North Melbourne Primary School

Year Three Teaching Team

Year 3 Overview

The Year 3 team welcomes our new students to their first year in the senior school. We are so excited for the amazing year ahead! We have high expectations for all our students and will strive to create a safe and supportive environment for them to grow and learn. Below is an overview of what the year will entail for our Year 3 students.

Literacy

Reading

In Reading in Year Three, we will spend time exploring a range of texts to improve students’ ability to decode words, make meaning from and comprehend what they have read, and develop reading stamina and focus. We will work on skills such as making predictions and connections, inferring, analysing and synthesizing information. Each lesson will focus on a particular aspect of reading, including dedicated word-study sessions each week. Through a guided reading approach, students will discuss their observations, thoughts and opinions on a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts in small groups, as well as spend time reading independently.

Writing

In Year Three, students will be thinking like authors as they move through the writing process, which includes generating ideas, planning, drafting, editing/revising and publishing. In Year Three, we will engage in Writer’s Workshops which explore new skills and strategies that enable students to become skilled in writing a wide variety of texts. A selection of pieces will be published by each student each term, which will be displayed in a ‘Writer’s Gift’ folder for all students to share and enjoy. Word Study will be meaningfully embedded as part of the Writing program to assist students with their writing development.

Speaking & Listening

Students will have regular opportunities in all curriculum areas to share their learning and listen to others. They will be encouraged to collaborate to develop social skills and develop their understanding of specific and appropriate vocabulary to build their content knowledge. We will provide opportunities for students to share their research with peers and work in collaborative learning groups. They will plan and deliver short presentations providing critical details in a logical sequence and using appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume.

Maths

In Year 3 Maths, students will explore a range of topics and develop their understanding of various mathematical concepts. Students will engage in a variety of challenging tasks which build on their fluency, problem-solving, and reasoning skills. Year 3s will explore activities involving Number & Algebra, Measurement & Space and Statistics & Probability. We promote a growth mindset across the curriculum, which in maths encourages students to challenge themselves and engage in “productive struggle”.

Wellbeing

During our Wellbeing lessons, students will be learning about appropriate and respectful choices through our SWPBS matrix with a focus on our school values of RISE. We currently run the Respectful Relationships, Rights and Resilience Wellbeing program at NMPS which supports students’ development of social, emotional and positive relationship skills. These Wellbeing sessions will also include lessons responsive to the immediate needs of the Year 3 cohort.

Technology

Students will use educational iPad applications to support and enrich their classroom learning this year. Some apps we will use include Times Table Rockstars, Epic, Book Creator, SeeSaw, ReadWorks, Sketches and Keynote. Students will use iPads to research topics, represent their learning, and strengthen IT skills. It is very important that students abide by the iPad agreement, which will be sent to families on Compass early in Term 1.

Humanities (Geography, History, Civics & Citizenship, Design Technology)

The Year 3s will focus on a variety of other learning areas throughout the year, which will be purposefully embedded into our literacy programme. Students will explore Geography, where they learn about the population, landmarks and governments of Australia and its neighbouring countries. They will explore Civics and Citizenship, including the origins of democracy. Year 3 students will also explore the history of Australia, including the impact of European settlement on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Specialists

The specialist subjects students will take part in this year will be:

• Cooking
• Science
• Auslan
• Performing Arts
• Physical Education
• Art

Home learning

Year 3 students are expected to read for 20 minutes per night to improve their reading ability and, in turn, their writing acquisition. Teachers will provide additional number fluency activities throughout the year based on student need. There will be times when explicit home learning tasks are set, and students will be expected to complete these activities. 

To support your child’s learning at home, here are some things you can do:

• Encourage reading every night – including short periods of read-aloud. We cannot stress how important reading every day is. A student who reads less than a minute per day outside of school reads only 8,000 to 21,000 words per year. However, a student reading 20 minutes daily outside of school reads almost 2 million words yearly!
• Use real-life opportunities such as shopping and cooking to discuss money, addition and other mathematical concepts.
• Write at home – it can be about anything. The more short pieces your child can write, the better writer they will become.
• Encourage acts of kindness. This could be anything from using manners to writing a card to a grandparent.

Other notable events for Year Threes this year include NAPLAN and Year Three camp. NAPLAN will occur in Term One and Year Three Camp in Term Four. More information on these events will be provided closer to the time.

Kind regards,

Lizzie, Ahmed, Hannah, Ailis, Esther & Jen