For the first half of the summer term, Year 3’s topic focus is called ‘Scrumdiddlyumptious’. This topic is based around food and we’re going to enjoy a yummy journey of discovery, sampling fantastic fruits and tantalising treats!
All posts by H GROOM
Tangrams in Year 3
After learning more about 2D shapes, Year 3 put their knowledge to solving shape puzzles in the form of Tangrams. Tangrams are ancient Chinese puzzles where you create pictures from a set of 2D shapes.
The first challenge after naming all of the different shapes and their properties was to rebuild the square, it was a lot harder than you think!
The next challenge was to create an animal from the same pieces.
Can you recognise what Year 3 created?
International Week in Y3
Throughout International Week 2018, Year 3 have travelled across four of the seven continents. Each day the focus has been on a different continent and the children have carried out their own research to find out more about Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. This research has then informed recount writing in the style of a travel diary.
Year 3 have also shared artefacts from their own cultures and heritage. The children were very knowledgeable and were able to confidently present and explain what they had bought in.
Year 3’s art focus was on the Zimbabwean artist and illustrator Phillipa-Alyce Browne. After sketching an animal, Year 3 used a range of media to add bright, vibrant colours and traditional African patterns to their sketches.
Japanese cherry blossom art
What do you get if you add together Year 3, watery black paint, a straw, thick pink paint and a cotton bud?
The answer is quite simple – beautiful, individual cherry blossom trees 🙂
These are to be found on the front of the Mother’s Day cards that came home last week and also in the classroom.
The RNLI visit Y3
On Tuesday 6th March Year 3 have received their postponed visit from the RNLI.
The RNLI stands for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. It’s the charity that saves lives at sea.It was founded in 1824 and it’s saved 139,000 lives since then.The RNLI provides, on call, a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service – it has a fleet of more than 330 lifeboats plus a few hovercraft.
Lifeboats
- There are two types of lifeboats – all-weather and inshore.
- All-weather lifeboats can go at high speed, can be used in any weather and will turn themselves back over if they capsize!
- Inshore lifeboats usually work closer to shore, in shallower water, close to cliffs, among rocks or even in caves.
- Hovercraft can operate in areas that lifeboats can’t go, such as mud flats or river estuaries.
Lifeguards
- The charity also organises lifeguards that patrol more than 180 beaches around the UK.
- Last year RNLI lifeguards saved 84 lives and helped more than 17,000 people.
Year 3 continued to develop their understanding of water safety, this time at the beach.
These are some of the flags you may see at the beach, they all carry an important meaning to keep you safe.
Have a look at this image. Can you spot all of the dangers? Ask Year 3 if you are not sure.
World Book Day in Y3
For World Book Day this year Year 3 braved the snow and icy weather to travel by train to Waterstones the book shop in Birmingham City Centre.
Our day started with a brisk walk to Aston train station where the first train that arrived was very full but we decided to climb aboard. We found out that other passengers had been waiting over an hour for the train so we were very glad that we got on when we did.
The children’s department in Waterstones is on the top floor of the building so after many, many stairs we made it! We were greeted by ‘Mrs Weasley’ (all of the staff were dressed up as their favourite characters) who then shared a story with us – The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl. A firm favourite with Year 3.
After splitting into 3 groups, everybody had the opportunity to browse and have a quick read of some of the books, to colour World Book Day pictures and most importantly choose and purchase a book.
Every year, there are specially published books which can be exchanged for a World Book Day token and everyone in Year 3 came home with their choice of book that they can keep.
As you can see Year 3 are delighted with their choices.
A huge thank you to ‘Mrs Weasley’ and the other staff at Waterstones who made our visit so much fun, we hope to see you again for World Book Day 2019 🙂
Story writing in Y3
This has been the final week of the Theseus and the Minotaur unit where Y3 have been planning and writing their own Defeating the Monster tales.
It all started with a simple story map to draw and then retell their own stories based around a ‘Defeating the Monster’ story.
Then came the BIG writing… both Zainab and Aisha have truly astounded Miss Groom with the quality of their story writing!
Zainab has followed her plan and the story arc to the letter and manged to complete her story AND go back and start to make changes and improvements with her purple polishing pen.
Aisha has included lots of accurate dialogue between her main character Theseus and his father, King Aegeus. She has also spent time using her purple polishing pen to make changes to punctuation and also to improve her vocabulary by using synonyms for said.
Water safety in Y3
Y3 have been focusing their learning this week on water safety. Y3 started their week with a visit from Phil, a volunteer from the Canal & River Trust https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/
He taught us why it is important to keep safe when close to rivers and canals. We worked collaboratively to spot the hazards in and around a canal and then to find out how to keep safe:
Stay
Away
From the
Edge
This visit then informed Y3’s learning over the rest of the week. Y3 had lots of fun learning more about water safety and demonstrated our new learning by creating information posters and non-chronological reports,small group drama and learning a water safety song .
Y3 visit the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Smethwick
On Tuesday, year 3 went on a train to visit the Guru Nanak Gurdwara because we are learning about Sikhism.
First, we went to the train station by foot and carefully hopped on the train. It took about 30 minutes to get to our destination. We walked over to the Gurdwara that was right across the road. When we arrived we had to take off our shoes and wash our hands.
Then we met our tour guide, who was very welcoming. She showed us upstairs and showed us a video about the 5k’s. The 5k’s are the Sikhs’uniform that they wear everyday and when they go to the Gurdwara. Sometimes because of what they wear and carry, they get questioned.
Afterwards, we went back downstairs to see where they put their holy book. It was hidden in a small bed that looked beautiful and shiny. Then our class went to the Langar hall and ate food. Each Gurdwara serves food for free to people every day. Some people said the food was yummy and delicious but I didn’t enjoy it that much because it was too spicy for me.
Finally, we went back to where we had to put on our shoes. We left the Gurdwara in peace and went back to the train station then arrived at school in the early afternoon.
By Isaiah Sheckler
Art portfolios in Year 3
St. Clement’s has recently started working on Art Portfolios. Every child from Reception class upwards has a portfolio. Each term children will work on a piece of art which will go into the portfolio and this is then passed on until they leave St. Clement’s.
Year 3 have worked on sketching self -portraits and as you can see they have really worked hard to capture their individual details . Have a look to see if you can recognise anyone from Year 3.
