Year 3 Teaching Resources
Explore printable worksheets, digital activities, games and more Year 3 resources, all aligned to the Australian curriculum! The teacher-created resources have all been designed with primary teachers and students in mind to meet the special needs of children as they transition into the middle years of their primary school education.
Carefully curated and thoroughly reviewed by the expert teachers of the Teach Starter team to ensure they're classroom-ready, our Year 3 resources can save you lesson planning time this school year with editable and differentiated options at the ready.
Teach Starter’s Year 3 resources utilise a vast array of resource types and have something for every learning area. Here's just a taste of what you'll find for your classroom!
- Spelling words and English worksheets
- Fractions activities and Maths worksheets
- Social and emotional learning activities
- Narrative writing stimuli
- Language conventions practice
- And so much more!
Are you new to teaching Year 3? Here's a look at what this year of primary school is all about!
What Is Year 3 in Australia?
Year 3 sits right in the middle of primary school for most students in Australia as the fourth year of compulsory education.
How Old Are Kids in Year 3?
The exact age of students will vary slightly by state (and birthday!), but most children in your Year 3 class will be 8 to 9 years old.
What Do Students Learn in Year 3?
Year 3 is a big one for Australian students. Many will sit the NAPLAN tests, and more than a few will hit double digits before the year is through. This is a big year for Maths between the introduction of more complex fractions and formal multiplication, as well as even more skill-building in other learning areas.
Exactly what they're expected to learn will depend to some degree on the state or territory where you are teaching, but here's a look at what your students can expect to encounter in the key areas of the curriculum!
English
Year 3 students continue to develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in their English lessons. Reading will involve more complex texts, including longer novels, non-fiction texts, and poetry.
Students will also be expected to analyse these texts more deeply, examining themes, character development, and literary techniques. Comprehension skill-building will require deeper analysis of texts and drawing inferences from what is read.
While Year 2 instruction focuses on basic writing skills such as sentence structure and punctuation, this older group of students will move toward more advanced writing skills such as paragraphing, using descriptive language, and organising ideas in a logical way.
Grammar and spelling will also become a greater focus this year, with an emphasis on understanding and applying more complex grammar rules and spelling patterns.
Maths
Fractions feature front and centre of the Year 3 Maths curriculum. Students will learn to identify, compare, and order unit fractions (those being fractions with a numerator of 1), as well as use them in simple problem-solving contexts.
We already alluded to this being a big year for multiplication, and is it ever! Year 3 students learn the basic multiplication facts — such as 2 x 2 = 4 and 3 x 3 = 9 — and they begin to use these facts to solve multiplication and division problems. They also learn to interpret and create simple multiplication and division problems.
Students will have the chance to build upon their understanding of measurement concepts from Year 2, including length, mass, and capacity. They'll learn to measure and estimate using standard units, plus how to compare and order measurements.
Maths students will expand their knowledge of 2D shapes this year, and they will begin to learn about three-dimensional shapes and their properties.
Place value is still a big part of maths, of course. Year 3 students expand their understanding of place value to include numbers up to 10,000, and they learn to read, write, and compare four-digit numbers. They also learn to use place value to solve addition and subtraction problems.
Science
Science instruction in Year 3 is more focused on building a deeper understanding of scientific concepts and their applications, as compared to Year 2. It also emphasises the development of scientific inquiry skills that will help kids become more proficient in conducting scientific investigations and communicating their findings.
Students in Year 3 learn to ask questions, plan and conduct investigations, collect and record data, and communicate their findings as part of their development of science inquiry skills. They spend a portion of the year learning about the characteristics of living things, including plants and animals. Year 3 students will have the chance to explore the life cycles of plants and animals, as well as learning about the needs of living things and their habitats.
While they're learning about things that live on Earth, they're also learning about the planet itself, exploring geological features such as rocks, soil, and minerals. They also explore heat energy and how it can be transferred from one object to another.
Last, but certainly not least, Year 3 students learn about the properties and states of matter, including solids and liquids (gasses are explored later on in primary school).
Humanities and Social Sciences
Building on the foundation set in Year 2, Year 3 HAAS lessons build a deeper understanding of historical events and concepts, as well as exploring the social and economic systems that underpin Australian society.
Students learn about the historical events, people, and places that have shaped Australia's history. They explore the concept of change and continuity over time and learn to use historical sources to investigate the past. Students also study significant cultural events celebrated in our country and how they contribute to Australia's diversity and identity.
Geography instruction will guide students as they learn about the physical and cultural characteristics of places and regions. They'll learn more about the representation of Australia as states and territories, and as Countries/Places of First Nations Australians. Students will also begin exploring Australia's neighbours such as New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.
Civics instruction sees Year 3 students strengthening their understanding of what it means to live in a democratic society. They will draw upon their own personal experiences to examine why rules are important and to discuss how they can be active participants in the communities to which they belong.
Health and Physical Education
With their bodies rapidly changing, Year 3 students learn about the factors that influence their health and wellbeing, including the importance of good nutrition, hygiene, and sleep. They also learn about social and emotional health, including how to manage their feelings, develop positive relationships, and make safe and healthy choices.
In Year 3, there are a number of different types of safety on tap in lessons, including road safety, water safety, and personal safety. They develop an understanding of risk and learn strategies for staying safe in different situations.
Year 3 students also learn about the importance of being active and informed citizens in their community. They learn about the benefits of volunteering and begin to develop an understanding of the responsibilities and rights of individuals in society.
The Arts
In Year 3, students develop more advanced skills in drawing, painting, and other visual arts techniques. This includes studying the elements of art — such as line, shape, colour, and texture — and beginning to use these to create more complex artworks.
In music class, these children are learning all about musical notation and how to read and write simple music, while drama instruction explores different forms of drama, including role-playing, improvisation, and scripted performance. Students get the chance to learn about the elements of drama, such as character, plot, and setting, and begin to use these to create their own dramatic works.
- Plus Plan
18 Editing Worksheets - Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation
Twenty editing worksheets for spelling, grammar and punctuation.
- Free Plan
Nets of 3D Objects
Create a variety of 3D shapes with this comprehensive set of net templates.
- Free Plan
1–120 Number Charts With Missing Numbers
A set of 5 worksheets with missing numbers from 1–120.
- Free Plan
Persuasive Text Structure Posters
Explore the structure of persuasive writing with this set of 15 posters.
- Plus Plan
Imaginative, Persuasive and Informative Paragraphs Teaching Slides
Learn about the different structures of imaginative, persuasive and informative paragraphs.
- Plus Plan
Nouns, Proper Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs and Conjunctions Posters
Enhance student understanding of the 8 parts of speech with these colourful, informative and easily-referenced grammar wall posters.
- Plus Plan
Persuasive Devices Worksheet Pack
Explore persuasive language techniques with your students using this nine-page worksheet pack perfect for your persuasive writing unit.
- Plus Plan
Persuasive Devices Teaching Slides
Explore persuasive language devices with your students using this detailed and age-appropriate slideshow perfect for your persuasive writing unit.
- Free Plan
I Am Sorry – Poem and Discussion Questions
A poem to promote thoughtful discussion around issues of reconciliation on National Sorry Day.
- Plus Plan
Wingaru Kids Reconciliation Week Colouring-In Activities
Inspire students to commit to reconciliation with personalised colouring-in activity that highlights their individual commitments.
- Plus Plan
Comprehension Task Cards - Finding The Main Idea
A set of comprehension task cards to help students find the main idea when reading.
- Plus Plan
Developing Persuasive Writing Skills PowerPoint (Year 3 and Year 4)
Teach your students about the structure and language features of persuasive texts with these interactive teaching slides.
- Plus Plan
OREO® Planning Template - Persuasive Paragraph
Help your students write well constructed persuasive paragraphs using the OREO acronym with these planning templates.
- Plus Plan
Multiplication and Division Fact Families Teaching Slides
Introduce multiplication and division fact families to your students with this teaching slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Narrative Writing Planning Template
A template for students to use when planning a narrative text.
- Plus Plan
Persuasive Text Writing Prompts - Complete Set
A set of 5 persuasive writing prompts, covering a variety of topics.
- Plus Plan
Informative Paragraph Planning Template
A planning template for students to use when writing an informative paragraph.
- Plus Plan
Wingaru Kids - Reconciliation Week School Display
Create a powerful collective statement of your school’s commitment to reconciliation with this collaborative display activity from Wingaru Kids.
- Plus Plan
Differentiated Elapsed Time Worksheets for Beginners
Download a pack of differentiated Elapsed Time worksheets to help your students learn to calculate elapsed time in hours, half hours, and minutes.
- Plus Plan
Number of the Day Worksheet
Explore 4, 5, and 6-digit numbers using this number of the day worksheet with your students.
- Free Plan
Great Barrier Reef Comprehension and Note Taking Worksheet
Learn about The Great Barrier Reef with a reading comprehension and note-taking activity.
- Free Plan
Persuasive Planning Template
A planning template to assist students in writing a well-structured persuasive text.
- Plus Plan
Year 3 Reading Fluency Passages
Assess student fluency with a printable pack of reading fluency passages for Year 3.
- Plus Plan
Writing An Information Report Poster
Display this poster in your room as a visual reminder of the structure of an information report.
- Plus Plan
Penguin Adaptations - Year 3 Reading Comprehension
Explore the fascinating world of penguins and their adaptations with our set of printable Year 3 Reading Comprehension worksheets.
- Free Plan
Multiplication Chart
Print a handy multiplication chart for your students — it's free for teachers!
- Plus Plan
Analogue Time to the Half Hour – Worksheets
Practise telling time to the half-hour with a fun set of printable Telling Time Worksheets for Grade 1.
- Plus Plan
Hooray Arrays! Multiplication Worksheet Pack
Download this set of array worksheets to use when teaching your students how to relate addition and multiplication.
- Plus Plan
Exploring Rotational Symmetry Worksheets - Drawing Prompts
Encourage creativity and practice knowledge of rotational symmetry with a set of exciting symmetry drawing worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Introduction to Area Teaching Slides
Introduce the concept of measuring the area of regular shapes with this 22-slide instructional slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Kandinsky Circles Colouring Pages
Introduce your students to the circle art style of Wassily Kandinsky with a set of fun International Dot Day colouring in sheets.
- Free Plan
Free Telling Time to the Minute Worksheets
A worksheet for telling time to the minute and converting between analogue and digital times.