Our Writing Program Term 1

Kia ora whānau,
In Year 3, students are focusing on developing independence in writing, building on their prior knowledge of pencil grip, letter formation, and handwriting fluency. Our goal is for tamariki to produce cohesive, correctly punctuated sentences and to begin expressing their ideas in increasingly detailed and structured ways.

This term, learning is centred on descriptive writing and recounts, aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Level 2 achievement objectives. Students are encouraged to elaborate on their ideas, providing details, explanations, and examples that enhance meaning and engage the reader. They are learning to use adjectives, adverbs, time connectives, and sequencing language to ensure their writing is clear, logical, and expressive.

Whānau can support this learning by encouraging children to share their writing, discuss how they are developing their ideas, and celebrate the ways they add detail, reasoning, and creativity to their work.

Casey the Caterpillar Handwriting Program

In Year 3, we continue using the Casey the Caterpillar program to refine letter and number formation. Students will focus on improving letter size, spacing, and fluency. The program helps them develop strong handwriting skills by teaching correct starting points and pencil grip.

You can support your child by ensuring they hold their pencil correctly, start letters from the right point, and practice regularly to build neat and consistent handwriting.

Writing Activities to Do:

Websites for children to Practice Writing 

Check out these helpful videos to support your child’s learning at home!

Please support your child's learning by helping them practice these spellings words and sentences at home

Learning Sites to Explore