Holiday share!

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 about Hanukkah? How was it? Are  you spending time with your friends and family these next two weeks?

Let's share our holiday traditions and plans for the break!

Sarah Albee visits Third Grade!

Please share your reflections on our time with Sarah Albee!

How does she get her ideas?

How does she recommend researching nonfiction books?

What did you find personally interesting about her?

Twelve Fun Fact about Sarah Albee

Feel free to read and ENJOY! No need to comment!
Love,
Ms. P,

For Kids: Twelve Fun Facts About Sarah

• She’s the youngest of four kids.
• Her favorite food is a perfectly ripe mango.
• She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but grew up in South Burlington, Vermont.
• She was the second-shortest girl in her seventh grade class, but then grew nine inches in a year and a half, topping out at 5’10.”
• She was captain of both her basketball and track teams in high school—they were state champs.
• She plays the violin. She also loves opera, especially Mozart operas.
• When she was growing up, her family had lots of dogs and cats, and also chickens, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, and an ornery watch-turkey named Simon who used to chase visitors up the walkway. Some of these visitors included boys who were there to pick up her older sister for a date. Awkward.
• She graduated from Harvard, and was a member of the humor magazine, The Harvard Lampoon.
• She lived in Cairo, Egypt for a year, where she played semi-pro basketball and worked as an editor.
• She speaks varying amounts of Italian, French, and Arabic. (She knows how to argue with a referee in Arabic.)
• Her first big job out of college was at Sesame Street. She worked there for nine years.
• Her favorite books to read are anything about the history of medicine, disease, and sanitation. Her favorite author of books for adults is P.G. Wodehouse.

Panda Path...hearts filled with joy!

We had the most rewarding experience today sharing

our books with new Pre-K friends at Panda Path!

 Reflecting on the day, what did you enjoy most? How did it feel reading and giving the books to the students? Please share any thoughts that you have about this wonderful experience!

Shawnee Sharing!

These nomadic Native Americans roamed the forests with other Eastern Woodland tribes. They certainly had troubling times with Europeans like the other tribes!

Please share some fascinating facts that you have learned so far.

Shoshone Shout-out!

The People of the Great Basin survived in smaller groups in desert-like conditions! They were tough and clever people.

Please share some of the facts that you have learned already!

Hopi Happenings!

The Hopi people got their name from a word that means "peaceful people". Hmmm...very interesting and quite a contrast to our Comanche tribe!

Please share interesting information from your research so far.

Comanche Conversation

The Lords of the Plains were highly skilled horsemen and expert hunters! They ruled the plains!

Please share what you have learned so far in your research.

Same line segment....different design!

Today we all created our own unique drawings using the same line segments.
It was so wonderful to see how differently we all saw the same marks!

It is possible to see the same situation in many different ways. Dr. Simpson made the connection to friendship. Please explain a specific situation when you saw a situation differently than a friend. How did you resolve the problem?

Georgina...is she an honest person?

Is it ever okay to do something bad in order to go something good?

We all know that Georgina is in a difficult situation. Please give your opinion. Do you think she is doing the right thing? Can you think of a better solution that Georgina could have tried?

View to Learn!

We have enjoyed the viewing the American Heritage video called Native Americans to learn more about our new unit of study!

I can't wait to read your wonders, new learning, wows and questions. 

Please share at least three brain tracks. 

Video!

30-G Check in!

We have been just LOVING 30-G...otherwise known as Thirty Glorious Minutes of Independent Reading!

I do my own 30-G at home every night!

Let's all share what we are reading and how things are going!

Stone Fox...what a cliffhanger ending!

Shockingly, Searchlight's heart burst and she dropped dead just ten feet before the finish line!

Please write three or more sentences about Stone Fox's reaction to the situation.

What mindset did Stone Fox show? Did Stone Fox's actions make you change your mind about his character?

Quality Posts are Us!

We are learning to blog our thoughtful comments! We know that a quality blog comment...

• answers the question of the post.
• is usually three or more sentences.
• has correct capitalization and ending marks.

Please let me know specifically what you think about third grade so far.  What is your favorite part or parts of the day? Do you like our classroom? Do you like our Memorable Lines Wall? Fancy Word Wall? I am very CURIOUS about your feeling about third grade!

Step-up Day!

Hi second grade friends!

Read about what current 3-P students loved about being in 3-P!

Living History Museum!

I had a wonderful time listening to the fourth graders give their Living History speeches! 

As I was listening, my brain was surfing for new learning and fun facts. Also, I noticed that many of the famous people featured demonstrated many of the stances such as flexibility, persistence, empathy, resilience and optimism that lead to their successes.

Please share your new learning, fun facts and/or thoughts about the important mindset stances of these famous people. 

"30-G" Check in!

There is nothing better than silence and a good book of your choice! Please update us on your independent reading!

What have you been reading lately? Do you have any recommendations for our class? Let's catch up with our reading choices!

Field Day Fun!

Field Day is one of my most favorite days of the year! I love the fact that upper school, middle school and lower school all participate!

Please share some of the things that you enjoy most about Field Day.

Pioneer Hour Reflections!

We had wonderful Pioneer Hour sharing our Westward Expansion projects! I am curious. What was your favorite activity that we did during this unit? Was is creating your family, journaling,creating your iBook page, reading Joshua's Journals, making butter or brain tracking? 

Art Car Parade!

Please describe your art car and the process that you went through to make it.

How did you get the idea? How did you plan it out? Was any part of it surprisingly difficult or easy?

Candace Fleming IS HERE!

Today is the day! Candace Fleming shared a wonderful presentation with us!

Please share your wow's, new learning and thoughts about her writing process. 

I can't wait to hear what your thoughts are about our fantastic visiting author!

Journaling on the Oregon Trail!

Historical fiction is so much fun to write! It has been so much fun to see you all step back in time to the 1840's.

Please share some good things that will happen to you and your family and some bad things that will happen. We all know that traveling on the Oregon Trail was filled with highs and lows!

Please be specific. Tell us which family member is involved and include as many details as you can.

Candace Fleming is coming to Kinkaid!

I am so excited that visiting author Candace Fleming is coming to Kinkaid. Mrs. Hicks is going to read one of her books to you at the end of the day!

Please put your headphones on and watch this short video clip of Candace Fleming. Then share with us your thoughts about her journey to becoming a professional author. Please make any connections...to yourself, others...any wow facts, etc.

Video Interview of our visiting author Candace Fleming

New Learning!

We have just started to learn new information about Westward Expansion. Please share what you know so far about pioneer traveling West on the Oregon Trail.

You may include....

 
• new learning
• wow facts
• questions
• text to self connections
• and more!

RAK Week Reflections!

Last week was Random Acts of Kindness week!

Please share one RAK that you did. How did doing his random kind act make you feel?

What are your ideas of RAK that you want to do in the future? Has anyone done a RAK for you? What was it? How did you feel about it? 

Because of Winn Dixie...top ten list!

I really love how the preacher listed 10 things about Opal's mom. For fun, you can experiment making a top 10 list about your mom, your dad or any important person in your life.
Enjoy!

Top Ten List about my mom...
1. She misses my dad very much.
2. She loves to garden.
3. Her favorite color is yellow.
4. She doesn't really like to bake at all...too much measuring.
5. She likes comedians.
6. She doesn't like to do down on tall escalators...more comfortable on an elevator.
7. She loves each of her daughters very much.
8. She walks in the mall for exercise.
9. She prefers salty foods over sweet foods.
10. Just like Gloria Dump, she listens with all of her heart, and it feels really good.

Peru and New Zealand!

Wow! We had two wonderful international trips this week! I am so exhausted from all the travel.

Please share your favorite parts of each visit.

Also, please share your new learning from each country. 

Do you have any lingering questions?

Panda Path...Hearts filled with Joy!

We had the most rewarding experience today sharing

our books with new Pre-K friends at Panda Path!

 Reflecting on the day, what did you enjoy most? How did it feel reading and giving the books to the students? Please share any thoughts that you have about this wonderful experience!

Getting to know characters!

We have been spending time studying characters traits and why characters act the way they do.  

In Because of Winn Dixie, we have noticed a pattern that Opal is big hearted. First, she saved Winn Dixie from going to the pound.  She then convinces her dad to give Winn-Dixie a home and gives him a bath.  She treats Winn Dixie like a friend.  

What is your realistic fiction character like? What evidence do you have to support your theory?



  

Fiction Ideas!

We are just starting our Realistic Fiction Unit! Please share some of your ideas.

You can tell us a bit about your main character's internal and external traits. You may also share your story problem!

I can't wait to hear all about what you all are thinking so far!

Peru!

We have been learning new information on the amazing country of Peru! Many of us did not have very much background knowledge on this country including Ms. Papadakes!

Please share at least two pieces of new learning that you know about Peru and a few wonders or bits of background knowledge.