Year 3

Welcome to Year 3!

Autumn Term

English

The children will use ‘The Write Stuff’ in order to study new texts. The texts will cover a range of genres and types such as information, persuasion and a variety of stories. Each unit will span across approximately 3 weeks and children will produce a piece of independent work once they have learned about features and grammar structures. The first piece will centre around the book, Little Red ‘Reading’ Hood written by Lucy Rowland. After half term, we will write a set of instructions.

Reading

Phonic skills are not taught in key stage two, and children will take part in whole class reading lessons. A range of rich texts will be used across the term including stories, non- fiction and poetry. Children will cover all of the necessary skills for reading including predicting, summarising, inferring, making links and retrieving information. A strong focus will be placed on inference skills during these lessons and this can be aided with reading at home. In addition to this, children will listen to books being read to them by an adult for approximately 15 minutes per day.

Maths

In Year 3, we continue to build upon the skills taught in Year 2 using the Maths No Problem scheme. In autumn, we focus mainly on number, place value addition and subtraction. The rest of the year will be built upon these building blocks. Other areas of maths will be planned and delivered after Christmas. In year 3, children need to know: 2x, 10x, 5x, 3x, 4x, 8x and 6x tables. We strongly recommend daily practise of these, as they will need to know all times tables by the end of Y4!

Science

In the unit ‘Forces and magnets’, children learn how to: compare how things move on different surfaces; notice that some forces need contact between 2 objects, but magnetic forces can act at a distance; and observe how magnets attract or repel each other and attract some materials and not others. The unit on 'Rocks', children learn how to compare and group together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties. They learn how to describe in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within rock and finally they learn how to recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter.

History

Children learn about how early humans lived during the Stone Age, beginning as hunter-gatherers who relied on the natural world for survival. They explore how tools and weapons were made from stone and how people gradually developed farming, allowing them to settle in one place. This helps children understand how early innovations shaped the way people live today.

Computing

Topics to be covered in autumn will include: e.safety, methods of communication, programming. Various programmes will be used to help deliver this and children will learn how to add detail and attachments to emails this year!

Art

Art in the autumn term links to our history topic and children learn about cave paintings! They will study the techniques used by stone age people and recreate them in school.

Design Technology

In DT lessons, the children will undertake a number of exciting projects. To link with our science learning, children learn all about nutrition and healthy eating. The class will design and make a healthy soup.

Music

The children learn to sing a number of different styles of music including rock, R and B and songs to celebrate traditional festivals. Children will also have the opportunity to experiment with a variety of instruments.

Geography

Children will learn about different types of settlements and how they change over time. They will also learn how geographers use grid references identifying common map symbols and applying knowledge of symbols and grid references to navigate a map.

Spanish

In Year 3, the children begin by amassing a vocabulary of nouns and basic greetings. They learn about what the language sounds like, what it looks like and about Spanish culture. There is a key focus on speaking and listening, which develops a confidence in the subject, before the children move on to more advanced learning in Year 4.

PE

PE for both classes will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On these days, the children should come to school wearing their PE kits. The children will learn a variety of skills under the topics of gymnastics, games, dance and athletics.

Spring Term

English

The children will use ‘The Write Stuff’ in order to study new texts. The texts will cover a range of genres and types such as information, persuasion and a variety of stories. Each unit will span across approximately 3 weeks and children will produce a piece of independent work once they have learned about features and grammar structures. The first piece will centre around the book, Stone Age Boy, following on with a none- fiction piece. Children will write a travel brochure based on Skara Brae. After half term, children will write based on the story Flood.

Reading

Maths

In Year 3, we continue to build upon the skills taught in Year 2. In spring, we focus mainly on shape and measure. Children learn how to measure in mm, cm and m while solving problems using these units. Children will begin to learn about time with the expectation that all children in Y3 should be able to tell the time, fluently, using analogue clocks, by the end of the year. In year 3, children need to know: 2x, 10x, 5x, 3x, 4x, 8x and 6x tables. We strongly recommend daily practise of these, as they will need to know all times tables by the end of Y4!

Science

In science, we cover a number of topics throughout the year. (Please see the curriculum overview in the link on the right). Throughout the key topics this year, the focus will be on scientific inquiry, investigation, prediction and questioning skills. In autumn, we begin with learning about forces and magnets.

History

In the Bronze Age, children discover how the introduction of metalworking transformed everyday life. They learn how bronze was used to create stronger tools, weapons and jewellery, and how this led to trade between communities. Pupils also explore how people became more settled, building larger communities and developing new technologies.

Computing

Art

Art in the spring term will focus on collage and mosaic. Children will create a piece based on Antoni Gaudi’s art.

Design Technology

In DT lessons, the children will undertake a number of exciting projects. Linking with Easter, children will design and create Easter Egg packaging using nets.

Music

Geography

In this unit, the children will build on their knowledge of the world, including continents, from KS1. Children will locate, identify and describe different biomes around the world. They will also explore why different biomes are important and what they provide for the animals and plants that live there.

Spanish

Summer Term

English

The children will use ‘The Write Stuff’ in order to study new texts. The texts will cover a range of genres and types such as information, persuasion and a variety of stories. Each unit will span across approximately 3 weeks and children will produce a piece of independent work once they have learned about features and grammar structures. Children will write narrative surrounding the story The Magic Paintbrush and a selection of none- fiction texts including a diary entry.

Reading

Maths

In Year 3, we continue to build upon the skills taught in Year 2. In summer, we focus mainly on measure, data and consolidation of skills. Children learn about various data skills including creating making a suitable graph. They will continue to learn about time with the expectation that all children in Y3 should be able to tell the time, fluently, using analogue clocks, by the end of the year. In year 3, children need to know: 2x, 10x, 5x, 3x, 4x, 8x and 6x tables. We strongly recommend daily practise of these, as they will need to know all times tables by the end of Y4!

Science

Children learn about the different parts of flowering plants—including roots, stems, leaves and flowers—and discover what each part does. They investigate what plants need to grow well, such as water, light, air, nutrients and space, and learn that different plants have different requirements. Pupils also explore how water travels through a plant and find out how flowers contribute to the plant life cycle, including pollination, seed formation and seed dispersal.
Children also learn that light is essential for seeing and that darkness simply means there is no light. They explore how light reflects from surfaces and why sunlight can be harmful, identifying ways to protect their eyes. Pupils also investigate how shadows are formed when light is blocked by an object and look for patterns in how the size of a shadow changes.

History

Children explore the achievements of Ancient Egypt, one of the earliest civilisations in the world. They learn about the role of pharaohs, the importance of the River Nile, and beliefs about the afterlife, including mummification. This learning is enriched through a planned visit to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, where children experience hands-on workshops to deepen their understanding of Egyptian life and culture.

Computing

Art

Art in the spring term will focus on portraits. A variety of portrait art will be studied, and a selection of artists are used to share ideas with the children. By the end of the unit, children will have produced a portrait in the style of an artist of their choice.

Design Technology

In DT lessons, the children will undertake a number of exciting projects. For our final piece, children will make a fabric bag, using spare clothing from home.

Music

Geography

In this unit, pupils will study Italy, and specifically Venice as a region in a European country. They will continue to build their knowledge of Europe as they move into KS2.
Throughout the unit, pupils will consider what a geographer would say about various regions in Italy. This helps to develop their disciplinary knowledge and understand what geographers look at when they study places. They will explore Italy’s landscapes, climate, food production and volcanoes and will analyse why tourists may choose to travel there.

Spanish