Year 3 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Year 3
Topic
Topic Focus
Lesson
English
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Spring 2
Scrumdiddlyumptious
(DT)
DT: Cooking &
Nutrition
- Investigate and
analyse a range of
existing products
- Prepare and cook a
variety of dishes using
a range of cooking
techniques
- Use research and
develop design
criteria
- Evaluate ideas and
products against
design criteria and
consider the views of
others to improve
work
Tribal Tales
(History)
History: Stone Age to
Iron Age
Learn about changes
in Britain from the
Stone Age to the Iron
Age including:
- hunter-gatherers
and early farmers
- Bronze Age religion,
technology and travel
- Iron Age hill forts
Mighty Metals
(Science)
Science: Forces &
Magnets
- Notice that some
forces need contact
between two objects,
but magnetic forces
can act at a distance
- Describe magnets as
having two poles
- Predict whether two
magnets will attract or
repel each other,
depending on which
poles are facing
Predators
(Science)
Science: Animals &
Skeletons
- Identify that animals,
including humans,
need the right types
and amount of
nutrition, and that
they cannot make
their own food; they
get nutrition from
what they eat
- Identify that humans
and some other
animals have
skeletons and muscles
for support,
protection and
movement
Speaking and Listening
 Give structured descriptions
 Participate actively in
conversation
 Consider and evaluate different
viewpoints
Writing
 Use handwriting joins
appropriately
 Plan and write based on
familiar forms
 Rehearse sentences orally for
writing
 Use varied rich vocabulary
 Assess effectiveness of own
and others writing
Summer 1
Summer 2
Flow
Urban Pioneers
(Geography)
(Art)
Geography: Human & Art:
Physical Features
- Improve their
- Describe and
mastery of art and
understand key
design techniques
aspects of human
including drawing,
geography, including:
painting and sculpture
types of settlement
with a range of
and land use,
materials, e.g. pencils,
economic activity
charcoal, paint and
including trade links,
clay
and the distribution of - Find out about great
natural resources
artists, architects and
including energy,
designers in history
food, minerals and
water
- Name and locate the
world’s countries and
key features using
maps
- Name and locate
counties and cities of
the UK
Grammar
Spelling
 Use a range of conjunctions
 Use prefixes & suffixes
 Use perfect tense
 Use dictionaries
 Use range of nouns and
 Write simple dictated
pronouns
sentences
 Use time connectives
 Spelling pattern -le and verb
endings
 Know language of clauses
Year 3 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Guided
Reading
Maths
Science
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Iron Man by Ted Hughes
The Butterfly Lion
- Use knowledge to read exception words
- Use knowledge to read exception words
- Use knowledge to read exception words
- Read a range of fiction and non-fiction
- Read a range of fiction and non-fiction
- Read a range of fiction and non-fiction
(instructional texts and adverts)
(instructional texts and adverts)
(instructional texts and adverts)
- Prepare poems to perform
- Prepare poems to perform
- Prepare poems to perform
- Check own understanding of reading
- Check own understanding of reading
- Check own understanding of reading
- Draw inference and make predictions
- Draw inference and make predictions
- Draw inference and make predictions
- Retrieve and record information from non- Retrieve and record information from non- Retrieve and record information from nonfiction books
fiction books
fiction books
- Discuss reading with others
- Discuss reading with others
- Discuss reading with others
Number and Calculation
Geometry & Measures Compare
Fractions & Decimals
Data
 Learn 3, 4 and 8 times tables
 Measure and calculate with metric
 Use and count in tenths
 Interpret bar
measures
charts and
 Secure place value to 100
 Recognise, find and write fractions
pictograms
 Measure simple perimeter
 Mentally add and subtract
 Recognise some equivalent
units, tens or hundreds to
fractions
 Add/subtract using money in context
numbers of up to 3 digits
 Use Roman numerals up to XII; tell
 Add/subtract fractions to <1
time
 Written column addition and
 Order fractions with common
subtraction
denominators
 Calculate using simple time problems
 Solve number problems,
 Draw 2D / make 3D shapes
including multiplication and
 Identify and use right angles
simple division and missing
 Identify horizontal, vertical,
number problems
perpendicular and parallel lines
 Use commutativity to help
calculations
Nutrition
Plants / Light &
Forces & Magnets
Animals & Skeletons
Soil & Aquatic Plants Sources & Reflectors
- Identify that animals, Shadow
- Compare and group
- Identify that animals, - Recognise that soils - Notice that light is
including humans,
- Recognise that
together a variety of
including humans,
are made from rocks
reflected from surfaces
need the right types
shadows are formed
everyday materials on need the right types
and organic matter
- Recognise that light
and amount of
when the light from a
the basis of whether
and amount of
- Explore the
from the sun can be
nutrition and that
light source is blocked they are attracted to a nutrition, and that
requirements of
dangerous
they cannot make
by a solid object
magnet, and identify
they cannot make
plants for life and
- Find patterns in the
their own food
- Explore the part that some magnetic
their own food; they
growth (air, light,
way that the size of
- Identify differences,
flowers play in the life materials
get nutrition from
water, nutrients from shadows change
similarities or changes cycle of flowering
what they eat
soil, and room to
related to simple
plants, including
- Identify that humans grow)
Year 3 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
DT
Art
scientific ideas and
processes
pollination, seed
formation and seed
dispersal
Cooking & Nutrition
- Investigate and
analyse a range of
existing products
- Prepare and cook a
variety of dishes using
a range of cooking
techniques
- Use research and
develop design
criteria
- Evaluate ideas and
products against
design criteria and
consider the views of
others to improve
work
Still Life: Fruit &
Vegetables
- Use sketchbooks to
record observations to
review and revisit
ideas
- Improve their
mastery of art and
design techniques
including drawing,
painting and sculpture
with a range of
materials
Tools & Building
Structures
- Explore cutting,
scraping, sharpening,
grinding and markmaking with different
types of stone
- Design and make an
ancient hunting tool
with a range of
materials
- Build a monument
and evaluate its
success, considering
the views of others
Design an Iron Man
- Select from and use
a wider range of tools
and equipment to
perform practical
tasks (e.g. cutting,
shaping, joining and
finishing)
- Apply their
understanding of how
to strengthen, stiffen
and reinforce more
complex structures
- Understand and use
electrical systems in
their products
Patterns & Symbols
- Look at and sketch
examples of patterns
and symbols carved by
Neolithic people
Jewellery Making
- Create embossed foil
patterns and pictures
on a range of different
coloured art foils
- Use wire, metal
beads, foils and clasps
to make jewellery
and some other
animals have
skeletons and muscles
for support,
protection and
movement
Collage
- Create a collage of a
predator or scavenger
choosing from a wide
range of materials,
components or
textiles
3D Scale Models
- Make a 3D scale
model of a bird of
prey using a range of
recycled materials
Mechanical Systems
- Find out what
hydropower is and
explain how it is a
renewable energy
source
River Painting
- Use watercolours in
river-coloured tints
and tones to create a
delicate abstract
painting
Graffiti
- Learn how to use a
digital camera to take
photos from unusual
viewpoints
- Create amazing light
graffiti images using
long exposure
photography
- Look at examples of
urban art and graffiti
on the Berlin wall.
Year 3 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Geography
Food miles & Fair
Trade
- Describe and
understand key
aspects of human
geography including
types of settlement
and land use,
economic activity
including trade links
and distribution of
natural resources
including energy,
food, minerals and
water
History
James Lind
- Study an aspect or
theme in British
history that extends
pupils’ knowledge
beyond 1066
Computing
We are programmers
- Create a storyboard
and characters for an
animation about food
Archaeological Dig
- Take part in an
exploratory dig and
take on the role of an
archaeologist in
analysing the artefacts
found
- Identify how people
both damage and
improve the
environment
- Look at a range of
maps and aerial
images to find and
observe iron age hill
forts
Stone Age to Iron Age
- Research Stone Age
families and their
everyday lives
- Research the job of
an archaeologist
- Find out about life
during the Bronze and
Iron Age
- Find out about Celtic
beliefs including Gods
and Goddesses
We are bug fixers
- Spot and correct
bugs in software
programs
Habitats
- Investigate the
habitat of the
peregrine falcon
- Draw a bird’s eye
view of a familiar
landscape as well as
coastlines
We are presenters
- Create a short edited
video with narrated
commentary
We are network
engineers
- Use network
diagnostic tools to
test and explore
network connections
Rivers of the World
- Use depth data to
draw a river profile,
deciding on a suitable
scale
- Research how
different physical
features of rivers are
formed
- Look at rivers
around the world and
describe their
features
- Discover leisure
activities involving
rivers
We are
communicators
- Learn how to use
email safely
- Explore video
conferencing
- Learn how to create
presentations
Urban Characteristics
- Use web-based
satellite mapping to
view patterns across
the world
- Find out about the
urban characteristics
about the city of Berlin
- Make a map or plan
to design an amazing
communal area for a
fantasy city centre
History of a Local
Town
- Research a local town
and whether it has
been affected by major
events
- Discover how your
local town has changed
over the years
- Predict how the town
will change in the
future
We are opinion
pollsters
- Create an online
opinion poll survey and
analyse the results
Year 3 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
PE
Exercise & Health
- Join in with highenergy activities,
circuit-training and
team games
- Track how much
water is needed in a
typical school day
Gymnastics
- Stretching, curling
and arching
- Pathways, travelling
and jumping
Forces
- Use a range of PE
equipment to explore
forces
RE
What is God like?
- What do Christians
believe God is like?
(6-8)
Christmas Presents
- Why are presents
given at Christmas?
(2-3)
Origins of Christianity
- Who brought
Christianity to Britain
(6-8)
PSHE/Life Skills
Healthy Eating
- Understand the
importance of a
balanced diet,
exercise and
hydration
Looking back
- Compare life in
prehistoric times to
life today
Reflections
- Discuss why
reflection is important
in learning and life
SRE
Music
MFL
Food Glorious Food
- Learn to sing and perform ‘Food Glorious
Food’ in unison
- Make and discuss sounds (timbres) made by
different foods
- Create a composition using food sounds
La Cuisine
Pierre et Monsieur
- Speak in sentences
Bonhomme de neige
using familiar
- Speak in sentences
vocabulary, phrases
using familiar
Challenges
- Take part in different
sporting challenges
including sprinting,
long distance running,
jumping, throwing and
catching
- Record
achievements in a
spreadsheet to
achieve their personal
best
Easter
- What happened
during Jesus’ last
week?
(2-3)
Something else?
- Similarities and
differences between
people
- Getting along
Adventure &
Problem Solving
- Take part in
outdoor adventurous
activities
- Work in teams and
use problem solving
skills to “cross the
river”
Tennis
- Forehand, backhand,
volleying and serving
- Rules of the court and
scoring
Judaism
- Who are the Jews?
- What does it mean to be a Jew?
(16)
Drugs Education & SRE
- Using medication
safely
- Similarities and
differences between
male and female
bodies
Our Town
- Present ideas on
how you feel about
your local community
Metal Mayhem
- Use old pots and pans to create a steel band
- Compose and perform a theatrical metal
music extravaganza
Water Soundscape
- Listen to well-known compositions related to
water
- Compose and perform ensemble pieces
inspired by water
L’ecole de signes
- Speak in sentences
using familiar
vocabulary, phrases
Joyeux anniversaire!
- Speak in sentences
using familiar
vocabulary, phrases
Le petit Chaperon
rouge
- Speak in sentences
using familiar
Un Village en France
- Speak in sentences
using familiar
vocabulary, phrases
Year 3 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
and basic language
structures
- Broaden their
vocabulary and
develop their ability to
understand new
words that are
introduced into
familiar written
material including
through a dictionary
School Trips /
Visitors
Visit: Supermarket
vocabulary, phrases
and basic language
structures
- Broaden their
vocabulary and
develop their ability to
understand new
words that are
introduced into
familiar written
material including
through a dictionary
Visitor: Archaeologist
and basic language
structures
- Broaden their
vocabulary and
develop their ability to
understand new
words that are
introduced into
familiar written
material including
through a dictionary
Visit: Local
Playground
vocabulary, phrases
and basic language
structures
- Broaden their
vocabulary and
develop their ability to
understand new
words that are
introduced into
familiar written
material including
through a dictionary
Visit: Bird World
and basic language
structures
- Broaden their
vocabulary and
develop their ability to
understand new words
that are introduced
into familiar written
material including
through a dictionary
and basic language
structures
- Broaden their
vocabulary and
develop their ability
to understand new
words that are
introduced into
familiar written
material including
through a dictionary
Visit: Local River
Visit: Town Study