The Dolphin Class turned into real life weather reporters in Spanish lessons recently.  In connection with their learning on the topic of weather with Miss Mani, they watched real Spanish and Central/Latin American weather reports. Then, they learned how to report the weather in different parts of the world for themselves. 

First, the children chose the continent on which they wanted to focus their report – Europe, North America or Latin America.  Next, they decided which cities they wanted to report on, and learned where they were, in order to make their weather reports slick and professional, just like the real thing.  I think you’ll agree that they did just that when you watch their superb video. Excelente!

Years 4 and 5 wrote their own myths and kindly invited Year 3 to share the reading of them. Year 3 were so impressed with their stories that were full of magical events, scary slimy creatures, impossible tasks and brave heroes, that they were inspired to also write their own myths.  Year 3 would like to pass on a big thank you to Years 4/5.  They would also like to return the invite and have more fun shared reading next week – this time with their myths.

Our Year 6 and Year 4 level Math groups got together this week to work on some Christmas problem solving.  The Year 6 took on the role of teachers, supporting the Year 4s.  They prepared their lessons carefully, thinking through how they would help and encourage their partners to work through each problem, logically and methodically, using a range of strategies.  Everyone enjoyed the experience and the room was a buzz of activity.

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On Monday, Years 3, 4 and 5 excitedly headed down to Big Blue Dock to meet Chris, Laura and Ben, our ‘Big Blue’ happy tour guides and boat captain, for our much awaited summer field trip!  After being fitted with fins, life jackets, and after a formal introduction to the boat and water safety, we set sail for Little Water Cay.  The signs were there that we were going to have a remarkable day as we saw a little sting ray before we had even left the dock!

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Three ships from the Dominican Republic Navy made an official visit to the island on Monday June 14 for three days.   The vessels were crewed by more than 40 sailors.   Year 3/4 accepted an invitation from the Dominican Republic Naval fleet and headed to the Turtle Cove Marina for an exciting tour of one of their ships.   The children were escorted around the boat by naval officers who kindly answered all their questions.

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Last term ,Year3/4 celebrated the end of their Ancient Greek topic by having an Ancient Greek day.  The children came to school dressed in Greek clothes and really looked the part!  All of Year 3/4 would like to say a BIG thanks to parents who contributed to their Greek Feast!  The day was a huge success!

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Year 3/4 has been working exceptionally hard during their Literacy lessons to learn how to become journalists!

After studying a variety of local newspapers and  identifying their key features, the class split into pairs and chose a fairy tale or story of their choice to write a report about.  Some chose Little Red Riding Hood, Matilda, Cinderella or Snow White. Each pair was given the task of reporting the story from a different perspective.

The children impressed their editor so much that all the children’s reports made the front page!  This of course meant the children had extra work and had to prepare headlines, photographs with captions and even create appropriate adverts!

If you would like to read the children’s front page stories they are in the Library and Miss Steph’s classroom…

During our first week back at school children in Years 3/4 were thrown into the deep end and challenged to complete a Collaborative Art Project. They were asked to fill a display board by recreating an ocean scene.

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Year 3 and 4 were very lucky last week to have Brian and Natasha come to talk to them and answer their many questions about sea turtles that live around The Turks and Caicos Islands.

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Monkey came to us from the Amazon rainforest.  He has been with the Grade 3 children for two years and is a much loved and cherished member of the class.  Last year in Grade 2, he learnt to read and to do multiplication and this year  in Grade 3, he has learnt lots about writing stories and fractions.  He completed all his end of year SATs – scoring well above average for monkeys his age!  He had a glowing report, although he sometimes ‘monkeys around‘ in class and will need to work on this!  He has successfully graduated Grade 3 and will be moving on up with the class into Grade 4 in September.  Congratulations Monkey!  He is especially looking forward to learning the steel drums with his new teacher, Miss Helen.  Monkey works very hard during the school day, but after school and at the weekends when we are not about, he swings in the trees, eats bananas and plays with all the toys!  See a slideshow of photos, taken mainly by some of the Grade 3s, of all the things that he gets up to when we’re not at school.   Maybe next year he will have a new friend to play with.  Miss Mani has thoroughly enjoyed having Monkey in her class and there is a rumor going around that there may be a new animal joining the Grade 3 class next year!  I wonder what it will be?

In Design and Technology Grade 3 explored how to make things move by using ‘pneumatics’ – a force that makes things move by using air.

They decided to design and make monsters with “pneumatic jaws”.  Watch out they may come and bite YOU!

The Grade 3’s have been looking at patterns and how they are made.  In art they designed their own patterns; then made a block print from it.  They repeated and rotated their patterns.  They also designed some patterns using their ICT skills; they found the computer much quicker and easier to produce a design.

They used their design pattern to dress their models.  Take a closer look at their designs and patterns in a slideshow of their models.  Would you buy their designs?  Do you think they are trendy?

In order to develop their skills further, Mrs. Krys, a graphics designer, has volunteered to come in to help the children to create designs using Adobe Photoshop.  We look forward to seeing how they get on.

The Grade 3’s have designed a Science experiment to see which surface material will make a plasticine ball ‘splat’ the most.  After making their predictions, they set off in pairs to see if they could set up a ‘fair test’ using the equipment they were given.  To insure that their experiment was a fair test, they knew that they must change only one factor at a time while keeping all other conditions the same.

Scientists call the changing factors in an experiment variables.  The different surface materials needed to be the only changing variable, everything else needed to stay the same.

Click on to see the children working on their experiments…

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The Grade 3s have been testing and measuring the strength of magnets in Science.  They had to think of a way of making the tests fair by looking at the variables closely.  They decided which variables they needed to change, and which variables needed to be kept the same?  They did some individual and group recording of their experiments.  Click here to have a go at an interactive online magnet experiment.

In Numeracy they have been looking at capacity.  To practise their measuring skills they estimated what each container would hold, then they used the measuring equipment to help them to read millilitres and litres as accurately as possible. They did really well and it was lots of fun to explore this topic through practically exploration.

Grade 3 looked at how they could enhance the outdoor environment by creating sculptures. After researching into different types of sculptures they worked collaboratively in groups working on their own designs. There was lots of discussion as to how they could incorporate everyone’s ideas and lots of problem solving going on. Each sculpture was very different and the ability to listen, work and co-operate with each other made each one a huge success. They were so proud of their achievements that some of the children even organised ‘sculpture tours’ so that other children in the school could experience and appreciate them to their potential. Well done Grade 3 for designing and making such wonderful interactive creations!  Click on to see more photos of the sculptures being made and the final pieces.

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