50 States - Update

The kids are LOVING our 50 States Postcard Challenge! We are so excited when the mail comes each day to see if we get a new state to add to our collection. We have 39 out of 50 states right now!

50 States - Update

The kids are LOVING our 50 States Postcard Challenge! We are so excited when the mail comes each day to see if we get a new state to add to our collection. We have 29 out of 50 states right now!

I read the book The Little Man in the Map and it has an amazing way to teach the students tricks to learn the states. The day after reading this book, we went over a blank map and my students were able to work as a class to name all 50 states. This is after their states pretest had an average of 9 correct states. My students are able OBSESSED with the Fifty Nifty United States song. I am so proud of my students for how far they've come in learning the states of our nation!

Happy Earth Day!!

Each year, our school celebrates EARTH DAY with fun rotations! Here's a peek at what we did today:

Paper Towel Rainstick

Recycled Relays

 Recycle Speaker

Story Time & Snack

Peel Crayons to Make New Crayons

Book Swap

 Pavers (each grade made one for our outdoor area)

Learning Our 50 States

In 4th grade, our students will be expected to learn all 50 states and their capitals. To get them started, we are introducing the states this spring.  One of the fun ways we are showing off the states is to collect postcards from (hopefully) all 50 states. We are not doing a normal postcard challenge with other schools, but simply asking family and friends to ask their out of state acquaintances to mail our class a postcard.

Here is the information I sent to my parents:

Hi Parents,

We will soon begin our study of the states in our wonderful nation. To add a little fun, we would like to receive postcards from all the states. This is where you come in! Please contact (call, email, facebook.etc.) any friends or family that live in other states and request a postcard. Below is an example request:

 

"Hi there! My child's 3rd grade class is studying the 50 states of our country. They would like to receive a postcard from each state. Please send a state-theme (e.g., Kansas postcard might have a sunflower, California might have a beach) postcard to our class. If you are able, please include a fact about your state on the postcard. Please mail the postcard to Moonlight Elementary, Attn: Mrs. Brown, ___________________. Thank you!"

 

I will update you with which states have come in and which we are still missing. Thank you so much for helping with this fun project!

Mrs. Brown

 

This email went out Monday and we are looking forward to receiving mail from around our nation. We have a map to color in the states we have received a postcard from. Hope to share positive results soon!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Research & Mini-Book

As soon as we came back from Winter Break, we started our Martin Luther King, Jr. research. In the past, our students have written a mini research paper. This year, we jazzed up our activity by using Blair Turner's MLK Mini Book (freebie on TpT). The students filled out all kinds of information about MLK and decorated the books. I am holding on to these books to show off at parent-teacher conferences!

More resources:

• Clip of MLK's speech - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDsUYTgkDSU&feature=related&noredirect=1
• Animated story of MLK's life - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Au81aHuSg&noredirect=1

Classroom Maps

After reviewing types of maps and the main components of maps, we created maps of our classroom! First, we had to determine the orientation of our class; basically, which way is north. Then, we discussed how to create a key/legend of the items in our class. The students did a create job of creating these maps!

Landforms & Waterways in North America/USA

At the end of last school year, the 4th grade teachers suggested that we 3rd grade teachers try to add to our social studies instruction. This week, we covered landforms and waterways in North America and the USA. The students had a map on which a find, color, and label well known landforms and waterways while the students see actual maps of these landforms/waterways.

We used this map and worksheet from Home School Creations. I created a powerpoint to go along with each landform and waterway. I would post it on TpT, but I did a lot of googling maps and photos, so it wouldn't pass the copyright test ;)

Here are some of my students' completed maps:

Starville: mini-society

Starville is a mini-society that third graders participate in each December. It is definitely one of the FAVORITE activities of third grade at my school. When the fourth graders see what Starville is happening, they ask their teachers if they can go back to third grade for the day!

To start, each student applies for a first and second choice job to work in Starville. Each student will work two jobs and we guarantee that they will get one of their two choices, but they might not get both of them. In the weeks leading up to Starville, the students participate in production activities to make crafts that will be sold at Starville. This year, we made pet rocks, duct tape flower pencils, salt-dough ornaments, talking snowmen (on clothespins), and tissue paper flowers.

On the day of Starville, the teachers transform the classrooms into mini stores and the students are given their jobs. Half the grade level works while the other shops, then they switch. There are four 'sessions' of Starville so everyone gets to shop twice. The students are paid $1.50 in plastic money to shop with, good thing most everything costs five to ten cents!

And here's the pictures: