5 1/4" Tall

8 1/4" Tall

Congratulations to the 2 Engineering Teams with the Tallest Candy Corn Towers...

I hope you all had a safe and wonderful Halloween!  Thank you to all the families who helped to make our Halloween Party such a success.  The food and drinks were very much appreciated.  The children and I also want to thank all the parents who helped us within the classroom.

Playing Halloween Bingo

What Spooky Word Do You Have on Your Board?

Sugar!!!

Happy Halloween!

Listen Carefully

Great Smiles...

Halloween Fun!

The "Mummies" Help  Out!

Excellent Food!

Halloween Treats For One and All!

Enjoying the Breakfast Together

Maybe You Will Win!!!

The children and I are so excited to be the first in Slingerlands Elementary School to pilot an EIE (Engineering is Elementary) Unit in lieu of the Plant Growth Unit that has been taught in the past.  My fellow 3rd grade colleague,  Mrs. Paradis, and I spent a day at BOCES working with a trainer from the Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts.  The unit is built around the engineering design process and also focuses on engineering literacy using stories from characters around the world (great for our world communities focus in social studies)!  We will begin our official engineering Unit after the winter break, but I gave the children an engineering challenge today to get them thinking about...What is an engineer?  Most children drew pictures of a MAN with a tool in his hand fixing an engine of some sort!!! Very interesting misconception...
Please check out the EIE website for more information:  http://www.eie.org

The Candy Corn Tower Challenge!

With Your Partner.. Plan & Design a Free-Standing Structure

You May Only Use the Materials Provided

100 Toothpicks and a Cupful of Candy Corn

You May Have as Much Time as You Need to Plan with Your Partner & Design a Sketch

However, You Will Only Have 15 Minutes to Build

You May Modify Your Design as You Work

Pay Attention to Other Engineering Teams & the Techniques that Seem to Work

The Winning Team Shall Be the Ones Who Build the Tallest Structure!

The Winning Team!!!

Ann Schwanda Encourages the 3rd Graders to Participate in Community Service Projects

The Students are Interested & Involved

We Are Proud of Our Designs

Happy Thoughts!

Mrs. Ann Schwanda visited our 3rd graders today to show the students how 
important it is for all members of society (both adult and child) to serve our community. Mrs. Schwanda guided us through our very own community service project. All 3rd graders, our parent volunteers and 3rd grade teachers participated.  We planned, sketched and colored a quilt square.  Each square will be sewn into a beautiful quilt.  Each of the quilts will be donated with love to a child in need.  Thank you to all our parent volunteers...we couldn't have completed the project so quickly without all of your support:)   

The Colors are so Cheery

Love From One Child to Another

Adding Color to Our Quilt Patch

Sending Warm Thoughts Through Our Artwork

Sketching Our Idea on Fabric

The third graders worked in small groups on their first geography project of the year.  They examined world maps and globes to locate an assigned continent.  Next, they collected numerous facts about their continent from both video and book sources.  They were then asked to present this information in a visual format...planning came first.  Slowly, the children added facts along with photos and illustrations.  Students were finally asked to present their posters to our classroom audience...again planning their oral presentations.  The result of their hard work and creativity is hanging in the hallway outside our classroom door, so please...feel free to stop by and take a look!!!

Today we had the privilege to "visit" the Giant New York State Map.  The map was rolled out across the primary gathering area floor.  We had to take off our shoes before we stepped on the map!  We were able to see New York State's cities, towns, mountain ranges, rivers, lakes,  and its capital close up.  I also showed the children Google Earth using our white board in our classroom.  This is a great website for children to explore at home.  Ask your child what they saw on the Giant NYS map!!!

Speaking Clearly is Important

Choral Reading

Taking Turns

Presenting Fluently

Sharing our Information with a Visual Presentation

We Worked for Several Days on our Group Continent Posters

Explaining the Facts that We Collected

Sharing our Photographs & Illustrations

Enjoying our Group Presentation

Excellent Work!

We Hang our Posters in the Hallway for All to See!

After experiencing difficulty accessing this log...I am finally able to post!  I am so pleased with the progress that our class has made in almost two months time.  Your third graders have assumed much of the responsibility of running their own classroom with a little bit of guidance from a very proud Mrs. Reiss!

Studying our New Globes

Finding & Researching our Assigned Continent 

Presenting Continent Facts

Working as a Team

Teaching our Audience about our Continent

Tavish says, "Welcome Friends...WOOF!"