Week 1- 01.06.20

Friday 29th May 2020

Dear Year 3 families, 

We hope this update finds you well and that you have enjoyed the half term break. The run of lovely, sunny weather looks to continue for a few more days, so make the most of it before some much-needed rain arrives.

During the next few weeks we will continue to study The Iron Man in English. Our Science focus will shift to learning about skeletons and our RE will focus on Hinduism. In Geography next week, we will begin a local area study.

With the return to school of a larger group of children, all staff are now based in school on a weekly basis, teaching pods of children. This means that the time we will have to provide feedback on work will be restricted. In her newsletter, Ms Lambe will share detailed information on the expectations regarding work that should be uploaded and feedback that you can expect to receive.

Based on feedback from parents and preparing for a possible, eventual return to school, we have slightly changed the format of our weekly timetable. We have included information on how work can be completed (e.g. printed, opened as a Word document and edited, work on plain paper), a slot for weekly spelling/handwriting practice and have highlighted the task that children should be able to complete with no adult support. Please help your child to achieve the goal of completing at least one task a day completely independently. 

We have also included a slot for Loose Parts Play or playing Launchball, both of which encourage problem solving and creative thinking.

As always, please email us using the year group email should you have any technical questions.

Kind regards, 

Mr Kent, Mrs Tranter and the Year 3 Team

Dear Year 3 Families,

Thank you for all your support this past half term and well done on surviving possibly the strangest first half of the Summer term in Archdeacon history! During the past weeks we have all experienced many changes, encountered many challenges and overcome many obstacles. At some point we will return to ‘normal’, but we will be stronger people for having been through this experience. There are still many challenges ahead, but our continued, combined effort will ensure we will all continue to develop and improve.

There will not be work set for the half term break, but you may want to gather together and prepare some resources for the independent tasks we have planned for after half term. In order to support their eventual return to school, after half term we will encourage children to do at least one activity per day independently (without any adult support). This may be an English or Maths activity, something topic based or some ‘loose parts play’. We encourage loose parts play at school, in the ‘building area’ in the Infant Playground and the Natural Play Area in the Junior Playground. We have included some advice from Richard at Firm Foundations, who provide our after school care. He is a play worker and has seen the power of loose part play in action.

Loose Parts Play - How it works

Loose parts play is a type of play that supports invention, divergent thinking, problem solving and offers a sense of wonder to children. They use materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways. They are materials with no specific set of directions that can be used alone or combined with other materials.

This type of play launches children into learning environments that build a repertoire of how things come to be – how a sky scraper stays up, how a bridge can expand across lakes and rivers, how patterns and sequences are made, imagination bought to life, theories and meanings can be explained and worlds are re-imagined.

Loose Parts Play - The 'Rules'

Loose parts should:

• Have no defined use and adults should support the children however they use or change them. The less defined the use of the object, the higher the ‘play value’.
• Be accessible physically and stored where they can be reached by children without having to ask adults. The children should know that they can use them whenever and however they wish. 
• Be replenished, changed and added to wherever possible.
• Have a dedicated area inside and/or outside where loose parts are stored so your child can get whatever they want at any time. You can see some images and suggested materials from the PDF below.

On the theme of creative investigation and problem solving, the James Dyson Foundation have launched a series of challenge cards, accessible at https://www.jamesdysonfoundation.co.uk/resources/challenge-cards.html We think these are perfect for some half term investigations!

Work for the first week back will be uploaded to the website by Friday 29^th May. Have a happy, safe half term and we look forward to seeing and hearing from you all in the weeks to come.

Mr Kent, Mrs Tranter and the whole Year 3 Team.