Christmas Crafts and Party

I walked through the silent school hallway after church this morning.  Such a contrast to Friday when all students, their teachers and parent helpers were celebrating Christ's birthday!  We had a great time trying crafts in each of the classrooms while mixing with students from pre-school through 8th grade. Below you'll see pictures of students working on their craft and proudly displaying their handiwork.  You'll also see the fun results of our Christmas tree decorating relay at our party.

Several reminders:  The 4:30 December 24 Christmas service will again include the movie Frozen to aid in our worship!  I'll be out of town, so I'll need a report about this!  Third graders, continue working on your reading and creating your Reading Bingo project.  Practice your presentation so you'll do a great job on Tuesday, January 6.  

My husband John and I wish everyone a joy filled Christmas, and a blessed new year!

I'm looking forward to January 5, 2015 when our hallways will again be filled with happy, eager students wanting to share their Christmas experiences.  Joy to the World!

The Saginaw Art Museum

Wednesday, November 12 parents drove us to the newly remodeled Saginaw Art Museum.  We toured rooms that had once been part of the Ring family mansion (including finding a hidden door!), and also the modern new addition.  We were amazed at the size of some of the paintings and sculptures and briefly toured the temporary display of WWI posters.  Afterwards our guide led us to the art classroom where we used watercolors to paint whatever each third grade artist chose.  Lastly, we enjoyed the formal gardens attached to the back of the former home.  Thanks to Jada's mom, Mary Parks for the attached photos.

STEAM

Have you heard of STEM?  STEAM is similar and stands for lessons that encompass Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.  On Reformation Day/Halloween we used M and Ms for a lesson if this type.  Did you know that the red dye used to make M and Ms is more expensive than other dyes?  Rare is the package of M and Ms that has more red than any other color.  We also found out that each small package doesn't always have the same amount of M and Ms.  Graphing helps us look at the data.  To include art we planned an arrangement of our candies and then placed them carefully in water.  The color gradually floated off, creating wonderful, but temporary images.  The second packet of candies was tasty too!

Insect Interviews

Today the third graders hosted the "Da da da da!  Insect Show!"  Each had the opportunity to act the part of the interviewer, complete with microphone, and the interviewed insect guest.  We had some great costumes created at home to add to the fun.  Good job third grade!

Great Website

I had a great experience at the Michigan Pastors and Educators Conference these past two days in Dearborn, Michigan.  A presenter and exhibitor there was the organization Answers in Genesis.  This is the Christian group that I used for my information on the 7 Cs of Creation and the 8 Fs of Dinosaurs several weeks ago in our Faith Studies class.  The people at the conference recommended the link below.  There are short videos about animals, the flood, creation, and a host of great topics.  Games are also included.  You may want to try it out with your family.  I thought it was great.

https://answersingenesis.org/kids/ 

Mini-Sculpture Park in Bethlehem Third Grade Room

Working together, the third grade had its very own mini-sculpture park at the back of the classroom.  Just as the Frederick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids has a sculpture by Alexander Calder, our mini park had 18 of them!  You'll see students working together to "install" the art, and setting up the Lego people to view it in the pictures below.  Thanks third grade for working as a team!

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Vertebrate experiences

Science:  Classifying animals.  As we have learned about the different groups of vertebrates (animals with a backbone) we have had two unique experiences.  Tuesday we viewed and touched real bird nests.  We were amazed at how each type of bird makes its own style of nest.  The goldfinch and the barn swallow were especially unique.  We took turns dissecting a bird nest.  What a lot of items birds use to make their nest strong, yet soft!

On Wednesday we learned about mammal characteristics.  Then we got to touch real fur from animals from the continents of Africa and North America! Elephants have very thick skin.  Muskrat and mink are very soft.  Caribou need their thick fur to survive the cold arctic.  It's pretty awesome to be able to truthfully say, "I've touched a lion and zebra!!!"

Mondrian style art

Friday Art:  Piet Mondrian is an artist whose primary color rectangles with straight black lines has been widely copied by Nike, Volkswagen and clothes designers.  The third graders designed their own skateboards and snowboards in the style of Mondrian.  They turned out great!  One student thought that a coffee mug should be designed in the style of Mondrian.  I think he is right!  I want one!

Geography, Maps and Where am I in the World

Our first Social Studies unit has been on maps and where we are in the world.  In order to understand which is bigger, city or country, for instance we made the posted world projects.  We are holding up the World!  But also have the smallest size paper of ourselves, the next size is for our street next largest is our city, etc.  We know that our continent of North America is in the northern and western hemispheres.  We have learned a lot!

Pictures: of myself, husband and grandchildren

My husband John playing at Boston Children's
Museum with our grandson Malachi.

This is me, absolutely loving the waterfall in
 Rocky Mountain National Park.

This is Lena, our three year old grand daughter,
 enjoying a mountain lake for the first time.

I am holding four month old Evie, sister of Lena.

Meet the Third grade Teacher

Blog post #1

Meet Your Teacher:

Hi!  My name is Mrs. Sue Brandt.  I am so excited to be part of a fantastic group of third graders at Bethlehem Lutheran School again this year.  I am thrilled to be your teacher!  It’s going to be a great year filled with new adventures, field trips, new technology, new reading,  and language activities.  I want to know ALL about you, but first I’m going to tell you a few things about me.

I was born in Denver, Colorado so I have the love of mountains in my blood!  My parents were both Lutheran school teachers before becoming a principal and Lutheran World Relief leader (Dad) and school librarian (Mom).  While growing up we also lived in a suburb of Chicago and then St. Louis, MO where my parents still live.  I went to college at Concordia University in Chicago, IL where I majored in both elementary and high school education.  I also have a masters degree in Library Science from the Univ. of Michigan. 

I taught fourth grade for two years in St. Louis, MO and began the library at Valley Lutheran High School.  I have also served a temporary post of Children’s Librarian at Butman Fish Library. 

I am married to a wonderful man I met in college-Dr. John Brandt, who is the Executive Director at Valley Lutheran High School.  We have two super, grown children.  My daughter Krista and her husband have two girls who are 3 years and 6 months old.  Krista teaches third and fourth grade and the music at St. John Lutheran in Aurora, IN.  So we have lots of ideas to share!  My son Mark is a professor and researcher at Tilberg University in the Netherlands.  He and his wife have a 4 year old.  Needless to say, we LOVE using Skype and Facetime to keep up with their lives.

When my son Mark was a third grader I began my ministry at Bethlehem teaching third grade.  While I have taught other grades part time during my career, I think I love the third grade age group best.   

So I am looking forward to our year together.