Year 3

We are so impressed and proud with the achievements in music over the last few weeks.  To watch the children develop their technique, musicality and confidence to perform has been fantastic. It was also wonderful to see the scientists we have in Year 3 during Science Week and where curiosity and teamwork were demonstrated whilst investigating gravity and forces (marble run) and properties of materials.  Can you decide if plastic is a good or bad thing? There have also been special assemblies to mark Remembrance Day and Anti- bullying week and the children are commended for their mature and respectful attitudes throughout.

In maths, we are coming to the end of the addition and subtraction topic.  The children have been putting together their ability to use the column method, understanding of complements to 100 and estimating skills to tackle and check complex questions and answers.  There is a strong link between English and history this term, as we look back at the start of human development during the Stone Age.  The children have put together a set of instructions on how to make a stone age tool making sure that they had enough detail to make the process really clear. A challenge for the grown ups at home is to write instructions on how to make a sandwich which the children follow sticking to exactly what has been written.  Not as easy as you might think!  In science, we sorted objects by whether they were light sources and or reflected light.  We also learnt that the sun, fire, lightning, stars and fireflies can all be classified as natural sources.

  

  

w/b 11.11.24

Spelling rule: Creating adverbs using suffix ‘ly’ (root word ends with le) eg: gently/probably

Key words: 

Maths: equal groups, repeated addition, array, commutative, multiples, multiply, divide, conjunctions, adverbs

English: prepositions, imperative verbs, Science: light source, vision, visibility, dark

History: time period, BCE, CE

Maths facts: counting in 3s

 

w/b 18.11.24

Spelling rule: Creating adverbs using suffix ‘ly’ (root word ends with ic or al) eg: actually/accidentally

Key words: 

Maths: equal groups, repeated addition, array, commutative, multiples, multiply, divide

English: inverted commas, fronted adverbials, nouns, pronouns

Science: transparent, translucent, opaque

History: lifestyle, nomadic, hunter-gatherer 

Maths facts: counting in 4s

 

Key dates: 

Wednesday 4th December - Trip to Butser Farm

Friday 13th December - Christmas Fair - 5 - 8pm

Tuesday 17th December - Sapphire Carol Concert

Wednesday 18th December - Ruby & Emerald Carol Concert

Thursday 19th December - Christmas jumper day, Christmas lunch and movie

 

Year 3 are learning about worship in RE. This week they are looking at Puja in the Hindu religion. To reflect on this they are going to write a letter to a friend in the classroom inviting them to a special time looking at an object they have brought in from home. Something that means something to them, represents them or that they love. This object should be small, something that can fit very easily in their hands. Please can your child bring their special object on Monday 25th November to share with a friend/class. 

Please be aware that the trip to Butser Farm will be outside all day in an open area.  Previous classes have reported back that it can be very cold, even on mild days so it is important children are dressed in warm clothes.  Pocket hand warmers have been recommended!

 

Year 4

What a fantastic first 2 weeks it has been since the children have come back. 

Firstly, STEM week was a huge success. All the children were engaged and wowed by all the interesting things they saw, learnt and created. All the Year 4 team loved seeing the children interact with each other and show off their wide range of knowledge. A real highlight for the children was them drawing their own 3D geometric shapes. 

In English, the children have been creating their own acrostic poems. Inspired by the book ‘The Lost Words’ the children based their poems on a living thing. When the children performed their acrostic poems we heard about polar bears, king cobras and coral reefs. 

During maths, we have looked at two different topics: area and multiplication and division. The children have been using squares to find the area of many different shapes and even predicted how many post-it notes it would take to cover their desks. Multiplication and division is our current topic and we have just looked at multiples of 3. Shading in hundred squares and singing songs around the 3 times tables have created a real confidence in their ability. 

Year 4 has been looking at the Roman invasion of Britain. Using a timeline, the children plotted different key events that happened during parts of the Roman Empire and considered the effect they would have during that time. 

Finally, on Wednesday, Year 4 experienced an ‘anti-bully- workshop/assembly where they learnt about what to do if someone felt excluded and how to get help. All children gained valuable skills that will be beneficial for life.

  

  

w/b 11.11.24

Spelling rule: ‘ssion’ endings on root words that end in ‘ss’ or ‘mit’ 

Key words: area, squares, multiples, acrostic, commas,  assumptions, timeline

Maths facts: 6 times tables

 

w/b 18.11.24

Spelling rule: ‘tion’ endings in root words that end in ‘t’, ‘te’ or that have no definite root word.

Key words: multiples, multiplication, division, inferences, nomadic, environment.

Maths facts: 6 times tables

 

Key Messages: 

• A reminder that children should be bringing in a healthy snack (fruit or veg) for their break times. Thank you.

• Spelling revision practice: we will test the children on a variety of spelling rules learned from this year when we return!

• Please can all reading records have 5 entries per week.

 

Key Dates:

• Temple trip. Tuesday 19th November (Onyx) and Friday 22nd November (Carnelian, Zircon)

• Thursday 21st November - PTA disco

• Friday 13th December - Christmas Fair - 3.30 - 6.30pm

• Tuesday 17th December - Year 4 Carol Concert

• Thursday 19th December - Christmas jumper day, Christmas lunch and movie