Spelling this week

The combination of the snow day and read-a-thon last week threw us off our normal spelling routine a bit. As a result, we are not doing Unit 20 in the Sitton spelling program until next week and thus there is no spelling homework this week. 


Our spelling words this week help us to kick off our Geography unit:

Yarmouth

Maine

United States

04096 [our zip code]
In addition to these four words (well, four words and a number!), students also need to correctly spell their street address.

On Thursday, the "spelling test" will be an envelope that students need to properly address to themselves. I will mail the letters on Friday and, as I told the students, if they spell the words correctly, they will receive their letter!


The purpose of this spelling "unit" is for students to understand the real-world application of these specific place names, and to learn how to properly address an envelope.

Guest Speaker: Yaeko Collier

Last Wednesday, February 29th we were lucky enough to have a guest speaker present to all third graders. Portland resident Yaeko Collier was born in Japan and she shared many different artifacts, maps, and pictures from her home country. 

We all learned a lot about Japan's culture and customs. 

When asked what was the most interesting/coolest/most memorable part of the presentation, here is how students responded:

• I think the coolest part was the emperor and empress models (Austin)
• When she showed us the helmet (Xan)
• When Ned and Ellie got dressed up (Alex)
• I didn't know Maine was part of Massachusetts (Dylan)
• When she showed the Japanese clothes because they were different from ours (Kate)
• After this, I could take a day in Japan (Patrick)
• When I dressed up (Ellie)
• My favorite part of the presentation was when she talked about the holidays and the fish [windsocks] (Kiarah)
• My favorite part of the presentation was when she showed us both of the maps so we got to see what their world looked like (Madison W.)
• The helmet (Maddy L.)
• The houses with the big fat mats on the floors (Parker)
• The helmet (Chase)
• Looking at the house (Margaret)
• The globe (Odin)
• I would love to take a trip to Japan! (Emma)
• The fish flags (Will)
• When she showed us the helmet and when Ned and Ellie got dressed up (Carter) 
• Seeing pictures of the house and the dolls (Olivia)
• Seeing how different the houses were from ours (Ned)
• When Ned dressed up (Ruben)
• All I want to do is take a trip to Japan! (Camden)
• The different maps (Lilly)