Term 1

Weeks 5 and 6

Literacy - Fantasy genre

To assist with our understanding of fiction texts, we have been learning and practising retelling the important parts of a story in sequence > Beginning, Middle, End.

Having the skill to retell important parts of a story in order, also helps us to plan our own stories that we write. Which is exactly what Year 3 students started doing in Week 6. Previously the students created their fantasy characters and settings and planned their fantasy story. The next step was to write their introduction paragraph (the Beginning), setting the scene and introducing the reader to the characters, all with a sizzling start to engage the reader.

We have also spent a lot of time preparing for NAPLAN Literacy tests (Weeks 7 & 8) by practising our comprehensions skills and looking for keywords in texts and writing complete narrative or persuasive texts in 40 minutes.

Numeracy - addition and subtraction

Year 3 students built on their understanding of Place Value from earlier in the term to learn more strategies to assist them adding 1, 2 and 3 digit numbers together and also subtracting 1, 2, and 3 digit numbers.

Some of the strategies included partioning the numbers into their place value and using concrete materials (MAB Blocks), Place Value Charts and Number Lines to solve the equations.

Some strategies to improve mental calculations (working it out in our head) include:

Extending our known facts, for example, if 4 + 3 = 7, then 14 + 3 = 17 and 24 + 3 = 27 and so on.

Doubles and near doubles, for example if 4 + 4 = 8, then 4 + 5 = 9. In this example the 5 is one more than four, therefore the answer is one more than double four.

Bridging to ten, for example 6 + 7 = _____. I know 6 + 4 = 10 and I know 4 + 3 = 7, therefore 6 + 4 + 3 = 13 which is the same as 6 + 7 = 13

Try asking your child to add single digits in their head to improve their numeracy skills. Being able to add single digits quickly in their head will help them greatly as they progress in maths. Make it a game - ask your child how to play KABOOM!

cbl - community

In Community for Challenge Based Learning, our students identified rules and laws, understanding the difference between them. They have also learned about individual and collective responsibilty as active citizens in communities. A highlight was students realising they are responsible for following rules, for example school rules. They understood that they are individually responsible for their own behaviours and actions.

Personal and social skills

Year 3 students are continuing to identfy and reflect on their personal strengths and how these strengths can help them.

We created an Acknowlegement of Country after learning the difference between Acknowledgement of Country and a Welcome to Country.

STOP, WALK, TALK continues to be a focus in Year 3 as a very effective strategy for students to develop their ability to handle situations themselves, and to know when to seek adult help.

Start to WEEK 4

Welcome to 2026! During the first few weeks of this year, the Year 3 students have been getting to know each other and settled into their new classes. It has been so exciting meeting everyone and seeing so many friendly faces!

We have learned how we, individually, learn and also how the class as a whole learns. We have revisited our Aitken Creek Primary School (ACPS) school values of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, TEAMWORK and ACHIEVEMENT and practiced how to display these behaviours at all times and also WHY it is important to consistently show these values. There is so much more to learn and the students are realising the need to be at school and in class on time each day so they can learn with their class mates.

Some of the many things we have learned and practice so far are detailed below.

class routines and expectations

The Year 3 classes unpacked various classroom routines such as:

Being mindful and safe while lining up and moving around the school
Establishing a morning routine so students know what needs to be done each morning as they enter the classroom, including being at school by 8:50am!
Creating an afternoon routine for what needs to be done at the end of every school day before going home
Creating an attention signal so students can stop, look and listen for instructions from the teacher

We demonstrated responsibility by practising the morning routine.

learning to learn

The Year 3 classes discussed strategies that to help us be ready to learn, including the importance of having a growth mindset. Through a growth mindset, we believe that we can achieve our goals if we keep trying, use different strategies and ask for help. We can't do it, YET. We use the learning pit as a visual to describe the experience of learning something new. It can be challenging and demoralising at first, but as we try different strategies, work with others and think it through, we make our way out of the pit and emerge with a new skill!

Sometimes our emotions become overwhelming and in order to respond to them, we need to be able to identify our emotions. We revisited the Zones of Regulation as a tool for helping as identify how we are feeling. Each Year 3 class has strategies students can use to regulate themself and join the class and we also have a sanctuary in each room where students can go when when they are not in the Green Zone, to help them regulate. We discussed the 'Stop, Walk, Talk' strategy and how we can use it to respond to inappropriate behaviour.

3B students proudly showing our Zones of Regulation and Strategies to self-regulate.

We all know how important it is to have a GROWTH MINDSET!

We all spend time in the Learning Pit! Here are some 3B students showing the path out of the Learning Pit and strategies to help you along the way.

Students discussed what it means to be safe. Then each student identified 5 trusted adults they can talk to if they feel unsafe and need help.

To prepare for Literacy, we created Literacy Norms, set up our classroom library and chose good fit books for our Book Boxes. We also practised our reading stamina, which refers to how long we can read without losing focus.

We also practised 'Turn and Talks', using our mini whiteboards, and thumbs up or down and other strategies we will use throughout the year for students to show teachers their level of understanding of each lesson.

We went to the library to borrow take home readers. We demonstrated responsibility by tidying up the shelves. Library day is Thursday for all Year 3 classes!

To prepare for Numeracy, we created our Maths Norms, learned how to use our maths books appropriately and practised using a growth mindset during problem solving.

We have started reading our class Fantasy novel 'Buster and Polly - The Wayward witch and the monster' and planning for writing our own fantasy text in our Literacy lessons.

In Maths, we have been learning the importance of the place of each digit in a number, using the Place Value Chart to help us.

Challenge Based Learning (CBL) this term is all about Community. Look out for a survey from your child to assist with their CBL challenge.

You will find out more about these units in the coming weeks on our blog.

In the meantime, check out the profile on all the Year 3 teachers and support team on the first page of the Year 3 blog.

3B had an impromptu lesson on measuring and then estimating 10cm and 5 cm. They used this new skill to cut Ms Sims' hair! With her permission of course.

Ms Sims may need to update her profile photo!

Check in throughout the term for more Blogs and photos!

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