Happy holidays! (21-7-22)

I would like to wish everyone in 3H a wonderful Summer break. Please relax, have fun and be kind to one another.

I have loved having you as a class this year. You've made every day joyful and I know you will continue to do so in Year 4.

Thank you, and goodbye from Year 3!

Mrs Hewitt

Sports Day! (12-7-22)

3H did an amazing job during Sports Day today. They tried really hard and supported one another throughout the events.

Congratulations to Pine, who won the trophy for the most points.

Kings Norton Green field trip (5-7-22)

What an amazing trip we had to Kings Norton Green. We've been studying many aspects of Kings Norton's past and the geography of the place, so it was nice to finally get there and take some measurements / get a sense of the place. 

Geography: Why should people visit Kings Norton? (27-6-22)

3H designed posters to encourage people to visit Kings Norton. It's such a special locality and it is important to feel pride for our school's area.

Geography: what is housing like in Kings Norton? (20-6-22)

3H did some observational drawing today. We headed out of the classroom armed with clipboards and sketched a house next to school. Beforehand, we had talked about residential choices in our suburb - flats, semi-detached houses, cottages and boat houses, to name but a few. We watched a video of a drone flying over the area and noticed gardens, sheds, roads and different kinds of homes.  

A busy week for 3H! (16-6-22)

In DT, we experimented with scoring and folding. In Maths, we've been making 3-D shapes. In Reading, we've been re-designing book covers for the story we have read in class ('The boy who grew dragons'). In Music, Mrs Weston joined us to learn a Charanga glockenspiel song! I think we've earned a little rest!

DT and PSHE in 3H this week (9-6-22)

In Design Technology, we have started to investigate shell structures with the aim of eventually designing and constructing food packaging. In Jigsaw (PSHE), we have started a unit called 'Changing Me'. This week's piece was all about how baby animals change to become adult ones. We played a matching pairs game to open up the discussion about the changes we notice from childhood to adulthood. Then we applied it to human babies and the stages of life. We noted that a parent's role is to care for and nurture a baby.

History in Kings Norton (23-5-22)

Take a look at what 3H has been doing in History today! We found out about how industrialisation changed Kings Norton, looking at the 1st edition OS Map of the area and some photos of the Canal Toll House / Kings Norton railway station. We also discovered that the creator of 'Thomas the Tank Engine' had been inspired by the sound of trains puffing past his window on the Kings Norton line.

Platinum Jubilee Art (17-5-22)

3H created some artwork in honour of the Queen's Jubliee Celebration.

Why do we have a skeleton? (9-5-22)

We made giant posters today of the human skeleton and labelled the bones in it. We know we need a skeleton to keep the shape of our body, give us support and to help us move.

Winners at the multi skills sports event! (3-5-22)

3H did amazingly well in events this afternoon at Billesley Indoor Tennis Centre. They all won gold medals and took home certificates. 

Welcome back, 3H! (25-4-22)

We've jumped right into the new term with our new book, 'The Boy who Grew Dragons' and Maths money work. We also had a few children talk about their activities over the holidays, which was super!

Happy Easter, 3H! (9-4-22)

I hope you have a wonderful Easter break and I shall see you after the holiday on Monday 25th April at 8.30am.

Enjoy your time away - I'm looking forward to getting back to school to read all about dragons...

Mrs Hewitt

Cooking and Nutrition - our final products! (28-3-22)

Year 3 made their healthy sandwiches in Design & Technology this week. We had planned healthy sandwiches based on the Eatwell Plate and children's own taste preferences, then made and evaluated how successful we were against the design criteria. Well done, Year 3!

Romeo and Juliet - in the hot seat! (23-3-22)

We did some drama today for Shakespeare Week. We put the characters, Romeo and Juliet, in the hot seat and asked them plenty of questions about their thoughts and feelings.

British Science Week: 'Growth' (16-3-22)

We started off two investigations today, linked to the idea of growth. 

1. Which class can grow the tallest sunflower? (fun competition)

2. Can you grow a bigger plant if you use a bigger pot? (changing one variable: the size of the pot)

We will take measurements and record our observations as the days pass, well into the Summer term.

Design & Technology (9-3-22)

Year 3 sampled different nutritious fillings in DT. We're looking to design a healthy sandwich - a product that is appealing, tasty and fresh! We've talked about safety in cooking lessons and started to think about the fillings we will choose for our sandwiches.

World Book Day (3-3-22)

We've been enjoying seeing the costumes that children in 3H have worn for World Book Day today! Well done to everyone for celebrating the joy of reading. 

14th February (14-2-22)

Happy Valentine's Day. In Geography, we recounted our fieldwork. We included information about the measurements that we took, the places we visited and what kind of tasks we completed at the River Rea. In English, we performed a poem called 'The River's Journey'.

River Rea field trip (9-2-22)

Well, the weather was kind to us and we managed to get down to see the River Rea this morning! We took some measurements, photographs and walked miles!

What is the course of the River Rea? (31-1-22)

We followed Google Earth maps to trace the course of the River Rea through Birmingham, until it meets another river and becomes the River Tame. Then, we researched the River Rea and recorded facts about it in different parts of Birmingham.

Following Instructions (31-1-22)

As a launch into our unit of work about instructions, we read and followed some instructions to make toilet roll monsters! 3H got really creative in adding plenty of extras, such as horns, dragon wings, curly hair and sparkly pom-poms!

Professor McGinty (27-1-22)

We had a visit from Professor McGinty today! He taught children some funny, gory things about the Ancient Egyptians. There was laughter throughout and he has given children a great head start for their learning on Ancient Egypt after half term.

Computing and Music in 3H (20-1-22)

Today, we started working with Bee-Bots! What fun it was to programme little robotic cars to go forwards, backwards and turn. We set up obstacle courses to drive around table legs and such like. In Music, we're learning to play tunes on glockenspiels. We're following notation and letter names so far! Children were performing to one another in groups by the end of the lesson.

What is a river and what does it do? (10-1-22)

In Geography, we are now learning about rivers. What are the parts of rivers called? Where does the water come from? Where do they lead? Can you own a river? What wildlife lives on or near a river? What is flooding?

Today, we begun by looking at the water cycle to find out that water is in a continuous cycle. Then, we labelled the parts of a river and planned a model to show a river's features.

Welcome to 2022!

It was lovely to see 3H back at school today and to catch up with our news after the holidays.

In Science, we continued investigating the layers of soil and how it is formed. We mixed a sample of soil with water and watched how layers of soil form. In Maths, we've started with Multiplication and checking our knowledge of 'equal groups of'. In English, we are starting the Iron Man, by Ted Hughes.

A brilliant week all round, especially the last 2 days. I wanted to say on behalf of myself and Mrs Hewitt, a very Merry Christmas to you all. May your rest be well deserved and the time with family and friends priceless.

Hope you all stay safe and well

 I shall be seeing you in 2022! 

Kind regards

Mr Barton

MUD AND DIRT!!!! (6-12-21)

Well, to be more scientifically precise, 'soil'! We observed and felt the texture of soil samples today in Science. We used magnifying glasses to see particles of rock, decaying leaf matter and a few unexpected living creatures, too! Who knew there were different types of soil? Now we do!

Moving Monsters (2-12-21)

Our moving monsters looked wonderful and you could tell that children had tried very hard not only to build their own pneumatic system, but also to create imaginative monster bodies to help hide the inner workings Well done, everyone!

Busy, busy, busy! (25-11-21)

3H has been making moving monsters this week! We're just letting the paint dry and then making final touches to our monsters. Each one has a pneumatic system inside, which makes a part of the monster move,

We've also been 'growing' our vocabulary this week. Each new word is added to our tree and we try to use it in lots of different contexts.

In Science, we're testing rocks to discover their properties. This week, we're interested in whether rocks are hard or waterproof.

Thank you! (18-11-21)

Thank you to all the parents who have joined me (or will be joining me tonight) on Zoom this week for parents' evening. It has been great to speak with you about your children's progress. 3H is making moving monsters next week. Please have a look through your recycling and send in any small, clean, empty carboard boxes or tubes for children to use in their monster designs on Monday. Thanks!

Kids! Children in Need is tomorrow, so wear something that makes you happy for an online £1 donation.

Designing a moving monster (9-11-21)

3H designed their moving monsters today! We've thought about who our monster will be for, how we will make a part of it move using a pneumatic system (e.g. for a biting mouth or extending eyes), what materials we'll need and how we'll put it all together. Here are our designs...

Pneumatic systems, the Bronze Age and adding numbers - a busy week in 3H! (4-11-21)

3H discovered what a simple pneumatic system is and had a go at connecting a syringe to tubing and a balloon. We exerted force to push air into the balloon.

We've also been up and around the room investigating pictures of artefacts from the Bronze Age. It was fun asking 'what could this be?' and 'what does it do?' of all the artefacts!

In Maths, we're working out some addition and subtraction questions using exchanging and regrouping in a written column method.

A splendid week in Year 3! (21-10-21)

Happy end to the half term, Year 3! This week, we had African dancing and have been collecting food for the harvest. Well done!

You've also really impressed me with the amount of homework that you have completed. I ran out of star stickers, so I shall be heading out to buy some more! It's a teacher day on Friday 22nd October, so I will see you after the half term holiday.

Heavenly Homework! (13-10-21)

There's still time to hand in your Autumn 1 homework and collect some homework stars for the chart! Take a look at just a few of the things children in 3C have been up to in their spare time...

Geography: Bodies of water in the UK (7-10-21)

3H explored a map of the UK and located different kinds of bodies of water (including some significant lakes and reservoirs).

Here they are at work:

Farmer Baines tells us about Harvest! (30-9-21)

We had an online Zoom call from Farmer Baines today. He lives in Norfolk and he grows crops. He told us about the different foods that wheat and barley go into.

English - setting descriptions (27-9-21)

This week, we'll be having a go at writing a setting description of a farm. We're reading Sheep Pig at the moment, so this activity will help us when we come to write a story in the future. We created a shared write today (combining class members' and the teacher's ideas) and we'll be writing our own setting descriptions later this week.

Maths - Number Place Value (22-9-21)

In 3H this week, we're learning about how numbers are partitioned and recombined. We're using Base 10, place value counters and drawings of our own to explore how 3-digit numbers are built.

What is darkness? (16-9-21)

We carried out an investigation to see how the ABSENCE of light affects our ability to see with our eyes!

By covering up one small hole in a shoe box, we were trying to see if the absence of light (darkness) stopped us from seeing hidden, mystery items in each shoe box. It turns out that it DID!

The, once we had uncovered the small hole and let a little bit of light into the shoe box, abracadabra! We could see a little bit more!

What fun it was when we revealed the contents of the shoe boxes!

Jigsaw - Identifying feelings and learning to manage them (15-9-21)

We had a lot of giggles when we acted out some feelings using facial gestures and body language to signal the way we were feeling inside. Can you guess (from looking at the pictures of children at work) which feelings they were acting out?

It's only when you really start to be able to understand HOW you are feeling that you can learn to manage those feelings.

Our week so far (9-9-21)

We've been incredibly busy this week getting stuck into lessons! We especially had fun when we met Jigsaw Jino, who is going to help us to learn about PSHE.

Welcome 3H! (2-9-21)

It's the beginning of a new school year and I can't wait to welcome you to Year 3. 

On Monday, I'll introduce you to your new classroom and tell you how to order toast and fruit at morning play time, where to go for your lunch and describe some of the lessons you'll be having soon. If you'd like to order tuck in the mornings, bring some change. For example, 1 slice of toast is 30p and fruit is 40p. (Parents: for other items like school water bottles, you can order and buy these online through the school office).

I'm Mrs Hewitt and I teach you from Mondays to Thursdays. Mr Barton teaches you on Fridays. (Parents: phone the school office on 464 1717 if you have any urgent messages for us. Alternatively, you can email the Year 3 team on year3@brdmedoj.bham.sch.uk - emails are monitored when we are not in class, so please direct urgent messages to the office).

3H has PE on Fridays. Please come to school wearing your PE kit on Fridays. PE kits include plain black shorts (or jogging bottoms on cold days), a white T-shirt and trainers. You can wear a plain, black or blue jumper as well.

I look forward to seeing you on Monday!

Mrs Hewitt