Circuits

Today the children explored the properties of a circuit by trying make a lightbulb light.  Students used tinfoil wires, batteries, lightbulbs, and their knowledge of how electricity works to find three different ways to make a circuit.

Ice Skating!

Yesterday was third grade's field trip to the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Pettit Ice Center.

We started our day at the MSO where the children were able to listen to, and learn about, parts of several of Mozart's operas as well as others inspired by Mozart.  Music included pieces from The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figero, and even West Side Story.  The children all behaved wonderfully and seemed to enjoy it.

After leaving the symphony, we went to the Pettit National Ice Center to ice skate.  Each year I am amazed at how much better the children get after only a short time on the ice.  Children always start the session hugging the walls, but end it skating around like pros.  Some even started skating backwards! 

To see more pictures, visit: https://picasaweb.google.com/jmborzick/2012PettitIceSkating#

Enjoy Your Weekend

Just a reminder, there is no school on Monday, Feb. 20.  Enjoy your three day weekend!

Static Electricity

As the students continued the study of electricity today, Jillian helped by offering an example of static electricity.

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day and and thank you to all of the parents who brought in the tastey treats!  The children enjoyed all of the food and had a wonderful time at the party. 

I'd also like to point out the Google Doodle from yesterday.  Google paid tribute to Valentine's Day with a very cute, short video on their home page.

Tin Cans

This coming week we are going to be doing a science experiment using tin cans.  I ask that each student bring in at least two cleaned soup cans (or other tin can) by Wednesday of this week.  Please remove both the top AND bottom of the can.

Camera Obscura

Ask your child about today's science class.  As part of our investigation into light, the children saw how light can project an image.  To demonstrate this, we darkened the room except for a small hole by a window.  The light entering through that hole then projects an image of the outside onto a screen.  The technique is called Camera Obscura.  A brief video showing one working (better than ours did) can be seen by following this link: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/05/camera-obscura/camera-obscura-video

For a little background on the science behind it, click here: http://brightbytes.com/cosite/what.html

Wild Theater

Tomorrow night, Lincoln Elementary is hosting Wild Theater as presented by the Milwaukee County Zoo and Kohl's.  Head over to Lincoln at 6:30 for a theatrical performance that includes audience participation, puppetry, games, and songs with a conservation message.

Accelerated Reader

Two weeks into the third quarter, most students are off to a strong start towards their AR goal.  However, some students aren't quite keeping pace.  The student goals get more difficult each quarter and children should plan on reading at least 30 minutes each evening. Remember, you can always check your child's progress using AR Home Connect.  The link is found on the bar at right.

Also, some of our students are posting very impressive word counts for the year.  Our leader, is John with a superb 2,083,004 words read for the year.

Our runner-ups are:
Kenna 330,899
Alyssa 233,509
Charlie 231,627

As a class, we have read a total of  4,562,929 words.  Great Job!

Multiplication

This week we've begun learning multiplication.  So far, the children have focused on the meaning of multiplication, the reasons we use it, and the patterns that various multiplication facts form when skip counting. To compliment the activities that the students do in class, it is important that the students also learn to memorize their multiplication facts.

To help the children accomplish this, I am sending home each child with a set of multiplication flash cards.  Initially, each child is going to receive the 2, 3, & 5 facts.  I will send home the next set on Monday, and will continue to send home additional facts as the days go on. 

Students are expected to practice these facts with an adult for a minimum of ten minutes each evening. Adults should quiz the children on the facts.  Facts they know, should be placed in one pile, ones they do not should be placed in another pile.  Further practice should focus on the unknown facts while occasionally revisiting the known facts.

My goal for all students is to have each fact memorized.  This means that a child can give you the answer without first thinking about it.  As they learn these facts, especially the difficult ones, they should think about how facts relate to one another. For example, a child might know that 2x9=18, but have difficulty with 3x9.  The child should recognize that 3x9 is just one more nine than 2x9.  Consequently, they could take 2x9=18 and then add 9 to get 27.

Please work with your child on these facts, it will make math in future grades much easier for them.