May 23-27

The 3rd graders this week completed a homework assignment which had  
them apply their map skills to a map of Japan related to the major  
earthquake suffered earlier this year.

On Tuesday students took their first quiz of the trimester, covering  
Latitude and Relief Maps.

After introducing some procedures to maximize class learning time  
(including making a "thumbs up" to go the bathroom instead of having  
to interrupt to ask to go), the teacher introduced the subject of  
Graphs. Students' favorite activities were polled, and the results  
were applied to a bar graph that the teacher drew on the white board.  
One 3rd grade class had the opportunity to briefly go outside to form  
a "human bar graph" reflecting the results of this poll.

Classes also completed p.64-65, answers for which the teacher reviewed.

May 16-May 20

The 3rd Grade finished up its work with Mr. Blubberman, who had helped 
students understand the concept of Latitude. In the run-up to In-Class 
Work #1 on Tuesday, students finished book exercises up through page 55.

Mr. Blubberman and Latitude then exited the scene. Replacing him was 
his significant other, Mrs. Stripesberger, on hand to teach the 
related theme of Longitude. Students learned Longitude basics 
(vertical stripes with degrees up to 180, the Eastern and Western 
Hemispheres, and the Prime Meridian) before using these elements to 
create (on construction paper) a friend for Mrs. Stripesberger.

Over the subsequent days, 3rd graders worked efficiently on Longitude 
book exercises, confirming their understanding and ability to use this 
locational measurement.

At the end of the class Friday, the teacher made a call to Mr. 
Blubberman, welcoming him back to briefly review Latitude in light of 
the following week's Quiz #1.

May 9-13

With the 3rd graders completing their Exam on Monday the year's first  
trimester had ended and the second had begun.

The group jumped into the Relief Maps and following the teacher's  
overview and explanation and the students' copying of the key  
vocabulary in their notebooks, the groups completed pages 44, 45, and  
47 in this relatively simple unit.

Subsequently 3rd graders tackled Latitude. This was done with the help  
of the teacher's friend, "Mr. Blubberman" (a round fellow with a body  
resembling Planet Earth). Stressing to the students that with his rows  
of latitude, Mr. Blubberman had rows of "fatitude," the teacher drew  
Mr. Blubberman's belt--the Equator at 0 degrees, other latitutde rows,  
the North Pole--90 degrees North, and the South Pole--90 degrees South.

Mr. Blubberman is nothing without his family, however, and students  
were asked to use colored construction paper to draw a family member  
(or Significant Other). The teacher checked for creativity while  
focusing on the students' application of the Latitude rows and  
appropriate corresponding degree numbers.

One 3rd grade group next began practicing Latitude exercises in the
workbooks.

All groups will continue to work on their new skill before completing  
In-Class #1 in the middle of next week.

May 2-6

On Monday the 3rd graders continued to practice their work on Map  
Scales, which they put to the test with a more formal In-Class Work on  
Tuesday.

Following the In-Class Work the groups began reviewing for their exam.  
They did this by going over the terms from the review guide with the  
teacher and by taking a more strategic look ("WHY do we use Grids?")  
of the material they had studied.

April 25-29

This week the classes finished up their "Fantasy Land" posters. Groups  
scored high marks on Presentation and Teamwork while also effectively  
accomplishing the Technical aspect of the project (completing the  
Grid, Index, Compass Rose, and Legend, and including the assigned  
number of cities, mountains, lakes, and rivers). Although some of the  
groups had issues with lost maps (or literally eaten ones, as candy  
was used in their design), they bounced back to complete the assignment.

Between work on the projects the 3rd Grade also continued its efforts  
on Scales, in preparation for In-Class #3 the following week. Students  
worked in the book and the teacher went over the concept using  
students names as "cities." In addition, students were called to the  
board one after the other, the one student teaching the concept to the  
subsequent student, up and down the rows.

Third graders also received their study guide for the Exam (on May  
9th), for which the groups will have a week to review.