Year 3 has been buzzing with excitement and learning this term! Here's a glimpse into what we've been up to:

Y3 have been busy exploring the world of geology by identifying and classifying rocks, sharpening their maths skills through multiplication and division, and letting their creativity shine as raconteurs, retelling the delightful instructions of How to Trap a Grass Goblin—a task they’ve thoroughly enjoyed! Why not ask them to share the instructions with you at home?

In addition, the festive spirit is in full swing as we prepare for the Christmas performance at the end of the term. Keyworth Primary and Nursery School is embracing All Things Nativity, and Year 3 and 4 are enthusiastically learning the songs ‘Little Donkey’ and ‘Go the Distance.’ Their excitement and enthusiasm are truly infectious! 🎄🎶. You can find our songs on this blog: Keyworth Primary and Nursery School - All thing Nativity!

 Next week, Year 3 will be getting creative as we make Christmas decorations in line with our Nativity theme. The children will have the opportunity to craft beautiful decorations that reflect the story of the Nativity, adding a personal touch to our festive preparations. We can’t wait to see the wonderful creations!

Maths: Multiplication and division:

The children have started their new maths unit based on multiplication and division, We have been looking at grouping and sharing. We have also been learning our 3 times table to support us in our division. I can already see many children completing their doodle maths assignments which has built their confidence in lessons. Please ensure you are completing your doodles little and often with particular focus on the 3, 4 and 8 timestables. As of writing this we are currently top of the school leaderboard! Well done Year 3!

Literacy: Writing a instructions on ‘How to trap a Grass Goblin’

In Literacy, Year 3 has been diving into an exciting range of activities! We’ve been focusing on instruction writing, using the instructions How to Trap a Grass Goblin as our inspiration. The children have also explored their creative side by writing poems about flying horses and have been honing their grammar skills by learning to use modal verbs and subordinate clauses effectively.

To deepen their understanding of the Grass Goblin, the children have engaged in drama activities, bringing the story to life and exploring characters and events in greater detail. Earlier this week, we developed our reading skills further by focusing on:

• Inference—drawing conclusions from the text,
• Retrieval—identifying key information,
• Prediction—thinking about what might happen next, and
• Formulating questions about the story.

These activities have been both enjoyable and enriching, helping the children grow as confident, thoughtful readers and writers!

Additionally, please ensure your child is reading at home at least 3 x a week and this is recorded in their home school books. Little and often makes the world of difference!

 

Science: Rocks and soils

The children have stepped into the role of geologists, engaging in hands-on activities to identify and classify different rocks. They have also explored the properties of rocks, such as determining which are permeable or impermeable.

Next week, we will begin to study the three main types of rocks: metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary, deepening their understanding of how rocks are formed. Toward the end of the half term, the children will enjoy an exciting opportunity to work with a member of the British Geological Survey (BGS) during an afternoon, consolidating their learning through expert guidance and practical activities.

 

  

Geography: Volcanoes and earthquakes
 

In Geography, we’ve continued our exciting exploration of extreme weather, with a particular focus this half-term on volcanoes and earthquakes. The children have been learning about:

• Tectonic plates and where they are located around the world,
• The key features of a volcano,
• What happens during a volcanic eruption, and

Next week, we’ll delve even deeper by identifying and understanding the parts of a volcano and the ring of fire.

RE- Light and Dark:

In RE this half-term, we have been exploring the theme of 'light and dark', focusing on the significance of light for Christians and Jesus' disciples. Y3  have been learning how light is seen as a symbol of hope for many Christians and its importance in their faith.

Over the coming weeks, we will broaden our understanding by looking at Diwali, the 'Festival of Light', and discovering its importance for Hindus. This comparative approach helps children appreciate the role of light as a powerful symbol across different religions and cultures.