Year 3 Exemplars: Overview

Curriculum overview

The theme for Year 3 is Places are both similar and different.

This develops the concept of place into a more complex idea with subtleties of function, and contrasts in settlements between different places. The child's mental map of locations of places and spaces in Australia is expanded, and an understanding of the diversity of places in our neighbouring nations is developed.

Opportunities are taken to increase children's skills of working with maps, and their confidence in presenting information to the class. Through these experiences children increase both their knowledge of the world and their appreciation of the similarities and diversities of other children's lives.

About the illustrations

Illustration 1: Making your own atlas develops the children's knowledge and understanding of places and patterns in Australia by engaging them in the hands-on activity of making their own simple atlas of Australia. They can then choose what form, and how to represent features. A number of suggestions are given, including mapping local information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander regions.

Illustration 2: Children in different places – a drama activity focuses on the similarities and differences between people in our neighbouring countries by providing short factual paragraphs about children in 16 countries. Children can use these as the basis of a talk or dramatisation about the life and location of each child, and then build on and compare the information.