Internet Safety Day!

Today, we will begin with a BrainPop Jr. movie on Internet Safety:

http://www.brainpopjr.com/artsandtechnology/technology/internetsafety/

We'll then take the Quiz!

The we will play a pair of games to explore issues of web safety, information literacy and digital citizenship.  Both games have been created by PBS Kids.

The first is a simple introduction to some of the major topics in Internet safety, such as downloading, passwords, meeting people online and being safe.  By navigating this game, and answering questions correctly, students will earn an official web license:

http://pbskids.org/old_license/

PBS has also created a more comprehensive game titled Webonauts, to be found here:

http://pbskids.org/webonauts/

These games will kick off a discussion of Internet Safety that will take place next week.

Wow! The Animal Trading Cards are Beautiful!

I thought I would post a few examples of the Animal Trading Card project we finished up this week.

Amazing work, third graders...

Animal Research!

Today, we will begin learning about the classification of animals using BrainPop. 

We will then spend some time exploring the National Geographic Creature Features.  You may choose a few animals of your choice, then do a bit of research about that animal.  Next week, we will begin to create animal information cards with photos and facts about our animals!

The National Geographic Site can be found here: Creature Features

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Across the Wide Dark Sea Vocabulary Game

In Language Arts class today, we will play a game to help us learn the new vocabulary from the book "Across the Wide Dark Sea."

The link is here:  http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr06/ewordgame/index.html?grade=3&theme=5&selection=1












Then, you may take the rest of the class time to play on Ticket to Read:

http://www.tickettoread.com/

Exploring the Mayflower

Today, we will explore the Mayflower in a few different ways.

First, we'll watch a BrainPop video about the First Thanksgiving.

We'll then explore a Webquest on The Voyage of the Mayflower.

http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/voyage/tour_fs.htm

Both will tie into a Language Arts story 3rd graders will start tomorrow, titled: "Across the Wide, Dark Sea."

A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing

Hello Third Graders!

This week, we are going to play a series of games to help us review nouns.

Please play each game at least twice - and remember to be sure to click on the link - not the picture - to play the game.

  Basketball – common noun vs. proper noun

Clean up your grammar – Nouns vs. Verbs

Grammar Blast One

Grammar Blast Two

Grammar Blast Three

Noun Ice Cream Catch

Quia Noun Review

When you are finished, you can play Ticket to Read:


www.tickettoread.com

Plant Life Cycle

Today we will watch some quick videos about various seed dispersal methods from the website Gamequarium, then each child will draw an image of one of the methods using the program Pixie:

To play the videos, click on this link: http://www2.bgfl.org/bgfl2/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/science/plants_pt2/

Let's Draw a Map of the World!

Today, we'll review the continents of the world with the program Brainpop:

Then, we will play a series of games to drill where each Contient is on a map:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/World_GL.html

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/world_G0_Click.html

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/world_G1_drag_drop.html

http://www.playkidsgames.com/games/continentNames/continentJig.htm

http://www.yourchildlearns.com/mappuzzle/continents-puzzle.html

Next, we will open Pixie, and draw a map of the world!  I will give each student a list of the Continents, Oceans, and other terms to place on the map.

Happy Exploring...

Mrs. Morell

Fun with Consonant Blends

Today in the combined Language Arts/Technology Block, we will play a series of games to work on consonant blends...

http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/grade2_3/pg_106/blends.htm

http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks1literacy.html

http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/phonics/clusters/interactive/squares/clusters.htm

http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/phonics/clusters/interactive/final/final.htm

http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/phonics/clusters/interactive/initial/initial.htm

http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/phonics/clusters/interactive/complete/clusters.htm

http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr06/ewordgame/index.html?grade=3&theme=1&selection=1

Fun with Phonics Websites!

Our postcard project last week made me think it would be fun to play some of the beach-themed phonics games on BBC. If you finish playing these, you can explore other games on the BBC Phonics website, or move on to Ticket to Read.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/phonics/sandcastle/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/phonics/postcard/index.shtml

Ticket to Read Week in the 3rd Grade

As I was taking my daughter to the University of Chicago to begin her freshman year this week, Catherine Miller, who usually teaches the Pre-K to 2nd graders was kind enough to sub for me.

Catherine and the 3rd graders spent classtime on Monday working on Ticket to Read. This is an interactive web-based program that helps develop phonics and reading skills. The kids love it - in fact we encourage students to practice their skills at home. All the login information for the 3rd grade can be found at the bottom of this post.

We will continue working on Ticket to Read on Thursday as well, during the combined Language Arts/Computer time.

www.tickettoread.com

As a reminder, Ticket to Read logins and password for 3rd grade:

PASSWORD FOR ALL: titansread

Logins for all: Will be last name, first initial (BradshawC) with the following exceptions:

kellyconor
reedgrant
sullivanjoseph
jonesmack
decarlost

Publisher Introduction - Let's Go Around the World!

First, we will spend several minutes exploring what a continent is on Brainpop, and then various coutries on the National Geographic Kids. The students will be able to explore photos and videos from a number of countries, and decide what country they would like to highlight on a postcard.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/

This week, we will create postcards to tie-in with Language Arts studies using the MS Publisher program. The students will each receive a template of an "Off to Adventure" postcard in their network folders that looks like this:

The students will then create their own postcard, using their chosen destination from Language Arts class. Using descriptive language, they outline what they will see, feel and taste at their destination. They will be able to insert a photo, change the fonts and colors of the postcard as well.

Power Point Introduction

This week, we will work on a Power Point Presentation titled: A Few of My Favorite Things."

I'll introduce you to the basics of Power Point, including how to insert text, and how to insert clip art to illustrate your presentation. 

Here is a sample from last year's 3rd grade class:

I can't wait to see what you create this year!  Mrs. Morell