Grade 3

Hello everyone! As we near the end of the term, students have been busy completing assessments to support report writing and celebrate their achievements. We’ve enjoyed swimming lessons each Friday, an exciting incursion from the Na Djinang Circus group, and a trip to COPACC to see the Imagine performance, based on Alison Lester’s text. We also commemorated Reconciliation Week and National Simultaneous Storytime by reading The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel. The Indonesian lunch was a highlight, and we’re looking forward to the Hot Dog lunch in Week 11.

In Literacy, we’ve been revising previously learnt sounds and spelling patterns to keep them fresh. We’ve explored four-syllable words, linking this to our Inquiry focus and other learning areas. Our word study has centred on the suffixes -en, -ed, and -able, with students enjoying the discovery of how these endings change word meanings. They have worked hard analysing Yirra and Her Deadly Dog, Demon by Anita Heiss and are about to finish the text before moving on to Finding Our Heart by Thomas Mayo. Students have also learned how to research and structure information texts, successfully typing their first factual recount on the history of the Aboriginal flag. Weekly library visits continue, and students are excited to soon begin borrowing books.

In Numeracy, we’ve explored right angles and the components of angles. Students practised identifying and describing angles by searching around the classroom and playground. We then turned our focus to time—estimating duration and planning a sports day by allocating time for different activities. They also participated in mini time trials, learning to use stopwatches and trying to improve their times. Additionally, we’ve been working with five- and six-digit numbers, learning to expand them using both standard and non-standard forms. Next, we’ll explore money, investigating how different coin combinations can make the same amount.

Our Term 2 Inquiry topic is Australia and the Southern Hemisphere. Students have completed projects on the states and territories and learned about the hemispheres. We are now beginning to explore Australia’s neighbouring countries. Each student will research one neighbouring country and complete a project comparing and contrasting it with Australia. This has been a highly engaging unit, and students have gained a deeper understanding of their country and its place in the world.

Pivot surveys have now been completed  with for the term, with overall positive results. In our Respectful Relationships lessons, we are currently focusing on problem-solving in social situations.

It’s been a very busy and successful term! We hope to see many parents at the Learning Showcase in Week 11.

- Miss Riseley