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Third Grade Teachers Chatboard

iPads?

by Gabby

Jan 20, 2013

Are third graders an appropriate age to being using i-pads?

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danny Yes, they are very useful. Our school has a set of iPads and the third grade teachers use them with the Storia app for reading and responding to literature. Fourth grade is starting to follow 3rd's lead.

scholastic.com/storia

Jan 27, 2013

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ipads?

by Gabby

Jan 20, 2013

I meant begin, not being, sorry everyone!

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Opinions on the Smartboard

by Jim

Jan 21, 2013

I was hoping to get some opinions on the use of a Smartboard in the classroom. I have been in schools recently where there is a Smartboard in every classroom and others where you can't find one in the whole school. Is the Smartboard just a nice luxury or can it really enhance / improve a lesson? I would appreciate any input.

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Sue DeMore On 1/21/13, Jim wrote: > I was hoping to get some opinions on the use of a > Smartboard in the classroom. I have been in schools > recently where there is a Smartboard in every classroom and > others where you can't find one in the whole school. Is the > Smartboard just a nice luxury or can it really enhance / > improve a lesson? ...See More

Jan 25, 2013

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Question about essay for 3rd grade?

by panther

Jan 22, 2013

So, I am giving the WIAT-III for the first time. I am giving it to a third and a fourth grader. I had been putting off learning how to do it because I heard how hard it was to score the writing portion. That's the truth. I practiced on my own kid and I still haven't figured out how to score it.

But my question for you all is do third and f...See More

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Sara I dunno... I hear so much talk these days about writing across the curriculum and teaching the parts of speech in 1st grade etc.etc but - most of my students will tell you they know what an essay is but when you ask them to tell you, they really can't. They'll start saying "it's something you write".

If I press further and ask, "Is an ess...See MoreI dunno... I hear so much talk these days about writing across the curriculum and teaching the parts of speech in 1st grade etc.etc but - most of my students will tell you they know what an essay is but when you ask them to tell you, they really can't. They'll start saying "it's something you write".

If I press further and ask, "Is an essay true? Or is it made up?" They won't have a clue.

I've taught all the grades and few 4th or 5th graders or even 6th and 7th and 8th really understand what a complete sentence is. They'll tell you "it's something you say" or the really scholarly ones will fumble around for the words 'subject and predicate' and never come up with them.

The world in regard to education has gone mad. My history standards say I'm supposed to teach 4th graders six different causes of the French and Indian War. I majored in history and I don't think I could come up with six causes of the French and Indian war.

Tell the students you're testing to write a story - they can do that - sometimes. An essay? If they don't understand the concept of a complete sentence, do they understand what a pargraph really is? My students would say "It's the place where you have to skip some spaces to start a new one." But they have no real idea that the sentence and the paragraph are the building blocks of expository writing. And NO one ever tries to teach them that all writing breaks down into two categories of expository and creative writing. That is thought to be way too hard a concept for them but unless you really consider that concept, you can't understand what an essay is. My best students will tell you "an essay is something that can have 3 or five paragraphs." > >Do you have to use the word essay? Use 'story' instead. Or 'write me what happened on your last birthday.' > > Aside from all of that, you only give the kid 10 minutes to > write it from prewrite to finish. My gifted and high > achieving 11th grader wasn't even able to finish a > paragraph, much less an essasy. There is only one prompt > for all grades from 3rd-12th. > > I say again, do kids this age even know what an essay is or > am I out of touch?

No - you're in touch. It's the standard writers who are WAY out of touch with the developmental realities of children and teenagers and their developing brains. > > cross posted on sped and 3rd grade boards

Jan 23, 2013

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panther Thsnks for your response. I have to use the word essay because it is a standardized test and you are supposed to read it word for word. I checked out the standards and the word essay doesn't even appear until fifth grade. I also took a survey of the third grade teachers I work with, not a one use the word essay. I guess it its the test writers who ...See More

Jan 24, 2013

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Question about essay for 3rd grade?

by panther

Jan 22, 2013

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sally I feel your pain.I think essay is not in their vocab. My kids work on a 5 sentence paragraph with a topic sentence, 3 details and a closing statement. I know in some states they go for 3 to 5 paragraphs! Pfew.

No matter what we teach, they seem to use different vocabulary in various tests. (story, passage, article for example).Poor kids ne...See More

Mar 2, 2013

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Foot Theme unit for prek-3, interdisciplinary -Animal Tracks

by Teachers.Net Gazette

Jan 26, 2013

A terrific collection of MANY Foot Theme lessons, activities, interdisciplinary for prek-3 planned around Animal Tracks and other foot related topics. Math, science, literacy.

Even some scat!

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Harriet Tubman reader's theater

by roundstanley

Jan 27, 2013

This is a great activity for 3rd graders. The rest of the unit it is in is a bit above 3rd level.

[link removed]

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postcard

by Sherri

Jan 29, 2013

i there! My daughter is in 5th grade and is on a quest to get a postcard from each of the 50 states. If you live in one of these states, could you help? If so, email or leave a message here and I will email you the address. My email is [email removed]!

Delaware Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Maryland Montana Nebraska North Dakota Okla...See More

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Journeys Reading Series

by Ruth

Jan 29, 2013

Anyone use Journeys Reading Series? Pros? Cons?

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Stacy On 1/29/13, Ruth wrote: > Anyone use Journeys Reading Series? > Pros? > Cons? Do you mean the curriculum by Houghton Mifflin?

Jul 23, 2013

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Math

by Julie Prekup

Jan 29, 2013

I was wondering how teachers felt about giving third grade students timed multiplication tests and taking them as a grade.

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Teacher 55 On 1/29/13, Julie Prekup wrote:

> I was wondering how teachers felt about giving third grade

> students timed multiplication tests and taking them as a

> grade.

I think timed multiplication tests are a necessary part of improving overall math skills. Times tests will help kids build SPEED and ACCURACY. ...See More

May 17, 2013

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Brian K I give them about twice a week, 100 problems throughout 2nd semester. But I do not take them for a grade (unless they happen to ace one, then they get an A+ and then they get free time for the next one). They love this and work hard to try and earn that free time! > >

May 17, 2013

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