Holiday Fun!

It is the most wonderful time of the year! Please share with us what you are looking forward to over the holidays. Do you have any special plans for Christmas? How was your Hanukkah this year? Let's share about holiday traditions and fun!

Reading Check-In!

Tomorrow we will visit Panda Path Pre-K center and share some of our favorite books we loved when we were little. Recommending books is a great way to find out what you want to read next! What are you currently reading in class or at home? Have you just finished a wonderful book you could recommend to a friend? Who were the main characters and what are some of the themes? 

Native Artifacts!

Today we worked in the Launchpad to create an artifact that represents the Native American tribe we are studying. What are you creating? Please describe how you are making your artifact. What materials are you using? How does your object represent your tribe? 

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is just a week away. Many of us will spend time with family and friends. Some of us are even traveling! This holiday gives us time to think about what we are grateful for. 

Please share some of your favorite traditions that you and your family do during this wonderful holiday! What are you especially thankful for? Write at lease 3 - 4 sentences please. Gobble, gobble!

Veteran's Day

Today is Veterans Day! A veteran is a person who served in the military. Watch this brief video on the history of Veterans Day before you respond to the questions below.

Why do you love our country? How can we show the veterans how thankful we are? Share with us some of your thoughts on this holiday!

Native Tribes

Please share what tribe you are studying and some interesting facts you have learned so far! Think about what kind of life they lived? How did the environment affect their lifestyle? Were they hunters or farmers? I look forward to reading about your learning!

Halloween!

Boys and girls, Halloween is near! What will you be for Halloween? Is your costume ready?  What is your Halloween night tradition? Will you donate your candy? Please write several sentences about your costume and plans.  Have a happy Halloween! 

Science Share!

Hi Class!

I know you all have been working hard to build a model of the scull.  You also had a skull drop and then dissected your model.  What new learning do you have about the scull?  Impress me with your knowledge!  Write at least three sentences.

Reading Strategies

Dear Class,
You have been learning about how to use reading strategies to improve your reading skills and comprehension. As we know, reading is thinking! Reading is more enjoyable when you can connect to what you are reading and think about how your reading relates to what you already know. 
Please tell us about the reading strategies you use when you are reading and why you like them. Can you give an example of a reading strategy you used in your reading recently? Be sure to write four to five complete sentences with the correct punctuation and capitalization.

Hi Class!

This week you watched the movie American Heritage: Native Americans. The movie is posted if you would like to watch any part again. Please try to share at least three sentences of wonders, wows and new learning. What region are you most interested in studying?

Tell Me All About It!

Dear Girls and Boys,
I know you've been working hard at school. What is your favorite project right now? You can tell me about something you are working on in our class (like what you are working on in writing workshop, reading workshop, or math groups) or something in music, art, science or even PE! I want to know what you are excited about and why! Please add details. I look forward to reading your posts! 
Love,
Mrs. Kottler

What are you reading?

Dear Girls and Boys,
I miss you! I cannot wait to read about what you are reading at school or home! I hope you are selecting a wide variety of genres and enjoying your reading.What is in your book bin?  Please write a few sentences to me about what you are reading now and what you might read next. You may find a great book recommendation by reading your classmates' responses! Happy Reading!
Love, Mrs. Kottler

Read Aloud Reflection

 

Hi boys and girls! I cannot wait to hear your thoughts about
our class read aloud, How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor.
Mrs. Dewhurst tells me that you just read the part where Georgina makes her "how to steal a dog" plan come true. She steals Willy and leaves him on the old porch!
Georgina's family is in a tough situation. She is trying to help. What do you think about her decision to steal a dog in order to help her family? Is she right, wrong or both? Please write a few sentences about your thinking. Georgina chooses not to tell her friends or teachers about her situation. Who would you talk to if you had a tough decision to make?

Welcome to our Blog!

Dear third graders,
Welcome to our class blog! This is a place to discuss and think critically about our experiences in school. We have begun math groups, reading workshop and writing workshop. What is your favorite 3rd grade experience in our classroom so far?  What are you looking forward to?  Please write four or five complete sentences and check for capitalization and punctuation. 

Sign in Practice

Welcome to our blog!  Write two or three complete sentences about what you did this summer.  Check for correct capitalization and punctuation. 

Summer is almost here! What are your plans? Maybe you are off to camp, or attending camps in Houston. Are you going on any trips? Perhaps you are going to practice a hobby, like playing an instrument, and of course you'll be diving right into summer reading. Share with us some of your summer plans that you are excited about! I will miss each of you so much!

Living History Museum

Living History Museum

Today, we visited 4th Grade's Living History Museum. We took our clipboards to write down key facts and information about historical people we are interested in. Please list the people you visited. Then, choose one person to focus on. Share his or her character traits and what they are remembered for.

Goal Setting

It's hard to believe, but you will be third graders for just one more month! Take some time to be thoughtful and mindful about the goals you want to achieve before you are fourth graders. These goals can be academic, social, and behavioral. Please write about three to four goals you are working on for the next month and into summer and why you chose these goals. Write four to five complete sentences and use correct punctuation. 

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day! We take time today to think about our impact on our beautiful planet. How can we make everyday Earth Day? What are some things your family does to help our planet Earth? What are some things you might want to start doing to reduce waste and help our environment?

Feature Article

Feature Article

This week, we have explored a variety of feature articles and found that each of them engage and inform the reader, have catchy titles and subtitles, and even include quotes from experts. We voted on topics and started planning the layout of our articles. Share your topic with us and some information about it. How will you intrigue us to read your article? What are some of the features you plan to use in Piktochart?

Independent Reading Check In!

Independent Reading Check In!

I just finished reading the Orphan Train over the weekend. I couldn't believe that 200,000 children were sent away to new families out West in the early 1900s. The book I read was fiction, but based on many true facts and stories, so historical fiction. I loved the main characters and was a little sad to finish the book. I've moved on to another very dramatic book recommended to me by Mrs. Papadakes! My backup reading is cook books, magazines and of course, Toddler 411 to learn about Aliya!

Tell us all about what you have been reading lately! We can't wait to catch up on your independent reading!

Pioneer Reflection

We had wonderful time sharing our Westward Expansion projects and work samples yesterday! I am curious. What was your favorite activity that we did during this unit? Was is the journal, the iBook with widgets, QRcode movies, Googleslide, reading Joshua and Hattie's journals, or brain tracking or viewing to learn with Little House on the Prairie? Please give a detailed explanation about what you liked or did not enjoy as much. Maybe you'll influence how we explore pioneer life next year!

Science Share

I know you have been working hard to prepare for your science test. Please teach me some information about structures and electricity. Impress me with your knowledge! Write at least three sentences.

Spring Break!

Spring Break is around the corner!!! I know we are all excited to relax, sleep in, read and maybe even go on a trip. What are your plans for Spring Break? What are you most looking forward to?  Is there any particular book you can't wait to read? In four to five well-written sentences, please share with us your Spring Break plans and hopes.  Have a wonderful Spring Break and be safe!!!

A Long Journey

A Long Trip

 We continue reading books about the long journey West. We know that the pioneers travelled 2,000 miles from Independence, Missouri to Oregon Country. The trip was slow-going and took 6 months by wagon! Think about the longest trip you have been on. How did you get to your destination (bike, car, plane, ship)? What did you do for entertainment? How did you feel when you arrived?

Visiting Author - Jarrett Krosoczka

Tomorrow we will meet Jarrett Krosoczka, author of the Lunch Lady series, Platypus Police Squad and many picture books for kids! What are you hoping to learn from Mr. Krosoczka? If you could ask him a question, what would it be? Which book is your favorite? Please read each others responses before typing to try to come up with something new. Please try to write a few thoughtful sentences.

CAFE - Chinese New Year!

Today was CAFE's first meeting, and it was a great success! Many thanks to our friends, Eric and Peyton, for presenting on the topic of Chinese New Year. What did you learn from the presentation or students' questions? What was your favorite part? Please share your reflections about today's CAFE!

If you did not attend cafe, click here to see the presentation about Chinese New Year and share some of your new learning with us.

Acts of Kindness

Recently, Dr. Simpson visited our class to discuss acts of kindness. We each have a person in mind who we have been focusing on to try to make their days brighter. Saturday is Valentine's Day! Please give your friends and me some ideas for showing kindness and love towards others at home! Write about at least one act of kindness you can do  at home for someone you love (parent, sister, brother, nanny, grandma etc). 

Greece and Guatemala Travel Log

We've returned from our travels to Greece and Guatemala! What are your feelings about your travels? What was your favorite experience in both countries? Please share your new learning with us too!

International Fair 2015!

Next week we will visit Greece and Guatemala! What are your wonders about Greece and Guatemala? Please write at least one QUESTION you hope to learn the answer to for each country. Read your classmates' posts. Please try to come up with new and interesting wonders!

How did you like traveling by Google Earth today? What did you see?

Pioneer Personalities

Pioneer Personalities

Westward Ho!
Last week we chose our pioneer names. Introduce yourself to the wagon train. Tell your name, age, gender and your role in the family. Use your knowledge from our research and Joshua's Journal to tell about your responsibilities on the trail.

View to Learn - The Oregon Trail

Please watch this video and write four complete sentences about new information and facts that you learned about the Oregon Trail or Westward Expansion!  Please also write two sentences on things you are still wondering about.  Be sure to check your grammar and punctuation at the beginning and the end of your sentences.

Goals for 2015!

At the beginning of a new year, many people think about goals they would like to accomplish or promises they would like to keep. What is your resolution for the new year? Please explain why you would like to set and accomplish this goal. I will set a goal too!