Room 317 Writes Feature Articles on China

Crafting A Definition:  Feature articles are written to inform readers about something they never realized could be so complex and interesting. A feature article contains facts about a topic and one or more of the following: opinion, strong voice and story.

What We Did:  We began by immersing ourselves in the genre: reading, studying and discussing anchor texts as inspiration to guide our writing. We used books, articles, the Internet and first-hand observations to gather facts. Our reflections on the facts we gathered helped us connect our research to the outside world and ourselves and discover topics we feel strongly about.

How We Learned:  Lessons asked us to think about the structure of an article, choosing a topic, how facts work to support an author’s position, learning how a story can support your article’s facts, reflecting on the facts we researched to come up with our opinions and crafting catchy titles.

Click on the links below to read our feature articles:

Amazing Beijing by Sam
The Terra Cotta Army by Lucas
Ancient Math by May
Great Inventions that Helped the World by Kameron
Places + Pandas by Zoe
Super Snow Cats by Kofi
Let's Take a Trip to Ancient China by Graciela
China's Famous Secret by Charlie
These Are China's Rulers by Amanda
Rock 'n Roll by Anna
Pieces of the Old World by Luke
Warriors of the Snow by Julian
Writing from Long Ago by Olivia L
Black and White Bears by Jayleen
Chinese Families by Olivia D
The Emperor's Protection by Cedric
50,000 Writing Strokes by Shayma
Cute and Cuddly Bears by Kaylin
Lovers of Bamboo by Kyleigh
Cool and Sweet Moves by Abebech 

Amazing Calligraphy by Seven

Amazing Wall by Saniyah 

Protecting Pandas by Jahvarie 

Amazing Chinese People by Christopher

Symbols of China and More by Katelyn 

Gung Hay Fat Choy by Jayden 

People from China by Elijah J 

Discussing Just Juice by Karen Hesse

Partner Work from Ms. Scarborough on Vimeo.

Students are engaged in reading response partnerships after a read aloud, Just Juice by Karen Hesse.  In shared discussion we can build upon the ideas of each other. The graphic organizer the kids are writing in show both their independent thinking and their partners' thinking.  Here the kids are discussing how the father, "Pa", was focused on figuring his troubles with the tax on the house out later not thinking that he could solve the issue now by facing it and talking to "Ma".  Lucas states that he should of done something when the second tax letter came.  May states he's focused on the consequences that might happen instead of what is actually happening now.  Both students are inferring big ideas.  May offers the reason behind why he didn't do something about the second tax letter.

African Masks Workshop with Yunmee Kyong

 

 

Room 317 third graders participated in a three-day paper mache African mask making workshop with Yunmee Kyong, paper mache artist and illustrator.  Students first began the African mask making project by researching the symbolic meaning and purpose of masks in our social studies curriculum of communities around the world, specifically different African countries.  After researching students chose a mask that they wanted to represent in paper mache, sketching and designing and deciding on the materials needed. Through the process of paper mache mask making they discovered the purpose of their masks and how art can overlap purpose.  Students will no longer think of a mask as just a piece of art, but begin to understand it as a way of preserving history, cultural and traditional ways of life.

Above we illustrated our masks depicting paint and special materials and then we gave symbolic meaning and purpose to our masks. 

Here we are using wallpaper paste, newspaper, paper rolls and cardboard to paper mache our masks. 

The Four Triangle Problem

As an introduction to our Geometry unit, our class explored "The Four Triangle Problem".  This puzzle introduces students to geometric concepts and vocabulary, provides experience sorting and classifying polygons, and develops spatial reasoning and flexible thinking. 

Before the lesson, I made triangles by folding and cutting post-it notes in half on the diagonal. Each group of students were asked to make as many shapes as they could by joining first two paper triangles with the result:  triangle, parallelogram and a square and then the next day four paper triangles.  They were told that they must meet together edge to edge, with the rule that touching sides must be the same length and match exactly. I had students first draw the shapes in their math journals and then tape together the triangles. We classified the shapes we made on a classroom chart labeling the different polygons (triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon and hexagon) by counting the number of sides and angles.   

We charted all of the possible polygons. There are 14 in all!  Google, The Four Triangle Problem by Marilyn Burns to view the complete less

Sunflower Seed Spitting Contest

A great way to show real world associations with math is the Classroom Seed Spitting Contest Investigation.  The many objectives intended for this lesson keep evolving as I fine tune the conditions for my students but this year the focus was estimating and rounding, collecting data using a t-chart, creating bar and pictograph charts using the collected data, creating targets with reasonable numbers, friendly or benchmark numbers that could be quickly added and recorded, and measurement using yard sticks.  It should be noted that lessons on bar/pictographs, collecting data using a t-chart and measurement in inches was well established prior to this end of the year activity.  

Materials Needed:  Sunflower seeds, large poster board size paper, pencils markers, yard sticks, recording data sheet (PDF below), bar graph (PDF below), pictograph (PDF below).

Target Practice

Kids get into small groups.  They create a bullseye target using the chart paper identifying point value for each ring on the target.  The point value is designated using friendly numbers or benchmark numbers that the group decides on as a whole.  Next they take turns, three turns each spitting the seeds into the target.  Students record and add the results using mental math strategies on the recording data sheet.  I had the students lay the target on the desks and line up for their turn to spit the seed.

Distance The Seed Traveled in Inches

Students kept in the same group but instead of using the target the goal was to spit it as far as you could without going off the table.  Each student had three tries.   I had the kids decide on how they would measure the distance.  It was decided as a class that they should use the yardsticks laying them end to end on the desks.  Students recorded the data
on the Distance The Seed Traveled in Inches Sheet for each student and added the total using mental math strategies for each student.

Results

Trophies
A winner for each group then had the chance for a final round of Target Practice and Distance The Seed Traveled in Inches.  A winner for each round took home a seed spitting award.  I made this simply by filling a glass jar with seeds and labling it and covering the lid with felt.  A picture of both awards is shown below.

Collected data from the winners of both events is used to create a bar and pictograph.  Both are listed below in a PDF for your use.  Students are given the results and are asked to complete the bar and pictograph with their partners in the group.  We came back to congress or share the results on the rug as a whole class after the groups completed the graphs.



Downloadable Resources:
Sunflower Seed Spitting Contest: Data Collection (pdf file)
Sunflower Seed Spitting Contest: Graphing Activity (docx file)

Communication Cards Activity - Rules by Cynthia Lord

Rules Communication Cards Activity from Ms. Scarborough on Vimeo.

In the book Rules by Cynthia Lord, Jason had a disability that left him unable to speak.  He used a communication book with word cards to talk.  I asked my students to step into Jason's shoes to discover new insights by using communication cards to communicate for just five minutes.  Prior to the activity students' created communication cards they believed Jason should have had and they would need to carry a conversation. After the activity the kids reflected on the experience the following questions:  Catherine sometimes struggles to find the right words for Jason.  How did you feel when you were thinking of words for your cards?  Explain why you felt that way.  Describe at least two of the challenges you faced while using the cards to communicate.  When you were using the cards to communicate, which words did you need that you didn't have?  Do you think this activity helped you understand how it feels to be Jason?  Explain why or why not with at least two reasons.

Reflection Questions

Silkworm Investigation

The Silkworm Investigation is so cool!  I have created a PPT out of the photo diary I compiled watching my students observe, record data, and represent that data in a bar and pictograph graph.  I have included a stop motion video that I found on the Internet that speeds up the silk worm cycle.  The kids get a wow perspective out of this amazing short video.  The miracle of life the silkworm cycle in just a few minutes.  This video further solidifies the stages and enabling the class to get a firm handle on this small but amazing creature.

Objectives:  All insects have cycles of life.  Through close observation we can learn about these cycles.  Each stage of the life cycle has mile markers that we can observe over time.   Our observations can be gathered to record the changes or stages.  Journals are a way we can gather data so we can learn by what we see daily and over time.

Materials Needed:
Silkworm eggs, Mulberry leaves for food, large plastic container, computer paper to place in bottom of container, paper towel tubes cut in half, large cardboard box, paintbrush to use to pick up and place larvae.

Maintenance:

Eggs and food can be bought on line easily for a very good price.  The eggs can stay in one large container until they begin the larvae stage.  Then you should place half of them in another large plastic container.  The container should be lined with white paper and you should begin feeding them Mulberry leaves right away.  The paper will need to be changed every day as they do a fair amount of excrement.  Use a small paintbrush to transport each larvae temporarily placing them on a clean piece of paper while throwing the old paper away.  It is not necessary to wash out the container each time.  Be careful not to touch the larvae as you can pass on germs to the larvae.  Students can use a paintbrush as well for closer observation.

Daily Observation:

Daily Observations are recorded from the egg to moth stage.  I made a book out of computer paper by folding a good amount of paper over and stapling a cover over on it.  The kids depicted what they observed by an illustration and then scripted the account below making sure to use all senses that apply and looking closely for evidence of the stage and listing wonder questions.  I gave many lessons on how to observe using our senses and the kids read short text on the stages paraphrasing the steps in their own words as well.  We saw videos too.  The one below was found on Vimeo.  This is a good site to find educational videos.  An example of a student journal is below.

If you are able to acquire a microscope as I did you can have your students have a closer look at all stages.  Check the photos out of my students using the microscope!

Recording Data From our Journals

Data was collected from the class journals and a bar and pictograph was created from this data.  Each student worked with a partner to complete both graphs.  I have this listed below.

View our silkworm investigation slideshow below!

Downloadable Resources:
Silkworm Observation Log Book Cover (pdf file)
Silkworm Bar Graph Activity (pdf file)
Silkworm Pictograph Activity (pdf file)