Geography Topic - Rocks, Relics and Rumbles

This term our Year 3 Geography topic is: Rocks, Relics and Rumbles. We will learn about the different layers of the Earth, including plate tectonics and their potential effects on the Earth's surface. We will investigate different types of rock to learn about their uses and properties as well as an investigation on soil and fossils and the work of Mary Anning. We will also learn about volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis and the long and shortterm consequences that these can have.

Project Ideas

Here are some project ideas for you to carry out at home:

Create a model of the layers of the Earth using a range of materials. Label each layer and write a short description about each layer’s features.
There are three main rock types. These are sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. Briefly describe how each type is formed, their properties and at least two examples of each type.
Make an information poster about Mary Anning, the famous fossil collector. Include images and interesting facts. Share your poster with a family member once it is complete.
Write a poem on the theme of volcanoes. You might like to write about an eruption, a specific volcano that you have learned about or the damage caused after a volcanic eruption. Try to include expanded noun phrases in your poem. For example, scorching hot, exploding lava or jet-black clouds.
Imagine that you have just experienced an earthquake. Write a short story about what happened. Use topic vocabulary to describe the strength of the earthquake, such as tremor, epicentre, magnitude and seismic wave.
Write a summary of the topic, explaining what you have learned about the layers of the Earth, volcanoes and earthquakes.

Your home learning projects would look great on display, in the classrooms!

Upload your work and share it on SEESAW. Click on link

Maths

In Maths we are starting work on fractions before moving onto mass and capacity. It is vital that children continue to practise their fluency in times tables and can confidently and quickly answer recall questions on the times tables covered so far, the 2,3,4,5,8 and 10 times tables. The children can practise their times tables on TTRockstars to help them become more secure.

The overviews and lessons follow the White Rose Maths plans closely.

The link to their site with home learning and advice on can be found here:

https://whiterosemaths.com/advice-and-guidance

Writing
In English, we will be starting by writing a non-chronological report on volcanoes. We have already learnt a lot but will also be researching famous volcanoes from around the world. We will the focus on 'Escape from Pompeii to write a narrative.

Reading - For our Reading, our class book will be ‘Escape from Pompeii' by Christina Balit. Children will explore word meanings and vocabulary as well as developing their reading fluency. This book is particularly good for working on our inference.

Reading books should be in school every day
but will be changed (usually) on a Friday.

Science

In science, we will learn all about what forces are and what they do. We will learn about pushing and pulling forces and sort different actions into pushes and pulls and will be able to identify and explain contact forces and investigate frictional forces. We will learn about magnetism (a non-contact force) and explore bar magnets. We will test the magnetic properties of different objects. We will use our knowledge to investigate the strength of magnets.

Art & DT

In Art and Design we will be learning about about the genre of figure drawing. We will study the figure drawings and urban landscapes of the artist LS Lowry and create artwork in his style to show scenes from our school in our topic, People and Places. In Design and Technology, we will be learning about cam mechanisms in our topic, Making It Move. We will experiment with different shaped cams before designing, making and evaluating a child's automaton toy.

PSHE

We will be learning about respecting the differences and similarities between people and recognising what they have in common with others e.g. physically, in personality or background.

P.E. will be on a Monday and Wednesday. This term's themes are:

‘fair, share, dare’ and ‘pass, position, patience’. These units will help us in developing a strong team ethic within the class and setting firm expectations around how we work together in PE. We will also develop our knowledge of effective spaces to be in, how to pass and keep the ball away from defending teams and how we sometimes need to take our time to build up play before scoring.

We will continue to use our music platform, Charanga, which the children seem to be thoroughly enjoying. This half term we will be learning Three Little Birds by Bob Marley.

Home / School reading book - We change every Friday and return them Every Thursday
PE - Our PE days are on Mondays and Wednesdays. Come to school dressed in your correct PE Kit (School house T-shirt, school cardigan / jumper, plain black or navy shorts, leggings or joggers, black / dark coloured trainers / pumps)
Library Books - Our Library day is Tuesday. Return and change books when you have finished reading them

Here is your Year 3 Class Charter challenge sheet. You can also download a copy by clicking on the image.

Download all the Charters as a PDF file

Don't forget that we are always at the end of an email (year3@stthomas.org.uk) and most afternoons in the playground - at the end of the day when the children leave.