Mrs David & Mrs Bowles

This term, in English, we are studying the following texts:

Rhythm of the Rain by Grahame Baker- Smith                                                   Jemmy Button by Alix Barzelay

Children will be writing narratives for both texts, as well as a recount leaflet and information letters. 

We use White Rose Maths. Below you can see the small steps we will be learning in the Spring term. Each small step usually represents one lesson. However, sometimes we may take a few extra lessons to learn and consolidate some of these maths skills. 

Our maths focus areas this term are: Multiplication & Division, Length & Perimeter, Fractions and Mass & Capacity.

We have three Guided Reading lessons every week. These are the texts we are reading this term:

In Science during the first half term we will be learning about Rocks & Soil, where we will learn to:

• Define the term rock.
• Describe the appearance of different rocks, identifying both crystals and grains.
• Group rocks by their absorbency, hardness and reaction to acid rain (vinegar).
• List the different factors that break down rocks.
• Describe fossil formation and identify fossils in rocks.
• Describe the work of a palaeontologist.
• Name, describe and compare some different categories of soil.
• List some of the benefits of earthworms to the soil.
• Identify and describe the comparative size and weight of the layers in a sedimentation jar.
• Use a magnifying glass correctly to observe the appearance of a rock in detail.
• Use results to choose the appropriate rock type for a specific use, suggest a better choice of rock for a specific use and predict how a rock will be affected by the weather.
• Research and present information on fossil formation using a single source.
• Use a model of the fossil record to determine the relative age of a fossil, to suggest how a living thing has changed over time and to suggest what living things were around in a certain era.
• Draw and label the bars on a bar chart.
• Accurately draw and label the layers of sediment in a sedimentation jar.

In Science, during the second half-term we will be learning about Light & Shadows, where we will learn to:

• Recall examples of light sources, objects that do not give out light and that darkness is the absence of light.
• Describe ways to protect eyes from harm.
• Describe what happens when light reflects, give examples of reflective surfaces or materials and describe factors that may affect the quality of a reflected image.
• Describe how shadows form and identify patterns between groups of materials and the shadows produced.
• Recall factors that affect the way a shadow appears, including what causes shadows to change throughout the day and factors that change the size of a shadow
• Describe the pattern of changing shadows throughout the day.
• Describe how the light source’s distance affects the shadow’s size.
• Explain why a particular material is appropriate to make a shadow puppet and use knowledge of shadows to animate it.
• Recall what information needs recording to decide the number of columns in a results table and suggest suitable headings for the results table.
• Record information in the correct columns.
• Identify if a question is testable, explain why and plan ways to answer a testable question.
• Identify and explain why something is an advantage or disadvantage of a method and suggest an improvement to the experiment.
• I can describe patterns in data and quote values as evidence of patterns in data.
• I can identify odd results that do not fit the pattern.
• I can use patterns to make predictions for missing data.v

 In computing this term we are learning about simulations, online safety week and coding. We use Purple Mash to help us learn about computing. You will find your login details in the back of your reading diary. https://www.purplemash.com/ 

Would you prefer to live in the Stone Age, Iron Age or Bronze Age? 

In our Spring 1 history topic we will learn to:

• Understand that prehistory was a long time ago.
• Accurately place AD and BC on a timeline.
• Identify conclusions that are certainties and possibilities based on archaeological evidence.
• Explain the limitations of archaeological evidence.
• Use artefacts to make deductions about the Amesbury Archer’s life.
• Identify gaps in their knowledge of the Bronze Age.
• Explain how bronze was better than stone and how it transformed farming.
• Explain how trade increased during the Iron Age and why coins were needed.
• Identify changes and continuities between the Neolithic and Iron Age periods.
• Explain which period they would prefer to have lived in, providing evidence for their choice.

Are all settlements the same?

In our Spring 2 geography topic we will learn to:

• Locate some cities in the UK.
• Describe the difference between villages, towns and cities.
• Identify features on an OS map using the legend.
• Describe the different types of land use.
• Follow a route on an OS map.
• Discuss reasons for the location of human and physical features.
• Locate some geographical regions in the UK.
• Identify and begin to offer explanations about changes to features in the local area.
• Describe the location of New Delhi.
• Identify some human and physical features in New Delhi.
• State some similarities and differences between land use and features in New Delhi and the local area.

In DT we are learning about structures - constructing a castle. We will learn to:

• Draw and label a simple castle that includes the most common features.
• Recognise that a castle is made up of multiple 3D shapes.
• Design a castle with key features which satisfy a given purpose.
• Score or cut along lines on the net of a 2D shape.
• Use glue to securely assemble geometric shapes.
• Utilise skills to build a complex structure from simple geometric shapes.
• Evaluate their work by answering simple questions.

In Art we are exploring sketching, using different materials, painting and cave paintings. 

In Music we will be exploring rhythmic patterns and exploring pentatonic scale this term. 

In PE this term we are learning the following, through our scheme Get Set for PE:

Swimming:

• This takes place every Wednesday, with Year 4, at Droitwich Leisure Centre, where we will learn a range of swimming strokes and water safety skills.

• 

Ball Skills:

• track, throw, catch, dribble, kick

Athletics:

• sprint, jump, push throw and pull throw

We follow the Worcestershire Agreed Syllabus for RE. 

Our two key questions this term are:

• How do festivals and worship show what matters to a Muslim?
• How do festivals and family life show what matters to Jewish people?

In PSHE we are learning about:

• What are families like?
• What makes a community?

Our French topic this term is 'Bon Appetit', where we will be exploring the following with Mme Pillion

• Learning pizza toppings
• Expressing what you would like on your pizza.
• Asking and answering which toppings you would like on your pizza.
• Listening to someone preparing a pizza.
• Creating your own pizza recipe following an example.
• Singing « Je suis une pizza ! 
• Reading the story Berthe fait une pizza.
• Talking and writing about what we eat and drink for breakfast.
• La Chandeleur : cultural understanding

LOTC 

Year 3 have learning outside the classroom for an hour every Tuesday afternoon. Children need to bring in dark jogging bottoms and wellies for these weekly sessions.  Please see our Outdoor Learning page for more information on LOTC

Pantomime - a gift from our PTA for the whole school.

Adopt a Chef - as part of the children's DT and PE curriculums, Mr Caldora will be in school each term to teach the children about healthy eating and how to prepare different meals. This term he is visiting on 23rd January.

A Circus Skills Workshop - another gift from out PTA for the whole school. 

It is expected that parents will support their child’s learning through nightly reading, times tables and practising spelling words. Creative tasks may be set at points during the year that children can complete to support class topics or other whole school themes e.g. arts week or science week.

Expectations for homework

• Reading: Children will receive a reading book from school, which they should read every day. It is also encouraged for them to read their own books at home too, to develop a love of reading and an experience of a range of genres. Please log all in reading in their diaries.
• Spellings: children  will receive weekly spellings. Please support your child in learning these.
• Times tables:  Children should be using the online platform Times table Rock Stars - https://ttrockstars.com/ regularly to practice these, so that they know all of their facts up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 4. At least three times a week (2, 5, 10, 3, 4, 8)
• Whole School Challenges: Throughout the year there are a range of special challenges e.g. make a bird feeders related to whole school initiatives. These tasks are optional and are in addition to homework set by class teachers.

Online Platforms (if you wish to do extra!)
Numbots - https://play.numbots.com/
Times table Rock Stars - https://ttrockstars.com/
Purple Mash - https://www.purplemash.com/