a key of either Cheshire or Cornwall.
Science
In Science, we follow the Developing Experts Scheme our topic for this term is Light. This unit covers: identifying the differences between light sources and non-light sources. Exploring the light that comes from the sun and how to stay safe. Look at different materials which are reflective. Discover how shadows are formed. Investigate how shadows change throughout the day and how you can change the size of a shadow.
Art
Our Art lessons will cover an Artist Study on Pablo Picasso. Year 3 will explore cubism looking at a range of art and discuss what techniques have been used. Also, they will look at symmetry and how realism and symmetry are not a focus within this artist study. They will then plan and create their own collaged self-portrait in cubist style.
PE
Year 3's PE day is Thursday, children come to school wearing their PE kit.
Throughout the year, Year 3 will experience a range of sporting activites where they will develop their skills and improve their fitness levels. These activities include Gymnastics, Atheletics, Rugby, Tennis and Dance.
St Alban's also offer a range of sport activities in their after school clubs such as, cricket, football, tag rugby and many more.
Music/French/Computing
Computing is taught using the Kapow scheme. This term Year 3 will explore Scratch, learning about 'loops' and programming an animation, story and game.
French is taught through using the Language Angels programme. The children enjoy this, as it is interactive with quizzes, songs and games to help them learn the language.
Music is taught using the Charanga scheme, children particulary enjoy using the instruments throughout, which then leads to them performing a piece of music at the end of each unit.