Welcome to Year 3

Welcome to KS2! We are looking forward to introducing your children to new opportunities, such as swimming and learning Spanish. Throughout the year, we will endeavour to become magnificent mathematicians, wonderful writers and remarkable readers. Here is our learning for the year:

Term 1 Topic: Food, Glorious Food

Our Big Question for the term is 'Where does food come from?' We will build our understanding of where food comes from in the UK alongside the impact of different food types on our bones, muscles and joints, culminating in D.T., where we use our cooking skills to make healthy food.

Term 2 Topic: Industrial Revolution

Our Big Question for the term is 'How does Victorian Britain compare with today?' We begin our term with a trip back in time to Victorian Britain at the Kent Life Museum, giving our children hands-on experience of Victorian school life. We will also look at the role William Morris played in Victorian times, both as an artist and as a designer.

Term 3:Nature's Revenge

Our Big Question for the term is 'What makes the Earth so angry?' Our Geography learning about volcanoes and earthquakes will take centre stage this term. From there, we will link our Science learning about rocks, soils and fossils and our English writing to 'nature's revenge.' At the end of the term, children will have a Virtual Reality experience to help deepen our understanding of this topic.

Term 4: Chocolate

Our Big Question for the term is ‘Where does chocolate come from?’' Our Geography work this term will focus on chocolate production, exploring the journey from bean to bar, as well as the importance of Fair Trade. We will start the term with a visit to Temper Temper Chocolate to help us get a practical understanding of this learning. We will link our DT work to this topic, designing packaging for a purpose. Our Science learning will focus on plants, to help us to better understand the cocoa plant.

Term 5: The Prehistoric World

Our Big Question for the term is ‘Who were the first people to live in Britain?’ Our History learning for this term centres on the Stone Age. We will focus our learning on what Britain looked like during the hunter gather phase. Our Art unit of learning will closely link to this historical focus, as we create cave paintings.

Term 6: Invaders and Raiders

Our Big Question for the term is 'Were the Vikings always vicious and victorious?' We will focus our learning on the arrival of the Vikings in Britain, exploring their beliefs and ways of life, comparing this to the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. As part of our launch for this term, we will be making Viking longboats, as well as visiting our Forest school to practise Viking 'cooking'.

Overview of the Year

Reading is the key to success!

Throughout the year, we will explore a range of exciting texts such as (T1)The BFG, The Enchanted Woods, Midnight Feasts, Beware of Boys; (T2) The Tunnel; (T3) Escape from Pompei, Firework Maker's Daughter; (T4) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; (T5) Stone Age Boy, How to Wash a Wooley Mammoth; (T6) How to Train Your Dragon, Beware of Dragons. Within each term, we teach our children how to write to inform, to entertain and to persuade using these high quality texts as the basis for our inspiration.

Children will be expected to read most nights in the week for at least 10 minutes. Please record how your child has got on with their book in your child's reading record. This might include their understanding of the vocabulary used; how they inferred a character's emotions or actions; or even a prediction made based on what had already been read. All children will have an Accelerated Reader login to complete a quiz after completing their book. Please encourage them to do so.

Maths - Multiplication focus

We place great importance on learning and practising our timetables.  To aid us, the children are encouraged to use Times Tables Rock Stars and will engage in multiplication challenges games daily. Please click on the link below to access Times Table Rock Stars. Children need to know their 3, 4 and 8 times tables by the end of Year 3. Please also review your 2, 5 and 10s from Year 2 learning.

PE

Our PE takes place at school on Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons. We will build our basic hand-eye skills linked to popular sports, such as hockey. We will be outside as often as possible, so please make sure that your child comes into school in the correct kit. Please also ensure that long hair is tied back, and that earrings are removed. 

Home Learning

Your child’s weekly home learning will consist of:

• Daily reading to be recorded in Reading Records linked to Accelerated Reader books and quizzes

• Times table practice (Times Table Rock Stars website linked above)

Curriculum Trips

At Thames View, we recognise the importance of developing our children academically, socially and spiritually. As a result, we endeavour to give our children experiences beyond classroom learning.

Term 1: Family Trust visit our year group to help us to celebrate Food, Glorious Food.

Term 2: We begin the term delving into Victorian times with a trip to Kent Life.

Term 3: Family Trust return, alongside an exciting VR experience

Term 4: We explore the history of chocolate making with a hands-on visit to Temper Temper Chocolates. We also broaden our social development with a trip to the local cinema.

Term 5: A Stone Age workshop starts our term, helping us to better understand the Prehistoric World.

Term 6: We end our year celebrating our achievements with Sports Day and the return of Family Trust.

Useful Links

Below, you can find a number of useful links to help support your child's learning: