Oscars Hall of Fame!!
This is a club for students who are interested in going above and beyond the normal classroom expectations. You may participate after finishing your completed work, during free time, or at home. You must learn about the topic on your own! Find the answers, write them down neatly, STUDY your answers, drop your answer in our Oscars Hall of...
Classroom Photos
Throughout the year, I’ll be taking hundreds of pictures of the students. Whether it is during the students playing a new game, exploring a new concept, or during the highlights of a class party or a field trip, it will all be captured! I will upload all of the pictures to our classroom photo website. From this website, you can...
Can’t I Skip Reading 15 Minutes Each Night?
Why Do I Have to Read 15 Minutes Each Night? Let’s do some math… Student A reads for 15 minutes a night Student B reads for 5 minutes a night Step One: Multiply 15 minutes a night times 4 nights a week. Student A is reading for 60 minutes a week (and hopefully more!) Student B is reading 20 minutes a week. Step Two: Multiply...
Oscars Hall of Fame!!
- This is a club for students who are interested in going above and beyond the normal classroom expectations.
- You may participate after finishing your completed work, during free time, or at home. You must learn about the topic on your own!
- Find the answers, write them down neatly, STUDY your answers, drop your answer in our Oscars Hall of Fame box and be ready for a very short oral quiz.
- You can become a 1-star member all the way up to an 87-star member!
- Once you have earned 15 stars you will be entered into the Oscars Hall of Fame!
Social Studies
1. Name 10 large lakes.
2. Name 15 state capitals.
3. Tell 5 facts about Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
4. Name the 1-10th president of the United States in order.
5. Name 5 tourist attractions in Michigan.
6. Name 15 cities in Michigan.
7. Tell about 5 Michigan firsts.
8. Name the 7 continents.
9. Name 15 major world countries.
10. Name 15 major world cities.
11. Name 10 South American and Central American countries.
12. Name 10 countries bordering the Pacific Ocean.
13. Tell about 5 important people in American History.
14. Name 10 countries in Africa.
15. Name 10 countries in Europe.
16. Name 10 major bodies of water.
17. Name 10 Native American tribes.
18. Name the 50 states.
19. Tell me 5 important facts about Detroit.
20. List the postal abbreviations 20 states.
21. Name 10 counties in Michigan.
22. Name 8 explorers.
23. Name the 13 colonies.
24. Name 10 mountains or mountain ranges.
25. Name 5 famous landmarks of the world and tell 1 fact about each.
Math
26. Name the perfect square numbers up to 225.
27. Write the Roman Numerals up to 20.
28. Draw the lines of symmetry for the capital letters in the alphabet.
29. Write and spell the numbers 1-20.
30.Name 5 famous Mathematicians.
31. Earn 100% on the basic addition facts quiz.
32. Earn 100% on the basic subtraction facts quiz.
33. Earn 100% on the basic multiplication facts quiz.
34. Create your own math game, rules, and pieces.
35. Find one mathematician and find 5 facts about him/her.
Science
36. Name 15 kinds of fish.
37. Name 15 marine creatures.
38. Name 15 types of birds.
39. Name 10 reptiles.
40. Name 10 dinosaurs.
41. Name 10 amphibians.
42. Tell 10 facts about magnets.
43. Name 10 rocks or minerals.
44. Name 10 organs in the human body.
45. Name 5 human body systems.
46. Name 15 mammals.
47. Name the order of the planets in our solar system.
48. List 10 omnivores.
49. List 10 carnivores.
50. Name 10 constellations.
51. Name 10 organs in the body.
52. Name 8 types of clouds.
53. Name 5 major bones in the body.
54. Name 10 types of trees.
55. Name 15 types of flowers.
56. Name 15 vertebrate animals.
57. Name 15 desert animals or wildlife.
58. Tell 10 ways an animal can adapt to its habitat.
59. Name 5 inventors and what they invented.
60. Name the stages of the water cycle.
Language Arts
61. Name 10 common nouns and 10 proper nouns.
62. Name 15 adjectives.
63. Name 15 adverbs.
64. Name 15 verbs.
65. Name and define 10 different genres of literature.
66. Count to 20 in another language.
67. Name 10 famous authors.
68. Learn 6 new words in sign language.
69. Name 20 verbs.
70. Count to 20 in French.
71. Name 5 Greek gods or goddesses and what they are the god of.
72. Give 2 examples of each of alliteration, personification, simile, metaphor, and onomatopoeia.
Other
74. Name the birthstones for each month.
75. Name 10 breeds of cats.
76. Name 12 winter or summer Olympic events.
77. Name a career for every letter of the alphabet.
78. Name 10 instruments in a marching band.
79. Name 10 instruments in a symphony orchestra.
80. Name 10 football teams and their cities.
81. Name 10 basketball teams and their cities.
82. Name 10 hockey teams and their cities.
83. Name 10 baseball teams and their cities.
84. Name 10 NASCAR drivers and their car numbers.
85. Name 10 inventors and their inventions.
86. Name 10 breeds of dogs.
87. Name 5 modes of transportation for land, air, and water.
Read MoreClassroom Photos
Throughout the year, I’ll be taking hundreds of pictures of the students. Whether it is during the students playing a new game, exploring a new concept, or during the highlights of a class party or a field trip, it will all be captured! I will upload all of the pictures to our classroom photo website. From this website, you can simply click the pictures you like and purchase them from Shutterfly. The pictures will be sent right to your house. How easy is that? 🙂 Check out our classroom photo website throughout the year:
http://msfairless.shutterfly.com/
To view pictures, you can either email me asking for permission or stay tuned to a newsletter with the password.
Read MoreCan’t I Skip Reading 15 Minutes Each Night?
Why Do I Have to Read 15 Minutes Each Night?
Let’s do some math…
Student A reads for 15 minutes a night
Student B reads for 5 minutes a night
Step One: Multiply 15 minutes a night times 4 nights a week.
Student A is reading for 60 minutes a week (and hopefully more!)
Student B is reading 20 minutes a week.
Step Two: Multiply minutes a week times 4 weeks each month.
Student A is reading for 240 minutes a month.
Student B is reading 80 minutes a month.
Step Three: Multiply minutes a month times 10 months in a school year.
Student A is reading for 2,400 minutes each school year!
Student B is reading 800 minutes each school year.
Some questions to think about:
Which student would you expect to read better?
Which student would you expect to know more?
Which student would you expect to write better?
Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary?
Which student would you expect to be more successful in school… and in life?
Now go read!!! 🙂
Read MoreA Great Link with Tons of FUN Math Games!
Here is another teacher’s website with LOADS of math games that are organized based on math units.
http://www.mrsgoldsclass.com/MathWebsites.htm
Read MoreMultiplication & Division
In class, we have been studying multiplication and division. Starting this week (first week in January), students will be required to practice one times table per week. It will be assigned Monday and the timed test will be given on Friday. Students are expected to study throughout the week. Parents, I encourage you to make this fun and enjoyable for your child. Some ideas to practice math facts: make flash cards, informally quiz your child while grocery shopping/driving in the car/ making dinner, etc. Here are some great websites for students to go to to practice their facts.
Multiplication Interactive Games
Interactive Flash Cards- Specified into times tables!
There are only SOME of the things that are out there…. 🙂 Enjoy and get practicing on those math facts!! 🙂
Read MoreA look around our classroom!
Our classroom is a very awkward shaped room :), so when decorating it, I knew I had to be creative. There isn’t much room for the students’ work, nor is their adequate space for the students to participate in. When creating the bulletin boards, I knew I had to make them interactive. This allowed a space that the students could go to and participate in that part of the curriculum.
So here is a look at some of my favorite parts of the classroom:
Writing Board:
The writing bulletin board doesn’t only remind the students of the critical stages of writing, but it also gives an interactive opportunity for the students to participate in the writing process. Each student has a clothespin with their name on it. They get to move it along with where they are in their writing. It also allows me to visually see where the students are in their writing and who is waiting to conference with me.
Reading Board:
The reading board in our classroom displays a poster to what we are currently learning. This poster was created with the class through our conversations. Below the poster you will see our a section called “Peer to Peer Book Recommendations”. This is a place where students can write about the books that they enjoy in our classroom library. This creates an opportunity for the students to find new books that they might like to read.
Math Board:
This is the math board in our classroom. What you’ll see right now on the math board is our number grid. This grid is what we are currently using in our math. It provides a great visual for the students to how the numbers relate to one another. Such as, when you skip a line, you are adding ten to that number. When you go to the right of a number, you are adding one, etc. Also on the board is POW, standing for “Problem of the Week”. The problem of the week is an opportunity for the students to earn a class ticket. When they finish their work early, they can attempt POW. On Friday, I will go over the problem and the answer.
That’s all for now 🙂 Hope you enjoyed our interactive bulletin boards!!
3rd Grade Science Units
Our 3rd Grade Science Units
Habitats: From going on a nature walk to dissecting owl pellets, children are asked to think about how organisms (plants, animals, fungi, and microscopic living things) survive in the places they live, and how they interact with other living things.
Light: Whether watching light “bend” a pencil in water or building a periscope, the combination of hands-on, multi-sensory learning enables children to understand what light is, how it behaves, and why it makes sight possible.
Solar System: One day children chart the moon’s cycles, another day they might make a scale model of our solar system. By observing the world around them, they address questions such as “Why are there seasons?” and “Why does the moon appear to change shape?”
Magnets: From testing what sort of everyday objects are attracted to magnets to comparing the strength of different magnets, children deepen their observation skills while learning about the nature of magnets.
Electrical Circuits: Whether exploring static charges, figuring out how to get a light bulb to light, or testing the conductivity of everyday objects, students experience firsthand the excitement of scientific discovery.
Wish List!
Here are a few items that we always need more of in our clssroom. Please feel no obligation to purchase any of these items, but if you do, the students and I will be thankful! Thank you in advance!
- Tissues!
- Box Tops (Box Tops logos are on products like Cheerios®, Hamburger Helper® and Kleenex®, in almost every aisle of the store. All you need to do is clip and send them to your school—- each one is worth 10¢ for your school.)
- Books (new or used/ picture or chapter- We are always looking for new and used books to add to our classroom library to increase student choice and interest in reading)
- Colored pencils (we use these a LOT!)
- Ziplock baggies (small and large)
- Craft/Art supplies
- Dry erase markers
- Colored construction paper
- Kid Magazines (for reading or cutting)
- Snacks (crackers, pretzels, veggies, apples, etc. Just remember, Logan is a Nut Free School!)
- Gently used board games (or new!)
- Playground balls (red rubber balls, soccer balls, etc.)
Logan Calendar
Read MoreHelpful Links for Students
Hey kids!! Here is a list of websites that I thought would be helpful for you to practice your skills while having fun. Just make sure you have your parents’ permission!
Math
Basic Math: Hundreds of pages of basic math skills, interactive practice on every page, an explanation of the math topic on each page, and several challenge games on every page.
http://aaamath.com/B/grade3.htm
Multiplication Skills: Math lovers, polish up your multiplication skills!
http://www.gamequarium.com/multiplication.html
Multiplication Tables: Work on your 4’s -13’s multiplication tables with Black Dog!
http://blackdog.net/games/math/multiply/006.html
Kids Bank: Guided by Penny, Dollar Bill, Interest Ray, and Checks, students will learn about money, savings, interest, checking, and electronic banking in this very interactive site. There are quizzes and games that help students review what they learn during the tours.
http://www.kidsbank.com/index_2.asp
Ordered Pairs Online Math Activity
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/BillyBug2/bug2.html
Fractions Brain POP!
http://www.brainpopjr.com/math/fractions/basicpartsofawhole/
Math Baseball: This game provides students with a fun way to practice basic facts.
Math Practice: Students can practice their math skills while being timed. This site covers all of third grade math.
http://www.ixl.com/math/grade/third/
Multiplication Practice: At this site, students can practice their basic facts and play multiplication games.
http://www.multiplication.com/students.htm
Spelling
Fun School: Can you spot the misspelled words? Click on this site and see!
http://www.funschool.com/games_popup.php?g=ms2_ds1&t=j&w=620&h=360
Little Explorer’s Picture Dictionary: This isn’t for babies either!! The amount of information on the site just “boggles the mind”!!!!
http://www.littleexplorers.com/DictionaryA.html
Spelling Wizard– Practice for your spelling tests.
http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/spelling.htm
Reading
Children’s Favorite Authors: This is a comprehensive “hot list” of links that will take students to the websites of their favorite authors.
http://www.ahisd.net/campuses/cambridge/library/chilauth.html
Roald Dahl- Check out Roald Dahl’s Home page. Take a look at all the awesome books he has written.
http://www.roalddahlfans.com/books.php
Reading- Wordsearch
http://www.funbrain.com/cgibin/wd.cgiA1=play&A2=1&INT=1&theme=*Musical_Instruments&A3=instruments&INSTRUCTS=1
Join the Flashlight Readers Club! This is such a cool site!! I love it…
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/flashlightreaders/flashT_landingPage.asp
Reading- Wordsearch
Wacky Tales
http://www.funbrain.com/wacky/index.html
Writing
Mad Lib Fun: Verbs, nouns and adjectives…OH MY! This is a silly way to write a new story and learn the parts of speech.
http://www.eduplace.com/tales/
The Writing Process- Use this site to work on your Writing Scavenger Hunt! This is an excellent site with awesome information on how to improve your essay writing skills.
http://www.geocities.com/fifth_grade_tpes/writing_process.html
Grammar Gorillas- Nouns and verbs practice!
http://www.funbrain.com/cgi-bin/gg.cgi?A1=m&A2=0&A3=0&AFUNCT=1&ALEVEL=0&INSTRUCTS=1
Writer’s Block
http://fun.funbrain.com/cgi-bin/wall.cgi?A1=s
Main Idea Riddles
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/book_buddy/rosie/skill_pre.html
Practice your cursive here!!
http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive.htm
Social Studies/Current Events
Time for Kids: This website is an outstanding resource for kid-friendly news stories. It is great practice for reading non-fiction text, and it provides lots of extra activities for students to complete after their reading.
Civil Rights Web Hunt
http://www.mecca.org/~crights/cyber.html
Martin L. King Web Hunt
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/about king
Spanish/ Other Languages
Spanish for Kids: Here is a great website to help you practice and increase your spanish skills.
http://www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/spanish_for_children
Learn a New Language with Games: A website to help you learn new languages while playing games!
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/foreignlang.html#spanishgames
Read More