Grandparents Visit Room 177

After Third graders kicked off their first interdisciplinary unit of study, “What Has Value?”   they explored topics of migration and immigration.  During this unit, we will discuss how these two concepts are alike and how they are different. 

Jayda and her grandmother.

Recently, we have been exploring the reasons why an animal has to migrate and are relating them to why people may have migrated across the United States as pioneers.  Through this exploration, we will also be discussing how stories and traditions have been handed down over time as we gain an appreciation for the generations.

Da'marieon interviews his grandmother
about how things were when she was a child.

To help us better understand our history, we took the opportunity to invite our grandparents to come visit our classroom on September 23, 2014.  We asked for grandparents to participate in an interview session with their grandchild about how things were when they went to school.  Additionally, we would showed grandparents some of the new technology we have available to in our school today.  This special event will lasted from approximately 10:20-11:10 a.m.  Afterwards, grandparents were invited to stay and eat lunch with their grandchild in our classroom.  Horizon Science Academy will happily provided pizza and soft drinks to all grandparents who attended.  A regular school lunch was be provided to all students AND they, too, got to enjoy a slice of Papa John's Pizza.

Angel with his Great-Grandmother and Grandmother.

Aaron with his Great Aunt and Darren wit his Grandmother

Shy'Diamond with her Grandfather and Grandmother.

Principal Lierly helps serve Papa John's Pizza to the third graders.

Grandparents eating lunch with the third graders.

Third Graders as Researchers

Did you know that the Common Core Standards were written to help students become college and career ready?  Have you wondered what that means for a third grader?  Well, up until now, I know my third grade students have wondered why we have to know what an index, table of contents, and glossary are (aside from "because it is on a test").

Today, third graders in room 177 began to discover not only just why we need to know what an index, table of contents, and glossary are but also how to use them in a purposeful context.  Over the past few weeks, students have been learning about migration and ecosystems.  Beginning today, I have turned the students loose to explore an animal with their P.R.I.D.E. group.  Together, they will complete a planning page which they will use to write and individual animal migration research report.

D'Aijah and Adriana work together to research
 the migration habits of zebras.

The Common Core Standards ask third graders to conduct short research projects and build knowledge about a topic (ELA.Writing.3.7).  They also ask students to use text features to locate information about a given topic efficiently (ELA.Reading Informational Text.3.5). Finally, they ask us to use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others (ELA.Writing.3.6).  As you can see from the photographs, students are succeeding at meeting these 21st century standards.

Abubakr, James, Angel, and Cayla collaborate on a
 migration research report about seals.

After the planning and information gathering page is completed as a team, students will write a draft report.  Once the draft is complete, revision and editing will occur.  Finally, students will finalize and publish their reports in the HSA-DE computer lab under Mr. Korkmaz's supervision.  Mr. Korkmaz and I have teamed to teach the third graders how to create a Power Point slide presentation out of their animal migration research report.  During this phase of the research process, students will navigate the Internet to find an image or their topic animal.  Students will create a visual presentation to pair with their written research project.  Students will be able to print their finished product and take it home.

Ray'Von and Aaron partnering to learn how salmon migrate.

The students are very excited to collaborate and truly gain a purpose for learning.  We are so excited about the great things that are happening in third grade!

Ra'Jhay, Jayda, Lavon, Da'Marieon, and Khadijah team
up to learn about turtle migration.

Ngone

Meet Ngone .  Ngone is from Africa.  She became a student at Horizon Science Academy last spring.  This year, she is a third grader!  Ngone is nine years old.  She lives with her Gama, mommy, Mariena and Issdrissa.  Ngone does not have a pet but if she could have a pet one day, she would like to have a monkey.  Her favorite color is purple.  Ngone is a very talented artist and in school, her favorite subject is art.  During recess, she likes to jump rope with her classmates but her favorite sport is basketball and her favorite game to play is hide and seek.  Even though Ngone likes to collect many things, her favorite thing to collect are Barbies.  Some of her favorite things to do are to read books, write and play with her Barbies.    Ngone’s favorite book to read is Junie B. Jones  Captain Field Day. When she grows up, Ngone would like to be a doctor.  Ngone is friendly, helpful, and polite.  We are happy to have Ngone in our class.

Third Grade Parent Night

On Wednesday, September 17, parents and grandparents of Horizon Science Academy Dayton Elementary third graders gathered in room 177 to get the low down on the Third Grade Reading Guarantee and the changes in Ohio State Standardized testing that third graders are facing this school year.

Parents and students were welcomed by Principal Jaime Lierly and treated to Papa John's pizza, beverages, and cookies.

 We began by distributing a copy of each student's fall NWEA assessment results along with a summary of their growth since becoming a student at HSA.  Since the NWEA conducts Linking Studies, we are able to predict how likely a student is to pass the Ohio Achievement Assessment when their RIT score falls within a certain area.  Parents were given an easy to understand summary of this (see below).

As you can see, when using the 2013-2014 Third Grade Reading Guarantee cut score, students only had a 27% chance of scoring proficient (passing) or better on the OAA.  Even with a proficient NWEA assessment result in the Spring term, third graders have approximately a 50% chance of passing the OAA.    Ultimately, what we need to be aiming for is academic excellence.  To truly be assured success in life, we must aim higher.

We reviewed the graphic from the "Third Grade Reading Challenge" blog post:

When we look at that graphic and compare it to the NWEA and OAA classification (limited, basic, proficient, advanced, accelerated) or to the percentile achievement of the student, the evidence is clear.  Indeed, the students who spend 20 minutes or more a day reading at home are performing at the top.

If you want your child to be a better reader, worksheets, computer learning games or app learning games are nice extras, but NOTHING gives your child the practice doing reading like reading.

I tell my students in class that if they are on a basket ball team, their coach does not demonstrate dribbling or free throws to them and expect them to be able to do it on the court on game day without experiencing it themselves.  Therefore, in class, I expect them to be able to read and spell for themselves and work through the struggle.  It is in the struggle that we learn.

A basketball coach does not tell his team to go home and play xBox or Play Station to practice their dribbling skills and free throws. NO!  He asks them to go outside and practice it with a ball in their hands.  He asks them to struggle through their mistakes.

A coach does not take a team into a game without having them practice the skills several weeks before hand.  Similarly, a teacher asks her students to practice the act of reading and struggling through the difficult parts before hand.

Students MUST PRACTICE READING!

At the end of this Parent Meeting, parents were given a released OAA reading test that the students and Ms. Amstutz worked together in class.  All written responses should be in exemplar form.  Parents were also given a 1/2 length copy of an OAA reading practice test.  Students are asked to practice reading the passages and answering the questions over the next two weeks using the decoding strategies and text evidence procedures we have practiced in class.

Any parents who have any questions or concerns may contact me via e-mail or phone at the school office anytime.

Ecosystem in a Bottle

Third graders have launched their first interdisciplinary unit of study titled "What has Value?" During this six to seven week unit, science, social studies, and Reading will be integrated across the content areas as we attempt to answer the over arching essential question "Why and how do people pass along traditions even when moving from place to place?"

To connect this overarching essential question to ALL content areas, we link it to science by exploring similarities between migration and immigration.  First we discussed the push pull factors of the migration of people as we explored the Great Migration paintings of artist Jacob Lawrence. 

Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series painting.

Following this, we discussed the needs of living things and the parts of a plant.  We learned that plants, through their leaves, provide oxygen for animals to breathe and make their own food (sugar) through the process called photosynthesis.

Today (September 12, 2014), we watched the Scholastic StudyJams Ecosystem Video  and then had a group discussion on the main features of an ecosystem.  We emphasized that the most important part of an ecosystem is RAIN because without rain, the plants would not thrive.  Since they are food for animals, animals could not live.  Also, without plants producing oxygen, all other living things would die.  We also learned that plants are producers in an ecosystem.  They are food.  Consumers in an ecosystem are animals.  They eat the plants and other animals.  An ecosystem also had decomposers.  Decomposers, such as bacteria,  break down the dead plant and animal material and allow the minerals and nutrients to be released or used.

After this discussion, Students worked in their P.R.I.D.E. lab groups to create their own ecosystems in a bottle.  A bottle ecosystem is an excellent way to study how populations of plant and animals interact.  We made and aquatic ecosystem.

Kaylin and Diamond observe aquarium water for microorganisms.

First, students observed aquarium water that was place in their bottles in advance.  They looked for microorganisms such as baby snails and plant matter that may have been in the existing aquarium water.

Next, rocks  were put in the ecosystem.  These were non-living (abiotic) parts of the ecosystem.

TaMya and Marion are ready to place Elodea in their ecosystem.

Each member of the lab groups took turns placing a stem of Elodea into the ecosystem.

Karissa observes the snail before it is places in her lab groups ecosystem.

Finally, snails were placed in the ecosystems.  Two kinds of snails were places in the ecosystems.  The small snails shown in the photo above and a larger horn snail.

A horn snail climbs the wall of the bottle making its way
 toward its food source, the Elodea.

A finished aquatic ecosystem.  The horn
snail had found its food source.

Six aquatic ecosystems.  Some of these will be shared throughout
 the school so that other students may observe and learn from our ecosystems.

Meet Diamond

Meet our first star of the week.  It is Diamond .  She lives at home with her mom, dad and sisters and brothers.  She is eight years old.  Diamond has many interests.  For example, she likes to watch television and read books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  Her favorite subject in school is math and she really likes to do the Rocket Math each day.  

Her favorite color is pink and her favorite sport is basketball.  Chicken is her favorite food.  She collects seashells.  Bananas and bumble bees are two things that she really dislikes.  Right now she has a dog for a pet, but if she could have any animal in the world for a pet, she would choose a horse.  When she grows up, Diamond would like to be a veterinarian.  Diamond also is a star because she is kind, sweet, and obedient. Keep shining bright, Diamond!

Third Grade Reading Challenge: September Kickoff

With our "welcome back" weeks of school coming to a close, we are finally settled into the routine of the new school year.  Students are motivated to do their best.

Today, we discussed how doing their best means more than just saying that we want to be the best.  To be the best and do our best, we have to put actions behind it.  We know that when we run a race, we want to be the winner.  When we play on a football or basketball team, we want our team to win.  We know that for our team to win those games, we go to practices so that we can improve our play and skill.  In academics, we need to do the same thing.  We need to practice.  Even if it is easy for us, we need to practice.  No matter how old you are, when you read, you are always learning when you read.  To get better, to be better, to be the best, to do the best, you need to practice.

Research has told us that reading at home 20 minutes a day is very important.  In fact, the studies have shown that the students who read for 20 minutes a day tend to score in the 90th percentile on standardized tests (such as the OAA).  But, what if your child only reads for 10 minutes a day?  That's good enough, right?  Well, actually... A child who reads for only 5 minutes a day will tend to score in the 50th percentile on standardized tests.  That extra 15 minutes makes a big difference.  And, if you weren't convinced of the importance of reading yet, a child who reads only 1 minutes a day will likely only score in the 10th percentile.

If they start reading for 20 minutes per night in Kindergarten, by the end of 6th grade, this child will have read for 60 school days.  The child who has only read 5 minutes per night will have only read for 12 school days.  And, the child who has read for only 1 minute per night will have read for only 3 days by the time he or she reaches 6th grade.  Make your minutes count.

Because of this powerful information, I have issued a challenge to the third graders.  Starting in September, and for every month after, I am challenging them to read nightly Monday through Friday.  I would like to see their reading logs filled up each month.  Beginning in September, I have set a reasonable goal for them.  I would like for them to read a MINIMUM of 5 minutes per night.  Realizing that many of them are not accustomed to nightly reading, I felt this was a good way to start building a positive habit.    Each month, I will add a few minutes to the challenge until we have reached the 20 minute goal.

Each student that completes their reading log will be asked to complete a "Book Buzz" to tell the class (and school) about their favorite book they read that month.  Students who have met the challenge will receive a special prize at the beginning of the next month.  Outside of our classroom, a chart will be displayed documenting the growth in our class average of minutes read each month.  So, let's get buzzing about books!

Scientific Method and the GUMMY BEARS

After learning about the scientific method, the process that scientists use to study the world around them. By asking and answering questions, we can learn all kinds of things. After reading about how researchers in Madagascar used the scientific method to discover where new chameleons were living, third graders were ready to try their hand at working the steps of the scientific method as they put on their investigators caps.

First, we gathered the materials for our investigation. We needed:

• Water
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Vinegar
• Gummy Bears
• Plastic Cups
• Plastic Spoons

Next, students assembled their research journals. This is where they would take notes about their observations and the processes they followed.

Then, they were ready to begin the steps of the scientific method.

OBSERVATION

James records his Gummy Bear observations.

The first step of the scientific method is to make observations. Students used their five senses to jot down some noticings about the gummy bears. Aaron noted that they smelled fruity. James observed that they were three-dimensional objects. Shy'Diamond remarked that they had texture.

QUESTION

After making some observations about the gummy bears, the students began to wonder what might happen when the gummy bears are put in the solutions.

• Adriana wondered, "Will they would lose their color?"
• James wondered, "Will they would taste different?"
• Darren wondered, "Will they would disappear?"

HYPOTHESIS

Now, it was time to form our hypothesis.  This is a statement that is an educated guess.  "I think that they gummy bears will disappear in the..."

METHOD

These are the steps that we follow to complete the experiment.  Here is what we did:

Aaron and Adriana assist their lab group with stirring the
baking soda and salt solutions.

1. Label one cup with a W (water), one cup with a B (baking soda), one cup with an S (salt), and one cup with a v (vinegar).
2. Put 50 ml water in the W, B, and S cups.  Put 50 ml vinegar in the V cup.
3. Add 2 Tbsp. baking soda to the B cup.  Add 2 Tbsp. salt to the S cup.  Gently stir those cups with plastic spoons.
4. Put one gummy bear of the same color in each cup.
5. Let the gummy bears sit in the cups for two days.
6. Record your results.

EXPERIMENT

This is the step where we actually do the steps in the method.  Students worked in groups (based on P.R.I.D.E. groupings).  Each student played an active role in their lab group.  Lab roles included labeling the cups, stirring the solutions, placing the gummy bears in the cups, cleaning their lab station, and delivering their specimens to the observation station.

Abubakr, Darren, Emily, Cayla, and James share in lab roles.

RESULTS

It is still a little too early to tell the results of our investigation, but we were able to make some initial observations.  We noticed that the gummy bears that were dropped in the baking soda were bubbling.  We also noted that the gummy bears that were dropped in water looked like they were getting bigger.  We still have a couple days to go to see what the end results will be but we will keep you posted!

Early results...it looks like something is happening!

CONCLUSION

This is the summary of the experiment's results.  We will let you know after we find out!

CONCLUSION

This is the summary of the experiment's results.

The gummy bear that was placed in the salt solution got smaller.

Adriana commented that the moisture in the water went into the gummy bear that was placed in the water.

The gummy bear that was placed in the baking soda solution got bigger and lost some of its color.

The gummy bear that was placed in the vinegar solution disintegrated.













We conclude that placing gummy bears in solutions changes the gummy bears size and appearance depending on what the type of solution.  The color of the solution also changes.