Summer 2 Week 5 

Transition 

Year 3 have been busy designing colourful welcome posters ready for the Year 2 children who will be moving up to join our school as our new Year 3s. It's a lovely way to show them that they'll be joining a friendly and welcoming school, while also demonstrating our school values to the upcoming classes. The children also enjoyed a transition morning with their new teacher, Miss Gill, getting to know her and finding out a little more about what Year 4 will bring.

Year 3 have been busy putting their creativity to good use, designing colourful welcome posters ready for the Year 2 children who will be moving up to join our school as our new Year 3s. It's a lovely way to show them that they'll be joining a friendly and welcoming school, while also demonstrating our school values to the upcoming classes. The children also enjoyed a transition morning with their new teacher, Miss Gill, getting to know her and finding out a little more about what Year 4 will bring.

 

PSHE

In PSHE, as part of our focus on economic wellbeing, Year 3 have been learning about a range of different occupations and what each of them involves. The children were excited to explore these different careers and enjoyed sharing their own aspirations for the future, including becoming artists, teachers, doctors and footballers!

 

Art

Year 3 have been developing their painting skills in art this week. They have used watercolours to bring their botanical illustrations to life, carefully observing the delicate details of leaves, petals and stems before mixing their colours and layering washes of paint to add depth and texture.

Summer 2 Week 4 

Science 

In science, we have been learning about light. We worked scientifically to test felt, cardboard, bubble wrap, tin foil and retroreflective material to see which was most reflective, making predictions beforehand about which material would work best. We then evaluated whether our predictions were correct or incorrect and explained why. We discovered that retroreflective material bounced back far more light than any of the others, making it the best choice for a child's book bag to help them stay seen while walking home in the darker afternoons.

 

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust

This week, the GULP team from Blackburn Rovers returned to work with Year 3! The children looked at the sugar content in lots of popular drinks and learnt how to check nutritional labels to make healthier choices. They also enjoyed some exercise in the sunshine, building their teamwork skills along the way. 

 

History

In history, Year 3 has been learning all about the Romans. This week, we focused on the Roman invasion of Britain and how Boudica, leader of the Iceni tribe, fought back against the Romans and why we still remember her today. The children were fascinated by her courage and loved discovering how one brave leader can leave such a lasting mark on history!

 

Summer 2 Week 3 

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust 

This week, we were delighted to welcome visitors from Blackburn Rovers back into school as part of their GULP (Give Up Loving Pop) campaign. The children learnt about the effects of sugary drinks on dental health and the importance of making healthy choices. They also set up an investigation by submerging boiled eggs in different sugary drinks to explore how these can affect enamel over time. The session included a range of outdoor team activities, where the children demonstrated excellent teamwork and communication skills while learning about the benefits of regular exercise.

English

Year 3 has begun a new unit of writing based on a new book. As part of an immersive lesson, we explored a range of clues to help us make predictions about the story. We listened to a soundscape and examined a collection of objects and illustrations linked to the text. Using these clues, the children discussed their ideas and made thoughtful predictions about what they believe the story might be about.

Summer 2 Week 2 

Geography

Year 3 have been exploring one of England's most beautiful places, the Lake District! To showcase their learning, they each created their own information leaflets, packed with details about the exciting things people can see and do there, from hiking and cycling to sailing and wildlife spotting.

       

English

This week in English, Year 3 have been busy writing diary entries in the role of Emily Sands, a daring Egyptologist exploring Ancient Egypt in the 1920s! The children have been working hard to use technical vocabulary, rhetorical questions and prepositions.

Summer 2 Week 1 

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust

This week, Year 3 enjoyed a visit from Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, who introduced us to the GULP (Giving Up Loving Pop) challenge. We learnt about how much sugar is in fizzy drinks and talked about why it is important to drink plenty of water. The children were excited to receive their own Blackburn Rovers water bottles and were keen to take on the challenge of filling them with water instead of sugary drinks.

 

English 

Year 3 explored technical vocabulary linked to archaeology and Ancient Egypt, using new words and phrases in context. They had the opportunity to take part in a role-play activity in which they acted as Emily Sands and an interviewer. They discussed archaeological discoveries, journeys, and theories about ancient artefacts, while practising the use of this vocabulary in their own spoken sentences.

 

PE

Year 3 welcomed a dance teacher who will be working with the class over the next six weeks. The children enjoyed exploring different ways to express themselves through movement, showing creativity, enthusiasm, and confidence throughout the session. Everyone had lots of fun and is looking forward to developing their dance skills in the coming weeks.

Summer 1 Week 6 

Maths 

Year 3 explored finding fractions of amounts. We used practical equipment such as counters and Base 10 to help us understand that finding a fraction means sharing into equal groups. We learnt that to find one eighth, we divide by 8, and to find one sixth, we divide by 6. We also investigated non-unit fractions such as three eighths and five sixths by combining equal groups together.

Art

Year 3 explored the technique of frottage, inspired by the artist Max Ernst. The children created rubbings from different textured surfaces around the classroom and outdoor area using wax crayons. They described and compared textures before using their rubbings to tear, cut and arrange shapes into creative final pieces.

Behaviour Treat

Year 3 enjoyed an exciting behaviour treat day filled with archery and axe throwing after showing fantastic behaviour and positive attitudes in school. The children listened carefully to safety instructions, tried new skills with confidence, and encouraged one another throughout the activities.

PSHE

In PSHE this week, Year 3 learnt about budgeting and making careful choices with money. The children worked in pairs to plan a class party using a £30 budget, choosing decorations, snacks and games while making sure they did not overspend. The children learnt why budgeting is important and how it helps people make thoughtful spending decisions.

Budgeting is important because if you want to buy something, you will have to save up for it. – Maryam

Children can sometimes do jobs around the house to earn pocket money that they can save up for something they would like to buy. – Autumn

Families must prioritise paying for the things they really need first, like clothes, food and bills. – Sharifa

Bills can consist of paying for your house, electricity, water, gas, the internet, tv, Netflix subscriptions. – George

Summer 1 Week 5

Science

Year 3 set up an investigation to find out which conditions help a plant grow healthy and strong. We are testing different conditions, including plants with no water, no sunlight, and no soil, to see how this affects their growth over time. We will observe the plants carefully and record any changes we notice.

We also dissected a plant and labelled the different parts, including the roots, stem, leaves, and flower. This helped us understand how each part of the plant has an important job to help it survive and grow.

RE

We explored why rules are important in our lives. We discussed the different types of rules we follow at school, at home, and in society, and thought about how these rules help to keep us safe, happy, and respectful towards others.

The children then learnt how Christians believe God gave guidance through the Ten Commandments and by using stories and artwork, we explored the life of Moses. 

At home, some families have rules like table manners, at my house you can’t have your feet on the table or talk with your mouth open. – Maryam

You cannot steal, it’s against the law and the police make sure that people are following the rules. – George

At school, you must not shout out in class because you could be interrupting somebody and they might not get a chance to share their answer. – Freya

Summer 1 Week 4 

PE

Year 3 enjoyed learning cricket skills in PE this week. We practised throwing, catching, batting and bowling. Everyone showed great teamwork, determination and sportsmanship while improving their skills. 

English

This week, Year 3 have been writing Egyptian mystery narratives using their plans. The children worked hard to describe the Egyptian desert, pyramids and ancient tombs using descriptive expanded noun phrases.

The children wrote in first person as Emily Sands, an Egyptologist searching for the lost tomb of Osiris. They showed the character’s feelings through actions and included speech in their writing.

                                         

Summer 1 Week 3 

Science 

Today, we took our learning outdoors and explored the school grounds to see what plants and living things we could discover! The children carefully observed flowers, plants, trees, and even a few insects. They took their time drawing what they saw and labelling each part, from petals and stems to leaves and roots.

Everyone loved learning outside and using our surroundings to bring science to life. We can’t wait to continue our topic and find out even more about how plants grow!

For a plant to survive, it will need water, sunlight and air. If it doesn’t have one of them, it will die. – Maryam

Plants can also give you oxygen. – Gabriella

You must not give plants too much water because they can die. – Delilah

We found daisies, dandelions and trees. I have only noticed the daisies coming out in spring. I don’t think they would survive in winter because of the cold weather. – George

Summer 1 Week 2

Art

In our art lesson this week, we explored how artists use shapes to help them draw, discovering that everything around us, from classroom doors to objects in nature, can be broken down into simple shapes first. The children learnt the difference between geometric shapes (with straight lines and angles) and organic shapes (irregular and natural), before putting this into practice with their own still life drawings. Using sketchbooks and a range of pencils, they started by lightly sketching simple shapes to place their objects on the page, then went back to add detail and refine their work.

 

History

This week, Year 3 discovered how the ancient Egyptians used the River Nile as a busy trade route to connect with the world around them. We learnt that Egypt exported wonderful things like grain, linen cloth, and papyrus paper. Egyptian traders imported items that Egypt couldn't produce itself, such as cedar wood from Lebanon, silver from Syria and ivory from Nubia. The children were amazed to find out that Egypt had plenty of resources but still relied on trading to stay wealthy and powerful! 

 

Summer 1 Week 1 

English 

This week, Year 3 explored clues to predict what this unit's book will be about. We listened to a soundscape and carefully examined a range of images and objects as clues.

The children worked in groups to label the clues, sharing ideas and using descriptive vocabulary to make predictions. They identified links to Egypt and suggested the story could be about an explorer or archaeologist.

We then revealed that the book follows Emily Sands, an explorer whose lost journal tells of her expedition to find the tomb of Osiris before mysteriously ending. The class is excited to read on and discover what happens next!

I think this story is going to be about the River Nile and the Ancient Egyptians. I think this because I spotted a jar full of River Nile water and writing that looked like it was from Ancient Egyptian times. – Zara

I predict the story will be about an archaeologist that finds artefacts in Egypt. – Freya

I think this story could be linked to our Geography lessons and people have come to clean the River Nile. – Roaa

I think this story will be about explorers who find the River Nile and become wealthy from growing crops in the rich soil near the river. They would also be very well hydrated to build the pyramids. – George

I think this will be a non-fiction book full of facts about Ancient Egypt, the River Nile and artefacts. I think we will be able to learn lots about how the ancient Egyptians lived. I hope we find out how they mummify people.  – Maryam

 

Maths 

In our maths lesson, Year 3 used Polydron to build 3D shapes and explore their properties. We worked in pairs to identify 2D shapes and join them together to create 3D shapes such as cubes, cuboids, pyramids, and triangular prisms. We described the number and shape of their faces and discovered that the number of pieces used matched the number of faces. We also learnt that some shapes, like cones, cannot be made from flat shapes, and we worked hard to explain our thinking using accurate vocabulary.

 

PSHE

In today’s lesson, we learnt that a community is a group of people living or working in the same area, and we explored who and what makes up our local community. We discussed different groups of people, such as children, adults, and community helpers, and identified places like schools, libraries, medical centres, and parks that everyone can use in different ways. Through activities, we discovered how people and places are connected and how different groups use the same spaces for different purposes. We also thought about what might happen if important community places were no longer there and how communities work best when people support and help each other.

A community is group of people that live near each other and help each other. – Leena

A community can be a group of people that work together to accomplish something. – Maryam

Our school is a community, and the teachers here help us. If we didn’t have schools, children wouldn’t be able to learn, and we might not be able to get the jobs we want when we are older. -Mya

Without doctors and nurses in our community, people who are ill won’t get any better, but doctors and nurses also need other helpers, like teachers, police officers and postmen. - Freddie

Teachers, police officers, doctors and nurses and shop keepers all work in our local community. – Gabriella

Spring 2 Week 5 

Design Technology 

As part of our DT unit, Year 3 have learnt how to design a collar based on a theme and develop a template, adapting it to meet different design criteria. We also learnt about how Ancient Egyptians used collars as personal decorations that lay across the neck and shoulders. These collars were made from materials such as papyrus and were decorated with shells or wooden beads, while wealthier people used precious metals and stones like gold and lapis lazuli. They were worn by important members of society, such as pharaohs and other honoured individuals.

We explored how our own designs can represent our personality, choose suitable fabrics and materials, and added decoration using cross-stitch and appliqué. We learnt that design criteria should guide our ideas without being too specific and were introduced to the difference between symmetrical and asymmetrical designs. We then cut out our collar templates, tested that they fit, adjusted them if needed, and developed the shape to match our design ideas.

Behaviour Treat 

This term, Year 3 have been rewarded with glow in the dark sports! The class have worked incredibly hard and have consistently demonstrated our school values of respect, kindness, friendship, and ambition.

We are so proud of how everyone has approached their learning and supported one another throughout the term. As a special way to celebrate all of this effort and positive behaviour, the children enjoyed taking part in a fun behaviour treat.

What better way to end a fantastic term than by having fun together and celebrating all of our hard work! Well done, Year 3!

 

A Special Visit from The Fun Food Chef!

This week, our Year 3 class enjoyed a visit from a chef as part of our Eid celebrations. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn about different religions, cultures, and foods from around the world.

Before cooking, we followed important health and safety rules by washing our hands, wearing aprons, and learning how to use equipment safely.

We made a variety of dishes, including Egyptian flatbread, Nigerian plantain, Malaysian vegetable curry, tandoori Quorn, Moroccan lemon rice, mango rice pudding, and lemon and ginger tea. We practised key skills such as mixing, chopping, slicing, and kneading.

One skill I learnt was that you should use the knife at a straight angle facing the table. I tried plantain for the first time and I liked it. – George

I liked the mango rice pudding and lemon tea. – Freddie

Today we had to cut, mix, peel, slice and chop. – Lawe

I tried kneading the dough for the first time and then flattened it into a pitta shape and placed it on the baking tray.  – Gabriella

 

Science 

In our science lesson, we investigated friction by testing how different materials such as hessian, bubble wrap, tarpaulin, and cardboard affected a toy car rolling down a ramp. The class made predictions, helped to make the test fair, carried out their observations, and then evaluated whether their predictions were correct. Instead of measuring distance, we gradually lifted the ramp higher each time to see when the car would start to move. This helped us understand how much friction each surface created, as materials with more friction needed a steeper ramp for the car to begin moving. We also learnt that gravity is the force that pulls the car down the ramp, and changing the height helped us see how friction and gravity work together. This showed us clearly which surfaces created the most and least friction.

Spring 2 Week 4 

Book Bus 

This week, Year 3 had an exciting visit from the Book Bus! A group of children from our class had the special opportunity to go and explore all the wonderful books on board.

There were so many different stories to choose from, and everyone worked together to carefully select a variety of books. We brought them back to our classroom and are excited to add them to our reading corner for everyone to enjoy.

Science

Today, the children explored magnets by using bar magnets and iron filings to make magnetic fields visible. They were excited to see the iron filings form patterns around the magnets, helping them understand how magnetic forces work. The class observed that the filings were most concentrated at the ends of the magnets and correctly identified these as the poles, where the magnetic force is strongest.

The magnet was attracting the iron filings and pulling them in. Most of them were at both poles. – Gabriella

The magnetic force is attracting the metal filings. – Adalynn

You can’t usually see a magnetic force, but by using the iron filings you can see a sort of pattern where the filings are being attracted. – Eliza

Year 3 also carried out a science investigation to find out if a magnet could attract a paper clip through different materials. We tested paper, card, cardboard, and felt, making predictions before we began. We discovered that the magnet was able to attract the paper clip through all the materials, although it sometimes needed to be held closer for thicker ones. This showed us that magnetic forces can pass through different materials. We enjoyed acting like scientists by predicting, testing, and discussing our results. 

 

PE

This week in PE, Year 3 focused on athletics and had lots of fun developing our skills.

We practised relay races, learning how to work as a team and pass the baton carefully to the next runner. We discovered that good timing and clear communication helped us to make smooth handovers.

We also practised throwing a tennis ball as far as we could. We learnt how to stand correctly, aim carefully, and use our arms to throw with more power.

It was a great lesson, and we enjoyed improving our athletic skills while encouraging each other.

Spring 2 Week 3 

Art

This week in Year 3, the children have completed their final sculpture pieces. After allowing their work to dry, they had the opportunity to reflect on their creations and celebrate their achievements.

Working in groups, the children thoughtfully discussed their sculptures, explaining the ideas and inspiration behind their designs. They shared the different techniques they used, including twisting, using tabs, concertina folds, slotting and rolling, showing a great understanding of the creative process.

It was wonderful to see the children engaging in meaningful conversations about their work. They also reflected on their finished pieces, considering what they might change or improve if they were to create their sculptures again. This helped them to think like real artists, learning from their experiences and developing their skills further.

Geography

In our Geography lesson, Year 3 learned about how the River Nile has been used in the past and how it is still used today. We worked in groups and each group chose a topic: trade, tourism, transport or farming. We researched how people used the river for in ancient times and how it is used today, before sharing our ideas with the class through presentations. By listening to each group, we were able to learn about all four topics and understand why the River Nile has been so important to people for thousands of years.

Mother’s Day

This week in class we created Mother’s Day cards for our mums and the motherly figures in our lives. The children really enjoyed designing and making something special to show how much they care. We had lots of fun decorating our cards and thinking about kind messages to include. It was lovely to hear the children talking about their favourite things about their mums and the special things they do together. We hope the wonderful women in their lives enjoy their cards!

 

Spring 2 Week 2 

World Book Day

This week Year 3 had lots of fun celebrating World Book Day. The children came to school dressed as their favourite book characters and enjoyed sharing their costumes with the class. We also created our own book boxes based on stories we love and spent time designing character profiles for our favourite book characters. It was a wonderful day celebrating reading and sharing our love of books together.

Geography

This week in Geography, Year 3 researched why the River Nile is so important in Africa. They learned how the river is used today for farming, providing water to help grow crops, and how it is still used for trade and transport, with boats carrying people and goods along the river. The class also explored the different jobs the Nile provides, including farmers, fishermen, tourism workers and people working at dams and power stations.

Lots of people think the River Nile is just in Egypt but it is in Northeast Africa and runs through more than one country. – Adalynn

The river Nile flows through 11 countries. – Gabriella

The River Nile is the longest river in the world. – Sharifa

The River Nile is 6650km long. – George

Maths

This week in maths, Year 3 continued learning about division using repeated subtraction. In this lesson, the children used bead strings to help them understand how groups of a number can be taken away to solve division problems. They used concrete materials to help divide numbers that are larger than the multiplication facts they already know. The children also learnt how to make their calculations more efficient by subtracting larger groups, such as 10 groups of the divisor at a time instead of one group each time.

Spring 2 Week 1 

English

This week in English, Year 3 explored Pip and Egg by Alex Latimer through an immersive lesson using a countryside soundscape, carefully selected objects and images to spark curiosity and discussion about the story. The children explored how the objects might be connected, reflected on key quotes and looked at illustrations to make predictions about the characters and events.

The seed starting to grow reminds me of Jack and the Beanstalk. There is also an egg in that story, so maybe they’re similar. – Delilah

I think it might be springtime because I can see flowers growing in the grass, and seeds start to grow in spring, and chicks also hatch in spring. – Gabriella

The egg and the seed could have both fallen out of the same tree. Maybe the egg fell from a nest and the seed dropped from the tree. – Eliza

I think the egg and the seed are going to become friends and explore the forest together. – Lawe

I think the setting is maybe a park or a forest, but it must be close to a city because I can see tall buildings in the background. Zara

Year 3 continued reading the Vehicle Text and focused on how Pip and Egg began to change. Using a Role on the Wall activity, we described Egg’s appearance and actions on the outside and her emotions on the inside, thinking about how to show feelings without just naming them.

 

Art

In this art lesson, Year 3 pupils applied their knowledge of sculpture to create their own 3D artworks while working in small groups. Using their sketchbook plans, they selected and joined materials carefully, adapting their ideas when needed. After revisiting techniques such as folding, rolling, twisting and slotting cardboard, the children constructed their sculptures using shared resources. They explored the abstract sculpture Early One Morning by Anthony Caro and took part in an ‘agree or disagree’ discussion to think about whether it was 2D or 3D and what makes a sculpture abstract. The lesson ended with pupils sharing and discussing their own sculptures.

In this lesson, Year 3 pupils evaluated and improved their abstract sculptures. Working with their partners, they compared different sculptures and discussed what they liked about their own work and what they might change. The class took part in a gallery walk, asking and answering questions about each other’s creations. They explored how colour and texture can unite different shapes, then chose how to add texture and colour to their own sculptures using paint and collage materials. By the end of the lesson, pupils had thoughtfully refined and improved their artwork.

 

RE

This week in RE, Year 3 have been exploring the Easter story and how Christians celebrate Easter. We looked at different paintings showing key moments, from Jesus’ entry into the city to the resurrection, and discussed the emotions in each scene. The children talked about how the artwork made them feel, which part of the Easter story they thought it showed, how people who were there may have felt, and how Jesus may have felt. It was a thoughtful way to connect the story of Easter with the feelings it inspires.

Spring 1 Week 6 

Behaviour Treat

Year 3 have enjoyed their special behaviour treat this week after working incredibly hard all term. We are very proud of their positive attitudes and teamwork, and this reward was well deserved.

The children worked together in teams to play dodgeball on an inflatable bouncy castle. There was lots of laughter and excitement throughout. It was a fantastic way to end an amazing term.

 

Geography 

This term in Geography, Year 3 have been learning all about rivers. The children have explored what rivers are, how they are formed and why they are important around the world.

This week, the class worked in partners using atlases to locate famous rivers across the globe. They also practised finding and naming the seven continents and identifying well known rivers in each one. The children showed great teamwork and developing map skills as they carefully searched through their atlases.

 

PSHE

In PSHE this week, Year 3 learned about the role they can take in an emergency situation. The children discussed what they should do first if faced with an emergency and learned that it is most important to stop and think about their own safety before helping others.

They explored different emergency scenarios, including accidents at a skatepark, electric shocks, deep water and broken glass. In each situation, the children identified possible hazards and decided whether it was safe to approach or better to stay back. They understood that it is important not to make the situation worse by becoming another casualty.

The class also learned how to correctly call the emergency services. They practised what information to give, including what has happened, how serious the injuries are and the exact location. Working in pairs, the children took part in role play where they acted out calling the emergency services because a friend had been seriously injured at the park.

Year 3 showed thoughtful discussion and excellent teamwork during this important lesson.

 

 Spring 1 Week 5 

RE

In today’s lesson, Year 3 first read the story of Jonah and the Whale from the Bible. We looked at different pieces of artwork showing the story and shared our ideas about how the pictures made us feel, noticing what was similar and different in each one. We then acted out the story of Jonah and the Whale in small groups and performed to the class. We watched the videos from our performances and offered each group feedback.

. 

Jonah was told by God to go to Ninevah and deliver the message that they need to start being kind to each other before God punishes them. – Lawe

Jonah was afraid of the responsibility of being a prophet and delivering God’s message, so he ran away and got on a boat, heading in the opposite direction of Ninevah. There was a huge storm, and Jonah knew that it was God causing it, so to save the other people on the boat, he ordered them to throw him overboard, so the storm would stop and they would be safe. – Delilah

The storm stopped but a whale then swallowed Jonah, and he is in the stomach of the whale for three days. He prayed to God to ask for forgiveness and to give him a second chance. The whale spat Jonah out and he travelled to Ninevah immediately to deliver God’s message. – Leo

We also explored the story of Elijah from the Bible and discussed what happened in his story. We played a game of Hot Seat, where some children played the role of Elijah and answered questions from the class about his choices and feelings. We reflected on what these stories teach us about God and how they help us understand what a prophet is and what it means to be called by God.

Science 

This week in Year 3, we learnt about muscles and how they work with our skeleton to help our bodies move. We focused on the arm and discovered how the biceps and triceps work in pairs. The biceps and triceps take turns to contract and relax, so the arm can bend and straighten.

The children worked in groups to create their own working models of an arm. They used card, to represent the bones, a split pin to act as the elbow joint, and an elastic band to show how a muscle works. As they moved the card, they could clearly see the elastic band tightening and loosening, just like a real muscle contracting and relaxing.

 

Art

In this lesson, Year 3 explored how to join materials in different ways when working in 3D. We recapped ways to make shapes three dimensional and learnt about the British sculptor Sir Anthony Caro, who created abstract sculptures and helped design the London Millennium Footbridge. This helped us think about strength, balance and how artists work with materials.

Working in small groups, the children planned and built large scale 3D sculptures using cardboard, card and paper. They experimented with folding, rolling, slotting and tabs. They used different joining materials while problem solving when ideas did not work first time, showing resilience and independence in their learning.

 

Maths

In this lesson, the children learnt how to derive multiplication facts for the 3 times tables by using facts they already know from the 2, 5 and 10 times tables. Because the class are confident with these multiplication tables, they were able to combine known facts, such as adding 5 × 3 and 2 × 3, to work out new facts like 7 × 3. We discussed this by making 7 groups of 3 and used number sentences to explain our thinking.

Using concrete materials, the children created arrays using counters to support their understanding of how multiplication facts can be combined. By visually adding groups together, the children were able to see how more difficult multiplication calculations could be worked out more easily. This practical approach helped build confidence and supported the children in remembering new multiplication facts for the 3 times table.

Spring 1 Week 4 

Art

In Art this week, Year 3 explored sculpture by learning how to join 2D shapes to create 3D structures. At the beginning of the lesson, we looked at the work of American sculptor Robert Morris and his artwork BodySpaceMotionThings to help us understand what sculpture is.

We began by recapping how to use tools safely, choose materials carefully, and look closely at shape and form. Using card, the children worked in small groups to fold, curve and cut slots to join shapes together without glue or tape. They used two contrasting colours of card, one for the base and one for the structure, to help their designs stand out. Their challenge was to create a 3D structure that could stand up on its own.

The children showed great teamwork, creativity and problem-solving skills throughout the lesson. Well done Year 3!

        

Me and Hunter made a rollercoaster with 2 arches creating a tunnel, and we folded our card to create a carriage with seats. – Zara

We made a doll house, we folded different shapes from card to create a door, a fireplace, tables and chairs. – Maryam

The card starts off 2D because it is flat, but when you start to cut out shapes and fold them, you can stand them up to create 3D structures. – Mya

I created stairs by folding a piece of card forwards and backwards and these were the steps to my house. I joined the sides of my house by cutting a slit and slotting them together. – Gabriella

 

Science

In Science this week, Year 3 learned that animals, including humans, have skeletons to support their bodies, protect organs, and help them move. Skeletons give animals and humans their shape and keep them upright.

The children worked in groups to identify bones of the skeleton. They learned that the human skeleton is made of bones that grow as we grow, starting with around 270 bones at birth and ending with about 206 in adults.

We talked about how some bones protect important organs, like the skull protecting the brain and the ribs protecting the heart and lungs. The children also learned about joints, such as knees and ankles, which help our bodies bend and move.

The femur is the longest and strongest bone in the body. – Fraser

The skull is very important protects the brain. The brain is an organ that control how we think, move and feel. - Maryam

When you break a bone, you might have to wear a cast to protect the bones and allow the two broken pieces to fuse back together. – Eliza

 

Maths

In Maths this week, Year 3 explored multiplication as repeated addition. The children built on their understanding of arrays and learnt to read multiplication as groups of a number, such as 6 groups of 3.

The children were able to show multiplication using arrays, bead strings and number lines to demonstrate how multiplication is repeated addition. They practised counting in equal jumps to help calculate the 3 and 4 times tables. By the end of the lesson, the children were confidently representing multiplication and explaining their thinking.

Spring 1 Week 3 

Fine motor skills

In Year 3, some children have been enjoying taking part in fine motor skills activities as part of an intervention. These activities include cutting, threading, building with small objects, and using tweezers and Play-Doh. The children have shown great focus and enthusiasm while completing the tasks.

By building these fine motor skills, the children have been able to improve their handwriting and letter formation. Stronger hands and fingers help the children to hold their pencils more confidently and form letters more clearly. We are very proud of the effort they are making and the progress they are showing.

 

English

Today in English, we have been exploring the illustrations in the book Rhythm of the Rain by Grahame Baker-Smith through drama and role play. The children worked in groups to bring the settings to life by moving through them, making sounds, and imagining what they could see, hear and feel. They practised speaking in a narrator’s voice and used rich descriptive language, including expanded noun phrases, adverbs, and personification, describing the river, trees, and forest as if they were alive. This helped the children clearly verbalise and develop their ideas, ready for writing their own direct narratives in the next lesson.

You duck under the tree’s branches as you make your way through the forest. - Maryam

You spot the bright sun shining through the leaves of the trees. - Hunter

You take a deep breath as you relax on the grass. – Leena

You can smell the fresh water as the river rushes by. – Eliza

You lay in the river whilst the water rushes past you like silk. – Adalynn

The water splashes the family of otters playfully. – Zara

 

Maths

In maths this week, we have been working with concrete materials to help us understand subtraction. The children practised using the column method and learnt how to exchange 1 ten for ten ones when subtracting larger numbers. By using practical materials, they could see how the numbers move and practise the steps, which helped them feel more confident when working with subtraction in their books.

Spring 1 Week 2 

World Religion Day

This week, Year 3 have been celebrating World Religion Day. We have been learning about the main world religions, exploring their beliefs and holy books, and finding out how people around the world practise their faith.

We were also excited to welcome an interfaith panel to our school, with representatives from Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. The children asked thoughtful questions and showed great curiosity and respect while learning more about different beliefs.

It has been wonderful to see Year 3 engaging with the diversity of the world’s religions with kindness and interest. Well done for your fantastic learning and positive attitudes!

It is important to learn about other peoples’ beliefs so we can be respectful towards them. – Zara

We can show respect to people with different beliefs by taking the time to listen to people talk about their religion, look at them and listen carefully to what they have to say and ask questions. – Maryam

I am a Christian and I read bible stories to my mum. I got to church with my family, and we listen to the priest, pray and sing songs. After church, we go to Sunday School and after that we have snacks and sometimes we have events at the church.  We celebrate Christmas, which is to remember the birth of baby Jesus and we also celebrate Easter. – Gabriella

I am a Muslim and I pray every day to Allah and straight after school, I pray and we also pray before bed. Every Friday after school, we go to mosque. we give money to charity at mosque and pray there. We celebrate two Eids, one is for sacrificing an animal and the other is for fasting for Ramdan. – Maryam

 

Maths

This week in maths, Year 3 have been learning how to add numbers using the column method. They used concrete materials to help them understand their learning and support their calculations. The children practised partitioning two-digit numbers into tens and ones and placing them carefully into the correct columns on a place value chart.

They remembered an important rule when adding: always start with the ones column first and then move on to the tens. The class did well at using the correct mathematical vocabulary to explain their thinking.

Year 3 stepped up to the challenge of adding two three-digit numbers and showed fantastic confidence by applying the same written method they already knew to solve these trickier calculations.

 

English

This week, the children explored illustrations from Rhythm of the Rain without seeing the front cover, encouraging them to make predictions about what the text might be about. They studied different water settings, shared descriptive words and discussed what might be happening in each scene. This helped develop their oracy skills, vocabulary and confidence in explaining their ideas.

This week, Year 3 wrote their own kenning poems based on an illustration. They practised performing them aloud to develop their oracy skills and focused on using clear voices and expression, to bring their poems to life. Some children added actions to support their performance, and the class showed growing confidence and creativity when sharing their work.

Spring 1 Week 1 

Shared Reading

In our Shared Reading lessons this week, Year 3 have been enjoying reading exciting extracts from The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery. The children have been really engaged with the story and curious about what might happen next!

We have been exploring lots of new and interesting vocabulary, discussing the meanings of unfamiliar words and practising how to use them in sentences. We have also been working hard on reading fluently. As a class, we have been practising choral reading, reading together with clear voices, expression, and fun actions to help bring the story to life.

Tear 3 have been developing their inference skills. The children have been learning how to read between the lines to infer characters’ thoughts and feelings, using clues from the text to support their ideas.

Science 

This week in Science, Year 3 have been busy conducting an exciting experiment to determine which rock is the hardest.

We began the lesson by working scientifically and classifying different rock types. The children explored the properties of marble, basalt, sandstone, chalk and slate, carefully observing and feeling each one. From this, they made predictions about which rock they thought would be the hardest and explained their reasons.

Next, the children worked in small groups to carry out a fair test. To keep the test fair, the same person scratched each rock using their fingernail, then a nail, and finally another rock. The same rock was used each time to scratch the others so that results could be compared accurately.

Each group carefully recorded their results and discussed what they noticed. At the end of the lesson, the children wrote conclusions to summarise their findings and explain which rock they discovered was the hardest.

Well done, Year 3, for your excellent teamwork, careful observations and brilliant scientific thinking!

Autumn 2 Week 7 

Aspirations

As part of our Aspirations unit, Year 3 created dream boards to explore what they would like to be when they are older, selecting and arranging pictures to show the jobs they are interested in, the school subjects they will need to be good at and the personal qualities that will help them succeed; through this creative activity, the children reflected on their future goals, developed self-awareness and began to understand the important link between learning, skills and aspirations.

I want to be a youtuber! I will need to work hard at computing and be determined when editing videos. I will also need to be confident when speaking to viewers. – Gabriella

I want to be a footballer. I will need to have perseverance and work hard in training every week and be a great team player. – Leo

I will need to work hard in science and history to be a palaeontologist. I will need to be determined and patient. – Zara

 

Behaviour Treat

This term, Year 3 were rewarded with a very exciting behaviour treat, a Nerf gun war! The children have worked incredibly hard throughout the year and consistently demonstrated our school values in and out of the classroom.

They showed teamwork, kindness and excellent attitudes to learning, so it was fantastic to see them having so much fun together. There were lots of smiles, laughter and friendly competition as everyone thoroughly enjoyed their well-deserved treat. We are very proud of Year 3 and all that they have achieved this year!

 

Christmas party

Year 3 had a wonderful time this week celebrating Christmas with our very own class party! The children enjoyed lots of dancing, fun games and exciting prizes, and the classroom was full of smiles and laughter. We also shared a delicious Christmas dinner together, which made the day feel extra special. It was a lovely way to end the term and celebrate all the hard work the children have put in this year.

Autumn 2 Week 6 

DT: Pneumatic Toy

During our DT unit, the children have been busy designing and making their own pneumatic toys for an child to use.  They started by creating their own design criteria, deciding that their toys must be colourful, appealing and able to open and close their mouths using air moving in and out of a balloon.

The children designed a range of exciting animals and monsters, adding creative 3D features such as ears and eyes to bring their ideas to life. They worked carefully to make sure their toys met the design brief and were fun for the user.

English

To explore our new writing unit, the classroom was transformed with a woodland soundscape, photographs of foxes, and descriptive vocabulary displayed around the room. The children explored the words and discussed whether they showed foxes in a positive or negative light. We then looked at a letter we received from a fox, questioning why foxes are so often described as sly or unpleasant, and the children shared examples from books and films to consider whether this is always true.

In the story the gingerbread man, a fox offers the gingerbread man to carry across the river and instead, tries to eat him instead. The fox character in this story is evil. -Eliza

In peter Rabbit, the fox character is devious because he tries to hurt the rabbits. – Delilah

In books and films, foxes sometimes have negative reputations, and they are sly, mean characters but foxes are actually just shy animals. – Gabriella

Year 3 also learned that there has been significant debate about foxes in the UK, with some people viewing them as vermin and others arguing about the ban on fox hunting. In groups, the children took on the roles of members of the public, farmers, and news reporters to debate these issues, repeating key facts and using them to support different sides of the argument. Through this roleplay, they explored how the reputation of foxes influences public opinion while also practising their oracy skills, gaining confidence in expressing their ideas and understanding how debates work.

Foxes can make high pitch screams that sounds like humans and there have been many phone calls made to the police because people think somebody is in danger, but it’s actually just a fox. – Mya

Farmers like foxes because they kill rabbits who eat all of their crops. – Adalynn

Foxes can carry diseases which can spread to our pets. – Eliza

If you kill the mummy fox, who is going to look after her cubs? They depend on her in their first few months because they are born deaf and blind. – Gabriella

Fox hunting is a traditional sport that has been around for over 200 years in the UK. – Leena

Fox hunting is cruel! Would you like lots of horses, dogs and people chasing you? The fox must be petrified. – Jaxon

 

Christmas Fair

This week, Year 3 have been busy working hard to create some fantastic hot chocolate reindeer cones to sell at our school Christmas fair. The children carefully measured, assembled and decorated their cones, showing great teamwork and creativity throughout the process. They were very proud of their finished products and are excited to sell them to help raise money for our school.

 

Autumn 2 Week 5 

History

Year 3 explored a range of Stone Age artefacts, including flints, animal skin and mammoth-tusk jewellery. The children discussed what these objects might have been used for and shared what they already knew, linking back to their learning about prehistoric art. We learnt how cave paintings give us clues about the past and discovered that some artwork in the Rouffignac caves in France was created by very young children. The class then explored how early humans found their food. They learnt that people were hunter-gatherers who moved from place to place, using tools such as stone hand-axes, bone hammers, sharpened sticks, and later bows and flint-tipped spears. They gathered nuts, berries and roots, fished with nets and harpoons, and cooked food over a fire. The children created their own Stone Age menus based on what they had learnt.

 

They paint animals on the cave walls because animals were really important to them because they needed to hunt them to survive. We learnt that in our Art lessons. – Leena

They hunt and kill animals to eat the meat, and they use the animal skins for clothing and blankets. – Mya

They sharpen stones to make them pointy so they can use them to kill animals. – Lawe

They would kill woolly mammoths and use every part of the animal, their meat, skin and tusks. We saw a piece of jewellery made from mammoth tusk in the resources. – Zara

They would make natural things like fruit, plants, charcoal to make paints from natural pigments to create their cave paintings. – Eliza

 

Advent Assembly

Today we welcomed Shona from St. Andrews Church for a special Advent assembly. She helped us think about the different ways we prepare for things, getting ready for school, planning for a party, and the traditions Christians follow as they prepare for Christmas.

Shona then reminded us how the Three Wise Men prepared for their journey to Bethlehem, planning carefully and bringing gifts for baby Jesus. We reflected on how Advent is a time for getting our hearts and minds ready for the joy of Christmas.

Thank you, Shona, for a lovely visit!

 

Maths 

In maths this week, we explored 2-D shapes by using rubber bands on our geoboards to create shapes with different properties, such as specific numbers of sides and right angles. We used a visualizer to model examples clearly and challenged the children to make a triangle with one right angle, checking their angles with the corner of a piece of paper. The children then drew the shapes they had made on and isometric paper, focusing on accuracy and careful counting.

A quadrilateral is a shape with four sides, but they don’t always have 4 right angles, like squares and rectangles, some quadrilaterals can have no right angles. – Maryam

A right angle makes a perfect L shape; you can check if it’s a right angle by using the corner of a piece of paper to check. – Eliza

Autumn 2 Week 4 

RE

When we came into the classroom today, we found a baby in a crib, which caused lots of excitement and interesting conversations. We talked about who the baby might represent in our learning and explored the meaning of presence. We also discussed how people prepare when someone special is coming to visit our classroom, school, home or town.

This week, we also read the nativity story and learned that Christians believe Jesus is God on Earth. We talked about how Mary knew Jesus was coming, but the rest of the world didn’t know until the angels told the shepherds. To help us understand the story, we played a ‘Hot Seat’ role-play game where some children acted as shepherds and answered questions from the rest of the class.

Presence means you are a part of something. – Maryam
Presence means to be present; you are here with us. – Gabriella

 

Science

Today in Science we became rock detectives. We went outside and looked around our school to find as many objects as we could that are made from rock. We also explored the indoor areas to see what else we could discover.

As we searched, we thought carefully about how to describe the rocks we found. We asked ourselves if they were smooth or rough, shiny or dirty, and soft or hard. We talked about each object we noticed and decided whether we thought it was made from rock and why we believed that. We had a great time investigating, observing and sharing our ideas. 

We found lots of different types of rock on the playground; they were all different sizes and shapes. Some were smooth and some were rough. – Maryam

The playground needs to be made of tarmac because its strong and it won’t break when lots of children play on it. – Zaea

Bricks are made from hard materials, so they last a long time, and they won’t break in extreme wind or rain and damage the houses. – Leo

 

Stay and Read

This week, we had a wonderful Stay and Read event at our school and we even had a very special visitor join us, Father Christmas. It was a lovely opportunity for children to invite their parents, siblings, grandparents and carers into school to read together and enjoy some quiet time with books. We also shared hot chocolate, biscuits and mince pies, which made the event feel extra cosy and festive. Everyone had a fantastic time, and it was a lovely way to celebrate reading as a school community.

Autumn 2 Week 3 

Pantomime

Year 3 have had a fantastic time today at the Blackburn Empire Theatre watching the Snow White pantomime! The children were polite, respectful and represented the school beautifully. They really enjoyed themselves, joining in with the singing, dancing and all the fun pantomime moments. A brilliant morning full of laughter and excitement!

My favourite part was when I got to go on stage with Tilly and perform a rhyme and I won a prize. – Zara

My favourite part was when we got to dance to all the songs and when it started snowing. – Eliza

 

Art

Year 3 continued their Stone Age project in Art this week by painting the animals they sketched in earlier lessons. They began by looking at the textured backgrounds they had created previously before lightly sketching the key shapes of their chosen animals. The children mixed natural, earthy colours and painted carefully, using Stone Age-inspired techniques such as bold outlines, dots and simple patterns. They experimented with different brush strokes to create texture and used smaller brushes for finer details.

Both Year 3 classes then had the opportunity to evaluate each other’s artwork. The children shared positive feedback about what they liked in their partner’s paintings and offered suggestions for what could be developed next time. This was a valuable chance for all learners to confidently explain their learning to their peers and discuss the skills and knowledge they had gained throughout the unit.

The lesson finished with a reflection on how their paintings compared to real cave art and how accurately they had recreated Stone Age colours. Year 3 produced some excellent artwork and demonstrated great pride in their work.

    

DT

This week in DT, Year 3 explored how air can be used to make things move. We looked at examples of pneumatics from history and then tested them ourselves by using balloons to lift the lid of a tea box and syringes joined by tubing, when we pressed one syringe, the air travelled through the tube and pushed the other plunger up. We also discovered that pneumatics are all around us in everyday life, such as in bus doors, office chairs, train brakes and even rollercoasters. We finished the lesson by recording an example of how air caused movement in our activities.

When you push one side of the syringe, the air moves through the tube and moves the syringe on the other side. – Maryam

You could use the syringes as arms for a toy dragon and the wings would move by pressing one side of the syringe, so the other side moves. – Zara

you could create a rocket toy that has a pump, and by standing on the base of the rocket you push air up into the rocket that makes it shoot up into the air. – Delilah

You could use air to make the box open and close, and design the box to look like a treasure chest

You could make a puppet that opens and shuts its mouth by using air. – Gabriella

you could turn the box into a crocodile and its mouth could open and close. – Delilah

 

Autumn 2 Week 2 

Children in Need

This week 3B had lots of fun taking part in Joe Wicks’ live stream and enjoyed being active together. The class have also been working hard to help our school complete the 25K challenge. They have been running six laps a day and have shown great teamwork, encouraging each other every step of the way.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who dressed up in yellow and spots for Children in Need, donated, or bought some fundraising merchandise. We had a wonderful day celebrating Children in Need and learning more about the children who benefit from all the fundraising.