Sunday, October 30, 2016

Third Grade Life Science


This month students have been studying living organisms.  We have completed science observations noticing how different organisms look, move, and respond to their environment.  We have learned that living things share certain characteristics: they move, breathe, need energy, have a life cycle, reproduce, and die.


Students are brainstorming characteristics that all living things have in common



Students were curiuos (some skeptical) if plants really moved .  So, we set up a simple science experiment to capture the movement of a plants leaves as they angle toward the sun.  We were able to see evidence of how a plant responds to its' environment.





 We worked to categorize various objects as living, non-living, or dead and realized that there is yet another category when we had disagreements about where to place our peas seeds.

We took our learning outside and worked to categorize organisms we encountered on our nature walk. 


This week students are using what they know about animal adaptations to create a "Creative Amphibian" model of an animal that has adaptations for living on land and water.  Students will combine features from their favorite animals to make a unique creature.



Saturday, August 20, 2016

Room B-214 Sneak Peek



Hello Third Graders!
Only ten days until school starts and there is still so much left to do!  I have been at school all week rearranging and organizing our classroom so it's ready for us on August 30th.  Here is a sneak peek of our room. Of course, there are many "finishing touches" still left to complete. Everyone is working hard to get the school in tip-top shape for our first day.  GEMS continues to be under construction in the middle school wing; furniture is still being moved and floors are still being cleaned and waxed.  There is a flurry of activity as it all comes together in the final days.  I am so excited to welcome you to 3rd grade.  See you soon!



Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Cardboard Carnival

Just before April vacation our 3rd grade class, together with Miss Sikorky's class,  held a cardboard carnival inspired by Caine's Arcade.  Students imagined and planned different types of arcade and carnival games they could create, and used cardboard and other recycled materials to bring their plans to life.  Building their games presented many opportunities for students to practice patience and perseverance.  Lawrence recounts his experience with improving, "When we were building l didn't like my idea so I did some improvements on my game because when I flicked it (the football) would go flying into a friend's game."

When games were complete students wrote game directions which outlined the object of the game, materials, and the procedure for playing.  Their final drafts were typed using an iPad, and students learned how to take and embed a photograph in their document.  In art class Mrs. Hogg worked with students to design and create signs advertising the name of their game.
  
When the big day arrived we invited our Kindergarten reading buddies, parents, teachers, and other classes to play our games for a penny.   You could feel the nervous excitement.  Adeline recalls, "First, I was nervous because I didn't know if people would like my game, but when some people came to my game and liked it I became less nervous for the other people."  

Students had lots of opportunity to practice speaking and listening skills as they introduced their game and taught customers how to play.  Some students used creative methods to lure in customers.  Sophia explains, "At first no one was coming to my game so I started advertising, "Step right up to Kitten Drop!" I would say."  

As a class we worked together to find a grand total for all the money we collected.  Our class raised $66.05.  Together with Miss Sikorsky's class, we raised over $100.00 to benefit the Georgia Food Shelf.  Samara sums it up here, "Cardboard Carnival was fun, but had some very hard work!  Cardboard Carnival was exciting overall!!"

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Forces and Interacions

Students are exploring forces in science.  They are using what they have learned about magnetism's repelling and attracting forces to  design a vehicle that levitates and transports washers along a magnetic track


Students work to improve their levitating vehicles.  "My first was too small so it kept tipping and sticking to the track," Drew said.  "I put cardboard on it because when it was plastic I needed it sturdier," Lawrence said.

Students gather to test their levitating vehicles by adding metal washers until it no longer levitates or glides smoothly along the track.  This was Ava's test; her vehicle held 28 washers.