Learning Hub
Year 3
AUTUMN TERM
ENGLISH
This term, year 3 will be working from a text linked to their current history topic (Stone Age to Iron Age) called, The First Drawing, by Mordicai Gerstein. This is a wonderful story about a young boy who learns how to express himself through art, so inspired by the the wonderful things that surround him in his life. Throughout the unit the children will continue to develop their skills and knowledge of sentence structure, grammar, punctuation and descriptive language, writing diary entries, dialogues, character descriptions and story retellings. They will gain a deeper understanding of the story and how it was written during whole class reading lessons, where they will unpick text, focusing on their retrieval, inference and evaluative skills, in addition to examining the author's use of language.
During the second half of the Autumn term, Year 3 will begin with Nature Poetry. The children will explore, discuss, unpick and perform a range of poetry inspired by nature, making links to their current geography topic where possible. Towards the end of the unit, the children will respond to poems they initially immersed themselves in and apply a number of the skills they have reflected upon in their own compositions.This is a fantastic unit to broaden the children's knowledge of different genres, of writing and poetry, develop their vocabulary and provide opportunities to perform and develop their oratory skills.
Following on from this unit the children will go on to explore the text, The Varmints. This is a beautiful and emotive story of a creature content to live in and amongst his beautiful natural surroundings, only to one day be faced with the threat of losing his home. Throughout the unit the children will focus on developing their use of descriptive language, cohesive devices and tense amongst various other grammatical skills, whilst writing from the perspective of the troubled protagonist. Whilst reading this text, the children will also explore the themes of environmentalism, habitats, conservation, life-cycles and hope.
MATHS
This term, the children will start the year building upon their learning in Year 2 with Number and Place Value, gaining a deeper understanding of numbers to one thousand. They will both talk and write about their maths learning and apply it to answer questions and solve problems. Next, they will then begin their work on the four operations, starting with addition and subtraction and continue on into the second half of the autumn term with multiplication and division. Again, building upon their learning last year, the children with develop their understanding of the each operation, using concrete resources, discussion and various contexts to solve problems and answer questions.
HISTORY
This term we will be learning all about the Stone Age to Iron Age, completing a series of lessons which will lead up to us answering the question, Was Life Better in the Stone Age, Bronze Age or Iron Age?
In this unit the children continue to develop their understanding of chronology, sequencing periods of history with the introduction of dates. The children will draw upon various sources of evidence, both primary and secondary to make inferences about each ‘age’. They will begin to consider fact that history can be interpreted in more than one way and consider the reasons for this. The children will look at societal changes from Stone Age to Iron Age and the reasons behind them, reflecting on both the positive and negative consequences of each change.
GEOGRAPHY
During the second half of the Autumn term, the children will begin their Geography topic, Mountains and Volcanoes.
In this unit, the children will begin by using a variety of mapping tools, including digital to locate and investigate the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest. The children will deepen their geographical knowledge and skills to identify the key features of a mountain and its surrounding area.
They will then go on the locate and investigate a mountain in the UK and begin to draw comparisons, considering topographical features, types of vegetation and human activity. The children will then move on to investigate volcanoes, using various mapping tools, aerial photographs and other resources. They will be able to identify the key features of a volcano and the different types; locate and describe well known volcanoes; explain how volcanoes are formed and the changes that occur during this process. The children will reflect on the impact the natural processes that occur during a volcanic eruption have on human activity, including settlement and migration.
SCIENCE - CHEMISTRY
This term, the children will begin with chemistry and the topic, Rocks. They will compare and group together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties, examine how fossils are made and recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter. They will work scientifically to develop their skills and knowledge throughout the term, researching, classifying, comparing and investigating. This science topic will also support their understanding of chronology and distant past, in line with their history topic, investigating the period between the Stone Age and Iron Age.
SCIENCE - PHYSICS
During the second half of the Autumn term, the children will begin their physics unit, Forces and Magnets. Throughout this topic, the children will reflect on how things move on different surfaces and how forces work in real life contexts. They will learn about magnetic force and compare and contrast various materials on this basis. They will work scientifically when asking questions, making predictions, gathering data, presenting their results and coming to conclusions
COMPUTING
This term, the children will learn all about Computer Systems and Networks. Through various activities they will explore and develop their understanding of digital devices, with an initial focus on inputs, processes, and outputs. They will also compare digital and non-digital devices. Next, they will be introduced to computer networks, including devices that make up a network’s infrastructure, such as wireless access points and switches. Finally, they will discover the benefits of connecting devices in a network.
During the second half of the Autumn term, the children will be Creating Media with Stop-Frame Animation.
Initially exploring stop-frame animation through art and design, creating flip book style animations, drawing sequences of pictures and discussing how this works, the children will go onto create an effective stop-frame animation on the computer. They will break down a story into settings, characters and events - create a storyboard - describe an animation that is achievable on screen and evaluate the quality of their animation.
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
This term the children will carry out a Design and Technology project focusing on structures, in particular those found in ancient Britain during the Bronze Age. They will reflect upon the period in which they were used, the materials available, the requirements of the structure and the various techniques used to construct them. Based upon the brief they receive and their subsequent research, the children will design and build their own structure. At the end of the unit, the children will evaluate their final piece of work, the process in which they completed their project and the choices they made, which will in turn provide some 'next steps' for future DT projects.
ART AND DESIGN
During the second half pf the Autumn term, the children will begin their Art and Design project, focusing on 3D form. The children will draw inspiration from their current geography topic (Mountains and Volcanoes), and explore the work of various artists who have been inspired by a similar theme, for example, Elizabeth Jaeger, Zang Wei and Annish Kapoor. The children will reflect upon the concepts they explore, such as beauty, hope, strength and loss, the materials they have used and the techniques with which to produce their works of art. The children will then begin to consider their own piece drawing upon their research, experimenting with various designs, materials and techniques and gradually develop an idea for their final piece of work.
RE
This half term, the children will be learning about Hinduism, their beliefs, traditions, celebrations and the stories that surround them, developing their skills in enquiry and discussion. They will be able to express their ideas thoughtfully, connect ideas, ask questions and share points of view.
During the second half of the Autumn term, the children will be asking the question, What is the significance of light in religion? whilst exploring all faiths. They will reflect on additional questions, such as, why do Hindus have divas for Diwali? Why do Sikhs celebrate Diwali? How do Christians use light at Christmas? What do Jews remember at Hanukkah? And, why is light important at different religious festivals? Throughout the unit, the children will notice and find out about religions and worldviews; investigate and explain why religions and worldviews matter and make links between religious symbols, language and stories and the beliefs or ideas that underlie them.
PSHE
This term, the children will begin their PSHE learning with Health and Wellbeing: emotions and feelings. They will reflect on how to deal with different feelings and cope with pressure, discussing strategies and the support that's available. They will discuss what positively and negatively affects their physical, mental and emotional health and how to deal with various examples. They will learn through discussion, role-play, art or other creative and expressive outlets - sharing ideas and working together is a supportive environment.
During the second half of the Autumn term, the children will be focusing on the themes of 'Keeping Safe' and 'Health Education'
They will explore the risks they may face, personal hygiene and germs including bacteria and viruses, how they are spread and treated and the importance of hand washing.
MUSIC
In this unit, the children are introduced to the recorder. They learn to hold their instrument correctly, blow using du (tonguing) and the play 3 pitches, B, A and G.
During the first half of the term, the children will continue with rhythm notation and Solfege hand signs, whilst using the recorder.
All throughout the children will begin with singing warm- ups in preparation for their ensemble work and to continue with their musical appreciation.
Autumn Listening - the children listen to and watch the playing of a variety of recorder music, from the renaissance to contemporary. They are encouraged to focus on the combination of pitch and sound with fingering and posture, to support their own playing and broaden their repertoire of music.
During the second half of the Autumn term, the children will continue learning how to play the recorder, sing – focusing on breathing, phrasing and vocal health. Although, this time, looking at technique and shapes (extending finger positions for pitches).
In this the unit, the children continue to consolidate their beginners’ skills, extending with a fourth note, C. The children learn about pace and repetition in response to phrases called out by the teacher. This can be replicated with their recorders.The children begin to learn new pieces of music, applying the skill they have learnt to date.
The children will have the opportunity to perform to their peers, individually and in small groups. They are encouraged to provide constructive per feedback. The children begin to develop their stage craft, i.e. engaging with an audience, respecting fellow performers and acknowledging applause.
SPANISH
This term, the children will focus on Spanish phonetics. They will locate Spain, Madrid and other Spanish cities on a map; learn how to ask someone how they are feeling; say their names and how they are feeling; count to 10 and read, write, say and recall ten different colours.