Our English learning this week has involved using the present perfect tense. We took sections of The Tortoise and the Hare story in the simple past and changed them into the present perfect. Take a look at our freeze frames that we used to develop our ideas for writing.

In Science we improved our knowledge about nutrients and developed our teamwork skills. In groups, the children looked at what nutrients give to our body and they then presented what they had learned.

On Tuesday the children met Corrado who will be coming into year 3 to teach the children Italian once a week. In Maths the children have worked hard on reinforcing their understanding of counting on in ones, tens, hundreds and back in ones, tens and hundreds. The children have played many games to assist them in their understanding.

In our history this week the children have looked at the structure of the Egyptian society and wrote about the role of the vizier, the chief treasurer and the general of armies who were the important officials who carried out the orders of the Pharaohs.

In art, the children looked at ‘exaggeration’ using the many pictures created by Quentin Blake as inspiration.  I was bowled away by their artistic skills in this task.

Well done to the children who took part in the Golf competition this week at the Furzefield.  They wore their medals with such pride.

Mr Gavin Nicola, our guitar teacher, also wanted to let all parents know that he has spaces available if your child is interested in taking up guitar as a musical instrument. He led a concert this week and the children listened attentively and took part with such enthusiasm. He has asked that if you are interested to get in touch with the school office and he would get back in touch with you.

Have a restful weekend.

Mrs Lines and Mrs McNamara

Home Learning

Spellings on spelling shed

Log onto Hit The Button [click on number bonds, then click on number bonds to 10, then number bonds to 20 and up to 100 if the children would like to challenge themselves!!].

Log onto Paint the Squares [Click on 1 – 120.  Go to Paint a Puzzle and try finding the missing numbers when you click on Lines, Crosses and then Patterns.  Try each one five times,  clicking new each time.]

Log onto Mathletics and complete the tasks set.

Fun, scary, exciting are some of the feelings of  Year 3’s first week back at school. This week in Year 3, the children have been working hard to get back into the mode of learning after a long summer break.

We started the week with a class act of worship in which the children wrote their feelings or hope for the academic year ahead.

This year at Pope Paul, we are going to be celebrating our Year of Diversity and the class have been learning that  Diversity means differences. In class discussions, the children have chatted about how people may be different in many ways, including race or ethnicity, age, disabilities, language, culture, appearance, or religion.

In Maths, the children have been looking at three digit numbers and exploring the relative size of whole numbers building upon concepts learnt so far in Key Stage One.  They have been be provided with a variety of opportunities to represent numbers in different ways using resources – pictorially, using language and symbols.  In RE the children have been looking at and discussing our school mission statement.

Our topic for English is Fables. We have been reading a variety of them and picking out what moral we learn from each one. The children have done a wonderful job at retelling these stories in groups and creating role plays with the characters.

The children have also been introduced to the Recorder and learnt how to play the ‘B’ note and I must say, they were quick to master this! They have each been given their own school recorder to play during these lessons.

This afternoon, the children were part of the celebrations for Ms Lawlor’s 25 years of service.  They celebrated mass with Fr Shaun. Sive and Joe C took up the offertory with reverence and Grace and Solomon shared their own thoughts about Ms Lawlor and how she has helped them since they have come to this school.  At the end of mass, the children received a refreshing ice lolly!

The children have been very good at remembering to bring in their water bottles and hats.  If a water bottle has been left at home, do not worry as we have fresh water jugs in the classroom for their use.

PE days are Wednesday and Friday this term.

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Mrs McNamara and Mrs Lines.

Home Learning:

This week, the children will be coming home with their passwords they used last year in Year 2.  Their reading logs will be handed out to them next week on their allocated reading day alongside the new usernames etc for Mathletics, TTRs (timestable rockstars), SPAG.com.

• Log onto Mathletics where some activities have been set and log onto TTRs to start to practise the times tables that have been set. Spellings for this week can be found on the sheet sent home and activities can be accessed on spelling shed.

It was wonderful to see so many Year 3 children singing, playing the piano or the violin in the Music Concert. Well done to D’hani, Sophia P, Isabella P, Leo S, Raphaella, Rose, Gabriella, Clodagh and Eloise.

In In PE, we played rounders. The children worked well in teams and learnt to follow the rules.

On Tuesday we had Design and Technology Day. We learnt about windmills and what they are used for. The children designed, made and evaluated a windmill that rotates when we put it near a fan. The children thought carefully about the amount and shape of the propellers. When the children tested their windmills, some did not work so they had to think about why and make changes until they did work.

On Wednesday, we went to Hatfield House. The excitement started with the train journey! The children were a credit to the school with their wonderful behaviour. First the children observed the leaves on different trees and matched them with pictures to identify the name of the tree. Then the children went on a plant hunt and identified different plants in the gardens. Next they found different mini beasts around the gardens and the grounds. After we had lunch and they got to play on the big field. We ended the day with the children sketching flowers in the gardens.

See PowerPoint of picture here  Year 3 Trip to Hatfield House

On Thursday, we had a journey around the school to our new class. It was lovely to walk through all the classes we have been in since joining Pope Paul School. The children were excited to go into Year 4 with Ms Varga for their transition day.

Siofra could not receive her Gold Award in assembly so Mrs Heymoz presented it to her in class. Well done!

Home Learning

Please read and practise timetables.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Carey