Welcome to Year 3
Teachers: Mrs Noble and Mrs Butterworth
Teaching Assistant: Ms Nicoll
Please check our class page to find out what we have been doing in school.
Year 3 Information
Long Term Plan
Autumn 2
Computing
This half term, we have started to learn about programming in Scratch. The children have made a fantastic start and remembered lots from year 2 and applied what they learnt from ScratchJr. Today, we started to learn about the different types of loop blocks and how these are useful in programming.
Reindeer Run and Christmas Jumper Day
Today, the children looked very Christmassy in their Christmas outfits and enjoyed helping/chasing Santa around the playground to raise money for Wakefield Hospice.
Science
We learned about the words transparent, translucent and opaque and how these factors had an effect on the shadows the material made. We used our knowledge of materials and shadows to create some shadow puppets at the end of our topic.
DT
Our first DT topic this year was Pneumatic Systems. We made a toy which moved using a pneumatic system - either a syring or a balloon. It was quite tricky and we had to show lots of resilience to make them work. Take a look at our photos and videos where you can see them actually moving!
RE
This afternoon, the children learnt how Christian’s believed Jesus cared for and healed people in need. First, we learnt the story of the blind man and then the children researched some of the other stories told where Jesus heals people.
Music
This half term we are learning all about traditional instruments and improvisation. So far we have learnt about the different instruments and the main elements of Indian music. Today, we looked at the rag in more detail and found out that it is a set of notes used to create a tune. The children were fantastic at improvising and were able to create their own rags. Here are a very examples.
Interfaith Week
This week was Interfaith week and the children looked at a different faith in RE. In year 3, we learnt about Humanism and found out it is a way of thinking rather than a religion. The children were amazed that the faith has been around since the Renaissance and that some of the most famous humanists were Charles Darwin, Professor Brian Fox and Professor Hawkins. Here are some of the other things we found out!
Science
Our science lessons this half term have been about Light. In this lesson we were finding out which materials are the best reflectors.
Children in Need
Today, the children enjoyed wearing yellow, spots and Pudsey clothes to support Children in Need.
Autumn 1
History
In our history lesson we were finding out about Stonehenge. We discovered lots of facts which we added to our own models of the monument, which we made out of biscuits!
Art
We finished our Art lessons this half term by looking at the work of Heather Hansen, an artist who works with charcoal. She uses her whole body to produce her artwork. We had a go at making larger marks in time with music. It was a very relaxing art session!
All Around The World Day
We have had lots of fun in year 3 today! For ‘All Around The World Day’, we learnt all about Japan. We started our day learning about where Japan is and about some of their traditions. The children then carried on with their own research from some of the things we’d discussed and made their own fact files. We then had a little go at speaking in Japanese and even learnt how to say and write numbers to 10. We then became creative and made our own origami bookmarks and learnt about the famous artist Yayoi Kusama. However, I think the children’s favourite part of the day had to be tasting some traditional Japanese foods. The children were very hesitant at first but quickly became absorbed in the lesson and most realised they actually really liked sushi, gyoza and mochi. The children have loved every minute of today! Here is a snapshot.
Art
In our recent art lessons we have been learning about ‘chiaroscuro’ or how light and dark is used in art work to create tone and shadows. We made our own caves to showcase this effect. Don’t they look amazing?!
Science
We have been finding out about magnetic forces. We spent some time exploring how magnets worked and discovered which materials magnets are attracted to.
French
The children are really enjoying their French lessons this year. Today, we sang some of the songs we have been practising and we are becoming much more confidence with them. We then started to learn how to ask and answer questions in French. We even had a go at having a full conversation in French! Here are a few examples from today.
Art and History
In our history lessons we have been learning about cave art. In our art lessons, we have been working with charcoal. We combined our knowledge and practiced drawing our own Stone Age animals and images with charcoal. We then turned our classroom into a cave to create our own Stone Age cave paintings. It was really tricky drawing by ‘candle’ light but we had lots of fun!
Computing
This half term, we are learning all about the components of a computer. Last week, we looked at how the CPU and GPU work together and today we looked at why RAM and ROM are important . The children learnt why memory is so important and how computers have to be organised and remember where everything is. We did this through playing a memory game. We also learnt that sometimes instructions are saved in memory and have to be retrieved first. We used QR codes hidden around the classroom to complete a scavenger hunt.
Science
This half term we have been learning about the effect of different forces. We tested which surfaces allowed a car to travel the furthest.
