Grade 3

Welcome to Grade 3 at Strathaird Primary School. Grade 3 is a year of transition and growth, and it is exciting to watch the students continue to develop further from Year 2, their independence as individuals.

Literacy
During Reading, the focus in Grade 3 is on students developing skills to improve their understanding. There is a strong emphasis on providing evidence and supporting their answers. Students develop their understandings of genre and are encouraged to read a variety of texts within the classroom. Students develop their strategies with summarising, visualising, making connections and comparing and contrasting.
We cover a variety of text types Writing, focussing on a variety of different genres. Some of the text types we cover include, Narratives, Expositions (Persuasive), Procedures, Informative Reports, Descriptions, Recounts and Explanations. They further develop their writing by adding more details by using descriptive language, paragraphing and including a variety of higher-level punctuation.

Numeracy
Numeracy continues to have a hands-on approach in Grade 3, but delves deeper into their previous knowledge. Throughout the year we focus on the Big Understanding in Maths to build on their knowledge from the previous year. Students engage in a variety of hands-on experiences to develop and expand their understandings.

Problem solving, collaboration and developing persistence when working together with a peer or a group is a key area of teaching and learning within Grade 3. We utilise Number Talks in the classroom for students to share and verbalise the different strategies they are using when mentally solving problems.
They will learn and develop their understanding of strategies to support their solving of multiplication tables, with a focus on the 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s.

Inquiry
In Grade 3 students will investigate the following topics:

What does it mean to be healthy?
This Inquiry is designed to help students understand some of the components necessary for students to be healthy and have a healthy body. This will empower students to make healthy decisions in their daily life now and for their bodies as adults.

What are the different physical landscapes of Australia?
Students develop understandings of the science of geography. To Identify and describe the characteristics of places in different locations including the states and territories of Australia. To identify the different natural environments (deserts, rainforests, grasslands, etc) of Australia as well as the similarities and differences between the climates of these different environments.

How are we the same, how are we different?
This Inquiry is designed to develop students understandings and knowledge of children in different geographic places. It begins with learning about similarities and differences between classmates and extends their awareness to wider contexts of rural and urban Australia and then globally including our Asian neighbours. Students will discover children’s needs in other countries may be compromised and how children have to learn different things to support their family in their daily life.

How do machines work?
Students develop understandings and knowledge of simple machines including the lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, and screw. Throughout the unit students will work as scientists, designers, and engineers to investigate and understand the operation of these simple machines and explore their uses in our everyday life. Students will use the scientific methods of observation, reasoning, prediction, and critical thinking to design and create their own simple machine.

Throughout the year, students participate in a range of incursions and excursions to further enhance and support their learning. 

NAPLAN
At the beginning of March, Grade 3 students participate in NAPLAN, a national assessment program in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy. Parents and schools receive the results later in the year, which are used to inform further learning.

Homework
In Grade 3 students are encouraged to read nightly. Students record their nightly reading in their school diary. Weekly homework consists of reviewing skills, strategies and concepts learnt throughout the week, with a particular focus on Maths, Word Study and Inquiry.