Email Accounts

Today, Mrs. Ayer's class was formally introduced to their email accounts.  Scholars learned about the expectations around the use of school emails.  They will be coming home today with a letter outlining those expectations.

http://

Learning from an Author! #tcrwp

Yesterday, Juli Brenning visited RES and spoke to us about her process as a writer.

We learned that when she writes stories, it starts with an idea and then, using her imagination she transforms the story into one that will be a wonderful children's book.   In 3rd grade, we talked about how we can start writing a true story by taking a small moment and zoom in to tell all the little details of a story.  Juli's story, Maggie and Milo, is a small moment from a time Juli visited family in Richmond!

Also, Julie shared that it takes a million rewrites to get the story nearly perfect.   In writing workshop, we're always working to revise our writing, adding little bits here and there to improve our writing.  How reassuring to know that we're learning the process that published authors use!

Juli, thank you for sharing your story with us and talking to us about your writing process.  Mrs. Redford, thank you for making this possible for students at RES!

Studying Geology at RES #STEM

As part of our study of Geology this fall, scholars were tasked with researching the impact of water on the land around RES.  To begin this task, we first approached Mr. Berry to find out his expertise...he shared the following video with us:

Then, small groups from each classroom explored these areas, took photographs, and thought about how to share this information with others.  Using our Chromebooks, we tried out a new app (Movenote), but ran into some "technical difficulties" while working on it.  Scholars exhibited lots of flexibility as we worked through these problems together.  And, as is often the case with newer technology, sometimes it doesn't go as planned.

Here are some of the videos students created.  We would LOVE to hear your feedback about our research...please leave us a comment with your thoughts or questions.  Thanks!

Erosion Around the Edge of RES

Erosion Behind the RES Sign

Erosion at the RES/CHMS Hockey Rink

Erosion at the RES Playground

Erosion Behind the 3/4 Wing

Finding Creative Ways to Teach

Today, our scholars watched a short video clip explaining the importance of studying World Geography!  Studying and knowing geographical terms will help them to survive a zombie apocalypse!

Introducing...Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBACs)

This Spring, 3rd graders will be taking a new assessment aligned with the Common Core State Standards.  This assessment will be an online test that students will take using their Chromebooks.  As we progress through this school year, we are giving students an opportunity to become familiar with their Chromebooks, learn touch-typing skills, and practice tasks similar to those expected with the SBAC.

In the RES Podcast this week, Mr. Berry highlighted some of the important aspects of these tests in his conversation with Michael Hock, Director of Assessment from the Vermont Agency of Education.  (It's the second half of the audio, about 4 minutes.)  As the year continues, RES staff will be attending conferences and discussing how to best prepare our students for these assessments.  We'll be sure to share this information with you, too.



In the meantime, you can check out some of the released practice items for this assessment.  Sample SBAC Questions:  Preview questions (not necessarily Grade 3) in a format similar to those that will be asked on the SBAC assessment.

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Words Are Forever #RESreads

Today, we welcomed Betsy Emerson & Anne O'Brien from Beacon Light Grange #557 to our classrooms. Each year, Grange members participate in a number of volunteer activities in our community including giving each 3rd grader a dictionary of their very own!


Scholars were delighted to find the longest English word (with over 1,000 letters!) among the treasures in their new books!

Thank you Beacon Light Grange members for "treating" us with dictionaries!!

Spotlight on: Grade 3 Library Classes #resvt #tcrwp

This is a guest post from our teacher librarian, Beth Redford.



 

Third graders have been visiting the library to find library books about animals as part of their current writing unit: Information Writing. These scholars will be writing informational books about hedgehogs, bearded dragons, mountain goats...and that's just the beginning of the list! They are using these library books to learn about the habitats, physical features, and life cycles of their animals so they have plenty of information to include in their own books. In upcoming weeks Mrs. Redford will be going to third grade classrooms to work with scholars during their writing times. Here are just a few of the books our scholars will be using:

 



 

 



 

Celebrating Small Moments! #tcrwp

On Monday, we celebrated the conclusion of our first writing unit of the year in a BIG way...we invited Mr. Alberghini back to share another story with us and he was more than happy to oblige.  Thankfully, Mr. Berry was also available to help us celebrate and was able to video Mr. Alberghini's story...so...

Without further ado, here is The Muskrat Story!



And, Mr. Berry also checked in with a few scholars and asked about their work in this unit. Here is a podcast of that conversation, including their very own "small moment" stories!



At the conclusion of this unit, we also wrote an "on-demand" story to demonstrate all that we've learned about personal narrative writing. We were amazed at how much our writing fluency and stamina have improved.

Coming up next for writers workshop:  The Art of Information Writing!   Stay tuned...

Cheese from rocks?

RES third graders went to Shelburne Farms to participate in their "Stories in Stone" educational program connected with our current geology study. Students learned about the three main types of rocks, igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary, and looked for examples of these types along the shores of Lake Champlain.  They discovered that shale, a type of sedimentary rock, is quite common and easily distinguishable do to its dark gray/black color and veins of white, which is made of calcite. Calcite is a calcium carbonate mineral. The educators at the Farms helped students come up with a story of how one might connect a stone containing calcite all the way to Shelburne Farms cheddar cheese, which contains calcium. Pretty cool! And the examples of weathering and erosion we found around the Lake Champlain shoreline were pretty amazing too.

Stories in Stone Slideshow

Our Place in the World

This post originally appeared on Mrs. Rankin's Enrichment at RES blog.

Third graders have spent the last few weeks of enrichment class thinking about their place in the world.  World geography is one of the social studies units which students will focus on in grade 3, and by starting with this project students had an opportunity to think about their geographical place on an introductory level.  This was also a great opportunity for us to get to know each other as a class of learners, and practice collaborative group work skills which we will use all year long! Students selected a place in this world they wished to share. Next they worked with a small group to design a three dimensional way to show that place.  Students used clay, popsicle sticks, maps, flags, cardboard, technology, and much more to create their place.  Once all of the creations were complete, we worked as a class to create an iMovie that shared our place in this world-- beginning with ourselves as a group of learners and then growing all the way up to our Planet Earth! Throughout this project students were engaged and enthusiastic, and they really worked as cohesive teams!

This work is a great foundation as we will spend time later in the year digging deeper into our understanding of world geography.
Third graders hope you will enjoy our iMovie Presentations!

Mrs. Ayer's Class:



Mrs. Ankerson's Class:


Miss Darby's Class:

A Day on the Courts

This fall, third graders have been practicing tennis skills in PE with Mr. G.  Today, we had the opportunity to hone our skills on the clay courts at the Burlington Tennis Club.  Scholars were able to practice their racquet and ball handling skills including practicing balancing a ball on a racket while moving around the court, tapping & bumping a tennis ball alone and with a partner, practicing underhand serving across the net and hitting the ball baseline to baseline, and practicing their forehand shot.  As you can see from the video, we had a fantastic time!

 

A huge thank you to the United States Tennis Association for their generous support of new racquets, balls, and nets for our school.   Thanks, also, to the BTC for allowing us the use of their courts...what a great experience to play on real courts! Thank you to Alex, a USTA Tennis Pro, for donating his time to help us learn and practice our skills, and to Mrs. Ankerson for helping to arrange the trip to the courts at the BTC today.

Summer Reading Challenge Success #RESreads

Way back in June when we first met this year's third graders, we issued them a summer reading challenge:
Try to read as many genres of literature as you can over the summer and keep track on a reading log.

Here are the results:




As you can see, third graders love the fantasy genre! We look forward to a fabulous year of reading and learning together!

Summer Memories

As we introduced Chromebooks and Google Classroom, this was their first assignment!  Third graders were able to start learning about their Chromebooks and Google, while completing this project.

Investigating Streams #resvt #stem

Investigation Stream Source

In Science this week, 3rd grade scientists used their observation skills to investigate how a steady stream source would impact the erosion on a land model.  As a class, we developed a testable question and then students worked in small groups to investigate the topic.  We'll be continuing this work in the coming weeks with further investigations.  Stay tuned!

Open House! #resvt

Thank you to all of the families who came to Open House this evening...it was great to see you!  We're excited to work together to create a fantastic year of learning in our community!  Be sure to keep an eye out on this blog for classroom updates and use the "Family Communication" page to find classroom communications that may have gone missing...including the weekly homework planner!

Emily Ankerson, Tonya Darby, Marie Ayer

Launching Chromebooks in Third Grade #resvt

It has been an exciting time in third grade, as we launched our new one-one initiative!  Each scholar has been assigned their own Chromebook to be used only here at school.  Scholars are learning how to properly care for them, how to log into their computer, and how to safely navigate the internet.  By the end of the week, you will see that your child will have their login information and passwords in their homeschool folder.  As we slowly launch this program, we ask that scholars only access their google accounts during school time.  Eventually, they will also be able to use their google accounts at home.



 

This year, their new morning routine will be complete FASTT Math lessons prior to morning meeting.  Scholars will be coming home with other ways in which they can practice their basic math facts.



Scholars are so excited to welcome you into our classrooms for Open House on Wednesday night, where you can learn more about what we are doing on Chromebooks!

 

 

 

A Stoplight of Internet Safety #resvt

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="255"] Clip Art from: http://www.clipartbest.com/cliparts/Kin/MEE/KinMEEReT.jpeg[/caption]

As third graders prepare to begin using Chromebooks for the first time, we are working to establish routines and expectations with students.  Mrs. Rankin stopped by each of our classrooms this week for a conversation about internet safety using the metaphor of a stoplight.  Each class discussed their ideas of what websites and activities might fall into each category of the stoplight.

Green Light: These are websites that are approved by teachers, parents/guardians or other adults and students can use these websites with confidence knowing they are safe.  Examples include: Fastt Math, Edutyping, PebbleGo, or anything on the CESU "Great Sites for Kids" page.

Yellow Light:  These are websites that should be used with caution.  Perhaps they require a sign-in or email address, or there is a "chat" feature that can be used.  These are sites that students should use carefully, under the supervision of an adult and stopping to ask questions if necessary.  Examples include: Penguin Jump.

Red Light: These are sites that should not be used by students because the material is inappropriate or unsafe for students.  If students happen upon one of these sites, they should either shut off their computer or find an adult immediately to help.

As we continue throughout the year, we will continue to revisit this discussion.  Please feel free to use this analogy at home, too, as you have your own family discussions about online safety.

Learning to Use a "Storyteller's Voice" #resvt #tcrwp

On Wednesday, 3rd graders welcomed a surprise guest to our classrooms during Writing Workshop: Superintendent Alberghini!  In our first writing unit, we are writing true, small moment stories and learning to use a "storyteller's voice" in our writing.  We want our readers to see a mental movie of our moment in their minds while they are reading our story.  Lucky for us, Mr. Alberghini is an expert storyteller and jumped at the chance to help us out!



 

Even better, Mr. Berry was there to caption the entire story so that we'll be able to refer back to it as a "mentor text" throughout the year.  All students were eager to head back to class and get started writing (or continuing to write) their own small moment stories using their "storyteller's voice."

Thanks for the inspiration, Mr. Alberghini!  We can't wait until you return to tell us the muskrat story.


You can find a video of  Mr. Alberghini's story here.  And an interview about the story with Mr. Alberghini here.

And, the Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education at the University of Vermont heard about our storytelling special guest and wrote their own blog about it!  Check it out here on their blog: The power of transmedia storytelling.

Spotlight on: Grade 3 Library Classes #RESvt #CESUvt

A guest post from our teacher librarian, Beth Redford

 



Third graders have been learning new skills to help them use the library independently. They are practicing how to search the library computer catalog

• if you know what a book is called (that's a title search),


• if you know who wrote the book (that's an author search)


• if you know what a book is about (that's a subject or a keyword search)

They will be able to use these search skills in other libraries as well, and also for their third and fourth grade research projects. The most exciting part of the day was when a scholar used his new skills to look for a book about building forts. He was thrilled with the book he found, independently!



 

Four Winds Nature Education Program At Richmond Elementary Seeks Volunteers

Four Winds is a fabulous curriculum that is offered in many schools throughout Vermont, including grades 1-4 at Richmond Elementary School. If you love nature and inquisitive minds, then this is a great way to share your passion and curiosity with local schoolchildren. No special knowledge is necessary, and you don't have to be a parent of a child at the school to participate -- you don't have to be a parent at all! Click on the link below to get more information and to sign up! http://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0c48a9ac2ba13-4winds

Homework! #resvt

 

Today, third graders brought home their first homework of the year!  Each Monday (or Tuesday), students will receive a YELLOW newsletter in their mailboxes to bring home.  This newsletter includes a little information on each of the subject areas we are covering in class and should provide a nice starting point for conversations at home.  Instead of asking "How was school today?" you may want to try asking about the game played in math or the strategy learned during reading workshop!  (More ideas can be found here!)

On the other side of the newsletter is a recording sheet for students to keep track of the books read during the week, the activities used to practice for word study, etc.  An empty calendar is included at the top of this page to help students plan their week.  It is a great opportunity to help students learn time management by helping fill in the week's events.  By doing so, students will be able to see when they should work on their homework to make sure it is completed on time.  This recording sheet needs to be signed by an adult and returned to school on Friday.

Each week, the newsletter will be added to the "Family Community" tab on our blog -- it's located at the top of the page.  A blank recording sheet will also be posted here, in the event that the family dog does actually each your homework (by accident!) one week!

If your child ever encounters any difficulty with homework, please encourage them to seek help early in the week from their classroom teacher.  We're more than happy to help sort out any misunderstandings or to give them a little boost of encouragement.  If it's not possible, simply include a little note with the week's homework.

Weekof9.2.14

9.2.14homeworkrecord

(Clipart from: http://myclassroomnotes.com/resources/holiday-homework-clipart-i1.jpg.opt772x153o0,0s772x153.jpg)

A Fantastic First Day! #resvt

Wow!  What a wonderful first day of school!  We had such a great first day together!  We met new and old friends, reminded each other of the school-wide expectations and started to get into the groove of third grade together!

New Friends are Waiting! #resvt

These third grade friends are anxiously awaiting meeting some new friends on the first day of school. We hope you're excited, too!




Shelly & Yoshi



Kermit & Freddie



Froggy

Starting a New Year!

Welcome to Third Grade! We're looking forward to a fantastic year filled with:

Created with Tagul.com

Thanks for a GREAT year!

Thank you ALL for a fabulous year in third grade!

(And don't be a stranger when you pass by us in the hallway on your way to 4th grade!)

On the Road: Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages

We had the opportunity this spring to visit Rock of Ages in Graniteville, Vermont, to see geology in our own backyard!  While at the quarry, we watched a video of the history of granite quarrying in Vermont as well as the improvements over time in the granite carving/polishing processes.  We were taken on a guided tour of the quarry where we had the opportunity to ask questions and relate it back to our learning in geology.  We also had an opportunity to try out granite sandblasting to create our own keepsake AND saw granite workers in action in the factory.

Thanks to our chaperones for helping to make this trip possible.

Sailing Away on Lake Champlain!

On June 3rd & 4th, third graders had the opportunity to visit the Community Sailing Center on Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont, for a "Floating Classroom" program.  On shore, students were engaged in ecology lessons learning how humans impact the ecology of Lake Champlain through a variety of hands-on activities.  On the water, students boarded keelboats and learned the ropes of sailing on Lake Champlain, acting as crew to help tack the boat and even taking a turn as skipper.



Sailing 2014

Many thanks to Larry Thomson, RES guest teacher, for introducing our students to the geography of Lake Champlain, shared nautical maps, and even a crash course in sailing prior to our field trip experience!

A Day on the Green

On Wednesday, we had the privilege of visiting Cedar Knoll Country Club in Hinesburg to try out our newly learned golf skills.  Many thanks to the Vermont Golf Association who generously donated funds to help us bring The First Tee program to RES, to Mr. G. for teaching us the skills of the sport, to Cedar Knoll for welcoming us, and to all the families who contributed to our Walk-a-Thon!  We hope to continue this program in future years....

The First Tee Program at RES

Tomorrow our third graders will head to Cedar Knoll Country Club in Hinesburg.  This is the culmination of a new unit, test piloted by third graders, called the First Tee Program.  This is more than a curriculum to introduce the game of golf to students.  Its mission is "to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf." (http://www.thefirsttee.org)

Students are excited to be on a real course and practice their skills.  They will rotate through stations that involve putting, chipping, pitching, driving, and actually playing part of the 18th hole.  We want to thank the Vermont Golf Association for helping to cover 80% of the cost of the equipment, donations from families during the Walk-a-Thon and Cedar Country Club for hosting our students.  Brian Godfrey hopes to expand this program to more grades next year!  Check out the video and website for more information on this national program!

The First Tee Program


More Than a Game

A Chick is Born!

(Or directly link to the video on YouTube here.)

 

All of our third grade classes are currently watching the life cycle of a chicken occur before our eyes as our incubated eggs have been hatching this week!  We were able to capture this video of the 19th chick hatching...check it out!

Pollination Time

Last week our students were "busy bees" as they pollinated their plants using sticks with dead bees glued on them.  Our students are excited to see how the fruit grows on their plants.  Our seeds will hopefully be ready to harvest on the last full week of school.  Third graders will then be able to answer their inquiry question of how many seeds will be produced from one seed!

This Week's News

Be sure to read this week's newsletter...it has important updates about field trips (Track Meet this Friday) as well as end-of-the-year information.

Newsletter Week of May 19: 3rd grade newsletter May 19

Live Chick Cams!

Our classroom chicks are nearing the expected hatch date and we've set up webcams on our incubators (and we'll move them to the brooder area when our chicks move there, too).  Tuesday, May 20th is the expected hatch day...keep an eye on the cams for live coverage!

Mrs. Ankerson's chick-cam: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/chicken-hatch-cam

Mrs. Ayer's chick-cam:  Mrs. Ayer's Cam

Miss Darby's chick-cam: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/miss-darby-s-chick-cam

We're using a web application called "UStream" which also has a free mobile app on iOS and Android devices.  Look in the app store to download these apps to see the live action on the go!

(Image from Microsoft Office Clipart Gallery)

 

 

Third Grade Art Show

Last night, the halls of RES were filled with the "oohs" and "aahs" of exuberant art show attendees admiring the fantastic artwork thoughtfully created by third graders this year in art class. A giant thank you to Ms. Joanna Elliott for her instruction and guidance this year...

Digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

Or, click here for a direct link to the slideshow.

Library Connections: Life Cycle Science Research with Third Grade

A guest post from our teacher librarian, Beth Redford.

life cycle partners with their science notebooks

Third grade scientists have been researching animal life cycles during their library classes. Last week they used PebbleGo online database and World Book Online to collect information for their science notebooks. This week they began working with partners to create Google Presentations like the example below.

This project has allowed them to practice their note taking skills as well as learn some great features in Google Apps like using template documents, sharing documents, and collaborating with other students to create a presentation together. Next week they will also have a chance to practice citing their sources.

The scholars have also been having some great conversations about similarities and differences in animal life cycles. Did you know that ferrets have live births and blue jays have egg births, but they both have about six young at a time? Why do you think that is?

 

A Visit to Shelburne Farms

On April 10th, we were fortunate enough to "Join the Flock" at Shelburne Farms on a field trip. While there, we had the opportunity to observe sheep and lambs up close,  learn how to card, felt and spin wool.  A few of us were able to help out with some farm chores in the chicken coop while others visited the sugar bush and helped haul in buckets of sap.

 

Customize a free digital slideshow

or, to see the slideshow click here.

Thank you to the parent chaperones and Shelburne Farms educators who helped make this day possible!

Library Connections - Fairy Tales with Third Grade

A guest post from our teacher librarian, Beth Redford.

 

As part of my work with third graders this year, I have been collaborating with their classroom teachers on their current writing unit. The scholars are writing fairy tales in their Writing Workshop. They began this unit by reading and listening to dozens of fairy tales, both in their classrooms and in the library. We held a day of special guest readers in the library (teachers, parents, and our principal). I had a chance to read my favorite fairy tale, Andersen's "The Wild Swans," to one class. I checked out dozens of the library's fairy tale books to the classrooms so students could have these mentor texts close at hand when they began writing their own.

 



 



 

Once the writing began, I helped students in their classrooms as they reread, revised, and added details to their own fairy tales. It has been a privilege to work with these talented writers as they learn and develop their skills! I can't wait to read the published stories. - Mrs. Redford

 



 



 



 

 

Dress Rehearsal

Tomorrow morning at 9:00 am, we'll be sharing our show, "Character Matters", with the RES community with our final dress rehearsal. This would be an excellent opportunity to see the show if you're unable to make our evening performance!

Thursday, April 17: call time for actors is at 5:15. They should proceed to their classroom in order to prepare for the show. Families & friends may take a seat in the gym.

Following the show will be the FOCUS Third Grade Family Potluck!

And...a tease for you too...




Hope to see you there!

Sneak Peek!

Third graders are working hard to memorize lines and learn songs for our team play: Character Matters!



Last week, we went "off-script" for the first time and today we took our show into the gym to start working on the staging!

We are hoping to organize the set tomorrow (April 10) after school. Please let us know if you're able to help out! We hope to have all the costume pieces ready by April 11, too.

3rd Grade Pot Luck

THIRD GRADE POT LUCK!

Thursday, April 17^th, 2014

Immediately Following Grade 3 Play!

RES Cafeteria

Last Name A – F Once Upon a Time Appetizers*

Last Name G - O  The Story Unfolds Main Course*

Last Name P – Z  The Sweet Ending Dessert*

 

Join the third grade community for a meal!!!  Enjoy your child’s friends and their family in an informal and fun setting!  Dinner and play--what could be better?!

 

We have also created a sign up genius to get a feel for how many people are planning on attending and who is bringing what. This will help us to ensure we have enough drinks and plates!  If you have a minute, please click below to let us know of your plans! And to provide everyone with entertainment, feel free to name your dish after a fairy tale :)

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084FABAD292-resthird2

 

* If you have a favorite pot luck item, feel free to vary from this. It is just a guideline so we do not end up with 50 desserts! 

*New* Change of Dismissal Form

 

RES is implementing a new form for parents to use when their child will be riding home from school on a different bus to improve the safety for all students.  Copies of the form are being sent home with students today AND are available on our blog (see Family Communication page) and the RES website.  Thank you for your cooperation!

From the CESU Bus Garage:

The bus garage has asked that all Chittenden East schools write physical 911 addresses on bus passes to assist bus drivers in knowing where students are going. In order to make this process easier for the office, we are asking that parents use the attached form, which can also be found on the website, or on social media sites, or make sure to include this information on notes sent into school. We appreciate your assistance.

Bus Dismissal Form

Student-Led Conference Feedback

Please help us improve the student-led conference experience in the future with this simple survey. If nothing is displayed below, you may also access the survey here: Conference Feedback

A Flynn Performance: At Nightfall

Today, we had the opportunity to watch Sursaut Dance Company perform their piece, "At Nightfall." The story told throughout the performance is about a man named Auguste who never allows himself to take a break from his job as a shoemaker, making him grumpy and stressed. One day, on his way home from work he accidentally discovers an enchanted water forest populated by wild and fantastical creatures. Their playful whimsy and utter beauty inspire a remarkable transformation, as Auguste learns to appreciate the wonders of the world around him.



Our classes were also lucky enough to participate in a companion workshop offered by the Flynn Theater performing artists. Heather & Stacy came to RES last week and shared with us ways that dancers use their bodies and movement in order to help tell the story. As one student remarked, "the workshop helped me to communicate with the dancers" throughout the performance. Read more about this opportunity on Mrs. Rankin's Enrichment Blog.

Thank you to Mrs. Rankin for arranging both of these wonderful opportunities for us, to the Flynn Theater for coming to RES and helping us to understand the performance on a new level and to all of you, families, for supporting Enrichment opportunities at RES.

This Week's News ~ March 24

This week's news in Third Grade:

3rd grade newsletter Mar. 24

March 17 Newsletter

Check out what's happening this week in 3rd Grade!



3rd grade newsletter Mar. 17

RES Family Science Fair 2014

Congratulations to all the scholars and families at RES for a job well done!  We were impressed by the projects and how engaged the students were in sharing their work.  Those third graders who created an entry have now earned themselves a week off from homework next week!!  Hopefully even more scholars will be inspired to enter next year.

A huge thank you to Mrs. Rankin for sponsoring and setting up this awesome learning opportunity!!

 

A free picture slideshow by Smilebox

Save the Date: Upcoming Events in Third Grade

As springtime approaches, we know that family calendars quickly fill up as well.  Please take note of the following dates as they are all important events for your Third Grader!  More information about each of these events will be posted to the blog and sent home as it approaches.  Permission slips, payment and field trip volunteers will also be coming along shortly!

 



March 6: RES Science Fair

March 21: Half-Day for Students

March 25: Flynn Theater Field Trip ~ At Nightfall (morning)

March 26: RES Family Wellness Night

 

April 10:  Shelburne Farms Field Trip ~ Join the Flock (all day)

April 17: Third Grade Team Play & FOCUS Family Potluck

 

May 14: 3rd & 4th Grade Art Night & Sprint Concert

May 23: 3rd & 4th Grade Track Meet (Rain Date 5/28)

May 29: Field Trip to Rock of Ages, Barre (all day)

 

June 3: Ankerson & 1/2 Darby to Community Sailing Center (morning)

June 4: Ayer & 1/2 Darby to Community Sailing Center (morning)

June 6: Move-Up Day (afternoon)

June 9: RES Field Day (Rain Date 6/10)

June 11: Cedar Knoll Golf Trip

June 17: Last Day of Third Grade

 

 

RES Family Science Fair-What's the Benefit for Students?

Darcie Rankin has announced the annual RES Family Science Fair!  All students have already brought home an information sheet and sign-up.  As a third grade team, we encourage all students to take this opportunity to explore an area of science that really interests them!

In recognizing the work that this can mean for families, we are offering an incentive to students.  All students who enter the science fair and present their project on Thursday, March 6th, will be exempt from ALL HOMEWORK the following week!!  That includes reading, FASTT Math, etc.

Not only will your child have a week free from homework, but they will have the unique opportunity to explore an area of scientific interest, gaining skills in communicating this wonderful learning to the community.

February 10 Newsletter

3rd grade newsletter Feb. 10

Click on the link for a pdf version.

Teaching Division Through Literature

We have introduced division to third graders through literature!  In the book, "The Doorbell Rang" by Pat Hutchins, Ma bakes 12 cookies for her two children.  They are excited to share them among themselves.  Suddenly the doorbell rings and two more children enter.  Being gracious hosts, they decide to share them equally with their new guests.  Unfortunately, more guests keep arriving to share.  The best thing is when Grandma arrives with more cookies!

Students modeled the story in math using equations and drawing diagrams to represent them!  They even added onto the story thinking about what would happen if more kids or cookies entered the house.