Matter Powerballs

The kids created powerballs to work on matter and understand what happens when liquid is mixed with polymer. In the end, solid bouncy balls were created.

Pot Holders for Darfur Families

The students decorated pot holders to go with a solar cooker for families in Darfur.

Publised books for Ethiopia Children

The students wrote and published autobiographies for children's libraries in Ethiopia.

Curriculum Update April 29-May 3

Isn't it great to have the sun out, even if it is only for two days?

Thank you to everyone who sent in items for our science week or volunteered to help out. I really appreciate you all helping it be a successful week!

This week, we have a lot of things due for the science fair. Please see the schedule below.
Monday, April 29- Process due
Friday, May 3- Data from experiment due
Friday, May 3- Conclusion due
Monday, May 6- Pictures, titles, and everything typed due
Wednesday, May 8- Final project completed
Friday, May 10- Third Grade Science Fair- 2:15-3:30 pm, you are welcome to attend

Reading: We will continue our global recycling reading project this week. The students are really learning a lot about recycling around the world. Some of the groups have been able to e-mail contacts in their countries and Skype with them. This will take place in the morning during science.
Spelling: The Rigby list will focus on science words.
List 1: scientist, identify, position, measure, evidence, results, density, trial, model, constant
List 2: experiment, conclusion, procedure, hypothesis, observation, magnetic, temperature, repetition, variable, investigation
List 3: (less) breathless, effortless, fearless, motionless, odorless, penniless, reckless, speechless, tireless, worthless

Writing: We will continue working on our figurative language poems. The students will illustrate their poetry in art.

Math: We will continue perimeter and begin area this week. We will look at different shapes with the same perimeter, use try, check and revise in problem solving. We will working on covering regions, area and units and standard units.

Science: We will have third grade science week this week. Have a wonderful week!

Animoto Matter Videos

We have been learning about the states of matter in science. The students created Animoto videos to display their understanding of a liquid, solid and gas. http://animoto.com/play/TimNieszEPQYT3ZCJBpGtA Khalel http://animoto.com/play/AKPNcuwxQ2l1a626VzOiZw Mary http://animoto.com/play/8TCOlt17w7EFpLM7ouTY6Q Bridget http://animoto.com/play/11Td619iDlnFbJybr5AuHg Aiden L. http://animoto.com/play/jTfMaIInfZ35gJ3vZ1YtKw Kylee http://animoto.com/play/LsOLeOv9I4ipOjbu1CuI1A Aidan S. http://animoto.com/play/rOHT5BoIUl10sCht10TpvA Alec http://animoto.com/play/RqVkW5vc31j49WWeTTkBCA Kate http://animoto.com/play/LX3FCNuuAYkUFCvz9IOMVQ Macayla http://animoto.com/play/F1pxfnnsDIDhAi2fp54AzQ Lauren http://animoto.com/play/wfjnUYuCUvlmh4ovgDLwqw Gabrielle http://animoto.com/play/0Xi0HfCNsFAH1Bfa3x5ZzQ Carson http://animoto.com/play/hxJhR0LIaBqrqunsvit2Iw Meredith http://animoto.com/play/bynQh5X4kbbyYp0W2IdpWQ Jack De. http://animoto.com/play/ieALq1znvOGoffDeJeLdZQ Noah http://animoto.com/play/UTjzvkDJpLa28K6OElZ5IA Paiten http://animoto.com/play/pXkGw1uByY6t6fg5CL16QA Jack Da. http://animoto.com/play/A3kk20pOtLMrY5LEn9kNHg Caleb http://animoto.com/play/MXQOKkXBfV8eoJhRdY36oQ Evan http://animoto.com/play/XigvQMFCqOPhDGkFwvb0fg Ben http://animoto.com/play/TNLsKiMov5iPPk08UC1x3w Zach

Curriculum Update April 22-26

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing weekend. Hopefully we will get some warmer weather soon.
Please remember we are taking a field trip to Ernie Miller Nature Center on Wednesday. Your child will need a sack lunch.

We will have Spring MAP testing Monday, Tuesday and Thursday this week from 9:00-10:30.

Thank you to everyone for making sure the first section's for your child's science fair were turned in Friday. Please note the educated guess is due on Wednesday, April 24.


Friday, April 19- Topic/Purpose due
Wednesday, April 24- Educated Guess due
Monday, April 29- Process due
Friday, May 3- Data from experiment due
Friday, May 3- Conclusion due
Monday, May 6- Pictures, titles, and everything typed due
Wednesday, May 8- Final project completed
Friday, May 10- Third Grade Science Fair- 2:15-3:30 pm, you are welcome to attend

Reading: We will continue our global recycling reading project this week. The students are really learning a lot about recycling around the world. Some of the groups have been able to e-mail contacts in their countries and Skype with them.

Spelling: The Rigby list will focus on adding the suffix -ly to the end of a word.
List 1: softly, clearly, closely, daily, fatherly, fearfully, happily, absolutely, absently, deeply
List 2:carefully, lately, joyfully, duly, lily, regretfully, trolley, abruptly, cooperatively, diligently
List 3: able (able to be) acceptable, detachable, honorable, imaginable, laughable, portable, refundable, renewable, repairable, washable

Writing: We will continue our poetry focus. We are still working on our figurative language poems.

Math: We will begin perimeter this week.The students will understand perimeter and use tools and units for perimeter.

Science: We will begin learning about the various states of matter (liquid, gas, solid).

Have a wonderful week!

Prairie Ridge Elementary Class Placement Information

Prairie Ridge Elementary Class Placement Special Consideration Form

2013-2014 School Year

Students at Prairie Ridge Elementary will be placed in classrooms for the 2013-2014 school year after the needs of each individual child, as well as the group composite, are considered. A balance in each class of gender, academic, and social/emotional needs are considerations in placement. Parents who complete the “Prairie Ridge Elementary Class Placement Special Consideration Form” do so to notify administration of their child’s individual learning needs prior to the final class assignments being completed.  Very few students should need this form completed on their behalf. 

Parents may not request a specific teacher.

The form can be found in the “Parent Documents and Information” link on the school website at www.usd232.org/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=34591& .  Please return this form to Mrs. Hite in the school office on or before May 10, 2013. Forms returned after this date will not be considered.

 

Curriculum Update April 15-19

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing weekend.

In your child's Monday folder, you will see information about the third grade science fair. Everything is broken into different sections where the entire project isn't being done at once. Everything is in the packet, but here are the due dates:
Wednesday, April 17- Parent signature stating you and your child have reviewed the packet
Friday, April 19- Topic/Purpose due
Wednesday, April 24- Educated Guess due
Monday, April 29- Process due
Friday, May 3- Data from experiment due
Friday, May 3- Conclusion due
Monday, May 6- Pictures, titles, and everything typed due
Wednesday, May 8- Final project completed
Friday, May 10- Third Grade Science Fair- 2:15-3:30 pm, you are welcome to attend

Third grade will be going on a field trip to Ernie Miller Park on Wednesday, April 24. Please look for a permission slip in your child's Monday folder.

Please continue to send in donations for the 4th grade Ronald McDonald House and the PTA auction. Friday is Spirit Day. Third graders have been requested to wear yellow. Also, Friday we will go on our Earth Day Scavenger Hunt. Please make sure your child has a sack lunch.

Reading: We will will begin a reading project this week. The students will be working in cooperative groups to identify ways other countries recycle. Each group will have a country to research and will compare it with the United States. Mrs. Mugridge and I are in the process of setting up contacts for students to interview individuals in other countries. They will use various technology pieces to present their project.

Spelling: The Rigby list will focus on double consonants when adding the suffix -ion, ment, ness
List 1: action, addition, agreement, darkness, goodness, creation, artfulness, boldness, apartment, detachment
List 2: weakness, vacation, payment, opinion, movement, collection, establishment, environment, abandonment, derailment
List 3: hypo (under, below, less) hypoallergenic, hypocrisy, hypodermic, hypoglossal, hypoglycemia, hypotension, hypothesis, hypothyroidism

Writing: We will continue our poetry focus. Last week, we created simile and metaphor poems. This week, we will work on personification, onomatopoeia and idiom poems.

Math: We will continue our fraction unit. The students will identify equivalent fractions on the number line, use whole numbers and fractions, use fractions and use the problem solving strategy drawing a picture.

Science: We will begin learning about the various states of matter (liquid, gas, solid)

Have a fantastic week!

Earth Day Prezis

The students created Prezis to apply what they have learned throughout our recycling, reusing, and reducing unit. The students were told to be creative in displaying what they had learned. They did a wonderful job! By Jack De. By Jack Davis By Evan By Kate By Khalel By Ben By Carson By Meredith By Zach By Caleb By Aidan S. By Paiten By Kylee By Lauren By Macayla By Gabrielle By Bridget By Paiten By Mary By Noah By Alec

Earth Day Posters

We have been working on recycling, reusing and reducing in science and reading. The students worked in cooperative groups to cite sections of the text they wanted to create their poster with. They identified the text they cited on their poster.

Earth Day Posters - slideshow

Mayor Visit

In the fall, the students wrote letters to the mayor while learning about government and communities. They were thrilled when he came for a visit today. Thank you, Mayor Meyers!

Operation Pillowcase

Our class has adopted a soldier serving in Afghanistan. They decorated pillow cases in support of Operation Pillowcase and wrote letters and cards for the soldier and his troop.

Alex's Lemonade Stand

The third grade raised $171 for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for childhood cancer research. The students applied what they learned in economics to determine expenses and profit and create advertisements. They also had an assembly line for their stand. The students learned about putting others before themselves.

Play Dough Inventions

We were working on inventions and completing our economics unit. The students used play dough to create an invention. They had to describe what they invented and then tried to barter it with other students. Here are some photos of their inventions.

Curriculum Update April 8-12

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Thank you for all of your assistance in helping your child be prepared for the math state assessments. They all did a WONDERFUL job!

In your child's Monday folder, please look for their preliminary math state assessment score and a field trip for our Earth Day walking field trip next Friday, April 19, 2013.

Reading: We will continue to work on citing text when answering a question from text. We will use this strategy while we focus on determining importance. Our theme will be "Recycle and Renew".
Spelling: The Rigby list will focus on double consonants when adding the suffix -er, -ing, -ed.
List 1: bigger, bragger, dimmed, dropping, hugging, according, scrubbed, crowding, flipping, attacked
List 2; wetter, tripped, strumming, splitting, ripped, overlapping, filmmaking, support, transferred, appetizer
List 3: sym, syn (together, same) symbiosis, symmetry, sympathy, symposium, symptoms, synagogue, syndicate, synonym, synthesis, synthetic

Writing: We will begin looking at different forms of poetry in honor of April being "Celebrate Poetry Month". Our focus will be on figurative language in poetry.

Math: We will go back to enVision beginning this week and dig deeper into fractions. We will use models to compare fractions with the same denominator, use models to compare fractions with the same numerator, compare fractions using benchmarks, compare fractions on the number line, and find equivalent fractions.

Science: We will begin our unit on recycling, reducing, and reusing. The students will understand how they can make a difference in helping the earth.

Have a fantastic week!

Thomas Edison versus Alexander Graham Bell

We have been learning about inventors and watched a film on Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. Students had to compare & contrast the two inventors, then create a script citing evidence from the movie to help them prove who had the better invention (Edision-light bulb, Bell-telephone). Students used Xtranormal to present their arguments.

Edison Versus Bell
by: brandileggett

By: Gabrielle, Lauren, Kylee, Bridget

Inventors
by: brandileggett

By: Jack De., Noah, Caleb

Bell & Edison Argument
by: brandileggett

By: Meredith, Mary, Kate, Macayla, Paiten

The Greatest Inventor Ever!
by: brandileggett

By: Aidan S., Khalel, Alec, Evan

The Interview
by: brandileggett

By: Ben, Carson, Aiden L.

Thomas Edison or Alexander Graham Bell???
by: brandileggett

By: Zach, Jack Da., Jack B.

Sound Investigation

We learned how vibrations, pitch, and frequency are all parts of sound. The students conducted investigations testing sound under water, talking across the room, listening to tapping on a whiteboard and with a ruler on their desk, and listening to the sound of a radio through a balloon. Here are some photos.

Sound - slideshow

Force and Motion Roller Coasters

We culminated our force and motion unit with roller coasters. The students had to apply and explain everything they learned through the creation of their roller coasters.

Curriculum Update April 1-5

I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Easter weekend with family and friends.

This week, the students will take their math state assessments Tuesday-Thursday at 9:00. Please make sure they eat a healthy breakfast and get a good night's sleep.

Reading: We will be working with inventors this week. The students will compare/contrast inventors and make arguments about who was the most successful inventor, citing evidence from videos and text.

Spelling: There is no spelling this week.

Writing: We will begin looking at different forms of poetry in honor of April being "Celebrate Poetry Month".

Math: We will have our Math Superbowl on Monday. We will take our math assessments Tuesday-Thursday. On Friday, we will do a math walk looking at fractions in the real world.

Science: We will continue looking at how sound works. We will also begin our recycling unit.

SS: We will study different inventors, focusing on how they made an impact on society today.

Have a fantastic week!