"Toothpaste Talk" and "A Bug and a Wish"

Last Friday, we did a fun activity that taught us a very valuable life lesson.  I gave each group one tube of toothpaste and each student a toothpick.  After I emptied the tubes completely on their napkins, I had the students work as a team to put as much of the toothpaste back in the tube using only their toothpicks.   

I gave them about 3 1/2 minutes.  They were able to get most of their toothpaste back in, but they couldn't get it all.  Then I told them that words are like that toothpaste.  Once they are said, you can try to take them back, but you can never take them back fully.  That's why it's so important to only use kind words.

That lead to our discussion about "Good Friends" vs. "Bad Friends."  I demonstrated how a "good friend" would act and how a "bad friend" would act.  

Then I read "A Bug and a Wish" to them.  This was a really good book to show students how to deal with "bad friends" or with "good friends" who are making bad choices.    

We discussed how they can stand up for themselves and take ownership of their words.  We practiced using "Bug and wish" statements.  For example, "It bugs me when you are talking while I'm trying to work.  I wish you would not talk to me right then so I could get my work done."  Then I gave the students some scenario cards to practice together in groups.

Welcome Back to School!

Welcome back!!!!  Third grade is going to be AWESOME!!!  Here is our first class picture.  We are all very excited to start the year.  :)

"Night at the Arts" Family Fun Night:)

What Do the "ARTS" Mean to You?

That was the name of our paper mural station for the "Night at the Arts" Family Fun Night.  We thought it would be fun to let the students and their families write on our walls (paper) and express what the "Arts" mean to them.  

Kona Ice Treat for Meeting AR Goal

For meeting their fourth quarter Accelerated Reader goal, Mrs. Dunham treated the students to a Kona Ice Treat.  It was the PERFECT treat on a hot day!  Yeah!!!!  Thank you, Mrs. Dunham!!  :)

3rd Grade Math Masters! :)

Congratulations to all the 3rd Grade Math Masters!!

  

In order to be a 3rd Grade Math Master, you had to have passed all of your Multiplication Sundae time tests.  That's 25 multiplication facts (0-12) in just one minute!  

You are AMAZING!!!!!!  We have never had so many Math Masters before!  Keep it up, kiddos!!!!!  :)

Hunting Fossils at LaFarge! :)

On May 10, we went on our annual field trip to LaFarge to hunt for fossils, especially trilobites.  

We loved climbing on the little mounds of dirt and digging around to find "treasures" whether they were trilobites, shells, etc.  Thank goodness we brought our handy dandy milk jugs to put them in. :)  Thank you, LaFarge!!!! :)

After all that digging, we were hungry!  So, off to McDonald's we went!  :)  Yummy! 

 Once we were finished with our lunches, we got to make our very own sundaes!  Yummy AGAIN!  Thanks, McDonald's!!!!!  :)

Finally, since we gained some energy back from our yummy lunches and delicious sundaes, we went to the Paulding Park to play the rest of the afternoon.  We had SOOOO much fun!!!  Yahoo!!:)