Year 3 Summer 2 Curriculum Information

As the final term of the year draws to a close, year 3 children will get to enjoy and read the wonderful book ‘Charlotte’s Web’. This classic children’s novel takes place on a farm and concerns a pig called Wilbur and his devoted friend Charlotte, the spider who manages to save his life by writing about him in her web. Children will love reading this humorous and charming novel as well as learning important life lessons. Charlotte and Wilbur’s friendship, despite their differences in nature, teaches tolerance and demonstrates responsibility.

 During this half-term we will also explore the quirky picture book ‘Wolves in the Walls’. This creative picture book features Lucy, a young girl who hears noises from behind the wall. She tries to warn her parents that there are wolves banging about but her parents don’t listen. When the wolves finally take over the house and Lucy and her family are evicted to live in the garden, her parents realise they should have listened! This is a brilliant, witty and inventive picture book that features cutting-edge art.

 Throughout the term we will use these books to explore important values such as relationships, teamwork and friendship. Through studying the animals and characters and their actions we will explore our school value ‘responsibility’.

As the book Charlotte’s Web features animals, children will explore their human like characteristics and emotions and feelings. This will link accordingly to our PSHE topic; Celebrating differences.

 In Geography this term children will have the opportunity to identify local farming areas and explore the human use of farming. Children will explore low land farming (commercial and arable) and will explore upland farming (forestry and sheep farming). Alongside this in History, children will explore industrial revolutionary farming and the history of farming in and around the Melton area.

In Design and Technology, children will have the opportunity to design and build a farming shelter that is versatile and suitable for specific animals. The children will also have the exciting opportunity to develop their artistic skills further and create a picture based on the animal artist; William Huggins.

 In Science this term, children will explore their topic Light further. We will look at; How are shadows formed? Light sources and different types of mirrors.

We have such a fun-filled term ahead of us and have many more things planned. Children will get the opportunity to enjoy a trip to Belvoir cricket, a music afternoon and sports day. We will also look forward to answering our big question, ‘What makes an animal?’. What an exciting term we have ahead of us!

Year3 Summer 1 Curriculum overview

This half term, our main, and history-focussed topic is The Vikings. We will be looking at how and why the Vikings invaded Britain, and all manner of Viking life - including food and houses, clothing and jewellery, and religion, This will allow us to consider if the Vikings were as vicious and blood-thirsty as history often portrays them, and help us answer our Big question for the half-term: “What were the Vikings really like?”, There could be clues in many places - for example, did they really wear horned helmets? We will also think about what it would have been like to travel across the ocean in a Viking longboat!

Our class book by Cressida Cowell will complement our learning on Vikings. There will also be chance to study narrative in English and comprehension by looking at a Viking myth or two.

There will links to Vikings in our English Writing work this half term too, as we create our own instructions for designing a catapult. 

In Art / DT, we will be designing our own Viking battle weapons and / or armoury – swords and shields! This will develop from work looking at traditional Viking emblems and motifs, as well as from thinking about Viking materials.  

Year 3 Spring 2 Curriculum Information

This half-term, Geography will continue to form the basis of our main topic, as we further develop our understanding of all things ‘rivers’. In physical geography, we will be looking at amazing rivers around the world and their journeys, as well as some of the dramatic landforms that rivers create over millions of years – home and abroad. Here, we will be building on some of our knowledge and vocabulary from last half-term. In human geography, we will be extending our thinking on how humans use water and rivers, considering why they are important to people through case studies on the Volga River in Russia and the Amazon River in South America.

In these lessons, as well as in our V.I.P.E.R.S. English comprehension, we will be thinking about the important world-issue of pollution. In-line with the school values of curiosity, compassion, and respect, and the importance of nurturing socially and environmentally responsible young people, we will look at the various ways in which rivers become polluted, contributing to the pollution of our oceans. It will prepare us for our Non-Fiction English writing unit where, guided in class, we will firstly be writing a newspaper report around pollution and its effect on a previously undiscovered sea creature. During independent writing sessions, each child will then use the processes and literary devices practiced and explored, to write an environmentally conscious newspaper report about a water-dwelling creature, independently.

Building on our work on rivers, river systems and flooding last half-term in all these ways will help move us closer to being able to answer our Big Question for the term - “What does a river see on its journey?”

Also adding to our rivers knowledge will be our Class Read for this half-term - Edwardian classic, The Wind In The Willows. This is as language-rich as The River Singers, though it is much lighter in heart, following the mischief of Toad, Rat and Mole on the riverbank where they live, and on their travels. The fabulous characterisation and scene-setting of this well-loved story has led to many vibrant visual interpretations on book covers and in film over the years and, in Art this half-term, we will be creating some of our own character illustrations from natural and found materials.

In Science, we will continue our exploration of the fascinating world or plants.

We will be covering work on rules, rights and responsibilities, as well as on seeing things from others’ perspectives, in some of our P.S.H.E. classes, continuing The Grove’s commitment to British Values. In the classroom in general, I will be looking to maximise opportunity for hands-on and social approaches - always beneficial to learning. Such approaches are also crucial in helping children develop some of the wider skills and empathies that allow them to become co-operative, responsible, and helpful members of society, and develop inclinations towards school values of teamwork, respect and acceptance. 

Year 3 Spring 1 Curriculum Information

Geography will form the basis of our main topic for the spring term, as we explore all things ‘rivers’! In the first half term, in physical geography, we will be identifying rivers of the UK in the context of the countries of, and the seas surrounding our isles. We will be looking to understand the “path” a river takes – from where and how it is formed, to where and how it finishes, inspired by our artistically and symbolically striking picture book, “The Rhythm of the Rain”, by Grahame Baker-Smith. Do all rivers take a path similar to that of the water Isaac pours from his jar into the stream at the top of the mountain?

Touching on the water cycle, we will also be looking at the journey of a rain drop from the sky, as it travels through the river system, finding out how it eventually ends up in our taps at home, ready for us to drink and wash with. Indeed, in human geography, we will think about settlements and how, historically, we have always made use of rivers - their water and other resources – to prosper as societies. We will also consider how we use rivers for leisure and look at the physics of lochs and damns.

Our English Writing and V.I.P.E.R.S. reading comprehension work will firstly explore flooding and its perils and impact on human lives, through both fiction and non-fiction texts. These classes will continue to be river-themed throughout the whole of the spring term, maximising opportunity to develop a rich tapestry of understanding on this fascinating subject, exploring the many facets of rivers, and from many angles. It will all help move us closer to being able to answer our Big Question - “What does a river see on its journey?” - comprehensively, thoughtfully, creatively and enthusiastically at the end of the spring term.

Our class read, ‘The River Singers’, will provide much food for thought on the ecology of river life, introducing us to many plants and animals, and ‘ways’ of nature as we follow a family of young voles on their journey along the riverbank. This book is packed with high-level language, emotional honesty, and vivid imagery.

Our science topic draws on some of the fascinations of ecology, as we delve into the amazing world of plants! Sparking our curiosity, initially - about how plants grow, use water and sunlight, and how / why they grow fruits – is the story of Anna and her apple tree. We will strive to answer all the above questions and more, learning about many of the magical things plants do to look after themselves and to repopulate, with some experiments along the way!

The river theme continues further into our artistic studies as we look at the work of Claude Monet and his capturing of water scenes in paint. We will be using mixed media to create our own atmospheric river scenes.

Year 3 Autumn 2 Curriculum Information

At the start of the Autumn term we will be ‘unearthing past civilizations’ in our second topic about the ancient Maya. We will be reading a mouthwatering tale called ‘The Great Chocoplot’ by Chris Callaghan. Eleven-year-old Jelly and he gran are compelled to try and investigate the intriguing mystery of what has happened to world’s supply of chocolate.

As we discuss this story, we will explore our school value of ‘perseverance’ and the importance of having positive family relationships and friendships.

As this book involves an ‘ancient prophecy’ about chocolate, in History we will be discovering the development of ancient Mayan civilization and culture, which involved drinking hot chocolate, and compare this with our own culture and civilization. In Design and Technology, the children will have the opportunity to design and build a Mayan temple and in Art we will create Mayan masks and murals.

We will also the book write a newspaper report about inspired by story of the lucky golden ticket winners in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ by Roald Dahl. We also write our own ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory inspired story.

Throughout our learning in this topic, we will be answering our Big Question which is: Was there more to the ancient Maya than just chocolate? To help us answer this we will be investigating the development of the culture and civilization of the ancient Maya and comparing it with our own. We will also be considering the importance of developing a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Year 3/4 Autumn Curriculum Information

At the start of the Autumn term we will be ‘initiating our boot up sequences’ on a journey to explore our first topic all about Robots. We will be reading an exciting book called ‘The Wild Robot’ by Peter Brown. It is a charming journey of discovery through the wilderness that sends Roz the robot crashing onto the rocky shores of an island she was not designed for. After rebuilding herself, Roz manages to build a life for herself upon the island, learning to live in harmony with the creatures she meets along the way.

As we explore the book, we will engage in thought and discussion about the key themes highlighted in the story including acceptance of others, building friendships and family relationships, mutual respect and everyone being different. As we discuss these themes, we will explore our school value of ‘acceptance’ and we will learn about the importance of treating everybody equally and fairly.

As the book is centred around the theme of Robots and nature, in History we will build our sense of chronology (order in time) while discovering the key advances in technology, including automata and robots. In Design and Technology, the children will have the opportunity to design and build a Robot of the future and in Art we will create our own robot paintings inspired by the work of American artist Eric Joyner.

We will further be inspired by the book ‘The Iron Man’ by Ted Hughes to learn about forces and magnets as well as investigating light and shadow. We will also be creating an alternative ending to ‘The Iron Man’ with the children developing their creative language choices through an interesting outdoors activity. In addition, the picture book ‘The Tin Forest’ will be used to inspire the creation of a non-fiction instructional text – How to build a robot dog. The children will then need to persuade people what makes their robot dog a ‘must have of the future’. The children will create acrostic poems inspire by their robot creations.

Throughout our learning in this topic, we will be answering our Big Question which is: How could robots influence our future? To help us answer this we will be investigating how automata and robots have developed from the ancient world through to the modern day. We will also develop an awareness of electrical safety and Turtle Logo programming.

We have many more exciting opportunities planned this half-term, which we cannot wait to share with you!