Children's Book Week

Reading is powerful, and one of the reasons why we celebrate Children's Book Week at Wellford Academy!  Today was Book Character Dress Up Day, and we have all enjoyed figuring out one another's creations!  We are thankful to our librarian, Mrs. Hogan, for having so many activities this week to enhance our love of reading.  We are also thankful to Belinda Snow for providing each student with two books to take home today!

What are your thoughts about this week's activities?   Who do you think really came alive as their book character?  If you could be any character from a book, who would it be and why?  If you did dress up, what made you choose that character?  

Our Third Grade Scientific Investigations

Each class in our school performed some type of scientific investigation or STEM activity.  Ms. Clinton's class decided to find out which had more mass:  juice or soda?  Ms. Brown's decided to answer the question:  Which will heat faster:  soil or water?  Finally, Ms. Nichol's class decided to find out whether or not salt would make ice melt faster. 

We discovered that juice has more mass, and this is most likely because of the carbonation (air) in the soda causes it to have less mass.

 Soil heats quicker than water, and we inferred this because dark colors absorb heat more quickly.

 Lastly, salt will melt the ice quicker, and is most likely why people use it in the winter on walkways and roads. 

So, do you have any other scientific questions that you would like to answer?!  Please leave your thoughts and ideas here!

Thanks, Dr. Thomas!

Guess what, students?  Last week, Dr. Paul Thomas, a professor at Furman University, came to visit our fabulous school!  Well, he thought our school was doing so many wonderful things, that he wrote a blog about us!  Please read what he had to say and share with your family members too!  Way to go, students of Wellford Academy!  The faculty and staff of WA would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Thomas for taking the time to visit and write such kind words!!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/21/1076363/-Successful-School-More-than-Data-No-Miracles

Insulator Projects

The results are in!  I was so impressed with your work on creating your own insulators.  You knew what materials to use, and we had a blast in class testing each one!  Projects are so important because you can have some free choice as to what to create.  Always appreciate any opportunity to be creative!

What is on your mind?

Dearest Third Graders...

Third grade is such a year of change!  We are learning so much in Science and Social Studies this year!  I would love to know your thoughts on what you have enjoyed learning about the most so far this year.  What science experiments have you enjoyed?  What topics in Social Studies want to make you read more about them? 

I also need each of you to use your minds to brainstorm.  Each home room needs to create a question for a scientific investigation that we will carry out in our class.  So, what is something in Science that you would like to know the answer to?  Please post your idea (question) here, or tell me in class!  You all are so incredible, and I enjoy being your teacher each day!  

Learning about the Cherokee with Ms. Iris

Ms. Iris is a part of Wellford Academy's awesome custodial crew!  She was willing to come and share her Cherokee heritage with all third grade classes!  We learned that her Native American name is "Laughing Waters," and that she is a part of the "wolf" tribe!  She also brought many beautiful Native American artifacts that we enjoyed viewing.  Who knew such history could come alive in our own school!  Thank you, Ms. Iris!  Please check out the the "Animoto" about our special speaker!!
http://animoto.com/play/wpBzrmVM9qMQeQmXJfCliA

You are Incredible!

Third graders, this year has been fabulous so far.  You have amazed me with your eagerness to learn and willingness to work hard.  The Native American projects turned out to be incredible!  Please tell me what you thought about the experience.  Here are the links to the Animoto presentations.  Enjoy!!

http://animoto.com/play/sPCqiiVRTiGFEigTM1Q9lw

http://animoto.com/play/DWnYoYlO41DR12dHi03d0w

http://animoto.com/play/qQZFfXPPnbc1flt8EvAUlw

http://animoto.com/play/xpiB1x64m9oiguhG0u95XQ

http://animoto.com/play/HCwzTTee4vNTbsQi7wj01w

http://animoto.com/play/DMWr3u9afmjKcWQnQHWCNA