Year 3 News 2022-2023

Beach School

Year 3 have had a fantastic time at beach school this half term. We have had lovely weather and have been able to enjoy the sunshine while building a whole class sandcastle! The children also had fun building sand robots linking to the story we are learning in English: The Iron Man. Year 3 have learnt lots about the beach; such as a reminder of the different types of tides, looking around and naming plant and animal life we can find on the beach, drawing sketches of the landscape, as well as naming different types of clouds. In addition, Year 3 looked at which way the wind is blowing and used this knowledge to have raft races on a rock pool using rafts they made themselves using lolly sticks and elastic bands. At the end of each session, the children were very lucky to enjoy a tasty ice lolly.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Challenge Day

Year 3 have had a fantastic challenge day! They learnt so many skills of resilience, team work, respect, perseverance and to be proud of themselves. We had lots of super scoring from all our house teams and everyone worked well together to support each other, even if they were from a different house. Well done Year 3!

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Detective Time

It’s that time again when we predict our new book we will be learning about in English. This time, there was a crime scene in our classroom! The children took on the roles of detectives and using their clipboards and investigation sheets, they wrote down their observations and any questions they had. After, we discussed that we predicted the story might be about a metal robot from another planet that was broken into pieces, possibly from a war with other robots. The children are very excited to find out what their next story is!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Puzzle Day

What a fantastic puzzle day! Year 3 had so much fun solving problems, working as a team, using their leadership skills and supporting each other when participating in orienteering, cup tack, laser maze, key press and pentominoes. They also had a competition on who could make the longest paper chain using one single piece of A3 paper. Such a fun time!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Mental Health Awareness Week

To round off Mental Health Awareness Week, every class was treated to a watercolour art session with our artist friend, Mark. In Year 3, the children were shown how to delicately paint ladybirds or grasshoppers using the techniques that Mark had taught them. It was a lovely, relaxing end to the week and reminded us all that doing something like painting really can help our mental wellbeing.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Visit to The Old Garden Residential Home

Year 3 had a fantastic time visiting the Old Garden Care Home in Hoylake. We had a lovely tour and met lots of the residents moving around the home. Then we sat in groups with the residents, had lovely conversations and played games such as dominoes, table curling and even got to do some water painting. We discovered that some of the residents went to Avalon School too! Also, they had some new additions to the home, three little ducklings: Hippo (2 days old), Mackenzie and Cynthia (1 week old). The children enjoyed some cuddles and watching them drink their water in their little home.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Coronation Celebrations

Year 3 had lots of fun during our King’s Coronation celebration. In the morning, they completed a code breaker using their maths knowledge to work out calculations that spelt out words in facts related to the Coronation. As well as finding coronation related words in a word search. In the afternoon, they made royal crowns. By decorating a template of a crown on card using their own jewel ideas, they cut, folded and glued before adding cotton wool and finally some tissue paper. Spectacular! Check out our gallery to see the fabulous photos!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Victorian Inventors Workshop

Year 3 had a fantastic Monday afternoon at their inventor’s workshop. They were visited (remotely) by Ada Lovelace, a female inventor from the Victorian times. She introduced them to many inventions through time such as the first computer, telephone, mobile phone, light bulb and the internet! The children learnt who the different inventors were and got to act out how the different inventions work, using switches, levers or buttons. An interesting fact is that Alexander Graham Bell who invented the telephone said that everybody should answer the telephone with the word ‘Ahoy!’. Thank you so much Ada Lovelace, we had an amazing session travelling through time with you!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

The Tunnel

Year 3 have started their English lessons predicting what their new book is going to be about. When they entered their classroom after break time, they found an unusual tunnel with a brick entrance and covered in leaves. The children crawled into the tunnel, and using their imagination, they explored what was inside. We had lots of fantastic ideas such as: a tunnel between a modern castle to a historic castle, a tunnel to protect their characters from tornadoes, a tunnel to a new world of mythical creatures and magic and a tunnel to a wonderful library full of interesting and special books. Year 3 are excited to begin to read their book and find out what it is all about.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Happy Easter!

Today's visit to "The Old Garden" had to unfortunately be postponed. Wanting to send some cheer, the children decided to create and send an Easter card to brighten the day of all of the staff and residents. We look forward to seeing you very soon.  Happy Easter from Year 3!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Learning About Measurements And Perimeter

How big is our classroom?

In maths recently, Year 3 have been learning about measurements and perimeter. Mrs Creedon challenged the children to find the perimeter of the Year 3 classroom. Working in pairs, the children used a metre ruler to find the length and width of the classroom and then used their mathematical knowledge to find the answer, using addition and some multiplication. We found that the perimeter of our classroom was 25m.

How small are your fingernails?

In addition, the children have also been measuring using mm, finding the lengths of their finger nails and drawing out a bar chart with this information. Year 3 were able to interpret their own information to say which finger nail was the longest and which was the shortest. Well done Year 3!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

STEAM Week - Bridge Blunder

WOW! What a fantastic week we have had in year 3! We have been focusing on STEAM this week, completing a science investigation, writing up our plans and conclusions, drawing a scientist and understanding new words related to STEAM.

Our focus investigation was called ‘Bridge Blunder’ and we came up with the question ‘which material is the strongest to build our bridge?’. We had lots of discussions on how to write up our investigation, including a prediction, what equipment we would need and how to make it a fair test. The children began by working in groups and creating prototypes using the 4 materials we chose: cardboard, plastic, paper and tinfoil. As a class, we all decided the size and shape of the material, measured and cut them out to test. Our predictions were correct and the cardboard was the strongest material. Year 3 had more super discussion about why we think this was the conclusion and wrote this up to display on our board for the STEAM gallery.

Finally, Year 3 enjoyed exploring the different year group’s display boards and seeing what investigations they have been completing this week. What a super STEAM week!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

World Book Day Fun!

On Thursday 3^rd March, Year 3 enjoyed a fantastic World Book Day on the theme of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Throughout the week, the children have been reading the book and delving deep into the story by taking on the roles of different characters, such as, asking thought provoking questions to the White Witch and imagining they are Lucy going through the wardrobe for the first time. Year 3 have written some beautiful descriptive paragraphs describing the wardrobe, opening the doors and feeling the fur coats and then discovering the land of Narnia. They have used their senses, as well as feeling words to bring their descriptions to life.

On World Book Day itself, Year 3 were able to use their reading skills to read stories to the children in Reception. They also dressed up in their fantastic costumes to watch a brilliant performance of the story of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and then were able to ask the different characters questions to learn more. What a super week!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

The Art of Being a Good Friend 

This week in PSHCEE we have been discussing Friendship and what it takes to be a good friend. Continuing on with the theme, in their Art lesson Year 3 talked about people who are special to them and why.  Mrs. Keenan and the children discussed how the message and thoughts could be conveyed and decided to create a card and using water colours, year 3 learnt how to correctly blend colours whilst maintaining accurate lines within their chosen designs.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Rising to the Challenge in Maths

In maths this week, year 3 have been focusing on division with 2-digit numbers and working on how to calculate the remainder. Through a mixture of multiplication and division word problems, interactive games and activities the children have become more confident in their approach to maths challenges. The daily times table brain-teaser has greatly supported the children in their maths activities and each child is delighted with their own individual progress in their knowledge of them.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Celebrating Chinese New Year 

As part of their PSHCEE lessons and learning, years 3 and 4 were delighted to have a surprise visitor this week! A parent of one of our children in Year 3 kindly came to school to talk to the children about Chinese New Year and explained how the biggest festival for Chinese people is celebrated.

The festival, which lasts for 15 days, traditionally begins with a monster being chased away by the bright colours and noisy fireworks. Following will be the ushering out of the old year and welcoming in the new year. Young people and children are given money in red and gold envelopes as a gesture of good luck and prosperity and families and friends will come together to share special meals which will include sweet dumplings, noodles, salad and other foods. Following dragon (lion) dances there will be gift exchange and fireworks and the festival will generally end with a lantern procession.

We also learnt that in Chinese tradition, each year is represented by one of 12 different animals, which feature in the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig, this year being the year of the Rabbit and each child also learnt which animal year they were born into.

The children were fascinated by the facts they learnt and immensely enjoyed the activities, which included origami rabbits and Chinese writing.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Imaginative Writing

Year 3 are currently reading 'The Ice Palace' by Robert Swindells.

After listening to the first few sentences of the book, a class discussion took place in which the children were encouraged to predict what they thought the book was about. Following this, each child wrote their own descriptive passage incorporating similes, metaphors and adjectives detailing their prediction of what they believe will happen next within the cold setting.

Focusing on the development of cross curriculum skills the children were able to use ICT technology to type up their written work.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

How Our Eye Adjust in Different Light

In Science year 3 have been learning how their eyesight adjusts to different light. After entering a 'cave' each child took turns to try and identify various objects to see how their sight was able to refocus in a dark light.  After the activity the children recorded their findings and were able to summarise which colours were easier to see in a dark surrounding.

Learning about the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages!

In their Humanities lessons, year 3 have completed learning about the Stone Age and the Bronze Age and are now being taught how life would have been like during the Iron Age.

The children have shown great interest listening to how villages were constructed on top of a hill to create a hill fort, surrounded by ditches allowing enemies to be seen from the distance, with the ditches hindering their approach.

The children have been curious to learn how the Iron Age diet included crops of wheat, barley, peas and beans and a variety of meats including cattle, sheep and pigs, and is similar to what a modern diet may include.

There has been much fascination learning how iron became a popular material to use to create weapons, pots, pans and tools as it was much stronger than stone or bronze and how now, 3000 years later, it is still a metal much in demand for construction. Over the coming weeks the children will develop their knowledge of how the Iron Age people worked and about land ownership.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth!

This week Year 3 were greeted in their classroom by a mixture of unusual objects! Furry materials, bubble bath, sponges and soap to name but a few....what was happening?

The children took turns to hold, feel and smell the items before trying to predict what they could be used for. After being told the items were also detailed in a book to describe a storyline, there was great enthusiasm trying to establish what the book may be.

After some discussion the children learnt that the book is "How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth!" and that year 3 will be reading and using it over the next few weeks as part of their learning.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Autumnal Poetry

This week in English, Year 3 have been developing their understanding of poetry.  To appreciate various styles of poetry, they have listened to and read different styles including free verse, rhyming and acrostic and learnt how the use of a stanza and powerful verbs can bring poetry alive to the reader.

Today, the children went into the forest garden to observe the different features of autumn including colours, how the sunlight streamed through branches, smells and textures. This activity supported the children as they created their own autumnal poem including simile's, adjectives and powerful verbs and resulted in beautiful poetic work from the whole of the class.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Experimenting with Paint

During this term's Art lessons, Year 3 have been experimenting with various types of paint including acrylic and watercolours. Enthusiastically engaging in their activities, the children have created a range of landscapes and have learnt the concept of perspective in Art.  Their work has been displayed around the school and admired by all.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Practising Conversation in French

In their French lessons today, Year 3 have been learning how to greet each other. Taking turns, they used puppets to role play a meeting, practising various French words such as "Comment ca vu? ; ca va bien; Bonjour; Au revoir;" - (How are you?;  I am fine; Hello; Goodbye). It was great fun and the children particularly enjoyed working on their accents!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Learning About Diversity

In their PSHCEE lessons, Year 3 have been learning about Diversity which has been linked to the European Day of Languages.

The children have had fun learning how people from other countries greet each other and have the opportunity to demonstrate the actions from the following countries:-

Tibet - pull tongues at each other; Hindu - clasp hands together holding them close to your heart whilst you bow: France - kiss on both cheeks; Maori - rub their nose together and in Japan - bow towards each other.

Well done year 3 for your engagement and enthusiasm to not only learn the greeting but to also share words you know from other languages.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Measuring Length

In their maths lessons, Year 3 are currently learning about length measurement.

The children are being taught how to identify and measure the size of objects from one point to another and that we can measure how long an object is, how tall or how far apart they are.

They have learnt that there are 10 millimetres in a centimetre and that this is similar to the thickness of 10 sheets of paper, a centimetre is about the width of a fingernail and that a metre is the same length as 100 centimetres.

To support their learning, the children participated in an activity where they moved around the classroom estimating the length of various objects before measuring them to assess if they had guessed the correct measurement, reinforcing their understanding of how length should be measured.

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Year 3 Celebrate Roald Dahl Day!

During an English lesson this week, Year 3 enjoyed learning lots of interesting facts about Roald Dahl to celebrate Roald Dahl day which is celebrated each year on his birthday, 13^th September.  They were amused to hear that, as a child, Roald Dahl got himself into quite a bit of trouble at school which resulted in his parents sending him to boarding school! The children listened to some of the tales from the book 'Revolting Rhymes' and also shared some jokes from the 'Whizzpopping Joke Book.' One of the jokes they enjoyed was, 'What do you call a peanut in a spacesuit?'........'An astro-nut!'  The Year 3 children also shared with each other what their favourite Roald Dahl book is. 

Great Start Year 3

Year 3 have had a great first week in juniors, it has been lovely getting to know them!

In maths we have been talking about place value and placing numbers in the correct space on a number line.  They had great fun devising a sum for their partners, using actions to mean multiplying or dividing.    

In English we have started our new book, ‘Stig of the Dump’.  The children were very excited to see objects that might have been in Stig’s cave around the classroom, and made some very sensible predictions about what the book might be about! We are looking forward to finding out what happens after Barney meets Stig next week!

See more photo in the Year 3 Gallery.

Welcome back to school Year 3