Cale Green Primary School

Year 3– Miss Falconer

Theme 3 Overview

Welcome to our Year 3theme overview. Here you will find a guide to our new and exciting theme, details of what the children will be learning and useful links to extend learning at home.

The ‘Groovy Greeks’

In this theme, we will learn about what life was like in Ancient Greece thousands of years ago. Children will be using their skills in English, Maths and Computing to go back in time and discover the impact that Ancient Greek achievements have had on the world today. This will include studying the history of the Olympic games and designing and making our own Olympic torch!

English Link up

Speaking and Listening

  • Hot-seating characters from texts
  • Using drama to depict scenes from texts
  • Presenting work and ideas clearly to the class
  • Interviewing different characters
  • Debating for and against an argument within a text

Reading

Using Greek mythology as well as a range of different texts, we will:

  • Complete a written comprehension activity on a different Greek myth each week
  • Discuss themes and conventions in texts
  • Discuss opinions on themes and events in the text
  • Use inference skills to understand events / characters’ actions / feelings
  • Retrieve information when a text is read aloud to the class

Writing

  • Explore the structure, vocabulary, grammar and content of texts including Greek myths
  • Describe characters and settings
  • Planand write a myth
  • Improve and edit our own writing

Maths Link up

Key aspects of Maths will include:

Multiplication and Division

  • Times tables and division facts for x3, x4 and x8
  • Solve multiplication and division problems including missing number problems
  • Multiply and divide two-digit number by a single digit
  • Add and subtract amount of money to give change
  • Interpret and present data using a range of graph types

History

Using artefacts, websites and non-fiction books and rich texts, we will learn about how ancient Greek inventions have had an impact on our lives today. As well as finding out about these inventions, we will be comparing them and prioritising them in order of which we feel have had the biggest impact on the way that the world works today.

Geography

We will be locating Greece, its capital city and surrounding countries in an atlas, on a globe and on ‘Google Maps’. We will also write about the similarities and differences between human geographical features and physical features in Athens compared to those in Stockport.

Design and Technology (D.T) and Science

Applying our learning in Science, we will plan, design and make our own Greek, Olympic torch including making our own switch device. We will also evaluate our working torches to find out what worked well and what we could improve next time.

Physical Education (P.E.)

During this theme, we will be having swimming lessons at Grand Central swimming baths every Tuesday. This is taught by a qualified swimming instructor, alongside Miss Falconer.

Girls will need a swimming costume, towel and a swimming cap. All jewellery must be removed before the lesson. Boys will need swimming trunks (not shorts) and a towel.

We will also be developing our skills in gymnastics on Tuesday mornings.

Children need the correct P.E kit (labelled with their name). This include a white t-shirt and black shorts or leggings.

Homework

Homework is set on Mondays and should be returned on Friday. There is a lunchtime homework club every day for all children should they need it. Children who do not bring their homework in will complete it at playtime / lunchtime.

Reading

Children in Year 3 are expected to read aloud to an adult 4-5 times a week with parents completing their reading record. This is an essential part of the homework that we set in Year 3 as we know that children who read regularly at home make more accelerated progress!

Spellings

Please remember to encourage your child to use this strategy for learning spellings:

Look at the word

Cover it up

Write the word

Check to see if it is correct

Children should learn what each word means and how to use it in a sentence.

Maths Homework

Each week, there will be a Maths activity linked to the work children are doing in class. We also encourage children to focus on their rapid recall of number facts that will help them in their day-to-day Maths work and their times tables test every Friday. By the end of Year 3, each child must know their x3, x4 and x8 times tables and divides. However, please note that it is expected that every child will know all of their times tables up to 12 x 12 by the end of Year 4. Let’s see how many completed charts we can get in Year 3!

Topic

There may also be a task set related to our Ancient Greece theme to enhance children’s learning of this topic.

The websites below may be useful in supporting your child’s learning and understanding of Ancient Greece:

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me on the playground after school.

Miss E. Falconer