Thought you were rid of me, didn't you!?!

I have so many more "end of year" things to share with you!!  So sit back and enjoy your very last long blog post!!

First off...I have two different resources I want to share with you that come from the Advanced Academics department. To view the 2018 Summer Program Options for Elementary and Middle School Students AND the 2018 Summer Reading Websites for Elementary and Middle School Students, please click here to access the PDF documents. 

Next...I have some end of year photos and thoughts to share with you...

FIELD DAY...was a ton of fun! 

We had great weather and I captured a few of the fun moments...take a look!

We also had our last field trip of the year...to UNO's Pizzeria where we saw PRODUCTION first hand...we toured and talked about how each job in the restaurant is important and that INTERDEPENDENCE is a real thing. We realized that SPECIALIZATION was key to making the restaurant run well, and we discussed customer service, supply and demand, and making a profit. AND we got to eat yummy pizza that each person created themselves!

Our school hosts a Volunteer Breakfast each year and I have been so blessed with wonderful classroom volunteers...thank you all so much! Here was the kids' thank you that hung at the breakfast.

And then, as you know, we ended the year with some amazing plays. The kids worked so hard on these plays...many of the props and practices took place while I was out for graduation...so they really did so much of it themselves. They were a ton of fun to watch...here are a few pics...I was acting as "director" so I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked!

Once Upon a Hundred Year's Nap

Two Pigs, A Wolf, and a Mud Pie

Live! It's Fairy Tale News

 

On the second to last day of school, the entire student body met on the back fields to create a memory that will move to Sugarloaf with us, and then return to the new UES in two years. It's pretty spectacular...it was done by a drone and the kids were in the hot sun for about 15 minutes and did an amazing job! Then we all sang (800 of us) the UES school song...I have to admit, I got a little choked up in that moment. It was very special. 

 Drone picture courtesy of David Toth and Meye Media LLC.

And then on the last day, right before our school participated in "Move Up" Day, where the kids get to go meet their teacher for next year, I asked the kids to think of things for every letter of the alphabet to represent what we did in 3rd grade. I've never done this before, but will do this from now on...it was so eye opening what stuck with them from the year and to hear from them what they learned and loved. Take a look...

Finally...I'd love to hear from your kids this summer...I will post updates every once in a while on this blog about our class if I receive pictures, and a few details about what's going on in the pictures, from your kids, so please have them email me!! I hope you have an amazing summer with your children...I will miss them lots...they are such good little people.

Oh! And I said it in the Remind message, but let me say it again...

THANK YOU for the wonderful book from the kids and for the generous gift cards...

they are ALL very appreciated.

It was my absolute pleasure teaching your kids.

Love, 

Mrs. Wills

How is it Memorial Day already!?!?

I actually started this over Memorial Day weekend...but this is the first chance I've had time to finish it...

Main reason I've been crazy?? We've had a lot going on...my oldest son, Robert,  came in from Georgia (pictured on the far left), my second son, Connor, moved home from college, (pictured next to Mr. Wills), my third son, Jake, graduated from high school (pictured between Kate and I), and Kate had her 8th grade formal! This all happened in a matter of four days! Today my nephew graduates and tomorrow I return to school. The original post I started on Memorial Day weekend starts directly below these two pictures...sorry it's been so long!

WOW...I have a ton of catching up to do...that means LOADS of pictures!!  I truly cannot believe we are almost at the end of the year. Your kids are sooo much fun to teach, that I really don't want it to end!

First, let me start off by saying thank you so much for all of the flowers, chocolate, nuts, poems, and lotto tickets...that was so very creative and so much fun! I certainly felt appreciated by the kids...and I, in turn, appreciate that!

As usual, we have been super busy...and I have tons to share, so sit back, relax, and enjoy!

So...this field trip was AWHILE ago...but I never got around to posting the pictures...today I made an Animoto video to show you all the fun we had at the ESSL!! Click on the link below.

ESSL 2018


Here below is one example of "BreakerSpace"...some kids wearing protective goggles, taking apart a VCR...thanks to those that donated the broken machines...the kids have enjoyed this May Do during Playlist time.

About once a month we meet with our buddies...my third graders and Mrs. Vetter's class have formed strong bonds...it's so fun to see them wave to each other in the hallway or say, "Hey, that's my buddy!" when a name is pulled from the Star Student bags! This was a fun tangram activity we did with them last month.

We've been working on a unit entitled "Awesome Algebra" that is written for advanced learners...there is a lot of critical thinking and lots of verbal discourse!

OK...I'm back from my nephew's graduation and I'm determined to finish this post!!!

I'm sure by now you've heard all about our ENTREPRENEURS unit...the kids learned all about economy and then we went head first into applying all they had learned. The kids created companies and then brainstormed product ideas. They were given a $10 loan, they drew up product designs, planned advertising, purchased materials,  and put all of that information into deciding on a price for their product. They went into production and learned first hand what specialization and interdependence mean! Then we had our first Market Day where 1/2 the company worked the store while the other 1/2 were the shoppers. They used a debit card they had earned while working for their company. After a full day of sales, the companies analyzed their profits and decided how many more products to make based on supply and demand. They went back into production, and we had Market Day #2 where they switched roles and shopped til they dropped. Once all was said and done...the kids paid back their $10 loan and we analyzed all of the different profit earnings from each company. It is by far one of my favorite third grade projects! Click on the link below to see it in pictures!

ENTREPRENEURS 2018

Another fun thing we've been doing in Math is solving algebraic equations using "Hands-On Equations." Mr. Paul, from the Advanced Academics department, came in and introduced the kids and I to this wonderful program...and he was right! By the end of the seventh lesson, kids could solve problems like this:

2(2x + 3) = x + 9

To see it would BLOW YOUR MIND! Here are some pictures of the kids solving these problems...they used the manipulatives (pawns and number cubes) for the first six lessons, and by lesson seven, most kids could solve without them!!

Our science unit has a lot of meat to it...it started out with life cycles and we got to observe first hand the life cycles of butterflies and ladybugs! Now we have moved into plant and animal traits...environmental traits and traits that are hereditary. Anyway...we got together with our buddies to make butterfly life cycle posters and then they came with us when we released our butterflies! It was a lot of fun!

 

 

You're probably wondering what we've been doing in LA...well, we are working on a playlist...about PLAYS! The kids are very excited to produce their plays...will you be invited? Probably, but I need to get back and see what's been done while I've been gone. My guess is we will do them in the classroom on either Wednesday or Thursday morning of the last week of school (which is NEXT week!!!!) I promise to let you know by the end of this week what our plans are.

This Thursday we have a field trip to UNO's where they will get to see the production process first hand (and eat a yummy pizza they create!)

Sooo...am I finished with this post? No, but yes. I still have more to say and show...but the third period of the CAPS game has just started, so it will have to wait! I will be making a FIELD DAY animoto movie of pictures and adding in a few more things.

#ALLCAPS #LETSGOCAPS