Grade 3/4

It’s very hard to believe we are already into the last term of the year! Our students have settled back into their classroom routines well and are looking forward to another busy and exciting term ahead. We finished Term 3 with a range of special events, including R U OK? Day. Students and staff wore splashes of yellow and enjoyed a BBQ and music at lunchtime, giving our school community an opportunity to come together, connect and remind each other of the importance of checking in on those around us. We also enjoyed the JSC Neon Disco! It was a fabulous night full of brightly coloured outfits, pumping music and some very impressive dance moves. On the last day of Term 3, we celebrated Footy/Sports Colours Day. It was wonderful to see so many different sports and teams represented. A big thank you to our JSC team and the staff who helped organise and support these events.

In English, we have continued to explore etymology, with students enjoying researching the history and origins of words, discovering how their meanings have changed over time and uncovering some of the humorous stories behind how words came to be. We have begun our new text-based novel, Uncle Xbox by Jared Thomas, exploring Australia’s First Nations perspectives and themes of family, friendship, belonging and embracing new experiences. Students have also examined the author’s use of dialogue and how language reflects the characters’ personalities, relationships and cultural backgrounds.

In Maths, we have continued to strengthen number fluency through a range of activities that support mental maths strategies. Our focus for the first few weeks of term has been on problem-solving using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Students have been learning to identify the most appropriate operation to solve problems and use their understanding of the relationship between operations to find missing values. We will continue to build on these skills as students apply their mathematical knowledge to increasingly challenging problems.

Our Inquiry focus this term is democracy, with students exploring what it means to live in a democratic society and how decisions can be made fairly. We have been investigating different ways groups make decisions, including voting, reaching a consensus and seeking the opinions of others. We have also started preparations for our upcoming Talent Quest and Market Day, with students deciding on stalls while considering factors such as cost, potential profit, availability of resources and practicality. Our students have been thinking carefully about what makes a successful stall and have come up with some very creative ideas. We can’t wait to see these ideas come to life!

In Respectful Relationships, our focus has been on gender norms and stereotypes. Through class discussions and activities, students have been exploring how stereotypes can influence our expectations of others and developing an understanding that everyone has their own unique interests, strengths and abilities, regardless of gender.

There is still plenty happening before the end of the year! We are very excited for our upcoming Talent Quest and Market Day, which are always wonderful opportunities for students to showcase their talents, creativity and hard work. STOMP sessions will also begin in November, giving us the chance to show off our dance skills at the end-of-year concert. Thank you to all our families for your continued support. We are looking forward to a fantastic end to the year filled with plenty of learning, fun and memorable experiences in Grade 3/4!

- Mrs Welsh & Mr Burrell