This week, we have started a new text in English. We have been focusing on the story ‘Dr Xargle’s Book of Earth Hounds’, an alien’s guide to dogs. Even though we thought the book was a little strange to start with, we look forward to returning to the story after half term.
In Maths, we have started looking at using the column method for subtraction. We have just started to focus on using regrouping within the written method, which has been a little tricky. Yet, with some hard work and patience, we will soon be experts at it!
To round off our PE learning this half term, we staged a small five a side tournament to put all the skills we had learnt into practice. We really enjoyed the matches and were very competitive! Yet, it’s the taking part that counts.
In History, we used the Chromebooks to research Skara Brae. Skara Brae, on Scotland’s Orkney Islands, is one of the best kept examples of a Stone Age village. It was only discovered by a big storm hitting the coast and revealing the homes underneath mounds of sand. We really enjoyed having the opportunity to use technology to research this special Stone Age monument.
We have had a brilliant half term and look forward to concluding the rest of the term after the half term break. Have a very happy and peaceful break.
In our English lessons this week, we have been planning to write a story based on another character’s point of view. Instead of seeing things from the princess’ point of view, we will be writing it from the dragon’s perspective of the story, The Paper Bag Princess.
In Maths this week, we used our learning of formal column addition to support us with subtraction. We have also learned a couple of tricky mental methods to support us with this more formal method
In PE this week, we have developing our shooting skills by playing dribbling and shooting relay games. We also played ‘hot seat’, where players had to take it in turns to shoot and score a goal. If they didn’t score, they entered the hot seat. If the player after them scored a goal, the player in the hot seat was out!
In our History lesson last week, we focused on what Stone Age people ate and their way of life. We turned into archaeologists and studied some poo (Miss Battams had made by hand), dissecting to see if it would reveal clues to Stone Age people’s eating and living habits. It was a great lesson, if not a little yucky!
Have a restful weekend and I look forward to seeing parents next week for parents evening.
In our English lessons, we have enjoyed looking more closely at the Paper Bag Princess. We have been looking closely at sentence structure, focusing on coordinating conjunctions and multi clause sentences, using sentences from the story to support us.
Even though Maths has been tricky this week, we have relished the challenge. We have been focusing on using the column method for addition and using regrouping to ‘carry over’ ones to the tens column, and tens to the hundreds column.
In our Science lesson this week, we worked in groups to create a simple magnetic game. We used craft materials such as cereal boxes and tissue paper to make a ‘go fish’ style game. We also used paper clips in some of the hand cut fish to attract to the magnet, secured at the end of our homemade rods, to pull up the fish. We look forward to playing each other’s ‘go fish’ games when they are finished.
We also voted for our school council representatives this week too. Well done to everyone who bravely shared their speeches with us. A big congratulations to Isabella, Jessica and Alex for being our voted Year 3 reps.
Have a restful weekend and don’t forget to check our Google classroom for this week’s homework.
This week, we finished our learning on the story ‘Journey’ and moved onto a new unit. Our new topic is fairy tales, with a focus on book ‘The Paper Bag Princess’ by Robert Munsch. We have started by looking at the ‘ingredients’ to make a traditional fairy tale e.g. a pretty, young princess, a handsome prince. However, our key text is an alternative fairy tale with a twist!
We have now reached the end of our topic of ‘Homes’ in RE. Our next unit is called ‘Promises’, focusing on the different promises made in a Catholics’ life. Make sure you check out our latest RE blog with more information about our new topic.
In PE, we have been learning how to shoot and defend in football. We have also been using our dribbling skills to help us with our shooting and defending skills. By the end of the topic, we hope to hold a tournament of matches to consolidate our skills.
Have a restful week and don’t forget to check our Goggle classroom for this week’s homework,
This week, we continued our English learning on the Journey. We made paper lanterns, similar to those in the story. We had to follow instructions very carefully! We also created our own poems by using descriptive language about the magical carpet scene. Next week, we will be continuing the story of Journey by writing our own adventure stories.
In Maths, we have concluded our topic of numbers to 1000 and place value. We will now be moving on to addition and subtraction, including the column method. We also have a continued focus on times tables, particularly the 4s and 8s.
In RE, we created our own prayers to be displayed on a new prayer wall in our classroom. The children wrote prayers in different forms e.g. for thanks, forgiveness, help and praise. We have also really enjoyed sharing our Angelus homework with the class, which is now either on display or in our new class RE folder.
Have a restful week and don’t forget to check our Goggle classroom for this week’s homework,
The current RE theme is now reconciliation. Networks of friendships and relationships enable human beings to live together. Children and adults need to reach out and repair damaged relationships.
Christians believe that, in Jesus Christ, the world has been reconciled to God. Through and in Christ, every human being is offered the power to reach out in forgiveness and peace, to receive and offer reconciliation.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
“It is called the Sacrament of Reconciliation” because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who reconciles: “Be reconciled to God.” He who lives by God’s merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord’s call: “Go, first be reconciled to your brother.” The Sacrament of Reconciliation with God brings about a true “spiritual resurrection”, restoration of the dignity and blessings of the life of the children of God, of which the most precious is friendship with God.
To respond to this, think about areas in school life where it might be necessary to restore broken relationships. What opportunities are there in class for restoring relationships when misunderstanding or hurt arises? How is reconciliation truly celebrated?
Prayer and Reconciliation
I have chosen the way of faithfulness. I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees. O Lord; let me not be put to shame. I run the way of your commandments. for you to enlarge my understanding. Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes. and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding that I may keep your law And observe it with m whole heart. Amen
Psalm 119: 30 – 34
Your home learning task for this topic is linked to our learning about choices and consequences. What choices have you had to make recently? Did you make the right choice? How did you choose and what were the consequences? Fill this grid with your ideas.
Please bring in your work as and when it is completed, and by Wednesday 22nd June. They will be on display, as currently with the Pentecost work. The children enjoy sharing their work and look at everyone else’s on the wall.
PENTECOST
The RE topic for the first four weeks of the summer term in year 3 is Pentecost. We will learn about the Ascension, how Jesus promised his disciples the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit was spread amongst His followers. We shall explore how the Holy Spirit inspires Christians, spreading energy; and how the Gifts of the Holy Spirit help Christians lead good lives and serve others. A new way of living was established after Pentecost. Reflecting deeply and carefully about this topic will help children understand how their daily lives are influenced by the Holy Sprit and scripture.
These are the key words and themes of the topic: fire, warmth, wind, energy, power, gifts, Holy Spirit, Rosary, Glorious Mysteries, Pentecost
In Luke, 4: 18-19, we are reminded of how we should use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to serve others and our community:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasises our share in this Pentecostal gift:
“Those, who with God’s help, have welcomed Christ’s call and freely responded to it, are urged on by love of Christ to proclaim the Good News everywhere in the world. This treasure, received from the apostles, has been faithfully guarded by their successors. All Christ’s faithful are called to hand it on from generation to generation, by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy and prayer.”
(CCC Prologue 3)
Prayer and Reflection
Father, pour out your Spirit
upon your people,
and grant us
a new vision of your glory,
a new faithfulness to your Word
and a new consecration to your service,
that your love may grow among us,
and your kingdom come:
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(Prayer of preparation for Vatican II)
Home Learning
Think about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Wisdom – that is the gift to be sensible and not to jump to conclusions but be thoughtful.
Understanding – enables people to be compassionate and to take time to find out and be able to appreciate what is happening.
Counsel – means using wisdom and understanding to come to a good decision about something.
Fortitude – there are times when everyone needs to be brave in standing up for what they believe to be right and holy.
Knowledge – without knowledge you cannot make right judgements or have an understanding. It takes practice to have true knowledge.
Piety – this is about reverence and respect for God, for one another and for oneself.
Fear of the Lord – this gift enables people to recognise the awe and wonder of God and be amazed by the love and goodness of God.
R E Homework
Create a montage to depict one, some or each of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Demonstrate how the gift is, or the gifts are, used by believers today to serve others. You may want to quote from the scripture we will be reading at school to show how people are inspired by the Holy Spirit to use and share these Gifts.
Matthew 28: 1-10, John 16: 5-7, 1 Corinthians 12: 4-8, 11, Acts 1: 6-11, Acts 2 1_18, 43
You may want to draw your ideas, or create a collage, or use another medium to represent your ideas. You could include symbols of the Pentecost on your piece of work – flame, wind, a dove, the colour red.
We look forward to seeing your individual pieces of learning, which are due in by Wednesday 11th May.
This half term we are exploring the theme homes and family. This is a sensitive theme. The experience of ‘family’ in society today is varied, with many joys and sorrows. Whatever the experience, family still remains the first place for growth and development, the basic social unit.
For Christians the pattern and ideal of family life is found in the Scriptures. God is the loving parent of the human family and Jesus was born and lived in a human family. While offering ideals for family life, it is important to acknowledge and respect the real experience of some children which is not ideal.
Word of God
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. Above all clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.” (Colossians 3: 12-15)
Catechism of the Catholic Church
“In our own time, in a world often alien and even hostile to faith, believing families are of primary importance as centres of living, radiant faith. For this reason the Second Vatican Council, using an ancient expression, calls the family the Ecclesia Domestica: the Domestic Church. It is in the bosom of the family that parents are by word and example… the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children.” (CCC1656)
Prayer and Reflection
Father, creator of all, you ‘ordered the earth’ to bring forth life and crowned its goodness by creating family life. Teach us the beauty of human love, show us the value of family life and help us to live in peace with everyone. Amen.
It was great to meet so many of you at our ‘Meet the teacher’ meeting last week. Don’t worry if you couldn’t make it – I’ll look forward to getting to know you in September.
Last week, Mr Bedford wrote to your parents about returning to school in September. One of the things that he wrote about was the equipment we use in school. Mr Bedford said that for the equipment we use all of the time, like pens and pencils, we should try to keep our own items. He asked that, if possible, we bring our own pencil case to school.
It would be helpful if your pencil case included these items:
a pencil
a pencil sharpener (tub-style to catch sharpenings)
a rubber
a short (15cm) ruler
a glue stick
a set of colour pencils (12 colours should be fine)
a pair of children’s safety scissors
You will need to keep this pencil case in school and you will be able to leave it in your locker at the end of each day.
Don’t worry if you are not able to get a pencil case. We will do our best to ensure that our school equipment is not shared.
Have a lovely summer holiday and I am really looking forward to seeing you all back in school in September.
Welcome back and welcome to the beginning of the Summer term! I hope you had a lovely break. I would love to hear all of your stories from Easter so please do share them with me over in our Google Classroom 🙂
As before the Easter holidays, each day at 9:00am a Maths, English and a Topic piece of work will be set. When you choose to complete the work during the day depends on when suits your routines and depends on your families circumstances.
Miss Costello’s English and Maths Please log into Google Classroom to see today’s lessons.
Ms McCarthy’s English and Maths Please log in to Google Classroom to see today’s lessons.
Year 3 Topic Please log into our shared Year 3 Google Classroom to see today’s topic lesson.
TIP: If you are having trouble seeing images on a google document: check you are in a google chrome browser!
I am looking forward to when we can be back in the classroom together but, until then, I am hoping and wishing you and your families are well.
The Scouts have produced a list of 100 free activities, games and craft ideas. All the activities are designed to have a clear positive outcome, such as developing communication skills or learning how to solve problems. https://www.scouts.org.uk/the-great-indoors
Duolingo are a free online language learning program with more than 30 languages, designed to help ages 10 and up learn through “bite-sized” lessons. https://www.duolingo.com/
Audible is launching Audible Stories, which offers free educational, entertaining and immersive children’s and family audiobooks.
Try touring museums, parks and national icons from the comfort of your couch. Thanks to Google Arts & Culture, you can check out virtual tours of the largest temple complex on Earth, Yellowstone National Park, Champs-Élysées, the gardens of Versailles and more.
