St Joseph’s RC Primary School

Curriculum Evening

Year 3

We believe that each person is unique and created in God’s image. In our school, we provide a distinctive Catholic education, where each child is loved, nurtured, inspired and aspire to challenge excellence and develop their individual abilities for themselves and others.

https://stjosephsrcprimaryschool.net/

Mission Statement

It is hoped that parents will support the school and encourage the children to appreciate

the value of homework. Homework provides the opportunity for children to develop as independent learners and to extend and reflect upon their ‘in school’ experiences. The amount and type of homework will vary according to the needs of your child. All Y3 children will be given Maths homework on a Friday and asked to return it on a Monday. Spellings will be given out on a Friday and children will be tested the following Friday. We are aware of the many outside activities which take up much of the children’s time (e.g.) dancing, swimming etc and it is therefore our philosophy not to give out a lot of homework unnecessarily. Homework is an activity which compliments and reinforces what is taught in school. Homework will not usually be given when a pupil is absent through illness or holiday unless this is requested. Reading- Children are encouraged to read for pleasure. 10 minutes every night or as regular as possible. Children should have an adult comment written in their reading diary each night. Teachers will carry out spot checks of reading diaries. Questions that you could ask your child are given within the reading diary. These will help develop your child’s comprehension skills. Spellings- Each child will be given a set of spelling each week to learn, they are also on Spellodrome, and will be tested by the class teacher every Friday. It is really important to keep revisiting weekly spellings.

Homework

In year three the children have five hours per week. The children will be

studying the following genres:

Autumn Term Narrative- character description and adventure stories.

Fables Biographies. Newspapers

Spring Term Play scripts Poetry Diaries Newspapers Balanced arguments Instructions Summer Term Narrative- alternative versions Instructions Non chronological/chronological reports Letter writing Poetry Throughout the year the children will focus on these aspects of English i.e. get to know the genres and they will write their own texts linked to the genres. They will be encouraged to decide which genre to use for a particular task, as the year develops. The children will also complete spelling, punctuation and grammar activities linked to the genre e.g. if writing a story they may focus on speech punctuation or expanded noun phrases etc.

English

“Pupils bring stories

to life with help of

North-East author”

Please find below a glossary of terms, which the children are expected to

know:n

Clauses are the building blocks of sentences, groups of words that contain a subject and a verb. Clauses can be main or subordinate. Common A conjunction is a type of connective ('connective' is an umbrella term for any word that connects bits of text). Co-ordinating connectives include the words and, but and so; subordinating connectives include the words because, if and until. Connective Consonant letters are a letter sound is made when you use your lips, teeth or tongue to change how the air comes through your mouth. The sounds /p/ and /b/ are made when you close your lips and open them quickly. and indirect speech Direct speech is a sentence in which the exact words spoken are reproduced in speech marks (quotation marks or inverted commas). Indirect speech or reported speech is when the general points of what someone has said are reported, without actually writing the speech out in full. Inverted commas go around the direct words spoken. They are used to show when a person is speaking. A prefix is a string of letters that are added to the beginning of a root word, changing its meaning. Preposition Prepositions are linking words in a sentence. We use prepositions to explain where things are in time or space. clause Word family- Words in a word family are related by meaning, grammar or spelling.

Grammar

Reading is the most powerful tool of learning both in and out of school.

Therefore, we give the children various opportunities, within the school year,

to visit the local library.

It facilitates independence in the quest for

knowledge.

It allows the reader to share experiences

which would otherwise not be

encountered and encourages development

of empathy.

It engages readers with language models from

which they can gain pleasure and an

understanding of how the language works.

Therefore, we aim to help the children to:

• Gain mastery in the basic mechanical skills of reading;

• Develop and use appropriately the higher order reading skills, styles and

strategies which contribute to overall comprehension of a variety of texts;

• Read with accuracy, fluency and expression;

• Develop a love of literature, appreciating and critically evaluating the

language meanings;

• Understand the value of information texts as an aid for learning.

EVERY CHILD EVERY NIGHT! (10 MINS)

Read for pleasure.

Check meanings of unfamiliar words.

Be able to discuss the text.

Reading

We believe that conventional spelling is necessary to accurately convey

meaning to the reader. We therefore aim to help our children to develop a

range of strategies that will enable them to become independent,

conventional spellers. We recognise that learning to spell is a developmental

process.

The following spelling rules and patterns will be taught:

Adding suffixes beginning with vowel letters to words of more than one

syllable

The /ɪ/ sound spelt y elsewhere than at the end of words

The /ʌ/ sound spelt ou

More prefixes

The suffix –ation

The suffix –ly

Words with endings sounding like /ʒə/ or /tʃə/

Endings which sound like /ʒən/

The suffix –ous

Endings which sound like /ʃən/, spelt –tion, –sion, –ssion, –cian

Words with the /k/ sound spelt ch (Greek in origin)

Words with the /ʃ/ sound spelt ch (mostly French in origin)

Words ending with the /g/ sound spelt –gue and the /k/ sound spelt –que

(French in origin)

Words with the /s/ sound spelt sc (Latin in origin)

Words with the /eɪ/ sound spelt ei, eigh, or ey

Possessive apostrophe with plural words

Homophones and near homophones

Spelling

Children are required to know how to spell these words at the end of year

three.

You can support you child at home by using ‘Spellodrome’ on a weekly basis. If

you require your child’s username and password please ask their teacher.

Weekly certificates and trophies are given out in assembly.

We believe that the presentation of written work can not only reflect on an

individuals fine motor skills but also the nature of the writer through his/ her

awareness of, and attention to, an audience’s needs. We aim for our children

to develop a fast flowing, attractive, legible, personal hand.

We therefore aim for ‘Gold Handwriting’ in all subjects. This is achieved

through a structured teaching programme which ensures:

• Correct orientation and formation of letters;

• Consistency and appropriateness in size and spacing;

• A pride in presentation;

• A smooth transition from printing to joined up style.

In Year 3, the children are continually encouraged to develop a mature cursive

style of handwriting.

Handwriting

Reading:

Encourage your child to read with fluency and expression. Ask them to make

the book come to life.

Visit your local library or bookshop and encourage your child to choose a book.

Use the key questions at the front of your child’s reading record book to

question their understanding of the text.

Spelling:

Learn your weekly spellings and keep looking back at past weeks to check your

child can still spell the word.

Help your child learn their weekly spellings by using the strategy like this:

Look- Cover- Say- Write- Check

Put spelling words into a grammatically correct sentences to convey meaning.

Make the sentence interesting with different sentence starters (-ly words, -ing

words) and conjunctions

(although, on the other hand,

however, despite)

Encourage your child to use

Spellodrome weekly and gain

weekly certificates to be

presented in assembly.

Helping at home

In Year 3, the children have five hours of maths in a week. The children will

spend time on a range of activities and tasks in which they are expected to use

their mental maths skills, written methods and participate in group work. The

focus is to make whole class teaching interactive and fun for all. Children will

develop their fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills. Examples of these

can be found below.

Fluency: Write the following number in words: 236

Reasoning: If I count in 100s from zero, all of the numbers will be even.

Convince me.

Problem solving: Using each digit card, (3, 5, 7) which numbers can you make?

A starter activity in maths will consist of:

Monday- Cool Counting (Oral counting)

Tuesday- Talking Tuesday (Talking about mathematics and explaining

reasoning)

Wednesday and Thursday- Fabulous Five (Written methods)

Friday- Nifty Fifty (Rapid recall of times tables)

Children will be required to show their written methods in maths. In maths we

teach one strategy, when using the four operations, so children become

familiar with it. They will then be able to use a written method when solving

real life problems. Below are examples of written strategies that are used

within class:

Addition- Column Method

785

+ 48

833

Maths

1 1

This is the most effective method of adding. Carry digits are recorded below

the line, using the words 'carry ten' or 'carry one hundred', not 'carry one'.

This method can also be used to add decimals and used in a wide variety of

problem solving activities.

Subtraction- Column Method

Children set out calculations under the correct place value headings. Children

should begin to solve by starting in the ones (units) column.

6 14 14

754

- 86

668

This method can also be used to subtract decimals and used in a wide variety

of problem solving activities.

Short Multiplication- Column Method

Children describe what they have done using the value of the digits. Say 70 x 7

not 7 x 7. Reinforce starting in the ones (units) column. Any carrying should

be placed below the line.

2 7 6 x 7 1 9 3 2

5 4

Division

2 3 3 )6 9

//

Number and the Number System

It would be of great benefit to your child if you continue counting forwards and

backwards with your child in various steps e.g. 10, 000’s, 10’s 25’s and 50

starting at any given number and negative numbers.

Mental Addition and Subtraction

Continuing to rehearse and develop your child’s mental skills will also be of

great benefit to them. This is ideal for a shopping visit and can be done with

single, 2 and 3 digit numbers, working out change at the till etc.

Telling the time

The children are expected to read and tell the time Also ask your child how

much time has passed.

Tables

Tables are so important and lots of practice would be beneficial. These are

facts that help them progress in other areas of Maths more quickly. They

should know all their facts to 12 x 12 off by heart for rapid recall. This also

includes division facts. Each child will receive a pocket size booklet to aid them

with this process. Please encourage them to have it in school every day.

Chant them everywhere!!! Walking to school, around the supermarket and

driving in the car. Make it fun! Make it a competition! Use technology to help!

Mathletics

Mathletics should be used weekly to develop mathematical concepts further.

Certificates are awarded in assembly on a weekly basis.

Helping at home

Religious Education is based on the “Come and See” programme. All major

features of the Catholic teaching are introduced in an attractive and

memorable way at a level of understanding appropriate for the children.

This is what the children will be studying throughout the course of the year in

their Religious Education lessons.

Autumn Term Home Promises Visitors Spring Term Journeys Listening and sharing Giving all Summer Term Energy Choices Special places Other Faiths Judaism Islam

Religious Education

“Schoolchildren give

back to those in need

as part of harvest

festival.”

Science lessons in Year 3 are based around scientific enquiry. We plan

investigations together to answer specific questions. The idea of making a fair

test is developed.

Here are the topics your child will study:

Living things

Human Body

Rocks

Materials

Forces

Light and sound

Investigations

Science

“Newton Aycliffe schoolchildren brave

outdoors for fun education day.”

In Year 3 the children have one computing lesson each week. They may use

ipads or laptops. This lesson will specifically develop their Computing skills.

In Year 3 the children will follow a scheme of work called ‘Switched on

Computing’. The topics that are covered are:

• E-safety

• We are programmers

• We are bug fixers

• We are presenters

• We are vloggers

• We are communicators

• We are opinion pollsters.

Computing

“Speak Out.

Stay Safe.”

Children will be given the opportunity to develop their History and Geography

skills throughout the year. They will also be given the opportunity to develop

some of the English genres they have studied. The topics to be covered this

year are:

The Stone Age

Africa

Romans

Exploring the UK

Egyptians

Using maps

Topic

Year 3 will be taught music through Durham Music Service. They will

participate in weekly ukulele sessions. Instruments will be provided. They will

develop a range of skills

• skills and confidence in internalising and keeping a beat and accurately

performing on given beats while keeping in time;

• skills and confidence in responding to rhythm, developing rhythmic memory

and performing rhythms accurately against a beat;

• skills and confidence in responding to pitch, developing pitch memory and

performing pitch with accuracy while keeping in time.

Music

The children will have a French lesson every week.

They will develop their language and vocabulary in speaking and listening in a

range of exciting and interesting ways.

Vocabulary: Each lesson will introduce new words to expand their French

vocabulary.

Songs: Each unit has a catchy French singalong song- they introduce the topic

in a fun and exciting way.

Games: Each lesson has interactive games to develop children’s vocabulary,

reading, listening and comprehension skills.

Stories: At the end of the unit children can share a story that brings together

all the vocabulary they have learned. The stories are written in complex

sentences to further develop children’s knowledge and understanding.

French

In this element of the curriculum, the children in Year 3 will take part in the

following:

Autumn Term

Games- Ball skills

Gymnastics

Spring Term

Dance

Summer Term

Games- Tag Rugby

Athletics

Please ensure your child has their PE kit in on a Monday and keep it in for the

rest of the week. It is important your child has full PE kit and appropriate

footwear. If your child does not have their PE kit they will not be able to take

part in the lesson.

Your child must bring a written note, explaining why they can’t participate, if

they are unable to take part.

Physical Education

“Paralympian spreads

inspirational message in County

Durham School”

Art and DT will link to your child’s topic work.

These are some of the skills they will develop:

Drawing

Painting

Sculpture

Artist research

Design

Make

Evaluate

Food

Art and DT