Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Fun Times in Google Expeditions

3P had a blast traveling around the world with Google Expeditions today! Keep reading to see what students enjoyed the most!

Grace: The thing I loved most about Google Expeditions was that we got to look at things they did in the past and what they do today.

Ella: I especially liked when we went to outer space and saw all the different planets. I felt like you were actually there, and could reach out and touch things.

Ethan: I liked when we got to see all the stars in the Milky Way in outer space. At the end I felt like I was sick and going to throw up. I would still do it again though!

Sabina: I really liked that I got to see the ocean. I really liked being in outer space and liked seeing the Earth. I felt like I wasn't on the Earth anymore and it was really cool!

Claire: Google Expeditions was really fun! I liked seeing all the animals. It was really cool, especially when I saw all the sharks!

Mackenzie: My favorite part was when we went to London "rode" on the Ferris Wheel. I got to see the city where my aunt lives! I also liked seeing all the animals like the sharks and the gorilla.

Patrick: I really liked how we went under the water and saw sharks. I didn't like how at the end I felt kind of dizzy!

Carter: I think that the ocean was good, but the Moon was better! Also, the outer space was the BEST! The goggles made a circle around my nose!

Seth: I really liked when we got to see the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. I liked seeing Abe Lincoln. I really liked when we got to see the soccer fields and the sea. And I liked when we got to go to space and the Moon.

Abigail: I liked when we got to see what Native American girl and boy clothes looked like. The girls' clothes were really colorful!

Addy: I loved when we went underwater and saw all the different animals. I felt like I was really there!

Aiden: I was so amazed by how good they made it look! I loved the underwater and space! I was also really dizzy after we were done. I liked seeing the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument because it felt like we were actually in Washington DC. It was fun going to outer space because it felt like you could reach out and touch everything!

David: My favorite part was when I went to the Moon and outer space. I also liked looking down because it felt like I was falling!

Max: I liked the soccer field in Brazil. I also liked the sharks and the cave. It really felt like I was underwater. At the end I felt really dizzy and I really liked when we saw the outer space because it looked like you could touch the Earth and see the Milky Way. At the end I felt really dizzy and I also liked seeing the sea animals. They were so cool and it felt like you were there!

Jaden: I liked going to outer space and going underwater. It really felt like I was actually there under the water. I liked seeing close up pictures of gorillas coming after you. I liked that it felt so realistic like you were actually there and could put your hand out to touch them.

Molly: I enjoyed being on the Ferris Wheel because when I tipped over a little it actually felt like I was falling into the river. I also liked being in the cave because when I looked down I saw a little crack and it felt like it was sucking me in. I also liked being underwater and seeing the sharks and the scuba divers. I liked being in the jungle and seeing the gorillas and it was kind of like I was on a real safari. It was cool seeing the people because it was like seeing everything in real life. You could also get a little scared because it was so realistic and it felt like we weren't even at Lowell School anymore!

Aimee: I felt like it looked real and I was there. I also liked when we saw the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. I also liked being in outer space. The Earth looked bigger than the Sun. I liked seeing the Little Dipper. At the end I felt dizzy and there was a circle around my nose. I also liked the sharks and the soccer field. When I was in London on the Ferris wheel I felt a little scared because it felt like we were so high in the air. All the Indian clothes looked cool because it looked like they made it themselves with their own hands.













Monday, November 16, 2015

Newsletter--Week of 11/16

News from 3P
Week of: November 16, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: This week we will be finishing up our chocolate novels. We will then briefly preview non-fiction text features before break. **Students should be reading at least 20 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: We will finish up with prefixes.

Writing: This week in writing, students will be focused on their journaling during Daily 5. There will be a variety of prompts and students will work on linking words and conventions (grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).

Social Studies: We will continue with our Native American study this week. Students will be finishing up their tribe study in library. We will take our test on Thursday.  Watch for the study guide to come home today. Please make sure to use the guide to study!

Math: We will be testing over 4’s and 9’s this week. Up next….multiplication of 6’s, 7’s, and 8’s.

Dates to Remember:
Tues. Nov. 17-Google Expeditions (see Lowell Memo for more info)
Wed. Nov. 18-Kindergarten Buddies
Thurs. Nov. 19-PE Circus at 9:40am (Parents are invited! J)
Thurs. Nov. 19-Native American Test
Thurs. Nov. 19-9’s and 4’s Math Test
Thurs. Nov. 19-Cook’s Night Out at Chick-Fil-A
Fri. Nov. 20-Report Cards Home
Nov. 23-27-NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Break


Have a nice Thanksgiving Break!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Projects

The students in Mrs. Thurston's reading class have been busy reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the past few weeks. After reading, they put together some Adobe Voice projects, describing the actions of some of the characters. They are excited to share their final projects! If your student read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, make sure to check out these projects. If your student read a different chocolate book, make sure to ask what their final project was!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Final Adobe Voice Projects


















Monday, November 9, 2015

Newsletter--Week of 11/9

News from 3P
Week of: November 10, 2014

Reading and Language Arts: We are almost done with chocolate novels. We will continue discussing the chapters: character traits, comparing/contrasting characters, themes of chapters and novels and inferencing and citing evidence.  Please encourage your child to share what happened within their novels each day. **Students should be reading at least 20 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: We will begin working with prefixes, suffixes and root words. We will be taking words apart to decide how prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of words.   

Writing: This week in Writing, students will be working on writing legends. They are coming up with some great ideas! Make sure to ask your child what he/she is writing about!  

Social Studies: We will continue with our Native American study this week. We will focus on the Illini tribes and will start to work on the following vocabulary: starve, alliance and legend.

Math: This week we will be working on learning our multiples of 4 and 9. We will also review the other facts we have studied: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10.

Dates to Remember:
Tues. Nov. 10- PJ Day to celebrate being 1/3 of the way through 3rd grade!
Wed. Nov.  11- Veteran’s Day- Meet at the flagpole @ 9:00am.

Fri. Nov. 14- No School for Kids

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Our Amazing Day as Native Americans

Today a traveling Native American museum came to Lowell. We went to the music room to hear all about Native American lives. Here are some of the things we learned AND some of our favorite activities!

Aimee: I liked seeing the beds and the chair. They aren't like our beds!

Molly: My favorite part was when we got to try on the clothes and play instruments because it kind of felt like you were a real Native American!

Jaden: My favorite part was when we saw how they made their tools. They used the cattail plant to make rope.

Max: I liked playing the game where you threw the elk-skin ball and other friends tried to catch it. I also liked the spears and the weapons Native Americans had.

Andrew: I liked the weapons because we could hold them.

David: I like that we learned about the spears and all the weapons they had. 

Aiden: I liked seeing how they made fire and getting to try and make a fire myself! I also liked seeing how the weapons were made and getting to see them. 

Addy: I liked that we got to try everything ourselves at the end. I also liked all the different games they had.

Abigail: My favorite part was when we got to play the instruments like the flute and drums.

Seth: My favorite part of the museum was when I got to try out the weapons. My favorite weapon was the spear. The spear was used for throwing short distances at mammoths or buffaloes. 

Carter: We talked about the atlatl. The atlatl is a weapon attachment that can help you thrown the spear further with greater force. I also liked making the cattails ropes. 

Patrick: I liked that we got to play the drums that he had with him. I also liked taking a class picture. 

Mackenzie: I liked doing the class picture and seeing how the dog carried stuff. I also liked all the weapons. 

Claire: I liked the game where one person covers their eyes and the other people try and steal a stick from them. The blindfolded person has to try and tag them before they get the stick. The trick is trying to be sneaky and grabbing where he isn't tagging. 

Sabina: I liked cracking the acorns with the rock. Then I smashed the nuts and turned them into powder.

Ethan: I liked the musical instruments. My favorite was the drum that I help by two fingers. 

Ella: One of my favorite things was the flute that I got to play. Another favorite thing was the game where there were two balls connected with a rope and you had to catch it with a stick. 

Lola: My favorite part was the rope making because it was complicated to do but it was fun!

Luke: I liked the weapons and the spear and the atlatl.

Grace: My favorite part was actually seeing the things that Native Americans used in their day. 

Here are some pictures of our fun day in the Native American Museum! 



Monday, November 2, 2015

Newsletter--Week of 11/2

News from 3P
Week of: November 2, 2015

Reading and Language Arts: We will continue in our chocolate novel groups this week. Within these novels we will be working on the following: character traits, comparing/contrasting characters, themes of chapters and novels and inferencing and citing evidence.  This unit will take place for 3 weeks. Please encourage your child to share what happened within their novels each day. **Students should be reading at least 25 minutes for homework every night!

Grammar: The focus this week will be comparative and superlative adjectives. Encourage your child to compare things at home or while driving using these types of describing words!  

Writing: This week in writing, students will be talking about Thanksgiving. The prompt will be “What do you like best about Thanksgiving and why?” Students will be encouraged to write it on their own, without a graphic organizer. We will have the steps up in the room so that students will be able to see what the process is and continue to use the linking words. We will also keep focusing on the following: linking words and conventions (grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).   

Social Studies: This week we will begin the study of Native Americans. We will focus on the early groups: Paleo, Archaic, Hopewell People and Mississippian Mound Builders.

Math: This week we will be finishing up with place value, addition, and subtraction. We will test on Tuesday. On Thursday we will be switching groups and heading back to multiplication. Our focus will be learning our multiples of 4. We will also review the other facts we have studied: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10.

Dates to Remember:
Wed. Nov. 4- Native American Traveling Museum at Lowell for third grade; a BIG thank you to PTA for paying for our in school field trip!  
Fri. Nov. 6- November book orders due