Persuasive Writing

This week in grade 3, students have been working on what it means to be a persuasive writer. We started by reviewing what makes a good paragraph and how to be a good revisor and editor.

We began by watching a short video that identified what is persuasive writing and when it is used. Once we had an idea of what persuasive writing was, together as a class we wrote a persuasive paragraph on why we thought ice cream is the best dessert. (Mrs. Braun got to choose the dessert.)

Students were then tasked to write their own persuasive paragraph on the food that they thought was best. They began by brainstorming, then they used our new revised persuasive writing hamburger template to plan. Finally, students worked in small groups to help each other revise and edit their paragraphs.

On Thursday students were asked to write another persuasive paragraph this time about what animal they felt would make the best pet. They were reminded that their paragraphs should start with a sentence that clearly states their opinion, that contains at least three supporting sentences that provide evidence to back up their belief, and a final sentence that reiterates their stance.

Then on Friday, students were asked to choose their favorite paragraph they had written and revise it ensuring they included persuasive and transition words. They then wrote a good copy to take home to share with their parents. Students were also asked to use a rubric to mark themselves on their paragraphs. (Many students did not have their Communication Books at school, please help to remind them to bring it back to school on Monday.)

On Friday we were also really excited to finish our read aloud “There’s an Owl in the Shower.” Mrs. Braun found a news video which showed the controversy between the loggers and the environmentalist that were trying to save the spotted owls which inspired the author Jean Craighead George to write the book.

Next week, students will be tasked to write a longer persuasive piece that connects with “There’s an Owl in the Shower.”

English Language Arts & Literature Learning Outcome:

Students investigate writing and research processes that support informed written expression.

Student Success Criteria:

• I can create written text for a variety of audiences and purposes.
• I can use organizational processes, methods, or tools to support the creation of written texts.
• I can include a range of sentence beginning and types to vary and add interest to writing.
• I can create drafts of writing that maintain audience interest by focusing the number of ideas in sentences and limiting repetition.
• I can revise my written texts for accuracy, clarity, or appeal by adding, removing, or changing words or sentences.
• I can edit my writing for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
• I can read my written text aloud to check for writing fluency.

Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area Field Trip

We started our week by going to Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area. Thank you to our parent volunteers for attending the field trip with us. It wouldn’t have been possible without you.

The students participated in the Web of Life activity-based program which is designed to introduce students to the ecology of the aspen forest. It focused on the Aspen Parkland community, the inhabitants and their interactions.

Students learned that a community is a place where an assemblage of plants and animals live and have their needs met by the common physical habitat. The Aspen Parkland is home to many species of plants and animals which interact with each other and their surroundings in different ways.

An interrelationship occurs when two living things affect one another. These can be direct such as predator/prey relationships or indirect like the relationship between Albertans and the equatorial rain forest. All living things depend on the biotic (living)and the abiotic (non-living) factors of their environment.

While hiking through the forested area students were visited by a herd of inquisitive deer who cautiously came within a few metres of us! It was a thrilling experience and we were so excited to have come so close to these beautiful deer.

We even did some two-eyed seeing on our field study. Our volunteer guide Gary told us the story of why the First Nations people named the yellow flowers growing in the fields ‘Buffalo Beans’. The First Nations people recognized that these beautiful flowers bloom around the same time the buffalo babies were born and that the bulls would be ready for their spring hunt.

Science Learning Outcome:

Interactions of Living Things

● I can represent various food chains in local and other Canadian environments.

● I can classify animals in a food chain as carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores.

● Reflect on and share actions that can be taken to protect plants and animals in local environments.

● I am able to demonstrate respectful and safe practices during observations of plants and animals in local environments.

● I can explain interconnections in environments, including how plants depend on animals and how animals depend on plants to survive. 

● ​​I can discuss First Nations, Métis, and Inuit connection with environments and their knowledge of and relationships with plants and animals.

Telling Time

Students in grade 3 have been working hard to learn how to measure time.

We learned that there are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day. Through direct instruction and engaging math centres, students have been learning how to read time from analog and digital clocks and have even started learning how to tell 24 hour time!

One of the students’ favourite math centre was the ‘How Many Seconds’ centre in which they were able to use a stopwatch to see how long it would take them to do a variety of actions. For example: How long would it take them to do 20 jumping jacks.

They also loved our ‘Multiplication Fortune Teller’ Station.

Another highlight was our Time Scavenger Hunt, in which students had to go around the room to find the different analogue clock cards and read the time.

Mathematics Learning Outcome:

Students tell time using clocks.

Student Learning Objectives:

• I can investigate relationships between seconds, minutes, and hours using an analog clock.
• I can relate minutes past the hour to minutes until the next hour.
• I can describe time of day as a.m. or p.m. relative to 12-hour cycles of day and night.
• I can tell time using analog and digital clocks.
• I can express time of day in relation to one 24-hour cycle.

Little Hummingbirds

This week students were introduced to the story of the little hummingbird who tried to put out a forest fire one mouthful of water at a time. After listening to the story students were asked to determine what the message of the story was and to try to understand what the hummingbird symbolizes.

During our whole class discussions, students connected the little hummingbird to our Grade 3 intentions we created at the beginning of the year. They noted that the hummingbird is brave and doing the best it can!

The story of the hummingbird also reminded us of our whole school book study of "The Magical Yet." The little hummingbird doesn't give up and keeps on trying.

In their writing books, students then wrote what they felt it meant to be a hummingbird and what actions they can take to ensure they can act like the little hummingbird themselves.

To remind ourselves that we are striving to be 'humming birds', we then painted a hummingbird that we are planning to put up on display as a reminder that we are always striving to do our best!

Art Learning Outcome: 

Media and Techniques: Students will use media and techniques , with an emphasis on mixing media and perfecting techniques in drawing and painting.

Wellness Learning Outcome:

Students examine and describe development related to personal growth.

Gond Art

This week grade 3 students were involved in an 'art workshop' at the Artchill Museum in Jaipur, India. During our tour of the museum we were introduced to Gond art. The word Gond comes from an ancient word in the Gondi language, kond, which means “green mountain”. The Gond are a tribe of people in India that believe that all things in nature are sacred and their paintings reflect their close connection with their surroundings in nature.

After our 'tour' students were inspired to begin creating their own nature themed art piece. Colour, pattern and shape are key features of this style of painting and students enjoyed designing their own designs while thinking about their colour scheme. Once they were finished their designs they used watercolor pucks to paint their base colours. Next week students will begin filling in the lines and details of their art.

Art Learning Outcome: Media and Techniques: Students will use media and techniques , with an emphasis on mixing media and perfecting techniques in drawing and painting.

Students have been engaged with nature in their poetry writing, literacy centres and art this week. 

On Thursday, we took our poetry writing lesson to our outdoor classroom. It seemed fitting to be writing our Haiku poems while outside in nature. 

As the weather is becoming warmer, we hope to have a lot of opportunities to take our learning outside the classroom.