Poplar

Welcome to the Poplar Class page!

Teachers: Miss Henderson

Year 3 Teaching Assistants: Mrs Deverill and Miss Passmore

We are a Year 3 class at St James Church School.

Welcome and thank you for visiting our class page. 

Our Learning Expedition this term is 'Time Team'. Prepare to hear about our adventures in the make-believe T.A.R.D.I.S to investigate clues about life in the past. You can find more information about the curriculum coverage on the spring term Curriculum Learning Map below. The door is always open so if there is a problem, a question or a query, please don't hesitate to come and talk to one of the year 3 team.

P.E and Swimming

This half term (February - Easter half term) Poplar class have P.E every other Wednesday  (starting on 4th March) and swimming every Friday afternoon. Please remember to bring the correct clothing for these days. P.E kit can remain in school on your peg.

For swimming each child will need to bring a swimming costume/trunks, a towel and a swimming hat. Goggles are optional.

Please wear long hair tied up or make sure you have packed a hairband/bobble to help tuck it under swimming hats. Due to the pool rules, your child will not be able to swim without a hat. 

We desperately want every child to enjoy swimming each week so please do speak to us about any problems with swimming kit in advance.

Dates to remember this term:

Monday 24th February - First day back after the half term break

Tuesday 25th February - Museum Trip

Thursday 5th March - World Book Day and Vocabulary Parade

Tuesday 31st March - Easter service at St James' Church

Wednesday 1st April - Bible story performance

Times tables 

Times tables are an essential part of every child's learning.  From this academic year, the Government have now introduced a times table check at the end of year 4. The Year 3 curriculum includes to recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables.

Times tables are practised daily in school and are tested on a Friday. The children receive a special certificate when they pass each level.

Any practice at home will really help to develop these maths skills and speed. There are many websites and apps to support learning in this area. Each child now has their own login details for Times Table Rockstar which is an interactive game that helps children with their times table recall. Login details are written inside the cover of their home learning book.

There will be various competitions in school to motivate the children.

Homework

Homework each week will comprise of reading, practising of times tables and spellings.  All homework needs to be completed and handed in each Friday to be check and to have new homework stuck in.

Please pop in to see me if you need any support with homework as it is an important part of your child's learning.

Reading

In Key Stage 2 all pupils have access to Accelerated Reader. When a child has read their book (ideally more than once to develop their understanding) and it has been recorded in their home learning book, they are able to have a go at an Accelerated Reader quiz. They access this on an iPad in school time and have to answer a selection of multiple choice questions. The percentage that they get correct shows their understanding and contributes to the average class percentage.

Each child is set a termly points target on Accelerated Reader and they earn points each time they pass a quiz at school.  

Any support that can be given at home with reading is incredibly beneficial - reading together daily, discussing new vocabulary as well as making trips to the library all help. For those children that meet their reading target and complete all homework, a reading reward will take place at the end of the term.  

 Spellings 

The children learn a new spelling pattern each week and practise the bronze award spellings. Children are tested on their spelling patterns each week but our focus is on learning the rule and understanding the patterns. New spellings will go home on a Friday and will be tested the following Friday. Children will be tested on their bronze spellings each half term and will be awarded a special certificate if they get them all correct.

Please view our Curriculum Map below, which outlines our learning in each subject area for this term. 

 Poplar class have been experimenting with colour gradients and oil pastel resist techniques.

The children have discovered that oil pastels will repel watercolour paint and retain its original colour - perfect to capture the silhouette of Stonehenge against a sunset sky. 

First we collected soil and mixed it with sand, chalk and a plant based butter (as a substitute for animal fat after hunting) to create our own Stone Age paint. 

We found sticks and branches to use as painting tools.

Charcoal was used to sketch outlines of Stone Age animals and then colour was added with our batural paint. 

How you can help your child:

• Encourage mental maths skills such as adding and subtracting differing amounts.

• Rehearse times table facts and related division facts.

  (eg 3 x 9 = 27 so 27 ÷ 3 = 9)

• Practise telling the time with your child, using both an analogue and a digital clock.

• Talk about the books they are reading: What was their favourite bit? Did they have a favourite character? What do they think will happen next and why? Lots of discussion helps develop children’s language and understanding of the text.

If you have any questions or queries, you are very welcome to come in and talk to us.