3rd graders are setting goals and learning about the educational uses of our class set of Chromebooks! We have an exciting journey ahead of us!!
MATTER, MATTER EVERYWHERE! Look at those science skills :)
Our 1st day of school team building activity, Save Sam, was so much fun to watch! Each group had to work together and complete a challenge. Communication was key!
SURFACE TENSION & BUBBLES
The surface tension of water provides the necessary wall tension for the formation of bubbles with water. The tendency to minimize that wall tension pulls the bubbles into spherical shapes.
Mrs. Wagy and her students visited our class and made this a special science lesson that we will all remember!
READER'S THEATRE
Of course, we wouldn't end our year without a final Reader's Theater performance!
This one, in particular, was on the set of a live game show called, "Know Your State". We even invited the 2nd-grade class to watch!
As students continue their repeated readings of the script, they are improving their reading skills and comprehension. They also will have the opportunity to practice speaking skills, such as pronunciation, inflection, expression, and varied volume. Since the activity is meant to practice reading, students don't need to memorize their lines, which keeps the spotlight on the reading practice, not the performance.
TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
3rd graders were fortunate to have their very own Chromebook in the classroom this year! We have utilized the Chromebooks by working on programs such as Khan Academy, Typing.com, Google Documents, and Wikipedia. Below, the students are researching questions for an assignment called, "Research Scavenger Hunt". Learning how to browse the internet is just as important as finding the answers you are looking for!
MUSIC TO OUR EARS
Tuesdays are my favorite!! All school meets in the cafeteria for Chapel and we are given the opportunity to learn more about Jesus through the teachings of Father Doug. As an added bonus after Chapel, the Lower School (grades 1-3) attend choir class. Although we teachers take turns sitting in during this time, I have LOVED every minute of the time I have done so!! Their amazing and precious voices truly speak love! The camaraderie between these children is beautiful to witness. Not to mention, Mrs. Tipton is planting knowledge these students will carry with them throughout life! Sigh! :)
The Regional Arts Center & Perot Theater, downtown Texarkana
A collaborative community history & art public tour project
Our 3rd Graders rocked this project last Friday!
They received history instruction, specifically local history, as well as public speaking practice, preparation, and application;
and they also received an understanding of public service in a manner that could not have been reached if they hadn’t performed this service themselves.
The tour was given twice throughout the day. Combined, roughly 60 community members joined.
TRAHC: Texarkana Regional Arts & Humanities Council
Self-portraits that were created in Art class, with the help of Mrs. McCarley,
were also on display during the tour!
The Perot Theater
Pictured with: Tiffani Whitehead, Marketing Coordinator
The class was gifted an original light bulb of the theater as a token of appreciation for their public service. So cool!
We are rolling right along with the ball unit! Our topics the past couple of weeks involved people who use balls, and the materials that make up balls. Construction crews use balls for demolition, and people use balls for sports and entertainment. I took the class on a virtual field trip to a construction site to watch a steel wrecking ball demolish a building! We learned that people use balls for work and for play. One of the highlights of this unit was watching Mr. McWilliams juggle tennis balls for the class. We watched him juggle two balls and then three. I love to have parents in the classroom to share their talents. After we watched and learned about juggling, Mr. McWilliams gave each child their very own ball. A special thank you to our special visitor.
A few of our favorite balls were made of plastic, rubber, and bubbles. I used this unit to increase our gross motor skills with a balance activity. Each child had to balance a plastic ball on a wand. Balance and coordination activities help each child to develop self-regulation for daily tasks. Attention and concentration were maintained for a specific task during this game.
Mrs. Nicole let us borrow her reaction ball for a great class activity! Our reaction ball was made of rubber and it had knots all around it. As your child dropped the ball, it reacted differently every time. The reaction ball may bounce to the left or right. As we moved to catch the reaction ball we improved our eye-hand coordination and our reaction time.
Spring is a wonderful time of year for a science lesson!
I ordered caterpillars a few weeks ago and we have watched and waited for butterflies to emerge. We learned about the wonderful metamorphosis that occurs during the lifecycle of a butterfly. We learned that a metamorphosis takes place during the process from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages. It was wonderful to watch the miracle of nature.
Easter comes in the spring and we learned about the true meaning of Easter. I used Resurrection Eggs to help the children understand why we celebrate this special holiday. Each child opened a egg as I told the story of Easter. As we celebrate the joys of spring we also had a special friend drop by. The Easter Bunny hopped right in our classroom! Eggs are a symbol of new life and our classroom was the place to be! Have a great Easter and join us next time as we move on to the recycling unit.