Livingstone Primary School
Welcome to Woodpecker Class
Year 3
Miss Baldwin, Mrs Silver and Mrs Emilian would like to welcome you back to the
Spring Term in Woodpeckers Class.
We have an exciting and interesting term planned, exploring tropical rainforests around the world.
THINGS TO HAVE IN SCHOOL EACH DAY
Children should have their coat, water bottle, reading record and reading book in school each day.
YEAR 3 SPELLINGS
Children follow the Year 3 spelling programme. New spellings are introduced on a Monday and are sent home to learn. The children are asked to practise them each night using the look-say-cover-write-check method.
Red spelling folders are returned to school on a Friday and we see how many we have learnt to spell. Children are then encouraged to use these new spellings in their independent writing.
ENGLISH
This term we will be focusing on texts that are linked to our main topic of the tropical rainforests.
Our first text is 'Great Kapok Tree' by Lynne Cherry. This is a fantastic story about a man who works in the rainforest cutting down trees. He takes a well-deserved rest and while he does the animals from the rainforest come and speak to him.
We then explore the rainforest through poetry and write our own verses imagining what we can see, hear, and feel while walking through the rainforest.
We finish the term with some factual writing and produce a fantastic booklet that gives information on each of the layers of a rainforest.
TOPIC
Our topic this term is Tropical Rainforests.
We will explore the countries and continents where we find tropical rainforests, the climate in these areas, the animals and people that live there, and the impact of deforestation.
ART
In our art lessons we will be looking at objects with the eye of an artist, shading and texture techniques, and drawing plants and flowers using what we have learnt.
MATHS
Children will continue to revise their knowledge of numbers bonds to and within 10, 20 and 100.
They will also be exploring multiplication and division; measuring length and perimeter; and fractions.
We will also continue to use TT Rock Stars to help us learn our times tables, and Doodle maths for individual courses.
Children will be practising 3, 4, and 8 times tables as well as reinforcing their knowledge of 2, 5, and 10.
SCIENCE
In our Science lessons we will be learning about plants. We look at parts of a plant, photosynthesis and how plants reproduce.
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
In our technology lessons we will plan, design and make our own poisonous dart frog stuffed toys.
P.E.
P.E. for Woodpeckers is on Monday and Tuesday.
It is important children wear their P.E. kit to school on P.E. days. This, like all school clothing, should be clearly named.
YEAR 3 HOMEWORK
READING
Children should read at home 3 times a week and the reading record signed and dated to show this has been done. Reading records are checked every Friday and certificates and prizes are given for the number of times read.
TIMES TABLES
To help with the 'Times table Challenge', click on the link below to take your child to the Times Table Rockstars login. Children have logins for this and Purple Mash in the back of their reading records. Children should practise their times tables at least 3 times a week. Children earn bronze, silver and gold badges in school for successfully learning different times tables. Mr Jackson awards certificates in assembly each week for the length of time and progress made on Times Table Rockstars. This site also allows children to access Numbots which is a number bonds practise activity.
The Topmarks site has a wealth of maths activities the children can use (Hit the Button is a very good one!).
The children also have their Doodle Logins which they should use 'little and often' each week. This site helps to address misconceptions the children may have and is an individualised programme based on their needs.
https://doodlelearning.com
ENGLISH AND MATHS
English and Maths homework will be sent on alternate weeks. Homework will relate to what the children have been learning in their lessons. Homework will be sent out on a Friday (blue folder) and should be returned on the following Friday.
Spelling homework will be sent weekly (on a Monday - red folder) and children should learn their spellings in preparation for a test each Friday.
Curriculum Overview
DATES OF INTEREST THIS TERM
Tuesday 14th January – Faith Tour – Queen’s Park
Friday 7th February – Year 3&4 Maths café
Tuesday 11th February and Wednesday 12th February – Parents’ Evening
Wednesday 2nd April – Spring Big Tea
