tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3848919574410958312024-03-13T13:36:05.133-07:00Mrs. Sullivan's ScoopStaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-33626168394092965772018-10-09T06:16:00.001-07:002018-10-13T13:25:04.213-07:00Relationships First!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super hero photos and Figure me Out projects </td></tr>
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We are just about 6 weeks into the school year and we are just now getting fully into third grade content. Why the delay? Well, because the start of the year is a vital time for relationship building and putting in place the procedures and expectations that will ground our work for the rest of the year. These things are not to be rushed! We have been focused on activities that allow us to get to know each other better and help us to feel connected and safe in our new learning environment. Activities like sharing our family photos, decorating our writer's notebooks, tie dyeing t-shirts, completing our Brown Bag Biographies, and participating in teamwork challenges help to build a sense of community and connection.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our family bulletin board</td></tr>
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Learning requires risk taking. Sharing their writing, their ideas, and asking questions puts students in a vulnerable state. It is essential that students feel valued and respected and these things don't happen without investing some time.<br />
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The beginning of the year is a time for me to learn about my new students. Who is an expert Lego master? Who is obsessed with becoming an NHL hockey player? Who can name every dinosaur ever discovered and a few only found in the movies? Who wants to go dumpster diving? Who dreams of being a doctor? Who wants to be an Olympic swimmer one day? All of our "get to know you" activities are important for understanding, and connecting with students and allows me to be sure they feel seen, heard, and represented in the classroom.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's your superpower?</td></tr>
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The social curriculum at school is something that is not often reported on, but is certainly something that we spend a great deal of time investing in. From the very first day of school we begin talking about creating a caring community that values Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self Control. Student's know this as C.A.R.E.S. Talk to your student about these characteristics. See if they can tell you what each letter stands for and what it means to them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CARES posters anchor our learning and remind us what these characteristics <br />
look like, sound like, and feel like when we use them.</td></tr>
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Cooperation is vital to the success of our classroom and it does not come easily. Students will spend a great deal of time working with partners, small groups and the whole class. Learning to cooperate with all kinds of different personalities is a challenge. This is why building strong relationships is so vital.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partner reading</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Problems solving with partners</td></tr>
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Assertion is another big focus in third grade. There is a shift in responsibility that happens where the teacher is no longer the chief problem solver. That power is transferred to students as they begin to find their voice and practice problem solving strategies. With help, students are learning to communicate and make choices for themselves that allow them to be successful.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talking circle led by middle school students</td></tr>
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As we enter this time of year, the academic content becomes the main focus and the workload and academic challenge increases. We will not, however, let relationship building fall by the wayside. This is one reason we start out every day by coming together for morning meeting. A time to great each other, check-in to see how we are all feeling, laugh a little, and center ourselves before jumping into our day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning meeting time</td></tr>
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<br />Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-59019222596628266262018-08-03T06:50:00.003-07:002018-08-03T06:52:26.121-07:00Sneak Peek <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's August and I just can't help myself. Even though I want to enjoy every last moment of my precious, Vermont summer, I find myself spending hours in the classroom cleaning, arranging, unpacking supplies and preparing for our year together. It's about this point in summer that I feel the pull as my excitement for the new year builds. I love spending time creating a warm, inviting, organized space that I will share with you for the next 9 months. After all, we will spend a great deal of time together in this "home away from home". I'm glad you have stopped by for a sneak peek of our room.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Please "leaf" me alone, I'm reading!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pictured above, is a favorite reading nook for 3rd graders. This year I added some twinkle lights to brighten up the space. Speaking of reading, here is a preview of a few new arrivals to our classroom library. Tom Gates is a diary-style, comic novel series by Liz Pichon. The Baby-Sitters Club by Raina Telgemeier (who also wrote the very popular Smile, Drama, and Sisters) is a graphic novel adaptation of the original series by Anna M. Martin. Dork Diaries is a diary style series about Nikki Maxwell's humorous and dramatic life written by Renee Russell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year I added more yoga balls to our classroom seating options. These are a favorite for students who love to move and bounce. Equally popular, are the Learniture Active Learning stools that allow students to rock and spin. I was lucky enough to get 6 stools through a fully funded Donors Choose project last year. Each table grouping has a minimum of 2 yoga balls, one rocker stool, and one chair with an optional stability disk. This year I have submitted another project on Donors Choose ( <span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/yazyjwzh" style="text-decoration-line: none;">ttps://tinyurl.com/yazyjwzh</a>)</span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>because I dream of adding some flexible furniture pieces to create collaboration areas throughout our room. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This year I want to honor the important connection between home and school by creating a family picture board. I thought this would be a great way for your teacher and classmates to "meet" the important people in your life. I hope that it will also bring you comfort to see these familiar faces, especially at the beginning of the year as we transition back to school.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This board is awaiting your family photos!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is still plenty for me to do to prepare for your arrival. Thanks for stopping by. I am excited to welcome you to 3rd grade on August 28th. I know that we will have a great year together!! See you soon.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room B214 - Mrs. Sullivan's Scholars</td></tr>
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<br />Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-71259437280179120562018-02-18T15:00:00.000-08:002018-02-19T05:19:52.356-08:00Students Spread Kindness Like Confetti<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large; text-align: left;">As part of our study of Georgia government we focus on rights and responsibilities of citizens. I try to help my students understand that for every freedom that is protected we also have an obligation to act responsibly. We spent some time brainstorming responsibilities and characteristics of good citizens. Students were also asked to get input from their parents. In addition to things like voting, staying informed about important issues, paying taxes, and jury duty, many students reported back that volunteering, helping their neighbor, and donating to local charitable organizations were important responsibilities of good citizens. Unlike paying taxes, the ideas of giving back and helping those in need are a little easier for students to understand and to put into action themselves.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing touches are added to a sign for our cafeteria staff.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">For the month of February our quotes of the day were focused on spreading kindness. Inspired by this, I saw an opportunity for students to put what we have been learning into action. I proposed that instead of planning a Valentine celebration, and exchanging Valentines, that we make Valentine's Day a day of services and spreading kindness. Not all students were immediately on board...I could see them processing what that meant. (No valentines? No candy? No party?...No Way!) I threw out a few ideas and told them to take the weekend to think about what this might look like. How could they spread kindness? How would they like to help? Would they focus on our G.E.M.S. community or the Georgia community? The choice was theirs.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Be the person that starts a kindness trail!"</td></tr>
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Students created and scattered messages of kindness, </div>
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happiness, & love throughout the hallways at G.E.M.S.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ryiy-xIUWPs/WonsX0Q0bbI/AAAAAAAABK0/Grfs94AHF-U3yoIQLkteJEDeGtJmERP8QCLcBGAs/s1600/Feb%2B2018%2B%252823%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ryiy-xIUWPs/WonsX0Q0bbI/AAAAAAAABK0/Grfs94AHF-U3yoIQLkteJEDeGtJmERP8QCLcBGAs/s320/Feb%2B2018%2B%252823%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89JCEjJFukQ/WonsYrFnk6I/AAAAAAAABLA/8U_1oDO_mrU_w5UJWjrFuYUbhbCsJ4u6wCLcBGAs/s1600/Feb%2B2018%2B%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89JCEjJFukQ/WonsYrFnk6I/AAAAAAAABLA/8U_1oDO_mrU_w5UJWjrFuYUbhbCsJ4u6wCLcBGAs/s320/Feb%2B2018%2B%252825%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: purple; font-size: x-large;">"What I liked about making hearts is that we had to stick them on the walls and when we put them on the walls I felt happy to do that because I learned to spread kindness to people." - Emma R.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">After our brainstorming session, and a democratic voting process, we had total buy-in from the class and we decided that we would focus on our G.E.M.S. community. Students wanted to recognize our janitors and cafeteria staff for their hard work day in and day out. They decided to give back by jumping in to help them with their job for a day. They also decided on a kindness project. Each student would create hearts with inspiring messages of kindness that we would scatter around the hallways at school.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students work on compliment hearts for a classmate on Valentine's morning.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">The afternoon before Valentine's we collected all of our kindness hearts and set out to decorate the halls. Students were beaming with pride and excitement as they splashed messages of kindness around the school. They were tickled to think what people would be thinking when they saw them. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">On Valentine's Day each student volunteered 20-30 minutes of their time. Some wiped down tables during lunch. Some went to Mrs. Rowell's kindergarten classroom to support students during literacy work time. Some collected trash for the janitors at the end of the day. A few students even sacrificed their recess and P.E. time to complete their volunteer opportunity. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white;">"Being kind made me feel really good inside, Valentine's is one of my favorite holidays of the year." -Marah M.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">My hopes are that our hearts put a smile on someone's face, our janitors and cafeteria staff felt appreciated, and all students got a glimmer of satisfaction from giving to others. This may just become a tradition. One student's typo has even inspired a new name for this day...Valinteering Day. Perfection!</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">"Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear </span></div>
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-45851212864151650642017-09-24T12:24:00.001-07:002018-03-14T07:21:41.106-07:009/24/17<div>
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We began our year with a writing project that was inspired by Wendy Ewald's book: The Best Part of Me, in which students write about the best part of their bodies and help to compose a photograph that highlights their best parts. </div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Every year I like to begin with a focus on our strengths, passions, and the things we like best about ourselves. I want to get to know my students through their eyes, I want to see them the way they see themselves. </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">This was a great project for doing that. It was also a good way to ease us into the writing process. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Together we took this piece through the brainstorming, writing, editing, revising, and publishing steps. </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Students found this piece easy becase they were able to write on a topic that they know a lot about... themselves! The poem format also gave students the freedom to express themselves without worrying too much about structure. There will be plenty of time to worry about run-ons, fragments, grammar and syntax. In poetry, it's all allowed---we just chalk it up to stylistic choice!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Students were in charge of the compostion of their portraits. They had imagined exactly how they wanted their body part captured and had the final say in which shot was used. The results are truly magical. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Next, we are focusing on writing personal narratives. Students have already begun the brainstorming process by listing people and places in their lives that are important to them and thinking of small moments they have shared together. We will try to zoom in and make the story come alive for the reader by describing what happened. We will focus on showing instead of telling. We do this by using figurative language, dialogue, and focusing on our senses: what we heard, saw, tasted, felt, and smelled. </span></div>
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-82236275046355161492017-08-28T13:00:00.002-07:002017-08-29T06:42:17.994-07:00Friday Free Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">They call it Free Play Friday...I call it self-directed learning; we all call it F-U-N!</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YasrA0tKJH8/WKjKl7zIyBI/AAAAAAAAA9o/RADJ_UpWQQEO2kPciEP93o1-Jc0PADkNwCLcB/s1600/IMG_2900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YasrA0tKJH8/WKjKl7zIyBI/AAAAAAAAA9o/RADJ_UpWQQEO2kPciEP93o1-Jc0PADkNwCLcB/s200/IMG_2900.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Two of the best decisions I have made as a teacher were to incorporate free play into our weekly routine in 3rd grade. The other? A second recess each day! Yes, in this day of high stakes testing, rigourous Common Core standards, and the pressures of never enough time, I have made play and physical activity a priority and have not regretted it once. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hey guys, I can feel the force of the<br />
magnet through my hand!" -Chais</td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cO7qYb_bq7I/WKjMwHBVh_I/AAAAAAAAA-E/62amOwn04IYr_qvcWhfYFuRSiO3jbtb7QCLcB/s1600/IMG_2897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cO7qYb_bq7I/WKjMwHBVh_I/AAAAAAAAA-E/62amOwn04IYr_qvcWhfYFuRSiO3jbtb7QCLcB/s200/IMG_2897.JPG" width="162" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Inspired by a recent trip to Finland, where students have 15 minutes of recess every hour during the school day and the education of students is based on developmentally appropriate nurturing of the whole child, I decided to experiment with these changes in my classroom to hopefully improve the health and well being of my students. To be completely honest, I was also inspired by one of my third graders who exclaimed, "No fair!" upon beholding an extravagently engineered cup tower in the block area of our kindergarten reading buddy's classroom. His comment stuck with me. I was as enamored as he with that tower and shared his sentiment. Why should kindergartners have all the fun? I went out a few weeks later and purchased an entire bucket of cups that students could build with during inside recess and placed an order for some wooden blocks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, Friday mornings have a wonderfully relaxed feel as students come in, read the mornging message, create a learning statement for the week, and engage with their friends in 30-40 minutes of play. After a long</span><br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BHFbMF8LcmY/WKjKnLLEB6I/AAAAAAAAA9w/PswwSiKzkuQLs5mF9Qs61BJKzI0PWssagCLcB/s1600/IMG_2903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BHFbMF8LcmY/WKjKnLLEB6I/AAAAAAAAA9w/PswwSiKzkuQLs5mF9Qs61BJKzI0PWssagCLcB/s200/IMG_2903.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">week of very focused, challenging work, it is exactly what we all need.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-58HDIldGiJM/WKnOMtAdPMI/AAAAAAAAA-k/bP3OiJSrhA0GvlcziZeFDn_fYXomcPXRgCLcB/s1600/IMG_2898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-58HDIldGiJM/WKnOMtAdPMI/AAAAAAAAA-k/bP3OiJSrhA0GvlcziZeFDn_fYXomcPXRgCLcB/s200/IMG_2898.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Our second recess is short, only15 minutes during the final hour of our day. During winter, with all the snow gear, it sometimes takes us as long to get ready as we have to be outside, but it is still worth it. Students get a shot of fresh air and a few minutes to run, yell, and well, be kids! I expect a lot out of my students behaviorally and academically during the day. At 1:30 in the afternoon I can feel the low energy settle over the room. We are all exhausted. Our extra recess re-energizes the group and gives us the necessary stamina to make it throught the rest of our day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">"For every 15minutes of play, children tend to use a third of that time engaged in learning about mathematical, spatial, and architectural principles." </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">-Sarah Lewis in <u>The Rise: Creativity, The Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery</u></span></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thinking about incorporating more play in your school day? Here are a few more reasons you should consider it straight from the experts...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"It gives your brain a break." -Kaitlyn</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"It gives us another chance to be outside so that we can be more focused. We can get our energy out." -Natalie</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Kids need, well everyone needs, about 2 hours of activity everyday." -Sam</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"It give us a chance to talk with our friends." -Max</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"It helps us calm down when we're inside." -Jen</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">So, as we begin a new year in 3rd grade, free play and 2nd recess continue to be part of this teacher's class schedule. Here's to happy, healthy, focused students! Have a great school year.</span></h3>
<br />Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-72429699778007057542017-08-19T16:07:00.001-07:002017-08-19T16:08:17.582-07:00Rocking Our Way to Success!<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">I'm excited to announce that I have launched my first ever Donor's Choose project! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.donorschoose.org/project/rocking-our-way-to-success/2719368/">Mrs. Sullivan's Donor's Choose Project</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">It has been a dream of mine for a while to expand the seating options in our classroom. Over the years I have slowly added yoga balls, stability discs, and Bilibo seats as my budget has allowed. However, I have had my eye on these active learning stools for quite some time and haven't been able to find the funds to purchase them. These beauties have a curved rubber bottom that allows students a wide range of movement and encourages core strength.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cdn5nGE4CMY/WZjBhxeEfHI/AAAAAAAABD8/rYgzgf6ioWgPme9lvF6VKpikSZpZiuVsACLcBGAs/s1600/active%2Blearning%2Bstool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cdn5nGE4CMY/WZjBhxeEfHI/AAAAAAAABD8/rYgzgf6ioWgPme9lvF6VKpikSZpZiuVsACLcBGAs/s320/active%2Blearning%2Bstool.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">I finally decided, after seeing other educators successfully fund their projects, to give it a go! Even if you can't contribute funding for my project, you can still help by spreading the word.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Hopefully, I will soon be posting pictures of happy, energetic students rocking their way to success on these stools! </span></div>
Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-80159228468629464282017-08-10T15:07:00.001-07:002017-08-19T13:02:31.765-07:00Under Construction<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">As the custodial staff is racing to finish sprucing up GEMS before our first day, teachers have begun to sneak into their classrooms this week to find freshly waxed, sparkling floors and piles of furniture to rearrange. So it begins, the exciting process of putting our rooms back together to welcome our new students on August 29th. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our 3rd grade classroom is under construction this week. </td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">As a teacher, August signals the end of summer vacation, but it is still one of my favorite times of year. There is a palpable excitment to the start of school when the lifeless hallways are once again filled with reenergized teachers and wide eyed students bouncing down the halls. I am so excited to welcome my new students and begin building an awesome learning community together. We are going to have a great year!</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-31537706191677125332016-10-30T09:52:00.003-07:002016-10-30T10:12:19.464-07:00Third Grade Life Science<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">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.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2IBUAzIbZI/WBYkwH8emVI/AAAAAAAAA6U/e3xJrjw_ChkZoErsrH2selICnmI6lDCVgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2IBUAzIbZI/WBYkwH8emVI/AAAAAAAAA6U/e3xJrjw_ChkZoErsrH2selICnmI6lDCVgCLcB/s200/IMG_0241.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C_27N9JM8Jg/WBYkveKJzcI/AAAAAAAAA6I/CdraGFv-tWUyTZ2iwuceJP_pctxjqaE2wCLcB/s1600/IMG_0238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C_27N9JM8Jg/WBYkveKJzcI/AAAAAAAAA6I/CdraGFv-tWUyTZ2iwuceJP_pctxjqaE2wCLcB/s200/IMG_0238.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Students are brainstorming characteristics that all living things have in common</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">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.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NhNj1g-7WtQ/WBYgFonMXEI/AAAAAAAAA5c/eCLPser20dsrmFLRUYVyXPQ09pluf9zoACLcB/s1600/Life%2BCycles%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CFtbNOQvplw/WBYgG8bqAyI/AAAAAAAAA5o/PpYW7AdC3EUpZ4npmlIORxWCBTdyj_J2gCLcB/s1600/Life%2BCycles%2B%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CFtbNOQvplw/WBYgG8bqAyI/AAAAAAAAA5o/PpYW7AdC3EUpZ4npmlIORxWCBTdyj_J2gCLcB/s200/Life%2BCycles%2B%25286%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ly3jIVZDa8/WBYgF6-bU6I/AAAAAAAAA5g/5HpnMQ9Y6ywS-6EYB1hht8QsLrAzOVQhACLcB/s1600/Life%2BCycles%2B%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ly3jIVZDa8/WBYgF6-bU6I/AAAAAAAAA5g/5HpnMQ9Y6ywS-6EYB1hht8QsLrAzOVQhACLcB/s200/Life%2BCycles%2B%25283%2529.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CFtbNOQvplw/WBYgG8bqAyI/AAAAAAAAA5o/PpYW7AdC3EUpZ4npmlIORxWCBTdyj_J2gCLcB/s1600/Life%2BCycles%2B%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7UkcAxYCpTk/WBYgGK7czqI/AAAAAAAAA5k/_Q18IJBEZzUD14xogf5_LZY2bog_AuoewCLcB/s1600/Life%2BCycles%2B%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7UkcAxYCpTk/WBYgGK7czqI/AAAAAAAAA5k/_Q18IJBEZzUD14xogf5_LZY2bog_AuoewCLcB/s200/Life%2BCycles%2B%25285%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a> <span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">We took our learning outside and worked to categorize organisms we encountered on our nature walk. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z70KYWfFDdU/WBYjvZYibAI/AAAAAAAAA54/vFLDrfpBUVs5L8JA7cHUfbec_qreziZwgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z70KYWfFDdU/WBYjvZYibAI/AAAAAAAAA54/vFLDrfpBUVs5L8JA7cHUfbec_qreziZwgCLcB/s200/IMG_0236.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">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</span>. <br />
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-6276441515338976382016-08-20T17:02:00.000-07:002016-08-20T17:02:12.577-07:00Room B-214 Sneak Peek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Hello Third Graders!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">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!</span></div>
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<br />Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-57065937958656421512016-05-03T08:03:00.000-07:002016-05-04T06:38:04.600-07:00Cardboard Carnival<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0kzZP45pM-w/VyisyVNUhnI/AAAAAAAAAv0/fdRS6QyiUyIbAaAPdbGGaWsG4MHhcptHACLcB/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0kzZP45pM-w/VyisyVNUhnI/AAAAAAAAAv0/fdRS6QyiUyIbAaAPdbGGaWsG4MHhcptHACLcB/s320/IMG_0648.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Just before April vacation our 3rd grade class, together with Miss Sikorky's class, held a cardboard carnival inspired by <a href="http://cainesarcade.com/">Caine's Arcade</a>. 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."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6-a4fh5N71Y/VyisettieNI/AAAAAAAAAvs/h75ncIZGAF4t-yGbp_8EcxOE7A0h__AmACLcB/s1600/IMG_0623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6-a4fh5N71Y/VyisettieNI/AAAAAAAAAvs/h75ncIZGAF4t-yGbp_8EcxOE7A0h__AmACLcB/s320/IMG_0623.JPG" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ma1vzKQpwk/Vyiskc8fsoI/AAAAAAAAAvw/DvYDYYsjihMx5DM5VR8urEpOgoqQ3eWNgCLcB/s1600/IMG_0622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ma1vzKQpwk/Vyiskc8fsoI/AAAAAAAAAvw/DvYDYYsjihMx5DM5VR8urEpOgoqQ3eWNgCLcB/s320/IMG_0622.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">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." </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">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." </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zreK0nk-NWY/Vyi6xqm5nMI/AAAAAAAAAwY/q2aKFY6OPrwAAvUYwxWF2KiVz4h4FBPuACLcB/s1600/IMG_0646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zreK0nk-NWY/Vyi6xqm5nMI/AAAAAAAAAwY/q2aKFY6OPrwAAvUYwxWF2KiVz4h4FBPuACLcB/s320/IMG_0646.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">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!!"</span></div>
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-56633440207199617792016-02-17T06:25:00.001-08:002016-02-17T08:08:47.957-08:00Forces and Interacions<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">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</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">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.</span></div>
<br />Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-27939673171900863942015-11-22T05:20:00.003-08:002015-11-22T05:20:45.575-08:00Kindergarten Reading Buddies<span style="font-size: x-large;">In October we began our Kindergarten Reading Buddy Program with Mrs. Rowell's class. We meet every other Wednesday to share some favorite picture books with our new friends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">This experience provides and authentic way for third graders to practice fluency through repeated readings of familiar books while also allowing them to assume a leadership role as they mentor their kindergarten partners.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2hZPfqf2wu8/VlG9O5i2HTI/AAAAAAAAAiU/q3oder_oeKc/s1600/IMG_4291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2hZPfqf2wu8/VlG9O5i2HTI/AAAAAAAAAiU/q3oder_oeKc/s320/IMG_4291.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> For kindergarten students it provides an opportunity to develop a positive relationship with with both a role model and with books. </span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This Friday, students spent time creating "hands and feet turkeys" for their kindergarten friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tgBdGodQnk0/VlG-khB5WCI/AAAAAAAAAi4/4z33PbXbono/s1600/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tgBdGodQnk0/VlG-khB5WCI/AAAAAAAAAi4/4z33PbXbono/s200/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25284%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tzwX0QzTuuE/VlG-jSpiO4I/AAAAAAAAAik/H1rQLTSg1z4/s1600/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tzwX0QzTuuE/VlG-jSpiO4I/AAAAAAAAAik/H1rQLTSg1z4/s200/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7JnjufZJNI8/VlG-lZk381I/AAAAAAAAAjA/fPM9FmuNuJE/s1600/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7JnjufZJNI8/VlG-lZk381I/AAAAAAAAAjA/fPM9FmuNuJE/s320/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Our kindergarten buddies surprised us with a class book and "hand turkeys" that they had made! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mrCiOgwcvZc/VlG_hGKk1jI/AAAAAAAAAjE/lwmABjsvDqg/s1600/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mrCiOgwcvZc/VlG_hGKk1jI/AAAAAAAAAjE/lwmABjsvDqg/s320/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%252810%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9MzyH8JgmEU/VlG_hlfB1sI/AAAAAAAAAjI/o7QAe0Gc0sc/s1600/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9MzyH8JgmEU/VlG_hlfB1sI/AAAAAAAAAjI/o7QAe0Gc0sc/s320/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Mrs. Rowell and I enjoy seeing the genuine excitement on the faces of both the older and younger students when we have a chance encounter with our buddies in the hall. This program helps to build a sense of community here at GEMS.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-26QUhrAip38/VlG_kXJpgYI/AAAAAAAAAjg/xeqStdh8Nao/s1600/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-26QUhrAip38/VlG_kXJpgYI/AAAAAAAAAjg/xeqStdh8Nao/s320/Reading%2BBuddy%2BTurkey%2BExchange%2B%25288%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-68513851363697595972015-10-25T16:30:00.001-07:002015-10-25T16:32:32.887-07:00Life Cycles<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">This month we began our study of life cycles. We have three essential questions guiding our learning during this unit:</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">What characteristics do all living things have in common?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">How do organisms grow and change throughout their life cycles?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">What structures allow organisms to survive and thrive in their environment?</span></li>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Students have had the opportunity to observe and illustrate a variety of plants and animals.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Students are observing plants in various stages of their life cycles.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"> Students observed Jimmy the gecko and enjoyed watching him gobble up crickets and warm up by laying on his favorite rock.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"> Students created germination bags to view our pea seeds in the first few days of planting. This gives us a chance to see what is happening beneath the soil.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9gbcc5pCsQ/Vi1hB6WjKjI/AAAAAAAAAg0/DkegJfRsez4/s1600/IMG_4328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9gbcc5pCsQ/Vi1hB6WjKjI/AAAAAAAAAg0/DkegJfRsez4/s320/IMG_4328.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Students planted pea seeds so that they can observe a pea plant life cycle up close.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">We learned that all living things...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">grow and change</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">breathe</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">eat/drink to get their energy</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">move</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">reproduce</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"> Some students do not believe that plants move on their own, so we have designed an experiment to see if we can gather evidence to prove of disprove this.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Students went on an observation walk to gather and classify living, non-living, and dead things they found along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">This week students are designing creative amphibians. These animals must have features to allow them to survive both in water and on land. They are using what they know about real animals to decide how their creative animal will eat, protect itself, and move on land and water.</span></div>
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-5512914836157060612015-10-11T16:26:00.002-07:002015-10-11T16:28:13.956-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">We held our first Book Lunch Bunch on October 2, 2015! All students who read our Picture Book of the Month, <u>What in the Wild?</u> were in attendance. We ate lunch together, discussed the book, and read it together for a second time. Our group was small, but I hope it will grow in numbers next month. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Our picture book for the month of October </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dv3vJSlOuXE/Vhrv7_Xr6OI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/oj8_6Q-83o8/s1600/falker.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dv3vJSlOuXE/Vhrv7_Xr6OI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/oj8_6Q-83o8/s1600/falker.jpe" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">is by one of my favorite authors, Patricia Polacco. It is called Thank You, Mr. Falker.</span>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-3928425732223092472015-09-21T02:15:00.002-07:002015-09-21T02:15:55.269-07:00Read to Someone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7b2CfzC7-5E/Vf_IF4mRN1I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/NI6CR0H5_zs/s1600/Read%2Bto%2BSomeone%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7b2CfzC7-5E/Vf_IF4mRN1I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/NI6CR0H5_zs/s320/Read%2Bto%2BSomeone%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FWbFBW2Bll8/Vf_IF4QePbI/AAAAAAAAAeI/QxPkQMbkN_M/s1600/Read%2Bto%2BSomeone%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FWbFBW2Bll8/Vf_IF4QePbI/AAAAAAAAAeI/QxPkQMbkN_M/s320/Read%2Bto%2BSomeone%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Reading is a great activity to share with a friend! Over the last week, we have been learning about what "Read to Someone" looks and sounds like during Reading Workshop. We have also learned about how to be a great reading coach to our partner. Have you every wondered about how to best support your student's reading at home? This week I will send home a "Coaching Strategies" bookmark. This bookmark is filled with reading and comprehension strategies we use in school and can be a great resource for supporting your child at home. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Students in Mrs. Sullivan's class get cozy during Reading Workshop with a good book and a friend.</span></div>
Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-52340251401961473972015-09-17T03:02:00.001-07:002015-09-17T03:07:40.408-07:00Hopes and Dreams<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Students have completed their Hopes and Dreams Clouds which now hang from our classroom ceiling. Each cloud outlines the student's hope or goal for third grade and their dream for the future. We used these hopes and dreams as the catalyst for creating our classroom rules. We talked about the need to support everyone in reaching their goals and students brainstormed what rules needed to be in place to make that happen. This fits in nicely with work we are doing with Georgia government right now. We are exploring rights and responsibilities of citizens in a community. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-22034895389278462422015-09-11T12:37:00.001-07:002015-09-11T12:37:10.284-07:00Butterfly Life Cycle<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FqOSBWo3CM4/VfMsyKwz_DI/AAAAAAAAAdM/YUx-6HR0X4g/s1600/IMG_4167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FqOSBWo3CM4/VfMsyKwz_DI/AAAAAAAAAdM/YUx-6HR0X4g/s320/IMG_4167.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Mrs. Harvey provided our class with a monarch caterpillar so students could witness the life cycle of a butterfly. Our caterpillar decided to do most of his changing overnight when we were all asleep, so we watched videos that showed the different changes in action. Ask your child about the molting and chrysalis videos; students were captivated. Wednesday night our butterfly emerged and we had a new friend to greet us Thursday morning. This was the same day we were also welcoming a new student into our class! We released our butterfly Thursday afternoon so that he could begin his long journey south.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"> We will be studying life cycles and food webs during science beginning in October.</span><br />
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-51605734783826291022015-08-07T08:50:00.002-07:002015-08-07T08:54:14.225-07:00<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Room B-214</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">The start of the school year is fast approaching and I am beginning to feel the excitement that comes with preparing for my new class of students. I spent many hours in July moving my classroom across the hall and trying to create a cozy, comfortable learning space for us. Here is a sneak peek at our space. I can't wait for the students to add some life and pizzazz to the space!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Writing Center & Classroom Entrance</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">Please "Leaf" Me Alone, I'm Reading Chair</span></div>
Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-43088938984683656782015-06-10T08:23:00.001-07:002015-06-10T08:23:11.281-07:006th Grade Buddies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Today was our final meeting with our 6th grade buddies. Over the last few weeks our buddies have answered our questions about 5th grade, given us a tour of the middle school, and helped to make us feel more comfortable about our transition. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Today our buddies presented us with </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">"Middle School Survival Kits" and wished us luck next year in 5th grade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Next, we played Middle School Jeopardy and learned more about what we can expect next yea</span><span style="color: #e06666;">r!</span></span></div>
<br />Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-2656143469269264932015-05-26T12:38:00.001-07:002015-05-26T12:38:48.621-07:00Four Winds Finale <span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Today was the Four Winds Finale on Ecosystems. We had an on-site field trip to the stream behind the school. Students spent 30 minutes at various stations and had the opportunity to watch a puppet show about invertebrate adaptations, explore the stream bed for signs of life, paint or draw a stream picture, and work in small groups to design adaptations for an insect out of common household items. We appreciate the volunteers who organized this event and were there to run the stations! Thank You!</span></span><br />
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-25157448970184625552015-05-26T10:37:00.001-07:002015-05-26T10:37:55.077-07:00The Very Hungry Caterpillar <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Last week students had the opportunity to visit Mrs. Mathieu's Spanish class to hear original stories her Spanish students had written based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. The stories were written and read in Spanish and then translated by the authors into English. </span><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
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Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-69642230309432526802015-03-31T16:48:00.002-07:002015-03-31T16:57:02.033-07:00What Happened to March?<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Alas, March almost got by me without a single post to Mrs. Sullivan's Scoop! Since the saying is "Better late than never" I thought I would share a few photos of happenings in our classroom before the calendar turns to April tomorrow.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">In the beginning of this month we were working to wrap up our study of electrical energy. Students completed an engineering design challenge in which they needed to apply their knowledge of closed circuits, schematic diagrams, conductors and the engineering design process in order to design an alarm system that alerted them, via light and sound, if the water in their model trough was low. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">We ended this month by bidding farewell to one of our classmates who moved out of state, but not before we had our first ever Book Lunch Bunch. All students who read our picture book of the month were invited to attend. We had a great showing! We shared lunch together in the classroom, discussed the book <u>The Sweetest Fig</u> by Chris Van Allsburg, and shared a special dessert too! Students seemed to enjoy our book discussion, and later during literacy many dove right into reading our picture book of the month for April, <u>Two Bad Ants</u> by Chris Van Allsburg. Shhhh....don't tell the students that my ploy to get them reading more picture books seems to be working, it'll be our little secret. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Chris Van Allsburg is one of my favorite picture book authors. His stories provide many opportunities for students to make inferences. See if your child can explain to you what an inference is. We define it as an educated guess which combines what the text says with our own thinking in order to understand what is not explicitly stated in the reading. This is a higher level reading skill that we are trying to develop in all of our fourth grade readers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-50236257736459913462015-02-19T14:29:00.001-08:002015-02-19T14:30:06.728-08:00Four Winds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">We are very lucky to have Four Winds volunteers who come in once a month and provide a hands on science experience for our class. This year's overall theme is ecosystems. This month students learned about white-tailed deer and the role they play in our northern woodlands. </span></div>
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<br />Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-80627169383691459702015-02-19T14:17:00.001-08:002015-02-19T14:19:38.820-08:00Living Wax Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Wednesday we celebrated our learning by holding a Living Wax Museum. Unlike in most museums, attendees were encouraged to interact with and touch the items on display. They were able to shake hands with, photograph, and interview prominent people of the past and present. Thank you to all of our friends and family for joining us in celebration of our learning!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Back Row: Wayne Gretzky, Helen Keller, Carly Patterson, Gabby Douglas, Theodore Roosevelt, Jane Goodall, Harriet Tubman, Steve Jobs, David Beckham</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Middle Row: Amelia Earhart, Dr. Seuss, Jeff Gordon, Jim Henson, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Elizabeth Blackwell, Tony Hawk</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Front Row: Taylor Swift, Derek Jeter, John F. Kennedy, Muhammad Ali, Neil Armstrong</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">"Albert Einstein"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">"David Beckham"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">"Muhammad Ali"</span></div>
<br />Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384891957441095831.post-25443454356334202282015-02-15T09:43:00.001-08:002015-02-15T09:43:23.608-08:00Friday Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Friday, during art, I found students hard at work on their portraits. These portraits, along with timelines, reports, and suggested interview questions will be on display during our Living Wax Museum. We hope you will join us as our students embody these prominent figures of the past and present. Please join us in the library at 1:00pm on Wednesday, February 18th. </span>Staceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08822776199231649305noreply@blogger.com0