English:

Next week is National Poetry Week and Mr Catchpole, our English Lead, has set each year group a different type of poem to explore.

For Years 3 / 4, we will be focusing on cinquain poems. A cinquain is a five-line poem, often following a particular syllable pattern, which uses carefully chosen words to create vivid imagery or tell a short story.

Next week, the children will be writing their own cinquain poem based on yetis or mountains. 

This week’s homework is to get their ideas ready so the children could think about:

• Interesting adjectives to describe a yeti or mountain
• Powerful verbs
• Words linked to the senses
• How a yeti might look, move or behave
• What it might feel like to climb a mountain
• Sounds they might hear on a mountain
• Interesting vocabulary they could use in their poem.

They do not need to write the poem yet. The aim is simply to collect some exciting vocabulary and ideas that they can use when we write our cinquain poems next week.

Encourage children to be as imaginative as possible – the more adventurous their vocabulary, the more vivid their poem can be!

Spellings:

Please make sure you are practising 'week 4' spellings ready for next weeks test. 

Extra copies will be in the 'Spelling and Speed Spell' folder. 

Reading:

It is really important that the children are reading as much as possible (preferably daily). Please make a note each time your child has read at least 10 minutes so it goes towards their 100 reads to get a book from the vending machine. Once your child has finished their book, please remind them to put it in their class reading folder box so it can be changed if necessary. 

Times tables

We will be using our mathematics programme, Numbersense, to support and prepare the children for the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check in June.

We will continue to focus on the 3 times table before progressing to the other multiplication tables.

Year 3 children will begin the Numbersense programme in January. However, we encourage children to begin practising their times tables as early as possible, as regular practice will help to develop their confidence, fluency and recall of multiplication facts. 

To do list: 

- Read your school book (try to aim for at least 10 minutes per day)

- Practise your 3x tables (and division facts) ready for our daily tests next week (Year 4s)

- Practise your 'week 4' spellings for next weeks test (Friday) 

- Complete your English homework into your orange homework book (due Wednesday 30th September)