Geckos - Mrs Taylor
Welcome to Gecko Class!
Gecko class is taught by Mrs Taylor and will also be supported by Mrs Fryer.
We have been working hard to create an exciting and interesting curriculum for this year which will engage and motivate you in your learning! You can find an overview of our topics across the year in the document below. Make sure that you check this page regularly as it will be frequently updated with new information and dates.
Year 3 Curriculum Overviews
Our topic this half term is ....
We are very excited to welcome the children back to school, for what promises to be a fun-packed and very full term!
Spring term: ‘Romans on the Rampage’.
English – In English we will be using the short film ‘Once in a lifetime’ and developing our descriptive writing techniques.
We will also be exploring the text ‘Escape From Pompeii’ by Christina Balit. This text is set in the days of the Roman Empire and tells the story of a young boy and girl who witness the terrifying eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of the city of Pompeii.
Reading – In our reading workshop lessons we will be using VIPERS. This is a scheme designed to support the children in discussion and understanding of the books they have read.
We will also be using A.P.E to form our answers to questions – Answer it, Prove it, Explain it. This involves using sentence stems to give an answer, find evidence to support it and explain what this means.
Maths – In math’s we follow the White Rose scheme of work. This half term we will focus on:
-Multiplication and Division
- Multiplying and dividing by 3, 4 and 8
- Multiplying a 2-digit number by a 1-digit number
- Dividing a 2-digit number by a 1 digit number
- Linking multiplication and division
- Division with remainders
We will also be practising our recall of the times tables in class. We encourage your child to use Times Tables Rockstars at home to continue to support their progress. A weekly TTRS competition will take place between Gecko class and Sugar Glider class with weekly rewards to encourage and support your child's efforts.
History - .Our history topic this half term is ‘Romans on the Rampage.’ Within this unit we will be understanding why the Romans settled in Britain, why the Romans invaded Britain and the reaction of the Celts. We will also learn how the Romans changed life in Britain.
Science - Our science topics this half term are Fossils and Soils. We will explore fossils and understand how they are formed.
French – Our unit this term is ‘Mon Corps’. We will be developing our skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening in French through learning to identify and describe body parts and character descriptions.
To support learning French at home, we recommend the app 'Duolingo'.
PE – PE for Geckos is on Fridays. Please ensure your child comes to school in their PE kit. Long hair should be tied up and earrings should be removed.
We hope this gives you a little taster of all the wonderful learning opportunities on offer for the children in Gecko class this term. We are always happy to discuss the curriculum, the children's learning and any aspects of their health, happiness and well-being - just speak to us on the playground or message us on the class email.
Keep up the hard work!
Useful information:
Reading: There will be an expectation that reading is done regularly at home, this can be with an adult or independently. This will be checked and encouraged at school and regular readers will be rewarded! Reading for at least 10 minutes a day, or at least four times a week, this has a huge effect on the child's fluency and confidence in reading. Regular reading also supports the development of children's vocabulary and their comprehension.
Homework: There will be weekly spelling sent home in each child's homework book to practise at home. There will also be a weekly maths homework sent home each Friday. These tasks will support and embed the learning that has been going on in class.
Personal belongings, clothing and water bottles: Please ensure that all children's belongings are clearly named/labelled so any misplaced items can be returned to your child. This helps us to encourage the children to be responsible and independent in looking after their own belongings.
Handy Links to support your child's learning at home
BBC Bitesize is an invaluable resource, with lots of support for parents;
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbxby9q
The BookTrust are experts in children's reading and can help with all your queries;
https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/tips-and-advice/reading-tips/
Oxford Owl is a wonderful source of information on children's learning across the curriculum. On this website you can find information, help and resources on reading, phonics, writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar, as well as Maths.
Ideas for parents for supporting their children with Maths is available from the charity National Numeracy;
