Second Day of Third Grade

Similar to our toothpaste/talking comparison yesterday, the students learned another lesson by comparing the selection process for books and shoes: Picking a perfect book can be just like choosing the right pair of shoes.

When choosing a pair of shoes you need to make sure that they are both the right size and that they meet the purpose for why you are wearing them. Similarly, when selecting a book, you can tell that it is a "good fit" if it is the appropriate reading level and goes along with the purpose for which you are reading. For example, if you are trying to learn true facts about a dog, it is important to find a book that is nonfiction and is at a reading level appropriate for a third grader. Ask your child to tell you more about our fun shoe activity!

First Day of Third Grade!

We had a fabulous first day of third grade today! I was excited to be greeted by so many smiling students who were eager to be back at school. We have a terrific class, and I know that we have an amazing year ahead of us. 

After reading the book Stuart Goes to School, the students shared how they were feeling this morning while anticipating the start of their first day of school. Each child drew a face on a post-it that represented their feelings before school started and another face that represented their feelings after experiencing their first half day of third grade. These faces were then used to create a pictograph that helped us compare feelings across the class and throughout the day. Even though there were a few students that were nervous about school starting or upset with summer ending, I was pleased to see plenty of smiling and happy children throughout the day! 

The students had an opportunity today to share some of their ideas and goals for third grade. I posed the following questions to the class and each child provided ideas and answers that we later discussed. I am pleased with the thoughtful ideas they shared!

Finally, the students learned an important and unique life lesson today:When we speak to one another it is like squirting toothpaste on a plate.

If we are not careful with our toothpaste and squeeze it without thinking we can end up with a big mess. This is also true with our words. If we open our mouths and speak words that are hurtful, disrespectful, or mean, it can make a huge mess. Several students volunteered to squirt out some toothpaste on a plate, but discovered that it was impossible when I asked a child to put the toothpaste back in the tube. She did manage to smear the toothpaste around and make an even bigger mess though! It is just as difficult to put words back in our mouths. Even if we apologize or try to explain that it was a joke, it is impossible to take back those hurtful words. The students were really able to understand the comparison and agreed to think carefully about the words they are choosing to use. 




Thanks for taking time to learn about our busy first day of third grade! I look forward to seeing all of the parents at Curriculum Night next week!

Welcome to Mrs. Crandall's Class!

I look forward to another wonderful year in third grade! I cannot wait to meet my new group of students at Dryden's Ice Cream Social this Thursday evening at 5:00!