3rd Graders connected their exploration of CENTRAL MESSAGE with song lyrics.
Students "recounted" various types of stories, including fables, and used the strategy called: SOMEBODY - WANTED - BUT - SO - THEN to retell key details.
We LOVE our Health Clinic! Thanks, Baptist Health!
After touring Mammoth Cave, 3rd graders conducted a CAROUSEL BRAINSTORMING activity with categories they created. Next, they worked in teams to present information to audiences of their choice on topics & in forms they selected. (Presentations included an episode of "Dr. Phil" in which a girl was counseled out of getting a pet bat, an Expert bat talk show, an interpretive dance of cave formation, a public service announcement on cave safety and others!)
Thanks to the local Kiwanis group for the dictionaries for 3rd graders!
All writing below this point is from the 2015-2016 school year.
3rd Grade students set their own writing goals! Students learn essential skills in our Writers' Workshop then make their own important decisions about writing narratives, poetry and informational texts.
Following the grade-level field experience to Mammoth Cave, 3rd graders brainstormed what they knew about caves in categories they created (cave life, cave formation, explorers, history) before choosing topics for their own writing focus.
Enjoy our class "Where We're From" poems.
Each student in the class wrote one stanza.
(Learn more about the "Where I'm From" project on the School-Wide page.)
Read some of our "Spooky Story" entries below . . . if you dare!
Congratulations to Taryn Tucker, 1st Place winner in Paducah!
Cuddles of Death by Taryn Tucker
I woke up to the sound of squeaking. I looked at the clock at it was one hour ‘till Halloween. I realized what the squeaking was – my dog and his chew toy. Since I was already awake, I got up to go get a drink of water. I heard footsteps coming from the next hall. I was so scared, as scared as I could be.
I heard voices that got louder and louder and louder. I hid in the closet by the kitchen. Then it was right in front of me. Something opened the door, but it was just my little sister, Izzy. She said it was time to get our Halloween costumes on and go wake up our mom.
We all headed for Jackson Street, the best street to get candy on. I saw a big, dusty, dark, creepy house and my mom said, “Let’s go on to that one.” I said ok, but I did not want to go. I was really scared and so was Izzy. We got out of the car and walked up to the door. There was a sign that said COME IN. Now at this point I was getting even more scared but my mom told me to stop being a scaredy-cat. That’s when we went in.
A few steps in and my sister picked up a bear named Cuddles. It started to sing, “Come and play! Come and play!” I took the bear from my sister Izzy and threw it. We tried to run out of the house quickly. Just as Izzy made it to the door, the bear stood up and grabbed her. I ran up there and punched the bear in the face so we could escape.
We drove off and finally went to bed. That was the last we saw of that bear. I hope, I hope.
Except, later we found it in the kitchen. The next morning we took it to the orphanage. That was the worst Halloween ever.
I woke up to the sound of squeaking. I looked at the clock at it was one hour ‘till Halloween. I realized what the squeaking was – my dog and his chew toy. Since I was already awake, I got up to go get a drink of water. I heard footsteps coming from the next hall. I was so scared, as scared as I could be.
I heard voices that got louder and louder and louder. I hid in the closet by the kitchen. Then it was right in front of me. Something opened the door, but it was just my little sister, Izzy. She said it was time to get our Halloween costumes on and go wake up our mom.
We all headed for Jackson Street, the best street to get candy on. I saw a big, dusty, dark, creepy house and my mom said, “Let’s go on to that one.” I said ok, but I did not want to go. I was really scared and so was Izzy. We got out of the car and walked up to the door. There was a sign that said COME IN. Now at this point I was getting even more scared but my mom told me to stop being a scaredy-cat. That’s when we went in.
A few steps in and my sister picked up a bear named Cuddles. It started to sing, “Come and play! Come and play!” I took the bear from my sister Izzy and threw it. We tried to run out of the house quickly. Just as Izzy made it to the door, the bear stood up and grabbed her. I ran up there and punched the bear in the face so we could escape.
We drove off and finally went to bed. That was the last we saw of that bear. I hope, I hope.
Except, later we found it in the kitchen. The next morning we took it to the orphanage. That was the worst Halloween ever.
The Blind Eye by Landyn Barnett.
I woke up to the sound of whispering that was very soft. I didn’t even think it was a whisper. It was saying something about the blind eye, it said the earth depends on it. Then I stepped out of my bed. My brown, black, white, and golden colored golden retriever, Mia Mia needed to go outside.
She stared at me and then started running towards the old creaky factory next door. I followed my beautiful dog Mia. It was abandoned, we saw a crazy massive wormhole. We heard screaming. It was loud so we ran down towards it and saw an amulet. It said blind eye on its back and looked golden.
Then we saw a man in a red robe so we followed him. He was erasing minds. Soon Mia and I jumped out and attacked him. The person he was erasing was a boy named Jamie and he was glad to see me. He looked at the man in the red robe. We saw the name tag. It said Phidlepherd, inventor and scientist of the blind eye. The amulet opened. It said the truth lies ahead.
That’s when I woke up.
I woke up to the sound of whispering that was very soft. I didn’t even think it was a whisper. It was saying something about the blind eye, it said the earth depends on it. Then I stepped out of my bed. My brown, black, white, and golden colored golden retriever, Mia Mia needed to go outside.
She stared at me and then started running towards the old creaky factory next door. I followed my beautiful dog Mia. It was abandoned, we saw a crazy massive wormhole. We heard screaming. It was loud so we ran down towards it and saw an amulet. It said blind eye on its back and looked golden.
Then we saw a man in a red robe so we followed him. He was erasing minds. Soon Mia and I jumped out and attacked him. The person he was erasing was a boy named Jamie and he was glad to see me. He looked at the man in the red robe. We saw the name tag. It said Phidlepherd, inventor and scientist of the blind eye. The amulet opened. It said the truth lies ahead.
That’s when I woke up.
The Clown by Sierra Sharp
I woke up to the sound of my bulldog barking. I looked at the clock. It was 12:00 at night. I went to see what he was barking at but when I went outside he was asleep. I wondered who he was barking at. I was scared.
I went to bed but I didn’t sleep. I was too scared that night. I stayed up all night. I heard giggles outside. I took a look, but no one was out there. Was I hearing things? No. I saw someone out there. It was a CLOWN! I screamed!
My mom came running outside, but when she got there the clown was gone. She came back and asked me what happened. I didn’t answer. I knew she wouldn’t listen. I ran to my room. I was going to get the last laugh!
I spent the night out, waiting. Finally the clown came and I jumped out and sprayed him with water from his own flower! I never saw him again.
I woke up to the sound of my bulldog barking. I looked at the clock. It was 12:00 at night. I went to see what he was barking at but when I went outside he was asleep. I wondered who he was barking at. I was scared.
I went to bed but I didn’t sleep. I was too scared that night. I stayed up all night. I heard giggles outside. I took a look, but no one was out there. Was I hearing things? No. I saw someone out there. It was a CLOWN! I screamed!
My mom came running outside, but when she got there the clown was gone. She came back and asked me what happened. I didn’t answer. I knew she wouldn’t listen. I ran to my room. I was going to get the last laugh!
I spent the night out, waiting. Finally the clown came and I jumped out and sprayed him with water from his own flower! I never saw him again.
“I Woke Up to the Sound of Screaming from My House” by Cassidy Minter
I woke up to the sound of screaming from my house. I saw an ax-handed man. My dad was right beside him.
I saw an alien who didn’t blink and he was trying to float a cup in the air.
When we got out there was a witch who gave me some vampire teeth. I went to another haunted house with cobwebs and skeleton heads and I saw a girl laying on a bed. She was in a deep sleep. I got to the very end and got a Tootsie Roll.
I went to the next house and two people were wearing Jason masks. One took off his mask and I said, “Hi, Isaiah!” When we got up to the house they gave me 5 pieces of candy and I got 2 eyeball gumballs and 3 squishy gummy hands!
I woke up to the sound of screaming from my house. I saw an ax-handed man. My dad was right beside him.
I saw an alien who didn’t blink and he was trying to float a cup in the air.
When we got out there was a witch who gave me some vampire teeth. I went to another haunted house with cobwebs and skeleton heads and I saw a girl laying on a bed. She was in a deep sleep. I got to the very end and got a Tootsie Roll.
I went to the next house and two people were wearing Jason masks. One took off his mask and I said, “Hi, Isaiah!” When we got up to the house they gave me 5 pieces of candy and I got 2 eyeball gumballs and 3 squishy gummy hands!
To Mrs. Riley, By Cassidy Minter
(This is one of Cassidy's many independent projects written on her own time!)
(This is one of Cassidy's many independent projects written on her own time!)