Welcome to Maple 3!
2025 – 2026
Mrs Houghton - Class Teacher Mrs Oldham, Mrs Sullivan - Teaching Assistants
Summer 2
Take One Author : Roald Dahl
What a fantastic sports day! Well done Year 3!
We became Quentin Blake illustrators in art this week. We had a look at his style of artwork, before having a go at drawing facial features in the style of Quentin Blake. We then designed our own character in his famous style, using what we had learned from our previous lesson. After that we filled our drawing with watercolours to match the style of Quentin Blake, before outlining the finished piece with a black pen to make our picture stand out.
What a fantastic day we had at Cadbury World! The children were immersed in the wonderful world of chocolate as they discovered how cocoa beans are transformed into the delicious treats we all enjoy. They explored real cacao pods, smelled cocoa beans, and learned fascinating facts about the chocolate-making process. There was plenty of hands-on fun too, including the chance to write their names in melted chocolate and watch talented chocolatiers create amazing chocolate creations during live demonstrations. One of the highlights of the day was the thrilling 4D Chocolate Adventure cinema experience, where the children joined Freddo and friends on an action-packed journey filled with exciting special effects. They also loved hopping aboard the Cadbury Chocolate Quest ride, helping to collect ingredients to make the perfect chocolate bar. To round off an unforgettable trip, the children enjoyed burning off some energy in the outdoor play area with their friends. It was a truly memorable day packed with learning, laughter, excitement and, of course, lots of chocolate!
Year 3 had a brilliant geography lesson yesterday, exploring where the cocoa beans used to make chocolate come from. The children were fascinated to discover that many cocoa beans are grown in countries such as the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. Using an atlas alongside our world map, we located these countries and talked about their place in the world. It was a wonderful way to build map skills while learning about the journey from bean to bar.
This week, Year 3 became Roald Dahl inventors. First, we designed our own chocolate and sweet treats for the chocolate factory. We thought carefully about colours, shapes and flavours. Then we wrote brilliant descriptions using tasty adjectives, playful alliteration and sparkling similes. One treat was crunchy as a cracker and another was as smooth as silk. After that, our descriptions were sent to ChatGPT, who acted like Quentin Blake and drew our ideas. The pictures brought our wonderful inventions to life.
Summer 1
Ancient Greece
The children have been exploring Greek mythology and have created their very own moving monsters to bring their learning to life. They began by learning about pneumatics, testing how air pressure can be used to make movement happen. With this new understanding, they designed imaginative mythical creatures, carefully planning how each one would work. Step by step, the children then built their monsters, combining creativity, problem-solving and hands-on science. Can you spot which ones are inspired by Medusa? What about the Minotaur?
Well done to Summer 1's class dojo winners!
Well done Year 3 on your sponsored walk/run today! You all tried your very best and we're proud of you!
Well done to our two chosen winners for our Theseus and the Minotaur art work!
Year 3 enjoyed a computing lesson linked to online safety, where we explored which devices are connected to the internet and what information they store. We talked about how smart watches can record details such as physical activity and heart rate, and how this information can be shared with people we choose to connect with. The children then showed their understanding through a matching activity. It was brilliant to see them thinking carefully about how our devices collect and share data in everyday life.
Maple are enjoying their new music unit - 'Just Three Notes' They are learning to recognise, copy and play three pitches - C, D, E. It was lovely to see the children working as a team!
In our recent lesson, the children were introduced to the fascinating world of measuring in lumens. We had a wonderful time exploring what happens to the lumens when shining a torch at different objects. It was amazing to see their excitement as they discovered how light interacts with various surfaces!
In our recent activity, we used mirrors and a source of light to explore the fascinating world of reflections. We observed how light reflects both in the classroom and outside, discovering the different ways we can see our surroundings. It was a delightful experience that sparked curiosity and encouraged us to think about how light interacts with the world around us!
As part of our RE learning about Hinduism, Year 3 researched different Hindu Gods and Goddesses using fact pages and iPads and created group posters to share their learning.
BASE Club is well underway for Summer term with some Year 3 & 4 children opting for Pet Care and Crafts Club. Over the course of this term, the children adopt a pet and learn how to care for it before taking it to its forever home.
This week children learned how to care for their injured and poorly pet by getting into role as a veterinarian.
We listened to the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and used it as inspiration for our artwork. We drew the two main characters, Theseus and the Minotaur, making sure to show the Minotaur with a bull’s head and a human body. We set our scene inside a labyrinth to match the story and included string in our artwork to represent how Theseus found his way out of the maze.
This morning, Year 3 returned to school full of excitement as they began their new topic on Ancient Greece. To launch their learning, the children took part in a special video call with Isobel, an Oxford University master’s student studying Ancient Greek. Isabel brought the topic to life by sharing the fascinating Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. The children listened carefully as the story unfolded, exploring the bravery of Theseus and the mystery of the labyrinth.
Inspired by the myth, the pupils were then challenged to create their own artwork to represent the story and showcase their understanding. These fantastic pieces will be shared with the Classics Association, giving the children a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their learning beyond the classroom.
