Autumn 1
AUTUMN 1
It is hard to believe that 8 whole weeks have passed since the children came into Year 3 and what an amazing start it has been. Children have settled in well to their new classes with new adults and it’s been lovely to see them get to know each other across the year group.
Our big question this half term was ‘What makes the United Kingdom so special?’. Children have looked at the countries that make up the UK and their individual physical and human features. We continued to look at different settlement types within the UK and how to identify them from their different characteristics. We really enjoyed getting to know from the children that they have family from all around the UK. We learnt which counties they may live in by using a compass and a map. We have finished off the topic by creating a map of the local area. Children discussed in class how Sunbury looks different to another settlement within the UK.
We have been incredibly busy in English and have completed not 1 but 2 Hot Writes. Children kick started the term with learning all about diary entries and its features. They learnt all about using emotive language, time adverbials and expanded noun phrases to make an exciting diary entry. Our second unit of work was to create an information text about a city in the UK. We discussed the difference between facts and opinions, focused on the correct layout and most importantly how to make the writing more exciting by extending our sentences with conjunctions and expanded noun phrases. We were incredibly impressed by their hot writes on Edinburgh and even learnt some very interesting facts ourselves!
This half term in Maths we have focused on place value. Children have already represented numbers to 100 in Year 2. This small step provides the opportunity to revisit and consolidate their learning before moving on to numbers beyond 100. The main focus of this step is to ensure that children get a sense of the size of numbers to 100 and can see clearly the number of tens and ones each number is made up of. We used a range of manipulatives to assist us with our learning and had some very fun number bond practice. We also started our unit on addition and subtraction where children have added and subtracted 2- and 3-digit numbers with and without exchange. They have used mental calculation as well as the formal written method for their learning.
In Science we have looked at Animals including Humans. We have looked at different food groups and the impact a varied diet has on the body. Children looked at the human skeleton and had a very exciting lesson working in groups to create their very own human sized skeleton with labels for the bones. One still seems to be hanging around our Science display a little longer than expected. Children continued to learn about muscles and how they work. Children were fascinated to learn that if they didn’t have muscles there would be many activities they would not be able to carry out. Like smiling!
This half term in DT we designed and made our own savoury tart using seasonal vegetables. We started the topic by finding out where different foods come from around the word and how important it can be for the environment to source your food locally. Children then went on to design their tarts in their books and very much enjoyed cooking them in class. We hope you enjoyed them at home.
The children have been on their very first trip this half term to Hounslow Mosque where they were given an informative tour and talk about the features of a Mosque and the fundamentals behind the religion. Children were incredibly respectful and asked some very insightful questions to the religious leader who was very impressed by their knowledge.
We hope you all have a restful half term and Happy Diwali and Halloween to those celebrating. We look forward to seeing you in Autumn 2.
Kind regards,
The Year 3 Team