Thursday, October 23, 2014

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!













Wednesday, October 15, 2014

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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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

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!