Class 3
2024/2025
Welcome back to school Class 3. You've already made a great start to being Year 4 and Year 5 children.
I'm looking forward to teaching you again this year!
Hopefully, the school photograph will be on here next week.
Mrs Jones
Dear Parents/Carers
RE: Multiplication Times Table Check (MTC)
Later this term, your Year 4 child will be taking the Multiplication Times Table Check (MTC). The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, which is essential for future success in mathematics. It will help schools to identify pupils who have not yet mastered their times tables, so that additional support can be provided.
Children are practicing their times tables in school regularly but it would be beneficial for your child to also practise their times tables at home.
I've put a few websites below, that your child can access by clicking on the hyperlink.
Further information about the MTC can be found on the UK Government website https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/multiplication-tables-check-information-for-parents
Some children have had cards sent home to practise. If you need the next set(s), please do let me know.
Kind regards
Mrs Jones
Cumbria Wildlife Workshop
Class 3 enjoyed a workshop today led by Jamie Normington from Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
We handled ancient fossils and artefacts (including antlers from a type of deer which lived thousands of years ago) and talked about the periods of time that they came from. We even got to see a Devil’s toenail which was fascinating.
Jamie talked about numerous female scientists that the Lake District is well-known for, including Beatrix Potter, who preserved the Lake District for future generations.
It was interesting to learn about peat moss and its uses for the local environment and habitats.
We finished with ‘The Lost Words’ song and counted on our fingers every time we heard a reference to nature.
Mrs Jones
Cumbria Wildlife Trust workshop
World Book Day - 2024
What fun we had on World Book Day!
We started with a lovely assembly to judge the plate competition and introduce the reading ambassadors.
In class, we watched a 'Footy and Booky Quiz' on-line with the National Literacy Trust. The children loved the multiple choice quiz.
After play, we had a lesson called 'Book Choice Bistro' which explains how children choose a book which is at their level. Miss Campbell and I then served the children in the class bistro with their choice of book from the menu. They also had biscuits and bread sticks whilst they perused the menu.
We then had our own book quiz to guess well-known characters in different genres of books. The afternoon was spent on the school field practising athletic skills.
Our costumes were amazing!
Mrs Jones
Claire presenting the book to Class 3
16th September 2022
Class 3 won a copy of the book 'The Red Shoes' by Helen Haraldsen in a library competition. Claire from Penrith Library came to present the book.
Class 3 will get to meet the local author Helen in a few weeks time and do a writing workshop with her - aren't they lucky!
Mrs Jones
Request for Parent Helpers
Welcome Meeting
Welcome to Class 3 Newsletter
Welcome to the New Academic Year - 2022/2023
Year 4 - Decimals and then Money in maths
Library Summer Reading Challenge - Promotional Activities
SCIENCE - Year 3: The Year 3s have just completed their final Science topic all about Plants. They learnt the names of different parts of plants, and the jobs they do. The children worked scientifically and collaboratively to investigate what plants needed to grow well, and presented their findings to their classmates. Furthermore, they predicted what would happen in an exciting investigation into the transportation of water within plants. They worked in a hands-on way to identify the parts of a flower, and explored the different stages of the life cycle of a flowering plant.
Amazing Class 3 Displays
Eden Valley Railway Trip
Class 3 enjoyed a trip to the Eden Valley Railway in Warcop today. The railway is a standard gauge heritage railway near Warcop. It runs over a 2.2 mile section of the original Eden Valley Railway in a north-westerly direction from the line's base at Warcop station. The line is run by the Eden Valley Railway Trust, formerly the Eden Valley Railway Society.
We had a fantastic day riding on trains, driving a shunter engine, changing signals, looking at old railway memorabilia and speaking over PA systems. Have a look at the amazing photographs below!
Thanks go out to Max and the team at the railway yard for their attention to detail. A superb day was had by all!
Mrs Jones
A Grand Day Out!
Class 3 trip - Eden Valley Railway - Warcop
Don't forget that it's our school trip tomorrow.
I've attached the original letter that was sent home which outlines the day.
Kind regards
Mrs Jones
Class 3 trip letter
YEAR 3 SCIENCE: The children have just finished their latest topic Rocks and Volcanoes. In this unit the children discovered the different types of rocks and how they are formed. They compared and grouped rocks based on appearance and simple properties. They learnt how fossils were formed and learnt about the contribution of Mary Anning to the field of palaeontology. They also learnt how soil is formed.
SOUND Waves - amplitude, pitch, acting out sound waves and drawing waves
Perfect Poetry
We have been writing some beautiful poetry over the last week including;
Performance poetry
Cinquain poetry and
Kennings poetry
Our guided reading sessions have also focused on ‘Classic Poetry’ by the famous poets, R.L. Stevenson, A.A. Milne and Enid Blyton.
Such fun!
Mrs Jones
Our Amazing Poetry
Mapping the outline of the classroom. Learning about position and direction; including on a compass.
Telling time in the 24 hour clock format.
YEAR 3 SCIENCE: Today, 12th May 2022, Year 3 had a visit from Steve, a 'Rock and Volcano' expert. He told us all about his experiences of collecting a variety of rocks, including those from 'sleeping volcanoes' and 'live volcanoes'. In the photos, you can see we listened carefully, then we explored an array of rocks (sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous), and finally we had a go at making Steve's 'mock-up' volcanoes erupt. The children were in absolute awe, had a wonderful afternoon and most importantly learnt a vast amount of knowledge from Steve.
Recommended 'Reading Lists' for children in Year 3 and Year 4
Some parents mentioned at parent's evening that their child is finding it hard to find books that are enjoyable to read. I've posted a couple of separate links to recommended reading lists for their age.
There are lots of second hand book websites available on-line and the library is obviously a super resource to use for borrowing books.
Mrs Jones
Dear Parents/Carers
You may be aware that from June 2020 the Government announced a new test for Year 4 children called the “Multiplication Tables Check”.
Here’s what you need to know:
Under the national curriculum primary school children are expected to know their 12 times tables by the end of Year 4. As a result we’ve been preparing the children to know their times tables by the end of Year 4 for quite some time now and this will be a useful checkpoint.
The check itself:
- will take place in the summer term in June sometime over a three-week period from Monday 6th June 2022
- is done online using a computer or tablet
- can be done one pupil at a time, in groups or as a class
- will take no longer than 5 minutes
- will feature 25 questions and children will have 6 seconds to answer each question
- there’s no solving division questions, just simple “3 x 4 = ?” type questions
The results are for the teachers. There is no pass or fail mark. The results of the test are not published publicly. They are for us to use so that we can provide the appropriate support where necessary. Your child’s score will be given to you in a letter.
I am sure that along with you, we do not want our children worried or stressed about the check. The Government has called it a “check” rather than a “test” or “exam” for a reason.
Practice at home: as maths is such a big subject, and we will of course continue to teach the full curriculum, we will need your continued support to help practice the times tables with your children. Some easy ways to do this include:
- asking questions such as “what’s 7 x 8?”
- reciting times tables by rote (4 times 1 is 4, 4 times 2 is 8, etc)
- using apps and games (see below about a resource your pupil has access to)
- singing times tables songs (there are loads online)
- dancing to Super Movers https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers/times-table-collection/z4vv6v4
Why do we learn the times tables? In primary school, times tables knowledge is vital for quick mental maths calculations and problem solving, as well as for many of the topics children learn in Years 5 and 6 (division, fractions, percentages).
Please also remember to make use of TT Rockstars to further support your child. One of the excellent features of TTRockstars is the ‘Sound Check’. This is an online game set up in the same way as the MTC in June. Practising via ‘Sound Check’ will help children to prepare for the MTC.
Equally, MathsFrame have also created an online check that is very similar to the MTC:
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check
If you require any support with practicing these calculations at home, please don’t hesitate to contact me in school.
For further information about these tests please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/multiplication-tables-check
I’ve also put some extra information on Class 3’s page of the school website.
https://www.st-catherines.cumbria.sch.uk/class-3/
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours faithfully
Mrs C Jones
Multiplication Check Advice
Anderson and Morrison Shelter Homework Task—WWII
Mrs Jones set us a homework challenge to make either an Anderson Shelter or a Morrison Shelter.
Anderson shelters were at the bottom of the garden purposely built to protect people during an air raid. Morrison shelters were effectively a metal cage in the front room of a house, that the occupants got into during an air raid. It was used as a table at other times.
Our designs are absolutely brilliant!
Our Amazing Shelters
SPRING TERM - MUSIC:
Head on over to the Music Page (link below) to see all the wonderful Music that has been happening this term.
Amazing Evacuees!
Class 3 have been EVACUATED!
WORLD WAR II WORKSHOP - EVACUEE DAY
What a great day we had today!
We came to school dressed as evacuees and in the afternoon we went to the museum on Middlegate for a WWII workshop with Karen MacDougall.
We found out about evacuation in Eden and got to handle artefacts of that era. We had a worksheet to complete with clues around the museum.
The air raid siren went off and we got our gas masks on just in time!
A very informative afternoon!
Mrs Jones
WWII workshop
Super Salmon Dip
Today we worked with Gill from Phunky Foods to make a super healthy 'Salmon Dip.'
We weighed out the ingredients ourselves and followed the method very well.
Some of us were reluctant at the start when we realised it was a dip made from fish. However, on completion of the recipe, we found on tasting, that it was delicious with pitta bread and vegetable sticks. Yum!
What a great session!
Mrs Jones
Super Salmon Dip
Class 3 - British Science Week
What an amazing week we had during British Science Week. Our over-arching topic was 'Animals including Humans.'
We started off this new topic finding out about the importance of 'teeth.' We found out about the functions of incisors, canines, pre-molars and molars. We even tried to eat food with our incisors but found out that it was virtually impossible as the molars do that job to grind and chew. We looked in our mouths and counted our different teeth. Children have around 20 teeth and an adult has 32 teeth in total (including wisdom teeth).
Next we moved on to the 'digestive system.' We found out that it takes 6 seconds from swallowing for the food to reach your stomach. We carried out experiments to emulate the digestive system using; crackers, a banana, water, orange juice, masher, tights and a cup. The main organs that make up the digestive system (in order of their function) are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. Helping them along the way are the pancreas, gall bladder and liver.
Mrs Richardson moved on to the animal world and we found out about omnivores, carnivores and herbivores. We did experiments in the hall and then carried out activities based on food chains.
Finally, we had a session of 'First Aid' in the hall with Mr French. We learned about bandaging an injured person, resuscitation and the importance of using a defibrillator and finding out where they are located in Penrith. It was really interesting.
Next week, we are having a session with Gill from Phunky Foods to make a healthy dip. We'll also be using 'plaque disclosure tablets' to check how well we are looking after our teeth!
Mrs Jones
First Aid with Mr French
War time 'Rationed' carrot cookies (with Mrs Reay)
We enjoyed making carrot cookies with Mrs Reay on Friday. We've been learning about rationed food during WWII and the importance of not wasting anything.
The ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign was set up during WWII by the British Ministry of Agriculture. Men and women across the country were encouraged to grow their own food in times of harsh rationing. Open spaces everywhere were transformed into allotments, from domestic gardens to public parks – even the lawns outside the Tower of London were turned into vegetable patches!
The carrot in the cookies acted as a sweetener and they tasted absolutely delicious!
What fun!
War Memorabilia
YEAR 3 SCIENCE: The children have just completed the topic 'Light and Dark'. During this topic, the children learnt about light, reflections and shadows. They learnt about different sources of light, and that we need light to see. The children worked scientifically and collaboratively whilst investigating reflective materials, in the context of designing a new book bag. They worked in a hands on way to play a range of mirror games, finding out more about reflective surfaces. Furthermore, they learnt that the sun’s light can be dangerous, and created a poster to warn of the dangers of the sun. The children had chance to test which objects are opaque in an exciting investigation to design the most effective curtains, and found out how shadows change when the distance between the object and light source changes. They developed their scientific enquiry skills by making observations , predictions and conclusions during this topic. Mrs Richardson
REINDEER RUN - we received our medals today. Lots of money raised for a worthwhile charity!
Year 4 - Human Circuit (electricity)
Year 4 Science- Insulators and Conductors - testing materials
World Book Day 2022
We had a lovely day on world book day!
It started off with an exciting assembly in the hall with Mrs Proudfoot who was dressed as Mr Bump, a character made famous by the author Roger Hargreaves. She even read the story to the whole school!
In class, we read and coloured quotes by famous authors . Also, we wrote about our favourite books and authors and how we like to read. It was a fun day dressed as a character from a book.
Joey won the KS2 competition dressed as Bear Grylls.
All in all an extremely fun day!
Mrs Jones
World Book Day 2022 in Class 3
Ash Wednesday - we had a lovely service in church for the start of Lent.
Enjoying a pancake on Shrove Tuesday!
Maths Fluency and Problem Solving
‘Medals Galore’ from out of school activities
Gas Masks - we’re enjoying making our gas masks!
Library ‘Holocaust’ Display - Our wonderful ‘Candles of Hope’ and butterflies on display in Penrith Library
Year 4 Bikeability Certificate Presentation
Year 4 - Level 1 Bikeability
WORLD WAR II CODE CRACKING—PENRITH LIBRARY—WEDNESDAY 2ND FEBRUARY 2022
Class 3 enjoyed a WWII workshop at Penrith library on Wednesday. Max Slater explained lots about the Blitz and how the Germans bombed our merchant navy to destroy our spirits.
Claire from the library explained about the evacuation of children from the cities to the Eden area. We saw lots of photographs of houses in the Eden area that were used to house the evacuee children.
We then got to ‘crack a code’ which was actually quite tricky.
It was a great afternoon session!
Mrs Jones
Library WWII workshop
National Storytelling Week
We are enjoying National Storytelling Week, which is a chance to promote and encourage storytelling.
We've listened to the traditional story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. During our WWII topic, we found out that the operation to evacuate the city children during the Blitz was called 'Operation Pied Piper'.
Some of the children have brought in their favourite books to share with the rest of the class.
The children have also been talking to their parents about their favourite books when they were younger.
Monika's Dad enjoyed 'Journey to the centre of the Earth' by Jules Verne as he loved adventure books. Her mum liked to read a book called 'Anne of Green Gables' by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This story was about an red-headed orphan girl who was talkative and had lots of imagination!
Penny's Mum read the 'Famous Five' books by Enid Blyton and also any books by Roald Dahl. Her love of Dahl was also shared by Penny's Dad who read them too.
Rosie's Mum's favourite childhood book was 'Alice in Wonderland'. She loved the adventure and the amazing, unusual places Alice went to and things she saw.
What fun so far!
Mrs Jones
National Storytelling Week
Spring term
Look at what we’ve been up to so far!
Mrs Jones
Mapping the start of WWII
Learning about Contractions. did not = didn’t
TAG RUGBY with Shaun
Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime
Class 3 enjoyed watching Jack and the Beanstalk on-line today. They even got an ice cream as a treat!
Mrs Jones
He’s Behind You!
Class 3—’Just a Little Christmas’
Class 3 performed their depiction of the nativity (entitled ‘Just a Little Christmas) beautifully in church on Tuesday 14th December. There was scripture readings by the Year 4 children and a tableau of acting by the Year 3 children. The whole class sang their hearts out. At the end, the children sang and signed the carol ‘Silent Night’ There wasn’t a dry eye in the house!
Mrs Jones
Just A Little Christmas Concert
Christmas Concert – Tuesday 14th December 2021 at 6pm
Just a little note to let you know about the arrangements for Tuesday 14th December for our Christmas concert.
We are filming the event on Monday morning, so the children need to bring in their Christmas jumper for the occasion.
On the night of the performance, the children should arrive in church for 5:30pm, wearing their Christmas jumper. Staff will support the children with head dresses (we are not wearing full nativity clothing; it is merely a tableau of the Christmas story).
If any parent is struggling for child care of St Cath’s siblings, Mrs Hill will be in the school hall available to look after them.
Please also send your child into school with a carrier bag on Monday. This is so their Christmas crafts can be sent home altogether.
Mrs Jones
Christmas Jumper Day
We enjoyed wearing our Christmas jumpers whilst eating our delicious Christmas lunch today. Our crowns were very eye-catching!
Mrs Jones
Jumper Day
