REMINDER! - We Return to School on Monday, 1st June!

This is just a quick reminder, to avoid any confusion, 

that we all return to school for the rest of our Summer Term on 

Monday, 1st June, 2015!

Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost! We pray for Year 6 during their preparation for Confirmation

This Sunday sees the end of 50 days of Easter, and welcomes the Feast of Pentecost - when the Holy Spirit entered the hearts of Jesus' disciples.

We look forward to seeing you at mass to celebrate this Holy Day.

When we return to school we will explore this most joyous moment.  For now, you may want to look at the video below to help you understand the event.

The Holy Spirit fills us with the Fruits and Gifts we need to spread the Good News, as disciples of Jesus.  The video link below may help you to remember these - think about how you will use the Fruits of the Holy Spirit throughout your Journey.

We continue to pray for Year 6, as they prepare to receive the Holy Spirit, through the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Happy Half Term!

Well done for all of your hard work so far!
You will only have 7 weeks left in Year 3 upon your return and we have still have lots to do!

So enjoy a well-earned rest, but please remember to keep up with Reading, Spelling, Maths and work on your Egyptian Research Project!

LET'S HOPE WE HAVE PLENTY OF SUNNY DAYS!

WOW! Volcanoes and Earthquakes

We have been looking at the wanders of the centre of our planet.. We have learned that the planet Earth is made up of many layers, running thousands of miles below the Earth's crust.  Can you remember the names of the layers below us?
We watched the following link about Volcanoes today - it was amazing!

Click on the weblink below to find out more about Volcanoes!
http://homeworkhelp.stjohnssevenoaks.com/mountains/volcanoes.htm

The link below will explain why Earthquakes occur.  (NOTE: it is an American video)
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/earth/whatisanearthquake.html

Our planet is an amazing place!  What are your thoughts?

Find it out...

One question that came up today was: 

'Why don't people in Australia fall off the bottom of our planet?  Do they walk upside down?'

Perhaps you could do some research to find out the answer...

Half Term Topic Research - Let's TIME TRAVEL through Egypt!

Year 3 Research Project ANCIENT EGYPT/EGYPT TODAY

As part of our Topic work next half term, we will be 'Time Travelling'.  We will be using a History Timeline to plot specific events in history.
Our journey will take us through Ancient Egypt and make comparisons with Egypt today.

We would like you to produce a project at home, either on the paper provided, or if you're really adventurous, produce a booklet or poster.  This needs to include information on Ancient Egypt as well as information on Egypt today (for example, as a holiday destination; why do people go there; etc).
BEWARE OF 'JUST PRINTING OFF' INFORMATION AND PICTURES FROM THE INTERNET - MAKE YOUR PROJECT INDIVIDUAL AND USE WHAT INTERESTS YOU!!!

Ask your grown ups to help you search for information on the internet or you could go to the library and borrow a book about Egypt; you even look in a travel agents brochure!  We look forward to talking about what you find out! 

Bring this in by Monday 15th June.

As a starting point, we have included some web links below to help you out - make sure what you are using is 'age appropriate' and 'child-friendly'!!

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/egypt.html

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=egyptians

http://www.britishmuseum.org/learning/schools_and_teachers/resources/cultures/ancient_egypt.aspx

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/history/egyptians/

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/ancient-egypt

http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/egypt/today.html

http://ngkids.co.uk/history/ten-facts-about-ancient-egypt

We will also be looking at Egyptian Masks and Hieroglyphics in art!

HAPPY RESEARCHING!  

Alliteration and Onomatopoeia!

As part of our Poetry work, we have been looking at alliteration and onomatopoeia to make our poetry more interesting.

Can you explain what these terms mean?  How would you use them?  What sense does onomatopoeia particularly describe?

We have watched the 2 YouTube links below...have some fun and get your family to learn the 'Wishy Washy Washer Woman' dance with you!

Congratulations - Year 3 First Holy Communions!

A huge congratulations to the children of Holy Souls School and the Children of the Parish who received the Sacrament of First holy Communion over the past two weeks!

You read well,conducted yourselves with reverence and holiness, and looked amazing - we are all so proud of you!

You have now been blessed with Body of Our Saviour, Jesus Christ - may you continue to receive Our Lord in this way, regularly and reverently, and continue on Your Journey of Faith with LOVE, HOPE & JOY.

God Bless you all x

Spellings - THE RETURN!!!

We welcome the return of our weekly spelling tests, in Year 3!

We will continue to encourage the growth of our vocabulary with word families (to include root words, suffixes and prefixes) and new topic based vocabulary.  We will also revisit those High Frequency words that we may be finding tricky.
Phonics (the sounds that groups of letters make within words) will continue to be a focus.

We have provided some links below to some websites that may help you on your way to become 'Spelling Stars'!

These links contains many other interactive links for you to click on (please be aware to only use UK links, as other links may take you to sites with Americanised versions of spelling)...

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html

http://www.ictgames.com/literacy.html

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/interactive.aspx?cat=42 Key Stage 1 skills you may want to practise

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/interactive.aspx?cat=47 Key Stage 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/english/spelling_grammar/ there may some challenges in here for you too!

Remember!  Good knowledge of spellings helps reading and writing too - don't forget what you have learnt already and put it to good use!

Literacy - Poetry - The Magic Box

Poetry - The Magic Box by Kit Wright

This week, we return to our Poetry unit of work, using the poem The Magic Box.

What do you think this poem will be about?

Click on the link below to hear version...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zkpmhyc

Why do you think this poem is called 'The Magic Box'?

What would you put in your Magic Box? Why?

The Angelus - May, The Month of Mary

May is the Month of Mary

Next week in RE, Year 3 will be learning about and reciting The Angelus, in readiness for our May Procession/Mary Day on Friday (we will be wearing something blue and raising money for our charity Cafod, who are working to support those who have suffered in the recent earthquakes in Nepal.)


The Angelus reminds us of the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary with great news!
When we pray The Angelus with humility and love, we are sharing Mary's faith in God's goodness. We are blessed that we can ask both God and Our Blessed Mother for their help on our journey towards Eternal Life!

We pray to Mary in a special way...what prayer do we say?  This prayer also forms part of The Angelus.

Good Luck Year 6!

Year 3 would like to wish Good Luck to Our Friends in Year 6 as they work through their Assessments next week!

Bird Box Web Cam! - Spring is here!

Spring has sprung and with it, more of God's creatures are growing around us!

Year 3 (and Year 2) are privileged to have live web cam feeds into bird boxes dotted around our school.  We have many eggs laid from our BLUE TITS and already have a few hatched this week!
This is such an exciting time as we watch them grow...

What other animals or plants have you seen grow this season?  We would love you to share any pictures and experiences of God's Wonderful Creations.

Science - Plants

Some children at Holy Souls School have also been planting in our school garden - I wonder what we have growing in there?  Have you helped to grow anything at home?

Year 3 are already conducting our own investigations into plants - what have we found out so far?
Check out this link...
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/Science/living/plants.html

Please share any of your SPRINGTIME experiences with us...