Year 3 Newsletter
November 2014
Dates for your Diary
The learning journey continues...
After a very busy and exciting
first half term, we’re all now
refreshed and ready to head into
the second half term at Avenue
Junior!
Our main topic is “Global Citizens”.
We will be developing our skills in
geography, including using maps and
atlases, learning about how
different people live around the
world, and investigating world
artists such as Matisse and
Rembrandt.
We will also be studying folk tales
from around the world during our
English lessons, including a range of
versions of the Cinderella story
and the tales of Baba Yaga.
In maths, two of the main areas
we will be looking at are telling
the time and learning times
tables. These are ideal topics to
work on with your child at home,
and we are always appreciative
of any extra support you are
able to offer in helping your
children learn these vital skills.
We look forward to meeting you
at Parents’ Evening later this
term, where we will have the
chance to discuss your child’s
progress in Year 3 so far.
Maths Morning
We would like to invite you to a Maths
Morning on Thursday 13th November from
9-10am. You will be able to watch (and join
in!) with a maths lesson, learning about
some of the methods we use to teach
addition. We hope to see you there!
Year 3 artists take the stage!
Classes 3M and 3MA were
very privileged this week
to have the chance to work
with Matt Reeve, a local
artist.
The children worked
together to create
special decorations for the
Christmas Tree Trail
which will be taking place
in Norwich this winter.
The decorations were
based on the Twelve Days
of Christmas and will be
made into moving
animations.
The decorations will be on
display at the following
locations:
3M: Jarrolds
3MA: Hollywood Bowl
Thursday 13th November,
9-10am: Maths Morning
Come in to see your child’s
maths skills in action.
Friday 14th November:
Children in Need Day
Children can wear spotty or
superhero clothes. There will
also be a themed cake sale.
Friday 21st November:
International Breakfast
Please join us in school to
sample foods from around the
world, as part of our topic
“Global Citizens”.
Week beginning December 1st:
Parents’ Evenings
Look out for sign-up sheets
coming soon.
Wednesday 10th December
Maths workshop for parents.
A letter with more detail will
follow.
Friday 12th December:
Christmas Craft Fair
Come and join us for festive
fun!
Monday 15th December: Year
3/4 Christmas Concert at St
Thomas’s Church
Tuesday 16th December: Year
3 Christmas Party
Children can bring in a party
outfit to change into as we
enjoy some party games and
food.
PE Days
 3B: Tuesday and
Thursday
We hope you will have the  3M: Tuesday and
chance to take part in
Wednesday
the trail this year and
 3MA: Tuesday and
see the work of our talented Year 3 artists!
Friday
School Website: www.avenuejuniorschool.org
 3T: Tuesday and
Thursday
Year 3 Curriculum Map Autumn Term 2 2014
English
Spoken English,
reading
comprehension,
writing
composition
Wk 1
Nov 3rd-7th
Firework Poetry
Wk 2
Nov 10th-14th
Traditional Tales
Wk 3
Nov 17th-21st
Traditional Tales
Reading a range of shape
poetry. Investigating
how poets match shape
to subject matter, and
their vocabulary choices.
Children will read a range
of versions of the
Cinderella story, and
discuss the similarities
and differences they can
find.
Children will explore the
Baba Yaga story, using
drama techniques to
retell and adapt the
story.
Children will create
calligrams and write
poetry based on
fireworks. They will have
the chance to write their
poetry up so that it
forms a shape poem.
They will go on to write
their own version of the
story using the setting
of their choice.
Children will write a
retelling of the story,
using inverted commas to
mark speech.
Wk 4
Nov 24th-28th
Film Literacy – El
Caminante
Wk 5
Dec 1st-5th
Film Literacy – El
Caminante
Wk 6
Dec 8th-12th
Film Literacy – El
Caminante
Watching the animated
short film “El Caminante”
and using this to inspire
creative writing based on
character and setting.
Creating a storyboard to
tell a story. Planning a
sequel to the film in
which El Caminante
performs in a different
setting.
Using iPads to create
their own short films
based on their planning
from previous week.
Children will create sets
and scripts, then film
their own masterpieces.
Drama activities to
explore character in
depth.
Wk 7
Dec 15th-19th
Performance Poetry
Investigating a variety
of performance poetry.
Children will watch
videos of poets
performing their work
and consider how they
use tone of voice, action,
pitch and volume to
create interest.
Children will use these
techniques to perform
poetry effectively for an
audience.
Vocabulary,
Grammar
and
Punctuation
Vowels and consonants,
powerful verbs and
adjectives, alliteration,
similes, onomatopoeia
Conjunctions to express
time and place, past
tense, capital letters and
full stops
Correct use of a or an,
use of inverted commas
for speech
Spelling
High frequency words
Silent letters
Suffixes
Silent letters
Words ending in ‘le’
Words ending in ‘ous’
‘ee’ sound
‘igh’ sound
Words ending in ‘tion’
Maths
Using place value to add
and subtract 1, 10 and
100 to 3 digit numbers.
Presenting data using
tally charts and
pictograms. Solving one
and two step problems.
Science
Magnets and
Forces
To establish and
reinforce knowledge of
forces and the idea of a
force as a push or pull.
Looking at balanced and
unbalanced forces.
Telling the time to the
nearest 5 minutes.
Learning about AM and
PM. Investigating the
use of time in real life
situations.
To understand that
magnets produce a force.
Testing different
materials for magnetic
properties and looking at
the use of magnets in
everyday life.
To plan and carry out a
fair test to test the
strength of different
magnets. How can we
measure how strong a
magnet is?
Powerful verbs and
adjectives for
description, adverbs, use
of commas, question
marks
‘ea’ sound
‘ph’ sound
Words ending in ‘sion’
Adverbs, capital letters
and full stops
Capital letters and full
stops, commas in lists,
adverbs
Rhyme, rhythm,
onomatopoeia
‘er’ sound
‘wh’ sound
Words ending in ‘ssion’
and ‘cian’
Christmas spelling
challenge
Investigating arrays and
learning multiplication
facts.
Division as grouping,
beginning to encounter
the idea of remainders.
To know what a spring is
and the difference
between open and closed
springs. Using newton
meters, which have a
spring inside to help us
to measure force.
Finding unit fractions of
shapes and amounts. (eg
1/2, 1/3, 1/4)
Looking at how fractions
are used in everyday life.
‘oo’ sound
Words ending in ‘el’
A mixture of tion, sion,
ssion and cian (how to
identify differences)
Further development – a
chance to work on areas
of maths the children
may have found tricky
this half term.
Making and record
measurements using
different equipment.
Designing and making
their own forcemeters
using elastic bands.
Looking at the effects
of magnetic field on
earth, and creating art
work based on the
Aurora Borealis using
pastels.
Looking at the Earth’s
gravity field and how
rockets overcome the
earth’s gravitational pull.
Designing and making
water rockets.
Christmas problem
solving challenges!
I.C.C
Global
Citizens
What does it mean to be
a global citizen? Thinking
about connections we
have around the world.
Beginning to use maps.
Using maps and atlases
to find information and
locate places.
Identifying continents,
countries and other key
features.
Comparing lifestyles
around the world.
Thinking about how
other people’s lives are
similar or different to
our own.
UNICEF rights of the
child. Investigating the
UN convention on the
rights of the child, and
what this means for
themselves and others.
Computing
Introduction
to Coding
R.E
Why do
Sikhs wear
the 5 Ks?
Introduction to Scratch
– trying out different
games and programs.
Engage: Watching a
video on Sikhism and
coming up with enquiry
questions.
Designing a sprite and
background environment.
Animating a sprite to
create more complex
movements.
Explore: What is the
Gurdwara and why is it
important to Sikhs?
Beginning to program
directional control for
sprites.
Evaluate: What have we
learnt about Sikhism?
Have we answered our
key questions?
P.E
(3M,3MA,
3T)
Invasion
Games:
Hockey
PE (3B)
Gymnastics
Music
Play It
Again
French
Understand the role of
attackers and defenders
in hockey
Find and use space
during a game to help the
team
Be able to pass a ball
while running. Receive
the ball safely and
correctly.
To know the difference
between attacking and
defending skills in
hockey.
PSHE/Circle
Time
PATHS
Understanding anger and
learning how to calm
down to solve problems
Explore: What are the 5
Ks and what might they
represent?
Global artists. Looking at
artists including
Rembrandt, Matisse and
aboriginal artists.
Creating collage,
observational charcoal
sketches and 3D art.
Creating a maze game
using techniques learnt
so far.
Express: Create a short
film explaining key facts
about Sikhs that could
be shown to other Year
3s.
Recognise parts of a
performance that could
be improved, and find
ways to help.
Global celebrations.
“Mighty Mountains” –
Himalayan study.
Learning about the Hindu
festivals Nanda Devi and
Rhaki.
Global celebrations.
“Terrific Temples” –
study of Egyptian
festivals. Finally ending
with a look at the fiestas
in “Spectacular Spain”.
Debugging and learning
Finishing games and
how to solve problems as
evaluating achievements
they arise.
and next steps.
Global Celebrations: Investigating some of the
different religious festivities that are taking place
around the world at this time of year.
Understand the rules of
hockey and work as part
of the team.
Practise and refine the
skills that have been
learnt.
The children will be working with a specialist gymnastics coach. They will learn a range of balances and jumps, as well as how to correctly perform forwards rolls and cartwheels. They will then
put these together to form a well-designed sequence put to music.
Investigating the different instruments of the orchestra. Children will listen to “Peter and the Wolf” and identify the different instruments and their characteristics.
We will also be working on learning a variety of songs for the Christmas concert.
This term we will be continuing to practise greetings and introductions through role play. We will learn the vocabulary for parts of the body and numbers by singing various songs including
‘Aloutte’, ‘Les os les os’, and ‘Dix dans le lit’. We aim to focus on one story, ‘Le Bateau Rouge’.
Making good choices
Seeing other people’s
point of view
Playing fairly and the
fair play rules
Feeling shy or lonely;
making new friends
Being a good
winner/loser
Problem solving
strategies