Welcome to Year 3 - Birch

Miss Edizer

Learning Update

This week, children finished working on their Literacy book, Flotsam. They explored the main events of the story and created their own characters, writing a beginning, middle, and end to a narrative following a similar structure. They focused on adding adjectives to describe their characters, as well as describing a strange underwater scene.

Some example sentences include:
"In one photo, she saw a large, mottled crab with orange pincers line-dancing under a sea of waves. In another, she saw a lobster as red as blood, with an underwater microphone, performing in front of a crowd of adoring cuttlefish."

Next, we will be moving on to the book Jim: A Cautionary Tale, where we will explore the key features of poetry, including rhyming couplets. We will also develop an understanding of what a “cautionary tale” is and how we can learn lessons from stories like this one.

In Maths, we have been learning about time, focusing on how to read different times and what they mean (e.g. quarter past = 15 minutes past). We have also been learning key facts, such as:

• There are 60 seconds in 1 minute and 60 minutes in 1 hour
• There are 12 months in a year
• There are 365 days in a year, or 366 in a leap year (which occurs every four years)

Next, children will use these facts to solve mathematical problems, such as: “If 1 day has 24 hours, how many hours are in 3 days?” Children will solve this by calculating 24 × 3, using place value knowledge and exchanging where needed in order to reach an accurate total.

In DT, we investigated the key features of greenhouses and discovered that they have strong structures with transparent panels, which help plants grow by maintaining specific temperatures and protecting them from weather and animals. We made our own greenhouse structures using wooden sticks and glue, then added different transparent materials for the outer panels. Children thoroughly enjoyed this activity and produced excellent outcomes.

Next, in Art, we will begin a topic called Beautiful Botanicals, where we will explore how plants and nature can be used within artwork.

In History, children have continued their learning about the Roman Empire, including Boudicca’s revolt and key Roman cities established during this time. This learning was enhanced by our school trip to the Verulamium Museum in St Albans, where children explored a range of Roman artefacts, viewed large-scale mosaics, and took part in a market workshop. During the workshop, they explored different foods and objects that Romans may have used and traded. They also developed a deeper understanding of the Roman city of Verulamium, now modern-day St Albans.

In PE, children are looking forward to beginning Athletics as they prepare for Sports Day in the coming weeks. They will have the opportunity to practise a range of races and activities.

Summer Term 2025

Links to Summer Term learning are in the process of being uploaded.