Welcome back to the new school term. This newsletter is to help keep you informed about the curriculum for the grade and the day-to-day activities of the grade.

This term the following teachers will be supporting learning in Year  3.

*Teachers work under the structure of an Enterprise Agreement that includes a number of entitlements. One of these is the engagement in Profession Planning Time (PPT) where they are released from class to carry out other professional responsibilities. Each full time teacher is entitled to the equivalent of 2 hours PPT each week, or a pro-rata for part time teachers. Therefore, all students operate across the school week with at least two teachers engaging in the classroom program of learning.

This Curriculum Outline is designed to communicate what your child is learning so you can support them at home this term. At Good Samaritan, we believe that the partnership between you as parents and our teachers are the most important influences on your son’s or daughter’s education.

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for setting and monitoring quality teaching, learning, assessment and school standards across NSW public, Catholic and independent schools. NESA also develops Kindergarten to Year 12 syllabuses for NSW schools. Syllabuses identify: the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes students are expected to develop at each stage; what students are expected to know and do; Learning across the curriculum areas: cross-curriculum priorities, general capabilities and other important learning for all students.

At Good Samaritan we have a K-6 Scope & Sequence of learning which supports the implementation of the NESA Syllabuses. Below, is an outline of the Key Learning Area content & skills being taught this term.

Easter: A Time to celebrate the Presence of the Risen Lord (Weeks 1-5)

The Church celebrates the important events of the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus through the liturgical season of Easter. The unit recalls the events of the Journey to Emmaus and how the risen Jesus is present with us, through the Holy Spirit; in our relationship with Jesus, in the Word and in the ‘breaking of the bread’. The unit explores the celebration of Easter in the Church. It highlights the importance of Baptism in the Easter season as a sign of new life.

Pentecost: The Holy Spirit Gives us Strength (Weeks 6-10)

This unit explores the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It focuses on the Holy Spirit as the source of strength enabling us to continue the mission of Jesus. The unit looks at the Holy Spirit as the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise not to leave us alone after he had ascended into Heaven. The unit concludes by identifying the mystery of the Holy Trinity as central to our faith.

English is the Key Learning Area where students develop knowledge, skills and understandings about English language and literature. The students will be actively engaged in the development of skills through:

This term in English, Year 3 will be covering:

• Reading & Writing: 
• Persuade Me! weeks 1-3

• To encourage students to acknowledge the opinions of themselves and others in a respectful way
• To demonstrate that we create texts for a specific purpose-to persuade, inform, entertain...
• To develop critical thinking and justify their opinions
• To compose a rich text that follows a particular structure 

• Can you see what I see? weeks 4-10

• In this unit, the students will investigate a range of wordless texts. They will investigate ways different authors tell their stories through  picturesa and visuals to engage the reader for their desired purpose. The children will use these techniques to create their own written and digital imaginative texts to enhance the author's visuals and engage the reader.

• Spelling & Phonemic Awareness: Letters and Sounds

• Grammar, Punctuation & Vocabulary: Developing good persuasive sentences to express an opinion or point of view using topic specific vocabulary, capital letters, end marks, nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs. 

• Reading: Modelled - Explicit teaching of new concepts, Guided - small group instruction to reinforce comprehension and taught concepts, Independent - Students have the opportunity to independently practice taught concepts.

• Naplan preparation - exposing children to format of questioning
• Speaking and Listening: Topic Talks - Year 3 will be assessed on a 2-3 minute speech in approx week 7. 

The topic will be communicated to parents in advance. There is no weekly talk time in Year 3 - speaking and listening is integrated throughout all KLA’s.

• Chat to you about what they are reading - ask your child some comprehension questions, their favourite character, what they predict might happen in the story etc. 
• Read to your child when possible - this is important for increasing their vocabulary and understanding as they move into more complex stories.
• Encourage your children to ask questions about what they are reading especially if they don’t know what a word means. This will aid their comprehension and increase their vocabulary for writing tasks.
• Occasionally there may be optional tasks/projects through seesaw.

This term in Mathematics, Year 3 will be:

• Naplan preparation - exposing children to format of questioning through the use of mathsonline.

• Whole Number - Standard and non standard partitioning.2D Space - comparing and describing features of two-dimensional shapes, including the special quadrilaterals.
• Addition & Subtraction - applying known single-digit addition and subtraction facts to mental strategies for addition and subtraction of two-, three- and four-digit numbers.

• Position - uses simple maps and grids to represent position and follow routes, including using compass directions
• Multiplication & Division - recalling multiplication facts of two, three, five and ten and related division facts.

• Area - recognising and using formal units to measure and estimate the areas of rectangles.

• Fractions & Decimals - modelling and representing unit fractions including ½, ¼, ⅓ and ⅕ and their multiples to a complete whole.
• Time - telling the time to the minute and investigating the relationship between units of time.
• Angles - identifies, describes, compares and classifies angles

• Mathematicians take time to think about problems and ideas. Make sure you give your child thinking time when solving any math problem . You might say: "Have a think about what this problem is asking you".
• Encourage your child to use the strategies they’ve learned. Ask: "Which strategy would you use to figure this out?" and "Can you show me how you did that?".
• Remind your child that they can also draw pictures and create models and use objects to solve problems.
• Praise your child’s effort and thinking rather than praising correct answers.
• Find a quiet place to work with your child away from distractions such as mobile phones, TV or other siblings. Setting these boundaries demonstrates the importance of homework.
• Stay positive. Saying "I was bad at maths too" can actually lower your child’s expectations of themselves. Instead try "We’ll get there" or "We can figure this out together".
• Incorporate maths into your everyday life such as making up problems and investigations, measuring when cooking, counting money, calculating the distance when walking, or the speed when driving in the car.
• Automatic Recall of Multiplication facts is a vital part of most Maths concepts. It is important that your child knows their facts. You could help them by quizzing them, skip counting with them, singing multiplication songs, timing them etc.

This term in Geography, Year 3 will look at: 

Places are both Similar and Different - Takes place over 2 terms and covers:

Places are both similar and different -  develop students’ understanding of places by examining the similarities and differences between places within and outside Australia. 

The concept of place is developed through examining the major natural and human characteristics of Australia, the Countries/Places of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and Australia's neighbouring countries. 

• Significant Indiginous Sites E.g. Uluru, Wave Rock, Kakadu
• Climate Zones and their impact on Environments
• Countries around the world and how they differ from Australia

This term in Science & Technology, Year 3 will learn about:

Material and Physical World - Heat up to a melting point

In this unit, students will use their understanding of  materials and the behaviour of heat to suggest explanations for everyday observations. They will describe how they can use science investigations to respond to questions. Students use their everyday experience of warming themselves, or use stimulus material about animals trying to keep warm, to generate inquiry questions about heat conduction. They develop their science investigation skills to conduct fair tests and gather evidence to support their claims. They will generate inquiry questions about changing solids to liquids and visa-versa by adding or removing heat. They discuss and formulate plans of action to answer these questions, including completing scientific investigations and generating new claims to answer their questions. 

Students will be involved in the learning of valuable skills

• Questioning and predicting
• Identifying and defining
• Researching and planning
• Producing and implementing
• Testing and evaluating

We are also hoping to have a science day where students will be involved in various experiments and design and make opportunities.

This term in Creative Arts, Year 3 will be taught by Mrs Clarese McCabe on a Friday. Students will be practicing, perfecting and performing a school musical.

A David and Goliath musical, Giant Slayer contains 10 terrific songs that tell the story of how important it is to look after our environment

Giant Slayer is a message of hope in this challenging age, presented through great melodies, contemporary rhythms and a simple, amusing script. 

Throughout the term, students will focus on ONE scene and song with their class. Students will perfect their section by focussing on one element per lesson at the beginning of the term. Towards the end of the term all aspects of the musical will join together into whole scene rehearsals, school rehearsals, dress rehearsals and performances for the GSFM community.

This term in PDHPE, Year 3 will:

Healthy Choices:

Students develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to empower them to make healthy and safe choices and take action to promote the health and wellbeing of their communities. Students engage with a range of health issues and identify strategies to keep them healthy, safe and active. Students explore the benefits and importance of regular physical activity in maintaining health and fitness. They are provided with opportunities to apply knowledge, understanding and skills to take action to enhance their own and others’ health, safety, wellbeing and participation in physical activity. They explore a range of social situations to develop understanding of health, safety, wellbeing and physical activity concepts. Students explore the benefits and importance of regular physical activity in maintaining health and fitness. They are provided with opportunities to design strategies that promote their own and others’ health and safety and help to increase levels of physical activity at home and at school.

Physical Education:

Grammar of Games: Students will learn decision making, strategy, tactics, communication and concentration skills while executing movement skills and actions. They will apply basic rules and scoring systems, and demonstrate fair play when participating in physical activities. The students will practice track and field events in an Athletics unit as well participate in games skills for Netball. 

We ask your child to:

• read daily (15 - 20 minutes) 
• chat to you about what they are reading - ask your child some comprehension questions, their favourite character, what they predict might happen in the story etc. 
• Optional: phonics/spelling work if you would like. Integrate maths- number into everyday situations, going to shops, money, receiving change etc. 

Topic Talks - Year 3 will be assessed on a 2-3 minute speech in approx week 7. 

The topic will be communicated to parents in advance. There is no weekly talk time in Year 3 - speaking and listening is integrated throughout all KLA’s.

Occasional Projects,  seesaw tasks and Maths online activities.

Please support your child to be Ready to Learn each day by ensuring he/she has the following:

• Scissors, glue, writing pencils, ruler, whiteboard markers

• Reading books
• Headphones - If headphones are wireless please ensure they are fully charged. - Please ensure students' headphones are working for NAPLAN. corded headphones are the best for these tests, as we encounter less issues.

• Please ensure your child’s ipad is at school everyday and fully charged, especially in NAPLAN week. (week 3)

All students are expected to be neatly dressed in their school uniform or sports uniform each day. Classroom teachers will monitor the wearing of the uniform on a day-to-day basis and inappropriate dress will be brought to the attention of the student and, where necessary, parents. 

This term students are to wear the correct Summer/Winter uniform.

GOOD SAMARITAN CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL UNIFORM

Students are also expected to wear the correct Sports Uniform on sports days:

ALL ITEMS OF UNIFORM MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE CHILD’S NAME

Ongoing communication between school and home is essential. The school aims to work in partnership with the home and recognises that parents wish to be informed of any problems. Likewise, there is a need for parents to keep the school informed of any events that may impact on the life of their child at school.

Through this mutual communication we aim to provide a safe and supportive environment for your child.

1. If you have any educational/behaviour concerns about your child always contact your child’s classroom teacher in the first instance. Your child’s classroom teacher will always make contact with you if they have any concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. 
2. Grades and classes across the school are supported by Middle Leaders. You are welcome to contact the Middle Leader/s responsible for your child’s class/grade if you have continued concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. The Middle Leaders will also contact you when and if necessary.

Middle Leaders 2022

3.If the issue remains unresolved beyond the Middle Leader then please address your concern/s to the Assistant Principal or the Principal. 

4.Parents may contact teachers by email via the school office (info@gsfmdow.catholic.edu.au) but are asked to understand that a response may not be immediate and certainly cannot be expected beyond the regular hours of the school day or week. At Good Samaritan, we believe it is important to speak with parents either in a face-to-face meeting or over the phone when responding to emails that may be of a sensitive nature or, that may require a lengthy response. Therefore, the email response you receive may be of a generic nature. 3.

5.Parents are asked to understand that teachers primary responsibility throughout the school day is towards the students. Therefore, teachers are unable to engage in discussion when they are in direct supervision of students.

For any absence the school must receive notification of the reason for the absence within 7 days of the return to school. This applies for partial absences as well as whole day absences. Please supply the reason via Compass. In the event that a notification is not supplied the absence will be recorded as Unjustified/Unexplained.

Monday 9 May 

Staff Development Day: Monday 9 May 

NAPLAN:

Tuesday 10 May

NAPLAN Writing

Wednesday 11 May 

NAPLAN Reading

Thursday 12 May

NAPLAN Language Conventions 

Friday 13 May 

NAPLAN Numeracy 

Friday 20 May

Athletics Carnival

29/30 June 2022

Reconciliation Parent Meeting: SJV Church @ 6.30pm

• Please ensure all your child’s belongings are marked clearly with their name and class. 
• The school day starts at 8.50am. It is important that all students are here and ready to learn by this time. Students are able to arrive from 8.20am.
• Munch and Crunch is held every morning, sometime during the first teaching session. Please pack a fruit or vegetable only snack which can be eaten in no more than 5 minutes.
• Please be aware that we are an “Anaphylaxis Aware” school and have children who have high nut allergies in our school community. This is a life threatening condition. Please do not send any nut products to school.
• Change of circumstances - Please notify the school office of any change of address, phone number or circumstances that may affect your child’s safety and well-being at school.
• Good Samaritan promotes responsible waste management. Please limit the amount of packaging you put in your child’s lunchbox. Remember we have Waste Free Wednesdays and Mess free Mondays.

We are looking forward to the year ahead.

Ashley Rae

Tracey Sutton