Welcome to the Summer Term in Year 3

Our year group unit title this term is: Castles, Knights and Dragons

During this term, the children are reading the book “Cloud Tea Monkeys”  where they are immersed into the art of tea tasting in order to develop their descriptive statements. As the text is read the children are exposed to a range of language activities to stimulate grammatical development and reading comprehension skills. This magical and moving story about Cloud Tea, follows the journey of a group of monkeys who save a young girl and her mother. The children will use their skills to write thank you letters to the monkeys and plan and write a non-chronological report on tea, the tea-trade and traditions relating to tea. 

In addition to literacy lessons, children will participate in guided reading sessions where they will be reading ‘New and Collected Poems’. The children will learn about different words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination and recognise different forms of poetry including free verse and narrative poetry.

During guided reading children will also have daily phonics and high-frequency word practice, to build confidence with sound and word recognition. Each child will continue to choose a reading book from the library to read at home and school. Please ensure that reading books are brought to school every day.

During the summer term, Year 3 will be reinforcing previous Autumn and Spring term welsh language patterns as well as learning new vocabulary enabling them to contribute to our lessons ‘Joio yn yr haul a glaw’ - discussing the weather and hobbies and interests.

This term children will review their previous learning from Autumn and Spring term, whilst looking at statistics; representing data and extracting information.  They will consolidate the 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 times tables and will use this knowledge when interpreting and inputting data into graphs e.g. bar graphs, pictograms, Venn and Carroll diagrams.

The children will explore money by using different combinations to pay for items up to £2 and calculating the change. They will order and compare items up to £10 and use decimal notation in recording money. The children will also look at measurement, and apply their previous knowledge on fractions to calculate fractions of amounts and look at 5 minute intervals when telling the time using an analogue and digital clock. 

During Careers Week they will have the opportunity to see how Numeracy is embedded in a variety of jobs.  

As part of the theme 'Making Connections', children will be learning about 'Castles, Knight's and Dragons.' By studying castles in Wales and their locality, children will develop an understanding of how they have contributed to our identity as citizens of Wales (cynefin).  We will explore how they have protected us, why they existed, how they were governed and how the communities grew to create the foundations for the life that we have today.  Children will look at how the purpose of the castles have changed over time as a result of the changing world. 

Pupils will start the unit by focusing on specific vocabulary relating to the concept and research the following questions about Castles in our local area:

• Why, when and who built the castles?

• Why are they built where they are?

• What religions were practised?

In Expressive Arts, children will be exploring the way the arts were used and created in the medieval era.  Children will sing songs from the time, play medieval instruments and look at the way tapestries were used to retell historic events, creating today's version of a tapestry.

Our end product will involve the pupils hosting a banquet. The pupils will be planning, organising and hosting the event bringing together all of the knowledge they have learnt. The children will be able to dress up, bring food and perform for special guests at Oldcastle.

During PE, we will continue exploring elements of dance before focusing on athletics and team games in preparation for our whole school sports days during the Summer term.

Oldcastle Primary School are fortunate to have adopted ‘Thrive’ a therapeutic approach to help support children with their emotional and social development. Children will take part in group activities in class.

This term we will continue to make use of the 'Learning Lodge' and garden area to develop our outdoor experiences with our Well-being Champion Mr Murdoch. We will use the 4D room to immerse the children in our new concept to ignite their interest in local castles and their place in welsh history . The children will continue to incorporate the school token reward system into their daily routines.  During Friday's enrichment time, the children will either be learning to play the recorder, sketch or use Minecraft to design a digital world of castles.

School values over the term are showing gratitude and care and generosity. All of these values will be covered throughout lessons, with a whole school focus during school assemblies. 

PE will take place on a Thursday and children should come to school in their PE kits on this day.  Please avoid wearing jewellery on this day if possible and ensure long hair is tied back.

Children should bring a water bottle to school with them every day, this should be a sufficient amount to last them the whole day. 

Children should bring their reading books to school with them every day. 

Please ensure that all school uniform is clearly labelled with your child’s name.

Don't forget to download our School App via the Play or App stores - The School App will provide you with up to date information about activities and events at Oldcastle Primary School.  Please look out for our weekly newsletter issued via The School App and available on our website on a Friday afternoon.  The newsletter contains all forthcoming diary dates for the school.