Pictures from the First Week of School!

We had fun exploring and making observations about what we hear, see, smell, and feel in the Lilja garden today!

3Sp students carefully observing a praying mantis that was found near the garden!

Go Noodle afternoon movement break!

Team building activity with puzzle pieces

Working together to make progress on the puzzle!

Biography Project

Featured Blogger: Jose

Important news citizens of Natick! The 3rd grade is doing a project at Lilja.  We have to get the project done before Portfolio Day.  I already finished the biography project but it was hard because we first have to do a scavenger hunt on an important person. For example, I did George Washington and I had to do so much research on him. We had to write a first draft. Next we have to revise and edit our first draft. Then you have to start your final draft. I did mine on the computer. Then my teacher printed my final draft. Once we finish our final draft we have to make a File Folder Project. It includes a lot of stuff like timeline of their life, all the important things they did, a glossary, a quote from the person who you did it on.  Also you have to do this thing where it says “If I could ask George Washington a question…”  Then finally I finished. So please be excited for Portfolio Day!

Library Race

Featured Blogger: Libby

It's the end of year! And you know what that means. Wait you don't know what that means or do you? Well, if you don't then this is what it means.  In library we are allowed to check out books. Well I guess it's a library so you check out books. But since it's the end of the school year we aren't allowed to check out books. Ms. Moss made returning books into a really fun game. This is the game: once your class has returned all their books you get a star on your class door and the cafeteria poster. But if you are using your book for a project that your teacher gave you then you’re ok. But remember your entire class has to return all the books. Once your class has returned all the books you get a star on your door that will say something. Here's what it will say if you’re 1st, 2nd, or 3rd: “Fantastic First Place,” “Spectacular Second Place,” or “Terrific Third Place.” The only class that has returned all their books is 1R. They have “Fantastic First Place” on their door. Let the race begin!

Raven Cam

Featured Blogger: Brooke

For the past few weeks we have had a raven cam. A raven cam is something that has a camera and the camera watches the raven. The camera never dies because it is always plugged in. Also in the past few weeks we have watched the raven and when we watched the raven a few weeks later the baby ravens hatched. Now we have baby ravens in the nest and when that happened there was still one egg left. But the next time that we watched the raven all the eggs hatched. So now all 4 eggs are hatched. Also when we watch the raven it is always live because of the type of the camera.  Also Ms. Sprague’s mom has worked at Wellesley College,  where the raven center is located. Also when we watched the raven we saw the raven fly away and we saw the raven’s babies. Also we saw the ravens feed the baby ravens. That is why the raven left: to go get the food for the babies. That is what the raven cam is and what it does.  3Sp really enjoyed watching the raven cam!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Featured Blogger: Joey

In May in class we read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a read aloud book during snack time.  In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie finds a dollar on the road and buys a candy bar and gets a Golden Ticket.  After that he goes home and says he got the golden ticket to his family and then the calendar says that he has to go to the chocolate factory tomorrow.  Then tomorrow he meets at the gate of the factory and sees all of the other kids at the factory who also got the ticket.  Then he goes inside the factory and he sees everything he could imagine in his head: chocolate lake, mint grass, and lollipops as trees.  Then Augustus Gloop dove into the lake and got sucked through the pipe!  Then they went into a room with all of these different pipes and a bunch of other stuff.  Mr. Wonka said this is my inventing room.  Then he started to make something in the pipes and then a little strip of gum came out and Violet Beauregard without asking took the gum and started chewing.  Then she ate breakfast since the gum gave you breakfast lunch and dinner. Then she ate lunch and then her parents said this is a great day for the Beauregards. Then she ate dinner and she turned into a blueberry-a giant blueberry!  Then they went to the nut room and they saw squirrels cracking open nuts, then Veruca salt said I want one daddy.  The dad took out the money and he said how much money and then Mr. Wonka said there not for sale.  After that Veruca went into the nut room and then the squirrels pinned her to the floor and then knocked her on her head and shoved her down the garbage shoot!  Then they went into a glass elevator and then Mike Teevee said this buttons for me because the button said TV.  After that they went whizzing off and then they got to a room and they put a huge chocolate bar in and Charlie said why does it have to be so big, just to travel through television then he said because they shrink.  After that he said it takes a few minutes so you will have to be patient. Then he said there it is and then Mr. Wonka said take it then Charlie took it and then he said that is a great idea. Then Mike Teevee said do you think it would work on people? And he said sure. Then Mike Teevee pulled the lever and then he said I am going to be the first person to travel through television.  Wee! Then he went through and appeared on the other television.  Then his mother took him and put him in her husband's pocket then they went off.  Then Mr. Wonka said let's go in the elevator then they went up and out of the factory and then they looked down.  After that they saw all the kids. Then Mr. Wonka said I'm getting old Charlie and it's time I give you the factory.  After that they made a hole in Charlie's house then Charlie said I'm going to move to the factory!  Our class really enjoyed the book and we are excited to watch the movie.  This is one of my favorite books of all time and I also like the movie.

The Restaurant Extension Activity

Featured Blogger: Cami

The Restaurant Activity is an extension activity . There is part 1, part 2, and part 3. Part 1 is a math part, part 2 is a writing, and part 3 is another math part. What you do for part 1 is you make a bird’s eye view plan of a restaurant on a half inch grid paper. But there are rules: you have to leave space around the perimeter of your restaurant and ⅓ of your restaurant has to be the kitchen. You also have to draw tables with 2 chairs, 4 chairs, and 6 chairs. After you have made the plan, you have to fill out a worksheet. The worksheet asks you questions like: What is the perimeter of your restaurant? What is the complete area of your restaurant? How many chairs are there in total in your restaurant? And lots more! Once you have finished part 1 Ms. Sprague will give you part 2. Part 2 is making a menu for your restaurant. You have to have at least 8 items on your menu and you have to come up with a name for your restaurant. Then, you have to write the menu and if you want to, you can type up your menu on the computer. Also, you have to make a picture, name, and description for each item. For example, “The Cheese Monster”- a grilled cheese sandwich with tomatoes on wheat bread. Then, you have to write an opinion piece about what your restaurant is like and persuading someone to come there. After you have finished part 2 you can start part 3. Part 3 is another math part. It asks you to be the waiter or waitress for your restaurant. So, if someone asks you they want “The Cheese Monster,” “Smile Back,” and “The Tower of Pizza” you would calculate how much money they would spend plus the tip. It will also ask you other questions like: If you calculated a check for three people what items would they order? And how much money would the total be for that family? In my opinion I think the Restaurant Extension Activity is a great extension!

Watering the Plants!

Featured Blogger: Jose

3Sp and the 3-4Q planted seeds and now we are taking turns watering the plants.  Also in about 2 or 1 week we are going to plant them in the Lilja garden.  Also we have a schedule so we know when we water the plants.  Another thing is we have to follow steps.   So here are the steps. First: we turn off the lights.  Second:  we water the plants but it has to be at a specific temperature.  The third step is: for the water to go beneath the plant. The final step is then you turn the light on for the top and the bottom. And that's how you water the plants.  We had so much fun planting the plants and we hope that you plant plants in your backyard!