Nov. 11, 2015 Veteran's Day

Click the link above to test your knowledge.

 

I Just found a link to an online game for practicing longitude and latitude.  I think it's work checking out.  See what you think!

http://www.purposegames.com/game/longitude-and-latitude-quiz

 

 

Beginning of the Year:  

We are working on Longitude and Latitude.  In addition, by the time we finish the unit students should know the following terms:  meridian, prime meridian, international date line, parallels, equator, hemispheres (4), tropic of capricorn, tropic of cancer, rainforests, compass rose, cardinal directions, intermediate directions, absolute location and relative location.  They should be able to name 7 continents without hesitation and list the names of the 5 oceans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week of January 13

 

 

December

We still have a few wonderful salt dough projects, game boards, etc. that are ready to go home. (I'm guessing that the ones that are remaining are too bulky to go by bus.) Parents, if you are in the building one day, please feel free to stop in and collect your child's project.

We are currently learning about Westerville City Government.  The Westerville site has lots of good information that we are using for a scavenger hunt.  You can find it at the link below.

http://www.westerville.org/

 

Week of Nov. 18

This week will be filled with many wonderful international activities!

Don't forget the Social Studies Quiz on Wed., Nov. 20th.

 

Be sure to check the Language Arts Section for additional information.
 

Week

 

Week of Nov. 11

The following link is one students will be working with over the next two weeks.  This is also a great link to investigate at home because it contains so much information about the history and daily life surrounding the first Thanksgiving.  Please check it out!

http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/resources/

 

Week of Nov. 4

 

This week we will be focusing on informational writing with a social studies focus.  Students will be choosing a state to write about.  In order to to become an "expert" on the state, we will be doing some research. The information we gather will be used to write an article about our state.  The websites below provide a good starting point for research.

http://www.factmonster.com/states.html

kids.usa.gov/learn-about-the-states/

http://www.50states.com/tools/                    (lots of different web sites)

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/us-state-games.html

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/state/

http://www.netstate.com/

 

October

Social Studies projects and presentations are continuing through October 30.  Students are doing a wonderful job with these projects!

You can find copies (below) of the letters that went home.  I couldn't get these to load perfectly, but hopefully they will be useful in a pinch!  (If you need an original copy, just let me know.)

Thanks!

Making a Salt-Dough Map (Option 3)

 

    This type of map is sometimes called a raised-relief map. That is a 3-D physical map that has bumps to show the hills or mountains.

 

 What you need

• ½ cup of salt
• 2 cups of flour
• ¾ cup of water
• Heavy cardboard (about 12” x 18”)
• Poster paint (optional)
• markers
• A paper copy of what your country (real or imagined) should look like. 

(Please see me if you choose to do this project. I have a     supply of graph paper.  That should make things easier!)

 

 

Before you begin:

            Think about the shape of your country.  Consider where the hills and valleys are. Is it surrounded by water or other land?  How will you indicate that with markers or paint? What other land formations (ex: rivers, lakes, bays, volcanoes, peninsulas, etc.) does your country contain?  How will you show these?

1. Make a sketch of your country on graph paper
2. Name your country.
3. Include at least 4 different land formations. Use the map & handout from class to help you.
4. Include a mileage scale for your country.  How many miles will one inch equal?
5. Find a heavy piece of cardboard to hold your salt-dough map.  You may want to transfer your sketch onto the cardboard.
6. With a parent’s help mix up your salt-dough recipe.
7. Now, this is your choice.  You can make your map at home and let it dry, OR you can put your dough in a large ziplock baggie and bring it to school where you’ll construct your map.  It’s easier to get it to school the second way.  Talk to your parents about which way is best for you.
8. Don’t worry if your drying map develops a few cracks.  It sometimes happens!  (Some school glue can be applied to really troublesome cracks.)
9. Add color it you wish!
10.   Indicate with markers what surrounds your country.  (This doesn’t need to be detailed.  I’d just like to know if it’s land, water, or a combination.)
11.   Label the map with the name of your country.
12.   Make a one inch scale on a piece of paper and glue it in the lower right hand corner of your cardboard.

 

You are welcome to add more if you wish, but if you do these things, you will have done all that’s needed to get a perfect score on your project!

 

Have a great time constructing the 3-D map of your country!  I can’t wait to see what you have created!

                                                                     --Mrs. Bledsoe

                             

P.S.   You can turn in your completed project any time between October 22 and October 30.  You will also have time in class to share your amazing map with your classmates.   

 

Invent Your Own Board Game 

Follow these easy steps to create a new board game that you and your friends will enjoy.  The board can be constructed from any type of poster board or cardboard.  If you are looking for a self-contained box, you might ask your parents if they think a local pizza place could sell (or donate!) a pizza box to you.

What you Need

• 10 – 40 index cards (If smaller cards are desired, you could cut them in half)
• Large piece of cardboard or poster board. (It’s ok to fold the poster board to make it smaller for transporting to school.)
• Construction paper (optional, but nice for adding color to your board, or covering the inside and outside of your box if you use one.)
• Other board games for getting ideas
• Markers, crayons, pencils, etc.
• Playing pieces such as coins, buttons, macaroni, etc.
• Dice (You can make your own paper dice if you like. See me or find instructions online.)
• Zip top sandwich bags for holding your cards
• Tape or glue

1. Your theme has to do with maps, land formations, geography, etc. All the things we’ve talked about in Social Studies so far this year.  Decide what the goal of the game will be.
2. Make two stacks of cards.  One stack should contain questions about your subject and indicate how many spaces a player should advance for getting the answer correct.  Mark these cards with a special symbol like a question mark on the top side.  These cards should BE READ TO THE PLAYER. (Make sure each card contains the answer in small print below the question. This way anyone can play and learn.)

The second set of cards can be picked up by the players themselves. They could say things like… “Sailed around the cape.Advance to the harbor.”

3.  Make your game board.  It doesn’t need to be complicated.  You might try a simple “S” shape. Twenty-five stops are enough.
4. Leave some spaces blank. Mark some spaces with the symbols you will use on the top of your cards.
5. Decorate your game board.  That makes it fun to play!
6. Make or borrow a dice. (Or make a spinner if you choose!)
7. Think of rules for your game and type them or write them down neatly on a piece of paper.
8. Include a fun title for your game.
9. Put your playing pieces and questions in zip-top sandwich bags.
10.   Play your game to make sure it works well.

 

Have a great time constructing your game!I can’t wait to see what you have created!

                                                                     --Mrs. Bledsoe

Parents:

 

For Social Studies this month we will be studying land formations such as bays, capes, deltas, etc.  To help students extend their learning and demonstrate their understanding of the concepts learned, I’m asking them to choose an individual project to complete.

 

I've given all students a handout listing the choices, including one that can be self-determined (as long as they check with me first.) These choices range from simple to more complicated and are intended to appeal to a wide range of interests.  You can find a copy of the choices on the reverse side of this letter.

 

While I will give students some class time to work on these activities, the project is also a homework assignment, so it is my hope that your child will discuss his or her choice with you.  One or two projects (such as the salt dough activity) will require following a recipe, so I definitely want students to clear this with parents first.

 

Projects can be presented to the class and turned in from October 22 to October 30, with a final due date of October 30.

 

If students are interested in the salt dough activity, I have a recipe they can use.  For those interested in creating a game, I have a list of guidelines. Mini versions of these appear below.  Larger versions are available for students who are seriously considering one of these two projects.

 

As always, thanks for all you do!

 

Theresa Bledsoe

 

Making a Salt-Dough Map

(Option 3)

    This type of map is sometimes called a raised-relief map. That is a 3-D physical map that has bumps to show the hills or mountains.

 

 What you need

• ½ cup of salt
• 2 cups of flour
• ¾ cup of water
• Heavy cardboard (about 12” x 18”)
• Poster paint (optional)
• markers
• A paper copy of what your country (real or imagined) should look like. 

(Please see me if you choose to do this project. I have a     supply of graph paper.  That should make things easier!)

Before you begin:

                        Think about the shape of your country.  Consider where the hills and valleys are. Is it surrounded by water or other land?  How will you indicate that with markers or paint? What other land formations (ex: rivers, lakes, bays, volcanoes, peninsulas, etc.) does your country contain?  How will you show these?

13. Make a sketch of your country on graph paper
14. Name your country.
15. Include at least 4 different land formations. Use the map & handout from class to help you.
16. Include a mileage scale for your country.  How many miles will one inch equal?
17. Find a heavy piece of cardboard to hold your salt-dough map.  You may want to transfer your sketch onto the cardboard.
18. With a parent’s help mix up your salt-dough recipe.
19. Now, this is your choice.  You can make your map at home and let it dry, OR you can put your dough in a large ziplock baggie and bring it to school where you’ll construct your map.  It’s easier to get it to school the second way.  Talk to your parents about which way is best for you.
20. Don’t worry if your drying map develops a few cracks.  It sometimes happens!  (Some school glue can be applied to really troublesome cracks.)
21. Add color it you wish!
22.   Indicate with markers what surrounds your country.  (This doesn’t need to be detailed.  I’d just like to know if it’s land, water, or a combination.)
23.   Label the map with the name of your country.
24.   Make a one inch scale on a piece of paper and glue it in the lower right hand corner of your cardboard.

 

You are welcome to add more if you wish, but if you do these things, you will have done all that’s needed to get a perfect score on your project!

 

Have a great time constructing the 3-D map of your country!  I can’t wait to see what you have created!

                                                                                                                                 --Mrs. Bledsoe                        

P.S.   You can turn in your completed project any time between October 22 and October 30.  You will also have time in class to share your amazing map with your classmates.    J

 

PROJECT PLANNER

Design a quiz using at least 10 of the map related terms we have studied.  The quiz should be made up of fill-in-the- blank, multiple choice, and/or matching questions.	Follow the directions in # 6, but instead of land formations, create a physical map that indicates elevation.	Using salt dough, make a 3-D physical map of a real or imagined country, state, or territory.  See me for directions!
George Washington was a surveyor and map maker (Cartographer).  Using the internet, books, videos or other resource material, research Washington’s early years and accomplishments and create a powerpoint presentation.	Create a crossword puzzle using at least 10 map related terms we have studied in class.  You may do this using graph paper, or by using some of the great online websites like puzzlemaker.com.	Design a country of your own and include at least 6 different land formations that we have studied. (Use graph paper to start.) Create a scale for distance. Don’t forget to name your country!
Write a story!  Think of an appropriate story line related to maps, land forms, and/or travel.  See me to discuss your ideas before you begin.	Invent your own board game using a map theme.  Include at least 10 concepts that we have learned in class.  See me for more details.	Make an alpha-numeric grid map of any location you choose.  You must know your location well! Possibilities include rooms at school, at home, etc.
Choose a topic of your own.  Possibilities include learning more about intermediate directions, longitude and latitude, studying more about the topography or land formations of a particular country, etc.  Please see me to discuss your ideas.

 

 

 

Week of September 30

This week's vocabulary words and their definitions are listed below.  We are working on learning about land formations.

 

 

A cape is land extending into the sea beyond the rest of the shoreline.

A delta is a mass of mud and silt deposited by a river at its mouth.

An isthmus is a narrow strip of land joining two large land areas.

A valley is the low land between hills or mountains.

A river is a stream of water flowing over land toward another body of water.

A peninsula is a piece of land almost surrounded by water.

A tributary is a stream that flows into a larger river.

A mountain is a very high hill.

A bay is a part of an ocean or lake extending into the land.

A lake is a body of water surrounded by land.

An island is a small body of land surrounded by water.

A volcano is an oppening in the earth that shoots out lava, rock, gtases and ashes from time to time.

An archipelago is a group or chain of islands

 

 

Would you like to know more about land formations?  You can learn lots more by checking out the following website.

 

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/landforms/glossary.shtml

 

                                                         OR

http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/landforms.htm

 

                                               

 

 

TESTMOZ

 

https://testmoz.com/184406/admin/question/1993672

 

 

Wednesday, September 4

 

Try checking out the websites below!

http://mrnussbaum.com/interactive_world_map/

http://www.kbears.com/europe.html

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-map-viewer.html

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Geography.htm   (games!)

http://www.yourchildlearns.com/online-interactive-maps.htm

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/as.htm

 

 

Welcome to our social studies page!

 

The common core theme for third grade social studies is "Communities: Past and Present, Near and Far."

With this is mind, we will be focusing on social studies skills, history, geography, government and economics

as they relate to our local and regional areas.

 

In addition to resources concerned with our local area, we will be using Scholastic News and the online version of StudiesWeekly

to round out our lessons and to help us keep up on current events and trends. 

 

Important Note

Each time students receive a copy of the Scholastic News, they will be asked to keep it in their homework folder until our class is finished with it. At that point, we will transfer it to a take home folder.  Since homework folders are brought back to school each day, this gives us a safe place to keep our "newspaper" so it doesn't get lost during class changes, etc.  Finding a newspaper in your child's homework folder does not mean that your child needs to do anything with it. It just means that it needs to be brought back to school the next day with his/her homework papers.  

 

Once papers are transfered to the take home folder, they can remain at home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 3

I found this site interesting and it goes along with our current unit of study.  Could you pass the U.S. citizenship test?

20 Questions

 

 

April 1

 

Read the information on the following site.  Click each explorer's name to see the route he traveled.  Then use the information in the legend (and on the map) to answer the questions on the worksheet.  When you have finished, pick up a copy of New World Studies Weekly, week 24 and read silently.  RETURN YOUR COPY BEFORE YOU LEAVE.

Click here for the the interactive site.

 

 

Week of Mar. 18th

 

Links to explore this week:

http://library.thinkquest.org/4132/info.htm   Please read this before going on to the other links!  :)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/slater_hi.html   Know who Samuel Slater was.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/              Check out these pictures of child laborers.        

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/launch_gms_cotton_millionaire.shtml

http://storiesofusa.com/industrial-revolution-inventions-timeline-1712-1942/     Scroll down to check out this timeline.  Which events do you

                                                                                                                    think were most important?

     

 

 

Week of Mar. 11.

 

We'll wind up our studies on economics, and will include a brief discussion on Civil Disobedience as it appears in our New World Studies Weekly. 

 

Important words include:

1. Boston Tea Party
2. Henry David Thoreau
3. Gandi
4. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
5. Vietnam War Protests, etc.

 

Week of Mar. 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, Dec. 11

Expect a quiz on Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas on Tuesday of next week!

Monday, Nov. 26

We will be doing a more in-depth study of Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas over the next week or two.  Interested students may wish to check out the following web sites.

Incas

 http://incas.mrdonn.org/   (Cute site!)

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/04/inca-empire/pringle-text

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/lost-inca-empire.html

Aztecs

http://aztecs.mrdonn.org/

http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/

http://www.history.com/topics/aztecs

http://www.aztec-history.com/


Mayas

http://mayas.mrdonn.org/

http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1094-the-maya-civilization-and-cities-a-resource-page





Tuesday, Nov. 13

Just a quick reminder that we will be having a social studies test over North American migration, Inuit, Anasazi, and Mound Building civilizations on Thursday.



 

Monday, Nov. 5

You did a nice job with our classroom voting process today.  Give yourselves a HUGE pat on the back!We'll be taking a look at the results online together on Wednesday. It will be fun to see how Hanby voted and how our results compare to the rest of Ohio!

Exit polls in our a.m. classroom suggested that President Obama has a sizeable lead, while a similar survey in the p.m. class indicated an Obama victory, but by a smaller margin. Approximately 25% of our voters were surveyed.  We'll have a chance on Wednesday to see how well our exit polling served as a predictor.

Thanks for a job well done!





Friday, Nov 2

Students,

Don't forget that you will have the opportunity to cast your ballot on Monday.  I'm anxious to see the voting results for Hanby!   Also, if you took your "voter registration card" home with you, please remember to bring it back with you as "proof" that you are registered.


 

Thursday, Nov. 1,

We had some great discussions today on the voting process.  In preparation for our participation in Kids Voting, here are a few websites you might like to check out.  (If the links give you any trouble, just copy and paste them.)

Have fun! 

 




  Monday, October 29

For the next few weeks, we are going to be studying ancient civilizations of the Western hemisphere.  We will take a particularly close look at the Aztec, Incan, and Mayan cultures. Please feel free to do a little research into these cultures in advance, and be prepared to share what you know with the class.



 Friday, September 28

You may wish to check out the following website.  It fits in with our recent visit to Highbanks and our study of ancient North American civilizations.  Be sure to check out the additional websites at the top of the page!

http://www.eram.k12.ny.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=45462

To review your North American States, try this link.

http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/unitedstates.html

And for practice with the capitals try this link.

http://www.syvum.com/cgi/online/mult.cgi/quiz/us/usstate1.tdf?0



Thursday, September 27

Don't forget your social studies homework tonight.  (You should have your handout, but in case of lost items, I'm enclosing a mini version here.) You have 25 questions to answer about Geography. Please use your notes to help you answer any questions of which you are unsure.  You may also use the internet, maps, etc. if you feel you need them.