What a busy and fun 1st week of school it was! We played many “get to know you” games and Mrs. Burkes learned many things about us, too! We learned how to write a friendly letter using the words; heading, greeting, body, closing and signature. Our class wrote a friendly letter to the Second graders next door and then delivered the letter ourselves! We’re very excited for a wonderful year.
Wow! What a year!
Every May, I look up and find it hard to believe the school year is already over. It's amazing to think back on all the fun learning experiences we've had!
This year my third graders have gotten lost in the magic of reading and discovered that a good book can take you to any time or place!
As we've constructed sentences to inform, entertain, and persuade our readers, we've learned about the power of our words.
We've traveled through history, learning about the people who've shaped the world as we know it today.
We unplugged and got our hands dirty, learning how things work and discovering for ourselves the principles of science.
Plugging back in was fun too as we built robots and coded them to perform tasks as unlimited as our imaginations.
Finding patterns in our world allowed us to discover mathematic concepts authentically while we built solid foundation for future learning.
Above all else, we worked together to discover, practice, and create. We strengthened our interpersonal skills through authentic problem solving while cultivating empathy and selflessness.
In these pictures you can certainly tell they have physically grown. With another year of whole-child education they've been enlightened, strengthened, and refined--body, mind, and soul.
These third graders won't forget the magic of seeing the miracle of life up close and personal! In April we received 7 chicken eggs to carefully incubate for the next three weeks. We monitored the temperature, humidity, and rotation of the eggs while we watched for signs of life. Using an Ovascope, we looked through the shell and saw the development of each chick. Initially we just saw a small circle, but eventually a large network of blood vessels spread out within the shell. We could see the flickering heart and every few days new body parts became visible. On the 21st day of incubation, our chicks began hatching. 24 hours after hatching, the fresh chicks were removed from the incubator and allowed to roam in their warmed enclosure. We enjoyed hearing their sweet chirps and watching their funny behaviors. Throughout this project the third graders learned new vocabulary and participated in a uniquely authentic, hands-on life science lesson!
Third graders love the freedom of flexible seating! Although they have work tables for certain activities, the students really thrive when they are not confined to a desk during the school day. I like incorporating activities that keep them moving around the room in an intentional way. We frequently work through learning stations that switch up the students' body positions. Changing positions utilizes different muscle groups and optimizes focus and active participation.
