Art: Individual and Collaborative Paper Experiments

Third graders are beginning a sculpture and drawing unit by experimenting (or you could call it playing!) with paper. They discovered what they could do with paper using their hands, scissors, and tape. They listed the techniques they used, and did a scavenger hunt to find a technique used in 3 different ways. Then girls built a paper sculpture in small groups inspired by a painting, and invented a story to go along with the work. Girls are preparing to build an individual paper sculpture that tells a story using simple shapes. 

 
 

 

 

All Smiles

        Halloween may be over, but the treats don't have to end!

  

             

                          

                                                            

Mosaics: Bringing the Past & Future Together

    On a brisk October morning, the Rogers' class took a walking field trip through the beautiful Bryn Mawr campus.

    Making a wish, each student crossed through the Owl Gate and discovered mosaic tiles dating back to 1890. The mosaic piece was from the original Bryn Mawr School entrance and was installed on our campus in January of 1973.

 Margaret Hamilton would have been proud to see the girls engaged in learning; 21st century style.

We've Got Spirit

 It's always a colorful day of learning in third grade!

Art: Op Art Poems and Reading

Third graders completed their op art drawings and wrote a reflective poem, using a collaborative process in which girls looked at each other's artwork and wrote words or phrases inspired by the artwork. The artist added and subtracted and rearranged words until she was satisfied with her poem. Girls then read their poetry aloud, with expression. 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

It's Not Just Dirt!

Our study of soil began by closely examining the three types of soil: sand, clay, and humus.

We determined that sand had the largest particles and was the least sticky. Clay had the smallest particles. We made soil columns for each type of soil and found that water went through sand very quickly. However, clay, with its much smaller particles, held the water for a long time.

We took apart rotting logs and found the creatures living in them that were causing them to decompose into humus. We captured and photographed some of them so that we could identify them. Then we released them back into nature and tried to identify them from their pictures.

We made our own clay and sand by shaking rocks with water in a bottle. As you can imagine, there was a whole lot of shakin' going on....and it was fun!

After learning how important it is to have a mix of the three kinds of soil in order to grow plants, we found that soil can be moved by wind and water in a process called erosion. Since we want to protect our important soil, we tested bare soil and soil covered with grass to see which would better prevent erosion. The grass held the soil in place, while the bare soil easily eroded. Not only does soil help plants, but plants help soil by holding it in place.

From the Library

Third graders have been reading books about clever girls who overcome challenges to help their friends and families. We started off with Kate DiCamillo's beloved Bink and Gollie series. These two marvelous companions use their gray matter to compromise, eat pancakes, shop the sock bonanza in aisle ten at Eccles' Empire of Enchantment, play Whack-a-Duck at the state fair, attempt to break world records, and remain best friends forever. We then read the new book The Hard-Times Jar about a girl in a migrant family.  Ask your daughter how Clever Beatrice outsmarts the giant of the north woods and wins bags of gold. And then ask her how Princess Rosamond keeps the royal accounts and the castle drawbridge in order while saving up for a new set of royal dishes, all while collecting healing waters to save her ailing father, in The Well at the End of the World. In The Secret River, Calpurnia bravely wards off bear, panther and hoot owls, and saves the town by changing hard times into soft times with her magical catfish.