Year 3

Welcome back! We trust that you and your children had a restful half-term break and are now rejuvenated and eager to continue the second half of the spring term. We are thrilled to present the Year 3 curriculum newsletter for spring 2, where you can explore the incredible learning opportunities that await your children during this upcoming period. You will also see the words that will be used for the spelling assessments this half term.

English

In our English lessons, we will be studying Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. The book tells the untold story of African American women mathematicians who played a vital role in the American space program. To showcase our learning, we will write a newspaper report using reported and direct speech to highlight their achievements.

Maths

In Maths, we will begin Spring 2 by exploring fractions. We will focus on recognising unit and non-unit fractions, comparing and ordering them, and then move on to converting, adding, and subtracting fractions. Throughout this unit, students will develop a deeper understanding of how fractions work in various contexts. Towards the end of the half term, we will shift our focus to mass and capacity, building on our previous learning about distance from last term.

Science

This half term's science topic is 'plants' where we will label parts of a plant and explain their functions. We will also explore the importance of photosynthesis and osmosis for a plant's survival as well as how plants reproduce. We will ultimately discuss the question: 'What different roles do the parts of a plant have?'

Geography

In Geography, we will be learning about rivers, in particular the geographical significance of the River Thames. We will be introduced the features and functions of rivers, as well as their importance to the environment and the economy. We will also learn how water from the River Thames can end up as the clean water through our taps!

Computing

In Computing, the children will be exploring how digital devices have changed the way we work. From this, we will learn about the physical components of a network, input/output devices and how digital devices can be connected.

RE

This half term in RE, we will be exploring the importance of the various religious festivals in Islam. We will learn the names and meanings of Islamic Calendar (Lunar Calendar), the importance of Ramadan to Muslims and understand why Eid is important to Muslims and how it is celebrated. We will then answer the question: "Why are Islamic celebrations important to Muslims around the world?"

PE

This half term, we are developing the skills required to play a game of badminton. We will begin by becoming familiar with a badminton racket and the backhand return shot. We will then explore how to start a game of badminton using a serve and a rally. We will eventually lead up to playing a game of badminton with our peers.

Art

In Art, we will explore the concept of abstract art, which uses shapes, colours, and textures to express ideas rather than literal imagery. Children will then create their own artwork inspired by the artist Hilma af Klint, experimenting with these elements to develop their unique artistic expressions.

Music

The children will be using Charanga to consider how music can help us resolve friendship issues as well as making peace with any conflicts.

French

In French, we will be learning to name fruit, give opinions and asking and answering questions about age.

RHE

In RHE, we will be learning about the role we can take in an emergency situation, such as how to help someone who has been bitten or stung. We will then continue our learning of how to be safe online by identifying the dangers and how to act appropriately to these dangers.

Homework Expectations

Reading for pleasure daily for a minimum of 15 minutes per day
Practice of weekly spelling list
Multiplication practice of 2s, 5s, 10s, 3s, 4s, and 8s

Spelling lists

Handwriting

We use Letter-Join as our new whole-school handwriting scheme. Children can log in to the Letter-Join website at home on iPads, tablets and computers.

Home Learning Offer - Foxfield

Home learning platforms

To support your child’s learning journey, we have compiled a Home Learning Menu. Your child is already set up and has a secure login for each app, making access simple.

These resources include Letter-Join for handwriting practice, spag.com for spelling and grammar practice, and Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) for multiplication practice. Class teachers will assign specific activities on these platforms, and children are able to regularly participate in fun activities.

Children should be encouraged to log into Letter-Join on a weekly basis and complete the activity assigned by their class teacher, linked to the current skill they are learning in class that week. For spelling and grammar, children will be set one activity a week linked to their learning in class. For TTRS, children will take part in a ‘timestable battle’ that will last for three weeks, where daily engagement adds to their final score. The recommended time for this is a minimum of 10 minutes a day. To further support your child’s learning, we will be setting a selection of activities on Purple Mash once every half term. Purple Mash is an online platform containing cross-curricular creative tools and activities that allow children to explore and enhance their knowledge in a fun, engaging way. Your child will be able to work their way through the assigned tasks at their own pace over the course of the half term. The homework will cover a variety of subjects, including core areas such as reading and maths, as well as other curriculum areas like science, history, and computing.

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