Look what arrived in the mail today...

In the fall our class wrote to Victoria's dad who is stationed with the U.S. Navy in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Today we received a large box in the mail.  Mr. Gonzalez sent each of the students a letter in response to the ones he received.  He included badges from the United States Naval Academy for each child.

According to my letter, he and his "entire office got a chance to read the letters and they certainly made everyone's day".   He went on to enclose a beautiful shell (at Victoria's insistence) for me from a dive in the area.  It will hold a place of honor on my desk.

This was a Veterans' Day opportunity for our class and Mr. Gonzalez.  While we might have entertained his and his colleagues, he should know that the class was very excited to receive responses in this way.  (Many thanks to Stacey Gonzalez for this wonderful suggestion on Medfield Day!)

I am attaching a picture of the class with their letters and badges.

I truly hope this makes us all realize that Veteran's Day should never be just ONE day.   The brave men and women who protect and serve our country (and write 20 letters to 3rd graders) should be honored each and every day.

The class show their letters and badges! 

A beautiful shell from a dive in Cuba.  

Thank you! 

Final Projects from our VERY Special Agents!

The Friday before vacation, our Special Agents gathered together one last time to share their hard work and all that they had learned.  Each Special Agent in a group was an "expert" on their topic and shared their project with the other members of the group.  Games were played, fact cards were perused, posters were read and much information was shared.  It was a grand finale!

We took some pictures of the grand event and shared them in the Padlet below. Just click!

The Grand Finale!

Today, the students in Room 102 were bitten...

by the ACTING BUG!  

Since we have had SNOW every week and it seems like we are here a day, and then off a day, I am behind in my lessons.  I had planned on doing Readers' Theater this week as a bit of fun and fluency practice prior to vacation.  We didn't get started until today! So.... today we looked at a play and how to read it.  We focused on characters, setting, stage directions, and how a play gives clues for how lines should be read.  They LOVED it.  When I let them have a turn with the script, they were fighting over parts.  Boys read as girls and girls read boys' parts.  I am sharing a few pictures of the "actors" below.  They will be assigned roles after vacation and we will perform 2 plays in class.  After seeing them in action today, I am certain we have some future thespians in our midst.  

Clearly Richie does NOT have stage fright!  He loves the limelight! 

The groups read from a play called "Cinder Elly Plays Ball".
It is a modern day Cinderella story.

Axel was adamant he wanted to be the step mother, aptly named Meena!  

The Federal Bureau of Fact Gathering Agents... are hard at work!

Using their notes and field guides, the agents have begun work on their final projects to share their information.  Groups decided on a format for sharing their knowledge.  Groups made games boards, shape posters, facts cards, matching games, and more.

The T-rex group works on informational game boards.
Don't get eaten by a T-rex or you will have to go back to START! 

The Sea Jellies group made shape posters with facts! 

One Penguin group made a matching card game with penguin facts.

The Washington Monument group made posters about the monument! 

Another Penguin group wrote out facts cards to put a ring!

Ben works on a game board about planets.  

Wow... Special Agents Take an Oath!

Today, we swore in our new recruits to the Federal Bureau of Fact Gatherers (also known as the FBFG).  The new recruits promised to:

• uphold the rules and regulations of the FBFG
• always give credit to the author
• gather interesting facts that make us go "Wow" or "hmmm"
• determine the most important facts
• notice text features that help us better understand the information
• and above all, expand our schema

Students raised their right hands and took the FBFG oath.

Mixed class groups were formed based on book choices.  Students got their badges and began their research.

Who wouldn't want this wicked cool badge?

Groups started by discussing what they already knew about their topics, their schema.  They decided how to best read and research their topic.  While reading, they looked for nonfiction text features and new information to include in their notes.

This group discussed what they already knew about the Washington Monument
and then started their reading.

Looking for nonfiction text features. 

This penguins group chose new vocabulary words like "tobogganing" and "molting". 

Sam wears his FBFG badge with pride!

Mehr and Irini find new learning to include in their notes. 

The T-rex group added the word "carnivore" to their note sheet.

Cats versus dogs?  Victoria is choosing important information.  

What will these Special Agents be up to NEXT?  

Check back each day to see!