The Year 3 class value is Be Curious

Friday 21st March

This week the children have been busy completing assessments in maths and reading. Everybody worked really hard on these and I am impressed with all of their efforts.

In maths, we have been comparing and ordering non-unit fractions. The children learned that where the denominator is the same, they need to look at the numerator to help them compare the fractions. We have also been looking at fractions on a scale, locating different fractions on a fraction line.

In English, we have been building up to writing our extended piece about whales. The children have been researching threats to whales and planning their non-chronological report in preparation for writing next week.

In science, the children have been exploring different bones in the human body. We discussed and located some of the main bones as well as finding out some interesting facts including the number of bones in an adult’s body is less than that of a baby!

In RE, we were discussing the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The children talked about the qualities that each of the fruits represent and wrote and drew examples to put into their own fruit bowl.

In history, we have been studying what life was like in a Roman villa. We talked about the key features of a villa and how the Romans designed them very unlike the Iron Age Celt houses that went before them.

In our PSHE lesson, we discussed the role of volunteers and how volunteering can make people feel.

To round off the week, during enrichment, we really enjoyed sampling some Italian foods including pizza, spaghetti Bolognese, Italian meats, biscuits and bread sticks! What a feast!

Enjoy the weekend, see you all next week.

Mr Booth

Friday 14th March

Good afternoon, here is what we have been up to in Year 3 this week.

In maths, we have started to look at fractions and have been learning about the numerator and denominator. The children have been learning the difference between unit and non-unit fractions and understanding how different parts make the whole.

In English, we have been researching and watching video clips of blue whales to find information about them and writing different types of sentences. We also wrote about the life of a blue whale across a year, learning when they eat, migrate and give birth.

In science, we conducted an investigation to find out whether a person with a longer femur bone can jump the furthest distance. The children each measured their femur bone before testing the theory. The results were mixed across the groups and there were some surprises where those with a shorter femur actually jumped the furthest distance. The children could also suggest reasons for this which I was very impressed by!

In history, we explored the different forms of entertainment that the Romans would have had including visits to the Roman baths, the amphitheatre and meeting at the forum.

In PSHE, the children were discussing the difference between fact and opinion. We each listened to and wrote examples of both facts and opinions across different subjects. It created quite an interesting discussion amongst the children.

In art, we have started our new topic around using cloth, thread and paint. This week we explored some of the works of British textile artists Hannah Rae and Alice Kettle. We discussed their methods and gave our opinions on their work.

Once again, this afternoon, the children enjoyed another of our enrichment sessions. This week we focussed on Italian music and traditional dress. It was lovely to sit, listen and appraise the different music.

Have a great weekend, see you all next week.

Mr Booth

Friday 7th March 2025

Good afternoon. The children had a great World Book Day yesterday and it was lovely to see how enthusiastic everybody is about reading. We have been blown away by the amazing competition entries and it was very difficult to pick the winning plate. Also many thanks for all the chocolate donations that have been sent into school today. It is very much appreciated.

Here is a little of what we have been up to this week in Year 3:

In maths, we have finished our work on finding perimeter and today we started to explore fractions. The children have been recognising unit fractions and understanding what the denominator tells us in a fraction.

In English, we have been finding out facts about whales through our class text and writing informative paragraphs. We also wrote our own whale poems using the different sentence types.

In science, the children learnt about the advantages and disadvantages of having an endoskeleton, exoskeleton and hydrostatic skeleton and we categorised animals into these groups.

In history, we explored the changes and differences between Iron Age settlements and Roman towns. The children noticed that lots of things changed during this time as the Romans brought new innovations to Britain.

In PSHE, we discussed people's responsibilities and which people can help us in different scenarios.

During Enrichment time, we further explored Italy and talked about famous Italians and famous landmarks.

Have a great weekend. See you all next week.

Mr Booth

Friday 28th February 2025

Good afternoon and welcome back to another busy half term in Year 3. This week the children have come back to school with lots of enthusiasm about their learning which is fantastic to see! 

In maths this week, we have been adding and subtracting different lengths. The children have also been changing millimetres into centimetres to help them with this. We have also started to look at perimeter and how we find the perimeter of a shape. 

In English, we have started to look at our new book ‘Big Blue Whale’ and ‘This Morning I Met a Whale’. The children have been making predictions about the texts as well as writing descriptive paragraphs from the point of view of the character from the book. 

In science, we have been learning what is meant by vertebrates and invertebrates. The children explored different animals to decide whether or not they had a spine and which category they fit into. 

In history, we continue our exploration of the Romans. This week we have been studying the different ways that the Roman army managed to keep control of such a vast empire. The children looked at the reasons and researched facts to support their ideas. 

In art, the children were very excited to be able to use the clay to create their own Roald Dahl character models. They sculpted and shaped the clay to make the various intricate details and they did an amazing job! 

Today in our enrichment time, we have started to look in more detail at Italy. Over the coming weeks we will continue to research and build up our knowledge of the country in order to develop our global identity. 

NEXT WEEK: 

World Book Day – Thursday 6th March. Children can come to school in uniform, pyjamas or dressed as their favourite book character. Any paper plates for our competition need to be handed in by this date. 

Non-uniform day – Friday 7th March. Chocolate donations greatly appreciated. 

Have a lovely weekend and let’s hope for some more sunshine! See you all next week. 

Mr Booth   

Friday 14th February 2025

Our trip to Chester yesterday was a lovely end to the half term and the museum guide was so impressed by the behaviour, enthusiasm and knowledge of the class. We all had a great time learning about life in Deva, especially the disgusting parts! I will post photos from the trip very soon.

In maths this week we have been continuing our work on length and perimeter. The children have been comparing lengths and looking at equivalent lengths in metres, centimetres and millimetres.

In English, we have been planning and writing a newspaper report about Boudicca’s battle against the Romans in 60CE. The children created interesting and catchy headlines and created quotes from the point of view of the Celts and the Romans.

In science, we continued to explore the importance of nutrition and learned the 7 main nutrients. The children used their understanding of a balanced diet to decide which foods they would need to give someone all the nutrients they might need.

In history, we continued to discover why Boudicca was such a prominent historical figure and each decided whether she was a villain or a hero based on her actions.

In RE, we discussed why Christians would want to volunteer. The children came up with lots of different reasons and we talked about how people volunteer to feel good about helping others.

Finally, in art, we were looking at characters from famous Roald Dahl stories and using Quentin Blake illustrations as inspiration for our own sketches. This is in preparation for making characters from clay after the half term break.

There are new activities now live on EdShed. Thank you for your continued support with this. Please encourage your child to continue to read at home throughout the half term break and record this in their planners as each read is another step towards getting 100 reads and picking a brand new book to take home.

Have a lovely week. See you all on Monday 24th February.

Mr Booth

Friday 7th January 2025

Friday 31st January 2025

Good afternoon, it’s been a busy week in Year 3.

In maths, we have been dividing 2 digit by 1 digit numbers. We explored how we can flexibly partition the numbers to help us divide and also working with remainders when a number does not divide equally.

In English, we have finished reading Stone Age boy and have started to plan our own historical narratives. We explored the various events of the book and made edits and changes to help plan our own versions.

In history, the children have been learning about how the Romans were well prepared for battle. We looked at the Roman soldier uniform and also explored how the Romans were able to organise their soldiers and use clever tactics to overcome the enemy.

In science this week we have been learning about the different nutrients that are found in foods. We discussed which foods contain these various nutrients and explored why they are important to our bodies.

In RE, we continued to explore what Jesus looked for in his disciples. We focussed on Simon Peter and considered why Jesus saw a good disciple in him.

This afternoon, we enjoyed a special assembly from iRock School of Music who told us all about the importance of mental health, boosting confidence and team work through a love for music. The children loved singing along!

New homework tasks are now live on EdShed. Please encourage your child to complete them.

Have a great weekend,
Mr Booth

Friday 24th January 2025

As another busy week comes to an end, here are some of the things we have been up to in Year 3.

This week in maths we have been multiplying and dividing 2 digit numbers by 1 digit. We explored different methods such as 

Friday 17th January 2025

In maths, we have been using the 8 times table to support us with dividing by 8 and partitioning two-digit numbers to multiply them by 1 digit.
In English, we have been exploring the characters' actions and using role play to support us with writing in the past tense. We have also been practicing adding prefixes to words and comparing the Stone Age and the modern day.
In history, we have been discussing who the Romans were and where they came from. We learned that the Roman Empire was once very large and that the Romans were excellent fighters.
In science, the children have been learning about the different food groups and how we should ensure that we have a balanced diet. We discussed the importance of eating a variety of different foods and how they affect our bodies.
In PSHE this week, we have been discussing the difference between risks and dangers. We acted out some different scenarios and talked about the importance of stopping and weighing up the risks before doing something.
Once again the children really enjoyed the opportunity to enjoy some enrichment time this afternoon. We are getting some lovely feedback from the children when they return to class!
New homework tasks are now live on EdShed. Please encourage your child to complete them before the end of next week.

Have a lovely weekend. See you all next week.

Mr Booth

Friday 10th January 2025

I hope you all had a great Christmas break, it already feels like a long time ago! The children have impressed me this week and settled quickly back into routine.

In maths, we have been focussing on the 4 and 8 times table, multiplying and dividing with multiples of 4 and 8.

In English, we have started our new class book 'Stone Age Boy'. The children have been exploring clues about the book and discussing the different characters. We then wrote speeches between the characters and practiced using comparatives and superlatives to improve our descriptions.

In PSHE we have been discussing safe and unsafe situations. We also talked about how we can make these situations safer and how we would react in those scenarios.
We also focussed on racial discrimination this week, where we looked at stereotypes and reasons why people may make unkind remarks. The children impressed me with their thoughts about this topic and came up with some fantastic ideas.

Finally, this afternoon we all enjoyed our first Enrichment Afternoon. The children went off to different classrooms to partake in the activities they has chosen and they all came back enthusiastic and keen to share what they had been doing. We are already looking forward to next week's session.

Have a lovely weekend. Lets hope it warms up a bit!

Mr Booth

Friday 22nd November

Firstly, many thanks for your kind chocolate donations for the school fayre. The children also really enjoyed the pantomime yesterday. It really kick-started the festive season!

This week in maths we have been continuing to explore addition and subtraction. The children have been adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers from 3-digit numbers and looking for complements to 100.

In English, we have finished reading our class book after some fantastic sensory exploration of the final page. The children came up with many things they could see, smell, hear, touch, and taste in the picture before writing.

In science, we have been exploring magnetic and non-magnetic materials. The children first predicted which items would be magnetic and then used magnets to check if the items were attracted to the magnet.

In geography, we learned about the different courses of a river and learned some of the key features of a river such as the source, mouth, and meanders.

In RE, we discussed how important charity work is in Islam and how Muslims give generously.

This afternoon, we had our first Philosophy Friday session in which we debated the question: 'Should children be made to wear school uniform?' I was very impressed with their debating skills already!

Have a lovely weekend. See you all next week.

Mr Booth

Friday 14th November 2024

Good afternoon. Here is a little of what we have been up to this week.

In maths, we have been adding and subtracting two numbers with exchanges. We used counters to make the numbers and support us in solving the equations.

In English, we are continuing to read our class book and explore the events. We have been using similes to describe the setting and characters.

In science, we have been exploring how friction can affect movement by conducting an investigation to measure the distance the toy car travelled down a ramp of different materials.

In geography, the children have been learning how people across the world use rivers in different ways such as to provide energy, recreation and growing crops.

In RE, we learnt some of the stories of Muhammed and how he helped others.

In PSHE, we have been discussing families and how everybody's families are different.

That's all for now. Have a great weekend.

Mr Booth

Friday 11th October 2024

This week in maths, we have been adding and subtracting ones, tens, and hundreds. The children then explored the pattern between the equations.

In English, we have been writing letters from Tom's character to his grandad. The children have been editing their work and using a variety of vocabulary and punctuation.

In science, we have been studying the formation of soil. The children handled samples of soil to explore its composition. As we expected, we found little bits of rock and decaying plants.

In history, the children have been learning about how Bronze Age tools were made and how they were much stronger than stone-made tools.

In art, we have been sketching rocks by torchlight, focussing on light and shadow, and using charcoal to create texture and colour. They all looked amazing!

New EdShed tasks are now live. Please encourage your child to complete the tasks to support their spellings. Please see the previous post for a copy of this week's spellings should you need them.

Have a lovely weekend.
Mr Booth

Friday 4th October 2024

Friday 27th September 2024

Good afternoon, I hope you are all well.

This week in maths we have been counting up to 1000. The children have been estimating numbers on a number line and finding 1, 10 and 100 more or less than any number.

In English, we have finished reading our book Seal Surfer. The children have been role playing the different characters and writing descriptions of them.

In science, we have been investigating the permeability of different types of rocks. They were very excited to see how some rocks contained little pockets of air and caused bubbles in the water.

In history, we have been learning about Skara Brae and how the findings of a Neolithic settlement have helped us to imagine what life would have been like there.

In RE, we have been discussing what makes a good leader and looking at different leaders and their roles. We will then be linking this to Christianity next week.

I will be setting a new spelling and maths activity to complete on Ed Shed shortly.

Have a great weekend, see you next week.
Mr Booth

Friday 20th September 2024

This week in maths we have been continuing our work on place value. We have been representing and partitioning numbers to 1000.

In English, we have been writing in first person and producing diary entries. We have also been using the senses to describe settings.

In science, we have been testing the hardness of different rocks and learning about the rock types- igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary.

In RE, the children have been discussing people who influence others and do good.

In History, the children explored the similarities and differences between the early and late Stone Age periods.

Have a great weekend, see you all next week.

Mr Booth

Friday 13th September 2024

Good afternoon everyone. It's been a busy week in Year 3.
In maths, we have continued our work on place value. We counted in hundreds and looked at how many tens make a hundred.

In English, we have been using prepositions to describe where things are and using them in our descriptions. We also started to look at speech and role played parts from the book.

In science, we handled and explored different types of rocks. The children then organised and grouped them by their size, texture and colour.

In history, we have started to explore the Stone Age. We created a large timeline on the playground to help us understand about prehistory and just how long ago the Stone Age was.

In Spanish, the children really impressed Mrs Daly with their amazing pronunciations as they continued to explore the phonics of the language.

In art, we have been learning about the work of Laura McKendry, a British artist who uses charcoal to create images of animals.

Many thanks for your continued support with reading at home. Lots of children have already gained many dojos!
We will begin setting spelling homework very soon too.

Have a lovely weekend. See you all next week.
Mr Booth

Friday 6th September 2024

What a wonderful first week back in school! The children have all really impressed me with their efforts and have settled into new routines really quickly.

This week in maths we have started to explore the place value of numbers up to 100. The children have been using equipment to make numbers and partitioning them into tens and ones.

In English, the children have been correcting and improving sentences as well as looking at clues about our new class book and writing expanded noun phrases to describe the story setting.

In science, we will be learning about rocks and fossils this half term. The children explored what they already knew about rocks and where they come from.

I was very impressed with the children's singing in our music lessons this week. We have been learning a new song and practicing performing it.

In art, the children had lots of fun exploring charcoal. We used different methods to mark make in preparation for our final piece at the end of the unit. Next lesson we will be exploring the work of artists that use charcoal in their work.

Many thanks for your support in reading at home so far, every little helps. Please continue to write in your child's reading record so we can award dojos to the children.

Have a lovely weekend. See you all next week.
Mr Booth