March 2023

English

In English, we have been looking at letter writing and using the text Flat Stanley to support our learning. The children have learnt how letters are structured by identifying the features found in them and have then used this understanding to write their own letters in role as Flat Stanley. In our grammar lessons, we looked at how to use the past tense appropriately and how to write sentences structured in different ways. They have really enjoyed hearing about Stanley’s adventures and writing about them.

Maths

In Maths, the children in Year 3 have been learning all about fractions. They have been identifying fractions of pictures and amounts. In Year 2, the children have started to learn about measuring. We have begun our learning by looking at length and height. They have learnt how to accurately measure in centimetres using a ruler and they have been estimating if items are more or less than a metre in length or height.

Science

We have begun a new topic learning all about ‘Animals and humans’. The children have learnt about the different food groups and the proportions of each that they should eat at each meal. They have also been developing their understanding of what different animals eat by learning about herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. We matched different animals to their diets and creating a diet for a pig.

Topic

In the ICE zone, the children have continued their learning about explorers. They have begun to learn about Amelia Earhart. They have also continued their learning about musical elements. The children have created a soundtrack for an animation.

February 2023

English

In English, the children have written their own alternative endings to traditional tales. They innovated an ending for either Little Red Riding Hood or The Three Little Pigs. We were really impressed with how they applied all of the grammar that they have been taught this year. This includes expanded noun phrases, using conjunctions, adverbials to start sentences, speech punctuation and similes. Their understanding of this grammar and how to use it has improved dramatically!

Maths

In Maths, the children in Year 3 have been learning all about length and perimeter. They have been measuring things around the classroom and calculating the perimeter of shapes. In Year 2, we have continued our learning about multiplication and division. They have learnt new methods for both including grouping, arrays, sharing and number lines. arithmetic, they have continued to develop their addition and subtraction methods.

Science

We have continued our learning about forces and magnets in Science. The children have been using the magnets to explore magnetic and non-magnetic materials around skills. They also tested the strength of different magnets by seeing how many paper clips in a chain that they could hold. We finished the topic by exploring magnetic poles. They had to predict if magnets would attract or repel when moved towards each other before investigating to see what would happen.

Topic

In the ICE zone, the children have continued their learning about explorers. They have started to learn about the famous fossil hunter Mary Anning. In Art, the children have been developing their sketching skills to produce abstract pictures of flowers.

January 2023

English

In English, our work has been focused around non-fiction reports. The children have identified the features of non-chronological reports.  They enjoyed using these features to create a fact file for a character from our class text ‘Into the forests’ by Anthony Browne.  We have been really impressed, with how they have researched and organised information into sub-headings. The children have finished the unit, by researching and writing a non-chronological report for an animal of choice.

Our Guided Reading lesson focus on VIPERS which stands for vocabulary, infer, predict, explain, retrieve and sequence. The children listen to part of a story and each day focus on a different strand of VIPERS.

Maths

In Maths, the children in Year 3 have been learning about money. They have used their prior learning to add and subtract money. In Year 2, the children have now finished their topic on multiplication and division and have moved onto a new topic of measuring length and perimeter.

Science

In science, we have started our new topic of forces and magnets. The children explored push and pull forces and friction. They set up an investigation to test how a range of materials can affect the friction on a surface.

The children enjoyed using the magnets to find and sort magnetic and non-magnetic materials.

Topic

The children have been excited to start our new topic on ‘explorers’. We have started our learning with the explorer Christopher Colobus. We have learned all about the parts of his ship ‘Santa Maria’ and the equipment that he took with him. In RE the children have been learning about new beginnings. The children compared how different religions celebrate new beginnings.