Carousel Activity

The grade 3 students worked in groups of three and participated in a carousel activity where they rotated through a series of stations where one of the key questions from our inquiry was located. They brainstormed together and recorded their ideas on the paper provided. Then they switched, read the ideas from the previous group(s) and added any new ideas to the list. This continued until they had a chance to add ideas to each of the four questions. When they returned to the original group where they started, they were responsible for presenting all the ideas for that question to the group for further discussion. It was a great way to find out what the students already know about communities. We can now build on this knowledge.

Types of Communities

The third graders have been learning about the types of communities.  They went to the Media Center and watched a video and completed activities using BrainPop Jr. They were able to identify the three types of communities: urban, suburb and rural. Back in class, they completed Venn diagrams to describe similarities and differences between urban, suburb and rural communities.

Literature in the Units of Inquiry

Literature is a great way to enhance a unit of inquiry. It helps the students make connections to what they are learning. For our Communities unit the third graders are reading The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden. It gives us a look at the difference between living in the country and the city.

After Chester, a cricket, arrives in the Times Square subway station from his native Connecticut via a picnic basket, he takes up residence in the Bellinis' newsstand. There tiny Chester is lucky enough to find three good friends:  a little boy named Mario, whose parents run the unsuccessful newsstand; a fast-talking Broadway mouse called Tucker; and Tucker's pal, Harry Cat. Between escapades in New York City, the four somehow manage to bring success to the almost bankrupt newsstand.