Unplugged

Nearly every morning, I invite the students to share "happy news." It's always a great time to connect as a class and learn more about each other's joys (and sorrows).

Today, my happy news was that my brother, Peter​, is alive and well. (In our family what's app chat, he wrote on Sunday night to tell us that he and Melissa had arrived safely back to shore in Puerto Rico after their weeklong anniversary cruise.) I explained to the class that I really missed him and that if felt odd to not hear or see anything from him for more than a week. No Facebook pictures. No messages. No emails. Nothing.

I then explained to the class that this is called being "unplugged," something that's very healthy to do every once in a while. (Of course, at this point, one of the students incredulously commented, "What? That's just impossible.") I gently smiled and said, "Actually, it isn't. You *will* survive without technology for a day, a week, or even a month." I climbed up even farther onto my soap box and went on to explain how my childhood didn't include any technology, unless you count Atari.

Soon thereafter, our lovely librarian, Mrs. Mollenkramer​, arrived to read to my class as a guest reader for Literacy Week. The book she brought, The Three Questions, was so apropos because it asked three important questions:

1. When is the best time to do things?
2. Who is the most important one?
3. What is the right thing to do?

Afterwards, the children shared a few great insights. Then, I asked if any of them could find the connection between what we chatted about earlier in the morning and the book. They got close, but they didn't quite get it, so I shared that Peter had answered these questions well: He took time to get away with his beloved wife, the "most important one" and he choose the right thing, which was to give her his full attention, instead of getting distracted by lesser things that often come with technology.

I heard a few "ahh's" and saw some nods and smiles, which showed me that the class understood my practical example.

It was a special moment that taught a great life lesson, which I hope they'll remember for a long time to come.

Sooo, how ironic is it that, of all days, I arrived home from school just a little while ago and realized that I had left my phone sitting on my desk? Seriously? Now, I'm the one who is (semi) unplugged. Life is so funny sometimes...and I am preaching to myself now.

When I went for my beach walk, it was strangely liberating.  I had no music, no camera, and no ability to message or post anything. It was just the sea and me, totally unplugged. :) 

Third Grade Zoo {Recap}

Our first Third Grade Zoo was a great success! 

Thank you so much for those of you who were able to make it on Thursday! Your presence made it the success it was, so please know that we all appreciate you taking the time from your busy schedules to come.

The children were very animated as they shared about their "expert" knowledge about their created animal. It was just so cute to see their eyes light up as they described their animal's adaptations, environment, challenges, food sources, etc. I think some may have even made up some facts right there on the spot, which just goes to show how very creative they are! ha, ha. 

Please enjoy these pictures, some of which Mikyung took, as well as mine. (We both were without our "good" cameras, so we  had to resort to our phones.) I also included the pictures from our fun reward party, as well. The children loved it!! (Thank you so much for sending all the good fruit into school. You're so terrific!) 

Family Movie Night

You are invited to the Family Movie Night "Inside Out" on Thursday, 3rd March, from 6 - 8 pm, on the ES Pitch. 

Come and enjoy a gorgeous night out with the children and their classmates under the stars. Admission is free. Pizza and hot-dog sales will start at 5:30pm and the popcorn is complimentary. Don't forget your chairs or picnic mats, blankets. Also, please RSVP to stayintouchwithdaaes@gmail.com so we know how much food to prepare. Thanks! 

ES Reading Week!

Next week, the DAA ES will celebrate Reading Week!

We have chosen next week as it coincides with Read Across America and World Book Day!  Each day of the week, students will do a simple activity to encourage a deep love of reading.  

For your information, here's the schedule for ES Reading Week:

Sunday, Feb. 28: Day 1

• Digital Read Aloud Day! Story time online

Monday, Feb. 29: Day 2

• Read Aloud Mix Up! We will have our very own librarian, Ms. Mollenkramer, read to our class at 8:30.

Tuesday, Mar. 1: Day 3

• Book Quote Bulletin Board
• Outside the Library will be slips of paper where students can write their favorite quote from a book and put it in a box.  All of the slips will be used to create a Words of Wisdom bulletin board.

Wednesday, Mar. 2: Day 4

• Dr. Seuss’s Birthday: Fact in the Hat!
• All around the ES will be Dr. Seuss hats.  Each will have a fact about Dr. Seuss on it!  Kids can read them and learn all about Dr. Seuss!

Thursday, Mar. 3: Day 5

• Character Dress-up Day!
• Come to school dressed as your favorite character! To cap off an amazing week of celebrating reading, your child is encouraged to think about a great book they have read and come to school dressed up as that favorite book character. This book character dress up day will spark many conversations between students to share about their favorite character and books and continue to set the environment for the love of reading to be contagious. As a reminder, we do not consider cartoon or movie characters as part of this day. Students are only permitted to wear costumes from book characters on this reading celebration day. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

• Outdoor reading!  The tennis courts have been turned into a reading space for the day!  Bring your favorite book outside to relax and read all together as a grade.
• Schedule:
• Grade 3: Period 2
• Grade 4: Period 6
• Grade 5: Period 3 or 7

Using Seesaw to Present Creature Creations

On Sunday, the children will be using Seesaw to give a short presentation about the animal they created. To do this, they will have the choice to either take a picture of their project, then record an audio file to describe it, or they can make a short video, which will include their presentation about the animal and the animal itself. Please use this, so you will know what information to include in your presentation.

I will guide them through the steps of how to actually record the audio or video, but I thought it would be helpful if the students (and you) have the rubric, so you will know how I will be grading them. This grade will be for the speaking and listening standard on the report card, not the science.

As part of the students' science grade for this unit, I will be looking at three things. The first is the actual model of their animal. The second is their brochure, and the third is an "open response" type of assessment, which I'll give next week. Please feel free to view this rubric, as it may help to guide your child as he/she finishes the brochure.

Please just let me know if you have any questions. The children are very excited to showcase their learning!!

Seesaw

Dear Parents, 

We will start using a new digital tool called Seesaw to share what we're learning in class. Your child will have his or her own "learning journal," and you can receive notifications when your child adds new items. It's completely private -- only you can see your child's journal outside of class. 

Click here to sign up -- it takes just 30 seconds. Once you sign up, you can download the FREE Seesaw Parent app for iPhone or Android, or access your child's journal on the web. (This is just an invitation and certainly not required. Even without your involvement, your child will still be able to create digital journal entries in school that we'll use to enhance learning.)  

Also, if your child has a device, could you please download the seesaw app sometime this weekend? We will be using it in class on Sunday, February 28th. (There's no need to download a QR code reader, because this is already built into the Seesaw app.) As an FYI, there are actually two Seesaw apps. One is intended for the student and one is for parents. (It's set up for you to view your child's work, whereas the student app is for the creation of projects.)  

If you'd prefer your child not bring a device to school on Sunday, that's no problem. I will be able to provide home for him/her. 

We're looking forward to integrating technology into our lessons! Please be on the lookout for the individualized printed instructions that I will be sending home on Thursday. 

And, thanks so much for your fantastic support. Together is better! :) 

Ms. Laura 

P.S. If you have more than one child using Seesaw, or have used Seesaw before, sign in and click on your profile icon > + Add Child to add this year's journal.

Two Important Links

I only kept you waiting one day! How's that for service? :)

Here are the pictures from our field trip. I hope you'll enjoy seeing them!

Also, please be sure to read this week's "Assignment Sheet and News," as it contains some important information as we finish many units.

Thanks so much! 

Field Trip to Al Sahra (sneak peak)

As I hope your darling already conveyed to you, we had a truly fantastic field trip out to the desert last Wednesday! Though the day started off foggy and ended in thunderstorms (including hail!!), we were blessed with the very best weather the day had to offer, thankfully. 

I had intentions to edit and share all 247 photos sometime this weekend, but it was such a lovely and full one that I will only be able to post a few now.  

Stay tuned as more are coming soon! 

Posing for a picture is never a problem for this bunch. It started with just Macy and Taylor, then all the rest came running! 

The Arabian horse is exceptionally fast and so beautiful, too! 

Smiles all around! 

Lyn was fearless when it came to giving the horse a kiss, while others shrieked and had to muster the courage. It's easy to see that she's very comfortable around horses, which made her a great example to the others who were nervous.  

The date palm oasis provided shade and a place to drink camel milk. 

We saw many wild gazelles roaming the property while we were there. They were just lovely to see and a great reason to ask the children to be especially quiet. ha, ha. :) 

Learning all about the camel's unique adaptations was great hands-on fun!

News to Note

Our class of the most beautiful and handsome children I know will be photographed as a class on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 9:15 am. 

Students should be looking their best in their regular uniform with BLACK or WHITE SHOES AND SOCKS, as well as their tie.  

Also, our next DAAPA Pizza Day will be on Thursday, Feb. 25th.  The pizza forms were sent home on Thursday and are due back by Tuesday, Feb. 23rd. As a gentle reminder, if your child would like pizza, you must pre-order, as pizza will not be sold on Thursday.  

Thanks so much for your wonderful support!! 

A Note from Mr. James about Swimming

It's time for another round of swimming, which will run for a full 10 day cycle.

I have spoken to all my classes about being fully prepared for the swimming classes by bringing all their appropriate swimming gear.

1. Swimming goggles and cap
2. Swim attire: boys (swim shorts) and girls (one piece suits)
3. Flip flops
4. Towel

As Per Ms. Kit:

All students will participate unless they have a medical note that states they have the following conditions:

1. Fever
2. Ear Infection
3. Broken arm
4. Stitches

For all other inquires regarding any exceptions or emergencies, please message me at james.anaya@gemsdaa.net and I'll direct them to Ms. Kit.

FYI: The water temperature is suitable for the children as we are monitoring it to ensure it’s acceptable.

Thank you,

Mr. James

Animal Project

To culminate our Science unit and the work we have done on inherited traits, habitats, and adaptations, your child will be creating his/her own animal, a kind of "Creature Creation."

I sent the information home today, however you may read the instructions here as well. One of the first things to do is to consider the habitat you want your animal to live in (see below), as well as the traits it will have. (This is a helpful worksheet to organize your thoughts, and the powerpoint is the same information.)

For a little inspiration, follow this link for the "make-your-animal" website that we viewed in class. The possibilities are endless!

This is a fun link, which shows some rare animal adaptations. You might get some good ideas by viewing these, as well.  Finally, these are some of the creatures former students made. Some are better than others, but you will quickly get the idea.

Most importantly, this is a great way for your child to demonstrate what he/she knows and understands about adaptations and how they help plants and animals survive and reproduce. Have fun with it!

**SAVE the DATE**

Thursday, February 25

"Third Grade Zoo" 

This will be an open house in our grade level and a time for students 

to tell you all about our creature creations! 

(Stay tuned for the time.)

Habitats/Ecosystems

Desert

The temperature is very hot and dry.  There is very little water available to drink.  Food is sparse, and is found mostly in the form of very small animals & insects, as well as a very limited amount of plant life.  As such, animals have to move around a lot to find shelter, food, and water.  There are few predators.  Nothing moves very fast.

Rainforest

The temperature is very hot.  The air is constantly very humid, and it rains almost every day.  Both plant and animal life is abundant, and many different forms of food are available.  The food chain is very complex, and no matter how big or small an animal is, predators abound.  Trees are very close together, so even though animals can move around, they cannot do so very quickly.  All food sources are also very easy to find, but there is a lot of competition.

Ocean/Lake/River Environment

The water environment can be home to many different types of life (fish, birds, water-dwelling animals such as dolphins or beavers, etc.)  The temperature is constant and temperate.  Food MIGHT be available, if the animal can access it.  Water is abundant (obviously).  There are many predators.  Some animals can move quickly, depending on their traits.

Grassland/Prairies

Temperature ranges from cool to very hot.  There is not very much shelter, so animals need to move around a lot.  Animals also need to move around a lot (migrate) to find their food, although various forms of food are available.  Water is sometimes available, but at some times of the year it can be difficult to find.  There are many predators, and those predators can move very quickly across the land.

 

Forests

The average temperature of the forest is 10 degrees Celsius. The average amount of rainfall in the forest is 30 to 60 inches a year. As the seasons change, so do the colors of the leaves of the deciduous. During the winter months water is generally not available to keep the leaves of some plants alive. Therefore, the leaves of some plants fall off and grow back in the spring. Those plants, like evergreens, keep their leaves during the winter have special adaptations to stay alive.  Precipitation in the temperate deciduous forest is spread throughout the year. However, during the winter months it is usually frozen and unavailable to animals. Animals must adjust to cold winters and hot summers. Leaves generally fall off in the fall, leaving animals with less cover to hide themselves from predators. You'd find bears (black and brown), fox, squirrels, cardinals, raccoons, and snakes in this habitat as well as many others. 

Arctic 

The Arctic is a very cold, windy, and often snowy biome located around the North Pole.Animals that live in the Arctic (either full time or seasonally) are adapted to extreme conditions. Many animals who overwinter in the Arctic (like the Arctic fox and the ermine) have a coat that thickens and changes color to white during the winter as camouflage in the snow (blending into the background is called cryptic coloration). Some animals hibernate during the cold season; they go into a very deep, sleep-like state in which their heartbeat slows down. These animals often hibernate in an underground burrow or pit. Some hibernators include skunks, chipmunks, and some bears (but these bears are not true hibernators, they go into a state that is closer to a normal deep sleep). Many animals (like the Arctic tern) spend the summer months in the Arctic, but leave as the weather turns frigid and food becomes scarce (these animals return again the next summer, repeating this pattern year after year). This behavior is called migrating.

Parent Engagement Recap

Thank you, dear parents, for taking the time and effort to join us for our Parent Engagement writing lesson on Thursday. It was so great to see so many of you!

I hope the mini-lesson on elaboration was helpful, both for you and your child. It's one of those writing skills that takes time to learn and also plenty of practice. Even world famous authors continuing working towards improving their elaboration skills by writing in a way that is gripping, yet not too detailed, so know that your child is in good company.

For those of you who were not able to come, please feel free to avail yourself of the materials that I used:

• Lesson Overview
• 7 Strategies for Elaboration
• Pinterest Board with some good resources

Finally, here is the link for the pictures of our time together. I tried to capture everyone, so hopefully I did. My heart was genuinely full as I watched you working with your sweetie. I thought to myself, "Now, how can I get these parents to come help everyday?!" :) I could see such a difference in their writing in just 40 minutes! 

Thank you, all, once more for coming. It was a true delight! 

Track and Field Day Recap

As expected, our Track and Field Day for ES was a big success! The children all seemed to have a fantastic time out in the fresh, cool breeze and warm Arabian sunshine. Anytime we can get outside during the winter in Dubai is a good day to me. 

Please enjoy these pictures from our day. These are the ones Mikyung took, in case you missed them. (Thank you sooo much, once again, for taking these, Mikyung. I absolutely love them!) And, here are a few that Hiba was able to capture when she wasn't directing excited boys. 

The girls were full of team spirit!! 

Also, I want to especially thank you the following parents who gave up their time and energy to kindly serve our class (and me) as group leaders: Hiba, Kim, and Dawn. Also, it was great to see many others of you there, supporting the children and cheering them on. It really made a difference and added to our 3LN team spirit! 

Sunil, Dawn, Kim, Hiba, and Mikyung all added to our fun day. 

I love my girls! 

And, my boys, too!! 

Yes, we were tired, so we decided to lay down while the boys all ran around. yep. 

A bit of war paint is always important.

Valentine's Day

On Thursday, February 11th, the ES will celebrate an early Valentine's Day with a 'Dress Down for Charity' event. 

For a small donation (AED 5, for example), students may wear tops that are pink, red or white, with jeans or DAA pants. (Please, no tank tops or spaghetti straps). The proceeds will go to a GEMS approved charitable organization. 

Looking forward to a "lovely," and festive day, which will ultimately benefit others.

PS. Just as an FYI, this is the same day that we will be having both our parent engagement session (in our classroom). Also, the room mothers have arranged a small party for the students; however, we are going to keep it short, sweet, and simple and limit it to just the students. I hope you understand. (And, I look forward to seeing you earlier that morning for our parent engagement!) 

Parent Engagement Week

February 7-11 is our Parent Engagement Week in the ES. It's always a special time, one which I look forward to, as it means that you, parents, are welcome to come in and be a part of the learning.

This year, our focus in Grade 3 will be on writing. Each teacher will engage their classroom parents and students a little differently, as it depends on his/her class' needs.

In 3LN, we will be focusing our attention on the craft of elaboration.

So often, I hear students say, "I'm done!" and when I read over their work, I'm somewhat disappointed because they've hardly written anything at all and I know they are capable of so much more. Perhaps you've experienced that at home, as well, when you've helped your child with a writing assignment, travel journal entry, or a creative story of their own.

In our time together, which will be Thursday, February 11, from 8:15-9:15, I hope to give you and your child the tools needed to extend those great ideas, add more details, create more vivid images, and push thinking to a deeper level.

If you're able to make it, I'm looking forward to seeing you then!

3LN on Pinterest

How many of us have post-its of information stuck to our fridge, desk, or wall? Or, how many times have you seen a great recipe, article, or travel tip online that you've wanted to remember?

Being able to collect and save all of these great things in one place is ideal and possible with...

I'm sure many of you have either heard of Pinterest or may even use it regularly, as I do. Well, I recently had an "aha moment" when I was struggling to keep all of my school links organized in our Grade 3 folder on Google Drive. I thought, "Hello?! Why don't I just make a Pinterest board to keep all of these things in one place?" Perfect. Problem solved. That was easy.

Annnnd, the nice thing is that you, parents and students, will be able to see all of my favorite school-related links, as well as things that I think would benefit you.

So, without further ado, I present our 3LN Class Pinterest Board.

You can now just save this one link or find it on the right, under "Pages." --> 

Also, it's important to note that to access this page/Pinterest board, *you (as a parent) will need to create a Pinterest account. (Unfortunately, they recently added this requirement, whereas in the past, one could browse boards to your heart's content without an account. So, we will change with the times.) Thankfully, it's free and once you sign in, you can keep yourself logged in, so it's always easy to access. 

I hope you'll enjoy these great resources, inspiring ideas, and great articles! Happy pinning! 

*Pinterest requires children to be a minimum age of 13 to have their own account, so please be sure that you are signing in and not your child. Thank you! (At DAA, we are striving to promote, model, and practice safe and appropriate use of social media.)