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Grade 3  &   Grade 4 Welcome to Colm's Classroom web page.................................  We'll keep you up to date with pictures and notes about some of our classroom activities. I have some project links you can view from previous years. I will post photos to Shutterfly.  Plus the movie section has a number of projects that we've completed over the years.  There is a current informational movie about our trip to Plimoth Plantation in October 2011. View our class photos. There are many projects here in Shutterfly. MOVIES..........                            Please select a movie: 1. Popup Books, (2009)    2. North America Maps, (2009)         3. Plimoth Plantation   (2009)      4. US Regions (2010) 5. State Projects (   6. Columbus and Spanish Conquest(2011)    7. Plimoth Plantation 2011 (takes several minutes to load) 7. Our PowerPoint Shows on the Solar System (2011) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PODCASTS........ Click on the red button to access our podcast site. It has student reflections on different literature that we have read as a class. Plus artwork too. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade 3      Social Studies In our classroom, linked to our study of Massachusetts students are creating a "postage stamp" that depicts a link to the state.  We researched ideas and topics related to history and geography.  Then pencil drawings were enhanced with watercolor paints. Below is a stamp showing horses on farms across Massachusetts. There are some more photos at Shutterfly.                                                   [Image:101509_53802_17.jpg] Also in social studies we created some maps in our study of the geography of Massachusetts. We made a salt/dough mix as our base and sculpted using some wooden tools. A map of the state which the students had completed was used as a reference. [Image:DSCF3743.jpg][Image:DSCF3744.jpg][Image:DSCF3745.jpg][Image:DSCF3746.jpg][Image:DSCF3747.jpg][Image:DSCF3749.jpg][Image:DSCF3752.jpg][Image:DSCF3754.jpg][Image:DSCF3755.jpg][Image:DSCF3756.jpg][Image:DSCF3757.jpg][Image:DSCF3758.jpg][Image:DSCF3759.jpg][Image:DSCF3760.jpg] The design was that we would learn about the geographical outline of Massachusetts alongside the location of major cities and landforms...as noted with the flags. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade 3 Math One of our math units led us into an investigation of area and perimeter. There are some photos on Shutterfly that depict some of the activities.  For example students had to calculate the perimeter of a fence to enclose the paddock of the barn below.  Other investigations included finding the area of the rooms in a dollhouse and the area of its roof. [Image:121109_123306_0.jpg] Tortoises and Math? Our math assisatant Brenda brought in her  African tortoise for the class to look at the symmetry on its shell and marvel at a neat animal.  I took some photos and posted them up to our Shutterfly page. ---------------------------------------------------- Grade 3 Science [Image:31110_31030_0.jpg] [Image:31110_31139_1.jpg We are currently investigating soils, soil types and soil habitats. Students have recorded observations and thoughts in their science notebooks.  You'll be able to see them during the student-led conferences in February. There was a great presentation of birds of prey from a group called "Wingmasters". We have also examined owl pellets and tried to recreate the eaten rodents...example below.