Vanport Science Connections with Mark Doyle

Over the past couple weeks we have been lucky enough to spend some time exploring some science connections to the work we have been doing around the Vanport flood. Mark Doyle has been working with the third graders on a variety of projects, including making clouds from dry ice, using surveyor tools to see how deep puddles around the school grounds are, and a model train engineering challenge involving slope. 

Pen Pal Visit

Last Monday our pen pal class from Arleta School in Portland came to visit us. They picked us up with their school bus took us Wapato park. We had a scavenger hunt and a picnic. It was very rainy but also very sweet to see our students meet the people they have been corresponding with all year. :) 

Vanport Storyline

After learning that we will be hosting a very special visitor in our classroom on Tuesday, March 7th, students have been working hard to learn as much as we can about Vanport. Students have researched what the city looked like and why it was built. Last week we created a map of the city and now we are working on our characters that live in the city of Vanport.

Ed Washington moved to Vanport from Alabama in 1944 when his father got a job at the Vanport shipyards. Although his family lost their home in the flood, they were able to stay in Portland. As an adult, Ed has been a member of the Portland NAACP and a civil rights leader as well.

Practice Testing with 6th Graders

We have started preparing for the Smarter Balanced assessments which we will be starting on April 11th. Since these tests are new to third graders, we have partnered up with Ms.  Ferris and the 6th graders so they can walk students through some of the practice tests and show us the ropes.

Beanstalks and Measurement

To culminate our current unit in Math, students worked on a project that combines art, literature, fractions, measurement, and data analysis. After reading the book, Jim and the Beanstalk, students created their own beanstalks in partner groups. Next, they measured and labeled their beanstalks  and leaves in both inches and centimeters. Over the next two days, we represented this data in different ways. 

Living Museum Presentations and Salmon Release

The last week of school before winter break was a busy one in third grade. On Tuesday we invited 2nd grade, 1st grade, and parents into our classroom to experience different learning stations and learn about Native American life, culture and traditions as well as the Salmon life cycle. These stations gave younger students a hands on chance to experience what we have been learning about this fall.

On Wednesday we bundled up and headed to Wapato park to say goodbye to our salmon fry.  Nicole Thill from the Spotlight newspaper joined us as well. Check out the article she wrote about third graders and our units this fall: http://portlandtribune.com/sl/336960-217040-academy-students-take-salmon-eggs-into-the-wild

Thanks to all the parents and community members who joined us that morning as well. 

Eagle Creek Salmon Spawning and Cascade Fish Hatchery

Last Friday we embarked on a day long journey to visit the spawning salmon at Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge and also visited the Cascade Fish Hatchery. We saw salmon in two different habitats, learned lots and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather. Thanks to everyone who joined us. It was an amazing day!

After we arrived we met with our groups to read the Yakima tribe's folktale of Old Man Rattlesnake and the Salmon People. 

Then we made our way to the creek to observe the salmon in their natural habitat.

Next, we visited the Cascade Hatchery and got to learn about how they create a healthy living environment for the salmon eggs and fry before letting them go. We even got to feed the fish.

After lunch we took some data collection of the natural habitat before loading the bus to return to SIA in time for the annual Harvest Festival. :)