The First Thanksgiving - Performance

Our First Thanksgiving Play!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

10:30 a.m.

The Church

I am sure you have heard at home about the First Thanksgiving Play our third grade class is going to be performing on Tuesday, November 23 at 10:30 during our Thanksgiving Prayer Service for the school.

During November, the Third Grade did a special Thanksgiving History Unit and we learned all about why the English came to America and about the obstacles they faced, their voyage and the realities of that very first Thanksgiving.

As a class we decided it would be wonderful to share what we learned with the school in a performance format.  So I put together a play for the kids and they will be displaying all their wonderful knowledge (and dramatic skills) for the whole school and any family and friends that are able to attend.

I hope you can join us on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. as I know your children have worked hard and will be excited to see you there.  If you are unable to make it, given the busy holiday week, I will have some video-tape the performance and I will get it onto my blog (fingers crossed the length will be ok J).

In addition, I am sure the kids have been asking if they can bring items into school to utilize for the play, for props, costumes and scenery.  We brainstormed as a class things we would want/need and the kids discussed who had what – so yes, they are allowed to be bringing these items in, with your approval of course.  Please have all props and items brought in on Monday so we know what we are dealing with for Tuesday.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call me at school or email me.

Thanks so much for all your support in helping give the students such rich, learning experiences.

Homework: Thursday, November 18, 2010

Reading:
Read for 30 minutes!

English/Language Arts:
Finish Vocabulary Sentences #6-10
Study Spelling and Vocabulary

Social Studies:
Rehearse!  Rehearse!  Rehearse!
Read over your lines OUT LOUD at least 4-5 times!
Check for props/items for costumes - check with parents!

The Hundred Dresses!

The Third Graders outside the theater ready to see The Hundred Dresses!

We had such a blast going to see the play version of The Hundred Dresses.  The book is such a great, classic book teaching us all to be kind, respectful and to think about our actions.

The cast on stage interacting with audience prior to the show.

The play was a big hit with the kids.  They took the book, spiced it up with some humor and turned it into a musical that all kids (and adults) can enjoy.

Oscar, Angelina, Maggie, Maddie, Delaney, Kaya, Patrick, Valerie and Mr. Wenzel
waiting for the show to start!

The students made great comparisons to the book and the play, as well as great connections to life and some of the start-of-the-year activities we did together about using kind words and being a good friend.

I hope you heard all about the play from your child!

Mrs. Leonard, Mary, Jane, Katie, Caroline, Clive, Trent, Lance and Brendan
waiting for the show to begin!

Homework: Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Reading:
Read for 30 minutes!
Think about the plot - Plot worksheet

Math:
Math Worksheet (both sides)

English/Language Arts:
Vocabulary Sentences #1-5

Homework: Tuesday, November 16, 2010

**Reminder:  Tomorrow is Founder's Day Mass, where we remember Ms. Barbara Smith,

at 9:15 a.m. - parents and families are welcome to join!**

****Please bring in a canned food item(s)****

Reading:
Read your Guided Reading book for 20 minutes OUT LOUD!

Math:
Math Book page 95 #1-10
Math Worksheet - Word Problem Solving

Language Arts/English:
Finish Spelling Sentences #8-15
Spelling Practice Book page 39

Guided Reading Group Book Reports!

During Literacy Centers, the students have Guided Reading groups.  There are 4 groups of 4 students and the students are grouped based on similar reading levels.  In Guided Reading, I have chosen specific chapter (longer) books to supplement the Storytown Reading curriculum.

We read and discuss these books together during guided reading or the students buddy read or independently read-aloud with me, they are also able to read these books during silent reading time.

Upon completion of the books, the groups put together a book report for the class about their group's book to recommend the book to the rest of the class and display their understanding of the story for me.  I was very impressed at the creative and effort put into their book reports.

Here is their first book report!

Nate the Great and the Sticky Case read and reported by Brendan, Caroline, Kaya and Patrick

Cam Jansen and the Scary Snake Mystery read and reported by Clive, Lance, Trent and Valerie

Mr. Popper's Penguins read and reported by Jane, Maggie, Mary and Oscar

The Magic Finger read and reported by Angelina, Delaney, Katie and Maddie 



Homework: Monday, November 15, 2010

Reminder - Gym tomorrow and Field Trip -

Please have students wear Gym PANTS NOT SHORTS

Reading:
If you have not finished The Hundred Dresses please do so tonight!

Writing assignment - discussion questions about The Hundred Dresses

Math:
Math Worksheet - Word Problems

English/Language Arts:
Spelling Sentences #1-7

Reptiles, Birds, Amphibians and Fish, Oh My!

The children did such an amazing job with their animal projects.  Not only was I impressed by the wealth of facts and things the students each learned about their chosen animal, but to be able to stand up in the church and present to a group of about 40 3-4 year olds has to be a little intimidating and each and every student blew me away.

Here are photos of each student and their posters!  Congratulations on an excellent first science report to everyone!  It was clear they worked hard and were interested in what they researched and learned about!  I learned so much myself!

Delaney and the Red-Eyed Tree Frog
Did you know they have red eyes to shock and scare predators?  Delaney did!

Brendan and the Cobra! 
Did you know the cobra is the only snake to make a nest for its young?  Brendan did! 

Caroline and the Goldfish!
Did you know the goldfish is native to China and can live 25-28 years!  Caroline did!

Angelina and the Sea Turtle!
Did you know Sea Turtles cannot have babies until they are 25 years old?  Angelina did!

Lance and the Garter Snake!
Did you know the garter snake communicates by flicking its tongue?  Lance did!

Mary and the Blotched Salamander!
Did you know there are 400 species of salamanders and salamander means "from flames?"  Mary did!

Maggie and the Beta Fish!
Did you know that beta fish are very aggressive and if 3 are put together, 1 will wait while the other 2 fight?  Maggie did!

Trent and the Tiger Shark!
Did you know the tiger shark likes to stay near the bottom of the ocean floor and they are almost extinct?  Trent did!

Maddie and the Whale Shark!
Did you know the whale shark's mouth can open 4 feet wide!?  Maddie did!

Clive and the Pacman Frog!
Did you know the pacman frog opens its mouth so large and swallows its prey?  Clive did!

Oscar and the Red Salamander!
Did you know salamanders can make not sound at all and they don't have lungs!?  Oscar did!

Jane and the Parakeet!
Did you know the parakeet is the most popular pet in the USA and they are part of the parrot family?  Jane did!

Kaya and the Toucan!
Did you know the toucan's beak is about one third of its body but very light?  Kaya did!

Valerie and the Mockingbird!
Did you know the mockingbird mocks all kinds of sounds like people, other animals and car alarms?  Valerie did!

Katie and the Ostrich!
Did you know the ostrich's foot looks like a dinosaur and they have been around since before the dinosaurs?  Katie did! 

Patrick and the Crocodile!
Did you know the crocodile's stomach is only the size of a baseball?!  Patrick did!

Researching at the Library!

Clive, Delaney, Oscar and Mary researching amphibians at the library!

In a day and age when technology rules, I still think it is important for children to learn the skills to research utilizing printed materials. 

Maggie, Trent, Caroline, Angelina, Patrick, Lance and Brendan researching at the library

There is just something about holding a library book and flipping through the pages looking for information that is motivating for students.

Kaya, Jane, Katie and Valerie researching birds at the library!

So as we researched for our animal projects and I guided students to the Encyclopedia Britannica website as well as the Discovery Education site, I also set up a time for us to utilize the library and check out books for our animal projects.  And the children loved every moment and really found a wonderful amount of information!

The class researching for their Animal Projects

Meeting an Author, Blue Balliett!!

3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Classes with Blue Balliett

It was such an exciting privilege to meet Blue Balliett, famous author of New York Times bestseller and Chicago Tribune award winner for Young Adult Fiction Chasing Vermeer, as well as the others in the series, The Wright 3 and The Calder Game.

These three books are set in Chicago's own Hyde Park and the main characters are third graders!  What great connections!  We will be reading Chasing Vermeer as a class in the late winter/spring of this year!

The kids listening to Blue Balliett share her experience as an author!

Blue Balliett discussed her new book with us, The Danger Box, which follows a new character.  She also told us about life as an author and shared stories about how she writes, how difficult it can be - but how fun and rewarding.

The kids, as well as myself, were so inspired by meeting her and hearing her stories!

Thanks Harold Washington for setting up such a great experience!

Homework: Thursday, November 4, 2010

Reminder:
Tomorrow is a field trip to see The Secret Garden.  No need to bring a brown bag lunch we will come back to school to eat! 

Reading:
Read chapter "The Contest" in The Hundred Dresses (page 34)
Rehearse and get props for tomorrow's Book Reports!

Math:
Math Workbook page 30
Math Packet page 23 and 24

English/Language Arts:
All Vocabulary Sentences (#1-10)
Study Spelling and Vocabulary!  Tests Tomorrow!

Mrs. Salmon's Haunted Classroom!

Mrs. Salmon's Haunted Classroom...
Enter at Your Own Risk!

Friday we celebrated Halloween and a HUGE THANK YOU to all of the parents for all the donated supplies and materials for making our Halloween so special.  However, the party would not have been as wonderful without all the time and effort Mrs. Smith (Clive's Mom) put into reaching out to all the parents, juggling getting all the supplies and spending her entire Friday afternoon setting the classroom up to be the perfect spooky atmosphere for the kids' surprise!  Kudos to Mrs. Smith! 

Check out the transformation of Mrs. Salmon's room...from sporadic decortating over two weeks to a massive decorating session Thursday night and Mrs. Smith's big help Friday afternoon our room became a Hanuted Classroom!

Over sized Spiders took over our room!

Mrs. Salmon made sure to black out the windows so there was no escape!

Enter if You Dare....

We kicked the day off with a visit from Junior Achievement, followed by our typical Friday vocabulary and spelling test - with a Halloween twist. 

Here the kids decided to give our Junior Achievement visitors a little Halloween scare.

Then we enjoyed the wonderful Halloween parade and hamming it up for all the parents in the church.  What a shy bunch, right? :)



Preparing for their debut at the Halloween Parade!



Such amazing costumes!

Happy Halloween!

Posing for Pictures!

 After a lunch with Halloween cupcakes from Katie Walsh we had a special Halloween Reading Buddies session with Ms. Cahill's kindergartners.  Instead of reading, writing and discussing their books as a Halloween surprise the kids brainstormed and wrote their very own spooky or funny Halloween story using whatever character they and their kindergarten buddy were dressed as.  The stories will be presented to their reading buddies during our next Friday get together!

And finally as a triumphant end to our Halloween Friday, the kids embarked on a scary journey into Mrs. Salmon's Haunted Classroom.  From entering the dark room with lightning striking and thunder booming, with creepy music playing in the background the kids got a chance to look around...



Entering the completely decorated
haunted classroom for the first time...



The shocked looks were priceless!

After the initial surprise at entering the room the kids had to dig up all their bravery and stick their hands in what I warned them would surely "turn their stomaches and was not for the weak-hearted."  With eyes closed and only using their sense of touch the kids took turns feeling each of Mrs. Salmon's creepy gooey cauldrons of gross and then had to go back to their writing journals and write with details and vocabulary words everything they felt - and take a guess as to what it was!  Check out their faces, I could not have posed them better!!

I did not make them nervous enough they dove right in!

Lupin the Werewolf from Harry Potter (Oscar) and the Terminator Cop (Clive)
reacting to the nastiness they were feeling!

Even a Roman goddess couldn't hide the fact that she was grossed out! 
And Alex Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place (Maddie) reaching for the wipes!

I was so impressed at the great descriptions they gave for what they felt! 

Avatar (Kaya) seems unafraid while
Flash (Lance) in the background looks a little nervous

The Cowgirl (Mary) apparently never had to deal with this nasty before
and even Athena (Katie), goddess of war no-less, was squeamish
while the Clone (Trent) seems like he is ok with everything.

The Flash (Lance) and Terminator Cop (Clive) tackling the Number 7 cauldron for a second time, this was a popular gross one (canned of peeled tomatoes aka hearts!)!



Writing away about what they felt!  Great use of vocabulary!



Thanks again to all the parents for all the help and supplies! 
Mrs. Salmon's Haunted Classroom was a frightful success!

Happy Halloween! 
Looking forward to the next holiday celebration!



What is the Secret Ingredient in Ping Pong Ball Soup?

Ping Pong Ball Soup Banquet!

This week we learned about folk tales, what they are and how they have been passed down for centuries through word of mouth and writing.  Every folk tale teaches an important life, moral lesson and represents the culture in which it is told.

We began by reading a Chinese version of Stone Soup, in this version three monks are seeking the answer to "what is happiness?"  Unable to find happiness in a small, poverty-stricken, suspicious town the monks seek to teach them happiness through the making of Stone Soup.  Through this folk tale the children learned that sharing, caring and generosity bring people together and restore happiness.

We then read and compared the Chinese version to a universal version of Stone Soup where weary, hungry travelers looking for compassion and food help a stingy, small town come together by making Stone Soup.  The magic ingredient the travelers state was "sharing."

The class enjoying our Ping Pong Ball Soup!

To wrap it up on Thursday, with the amazing help of the parents (big thanks!!), the students contributed one single item.  As they arrived I gave each student a note card describing the part they would play in our own version and reenactment of Stone Soup.  We then set our room up to be a little village and lived the folk tale. 

Sharing is Caring!  Eat Up!

For us instead of Stone Soup we made Ping Pong Ball Soup.  As we played out the story the students began as rude, uncaring, villagers lacking in compassion for a poor, hungry, lonely teacher seeking just a crumb of food.  By the end we had a hearty and delicious chicken vegetable noodle soup, bread, cheese and munchkins and enjoyed a feast for lunch while we read yet another version of Stone Soup, this time set in Scotland with soldiers teaching a war-ravaged town about kindness and generosity.