We're Making a SPLASH in Third Grade!

Our Elf, Ben

2011-12-12T18:47:00.012-05:00

For the past two weeks we have had an Elf on the Shelf watching over our classroom. In the afternoon when we all go home for the day our elf, Ben, travels to the North Pole to report to Santa on our behavior. So far all reports have been good!

Every morning when we come back to school Ben is hiding in a new spot. Some mornings we find that he has been mischievous, like the time he moved our behavior magnets into a smiley face and another time he switched everyone's STAR cards, which created some confusion. A few times he left us treats like candy canes and gelt (chocolate Hanukkah coins). He even gave us a dreidel to play with. Here are pictures of Ben around our classroom.

Can you find Ben in this picture of our classroom library?

Hint: He's in a very red area of the photograph.

In four more days when we go home for winter break Ben will return to the North Pole to live with Santa until next year. We'll miss Ben!

Reflex Math

2011-12-11T14:46:00.004-05:00

Hey Lipsky Team!

Here's a fun website that will help you improve your math fluency. Fluency, just like in reading, means doing something with ease. So in math it means that you can add and subtract numbers easily, without using your fingers, drawing pictures, or really having to think about it. Just like when you were little and learned to walk, now you don't even have to think about how to put one foot in front of the other!

Go to Reflex Math and click on the launch button in the upper right corner. Type in the username: lipsky and then click on your name. Everyone's password is abc123. Here's an example of when it is teaching you about addition and subtraction fact families.

Practice at home to get faster at adding and subtracting. Later in the year we'll practice our multiplication facts.

What are you thankful for?

2011-11-20T15:23:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving is the time of year when we should reflect on what we are thankful for in our lives. I am very grateful for my family who have always supported and loved me. What are you thankful for and why?

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your families and friends. Get some rest, do some reading, and come back next week ready to work. :)

Life Science

2011-11-15T17:48:00.005-05:00

Hello Scientists!

We've been studying life science since school started. Soon, we'll begin Earth Science, but before that let's review the science topics we've learned about so far. Click on a topic to watch the Brain POP Jr. video. Then come back here and comment with something important that we all need to remember about life science!

username: alachuacounty

password: brainpop

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon

2011-11-04T11:31:00.002-04:00

We began reading "Amber Brown is Not a Crayon" last week. Amber is a third grader (just like us!) who lives in New Jersey. Her best friend is Justin Daniels. She is very messy, do you see her messy desk on the cover?

Click here to play a matching game with the vocabulary words from the book.

Help people and practice your multiplication!

2011-10-16T15:24:00.004-04:00

Lipsky Team, did you know that there are people in this world that do not have enough food to eat? These people are always hungry. You can help them and help yourself practice multiplication!

Click here to practice your multiplication facts. For every correct answer 10 grains of rice are donated to people in need. The more problems you solve correctly the more rice you donate to starving people. Go get practicing! Let us know how many grains of rice you donate!

Vertebrates and Invertebrates

2011-10-16T15:16:00.004-04:00

Watch the BrainPOP on classifying animals. Then take the online quiz. Come back to the blog and let us know if you learned anything new!

Username: alachuacounty

password: brainpop

Classification

2011-10-11T13:13:00.004-04:00

Scientists classify organisms based on characteristics that they can see. We read about classification of vertebrates in science class. The different classifications are: mammal, reptile, amphibian, bird, and fish.

Suppose you were walking on the field at PE and found an organism on the ground. Being curious you wondered what it was. You noticed it had no fur and no legs. What prediction could you make? Why? What other information would you need to know exactly what the organism was?

World's Smallest Monkey

2011-10-02T17:30:00.001-04:00

The Pygmy Marmoset or Dwarf Monkey is a native to the rainforests of western Brazil, southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and northern Bolivia. It is one of the smallest primates, and the smallest true monkey, with its body length ranging from 14 to 16 centimeters (not including the tail that can be 15 to 20 centimeters). Males weigh around 140 grams, and females only 120 grams.

Answer Question by leaving a comment: Is this animal a vertebrate or invertebrate? Explain how you know.

Question of the Week

2011-09-26T07:26:00.002-04:00

Dear third graders,
We are going to start a new tradition on our blog called "Question of the Week." Each week I'll post a question that's just for fun. When you have free time at home or if you come in early you can answer the question.

This week I am wondering, do you have any pets?

Right now I don't. When I was little I had two cats, Pepsi and Smokey. Then we had a rabbit, named Cassidy. Now my parents have a dog, Rowdy who I love to visit in Jacksonville.

What does it mean to be respectful?

2011-09-12T15:44:00.002-04:00

This month Stephen Foster STARs are learning about Respect. We watched this video as a class last week.

Directions: Watch the video again. Choose ONE of the questions below. Then comment with your answer. If there's extra time you can answer another question. Be a STAR!

Questions:
1. What does it mean to be respectful?
2. How can you show respect at school?
3. How can you show respect outside of school?

Happy Summer!

2011-07-21T16:11:00.005-04:00

Hey there almost 4th graders!

How's your summer going? Mine has been good. I just got back from a vacation to Boulder, Colorado. Boulder is 1,700 miles away, so it was a good thing I flew! I went out there with my family for a friend's wedding. We also got to hike and visit the Rocky Mountains! It was beautiful. What fun things have you done during your time off of school?

Here's my family on our way up Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountains. Do you see Rowdy? He loved it!

I hope you are reading some everyday. I stayed up really late last night, because I was enjoying my book so much. I'm going to the library today to get a new one.

I'll be teaching 3rd grade again, so you all know where to find me. Come say, "hi," on August 19th at Meet the Teacher (after you meet your new teacher of course!)

Miss you all. Be safe. Have fun. Keep reading!

Ms. Lipsky

Advice to Future Students

2011-06-07T10:09:00.003-04:00

Here is our advice to future students:

Do your homework. -Laverne
Make sure you read a lot of books and practice your math facts. -Keelin
Pay attention in class and don't mess around. -Amir
Do everything that you have to do to be good in school. -Tyler
Turn in all your homework. -Todarias
Don't lack in study. -Emery
Stop and think!! -Morgan
Don't talk during tests. -Johnnie and Fernando
Don't talk while the teacher is talking. -D'halani
Do not lie. -Jett
Always try your best on the FCAT! -Aaron
Raise your hand. -Morgan
Follow the class and school rules. -Tyler
Don't interrupt the teacher. -Emery
Keep Ms. Lipsky happy. :) -Keelin

Here is a list of books and 3rd grade things we enjoyed and you will too!

Charlotte's Web
www.TickettoRead.com
www.SpellingCity.com
www.VMathLive.com
Flat Stanley
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon
www.fcatexplorer.com
Amber Brown is Not a Crayon
The Giving Tree
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series
Time Capsules
Just Kidding (a book on bullies)
The Greedy Triangle
The Bailey School Kids
LIFE: Plants
Magic School Bus
Too Good for Drugs and Natural High
www.brainpop.com and www.brainpopjr.com
Runny Babbit
German Pen Pals

We had a great year!

Reflecting on Charlotte's Web

2011-06-06T10:29:00.004-04:00

We finished reading Charlotte's Web today and watched the movie. What differences did you notice between the book and the movie?

End of the Year Slideshow

2011-06-05T11:23:00.015-04:00

It's been a great year. We learned a lot and had fun while we were at it. What's one of your favorite memories from third grade?

Have a fabulous summer! Read, read, read! I'll see you around the halls next year kiddos!

Cursive Handwriting

2011-06-04T15:37:00.003-04:00

Hey third graders here is the link to a cool website that shows you how to make cursive letters. Just click on a link below. Practice on your whiteboards.

Cursive Uppercase Letters

Cursive Lowercase Letters

Flat Joe visits Chicago, Illinois

2011-06-04T14:35:00.006-04:00

Hello class!

Yesterday, Flat Joe and I went to Chicago, which is a big city in Illinois. Can you find it on the map? I’ll give you a hint, it’s next to a really big lake!

Chicago is a very neat city, but it is a little scary because the buildings are so big! In fact, the tallest building in the country is in Chicago, and it is called the Sears Tower. We could see the Sears Tower was taller than all the other buildings as we drove in towards the city. But even though the Sears Tower is the tallest, a lot of the other buildings were huge too!

Do you know what Chicago’s nickname is? It’s the Windy City, and I bet you can guess why! The whole time Flat Joe and I were there, it was cold and VERY windy. I had to hold on tight to Flat Joe so he wouldn’t blow away!

There are a lot of cool things to see in Chicago, and they have a lot of sports teams too. Chicago is also famous for their pizza, so guess what Flat Joe and I had for dinner! It was so yummy, I really want to go back and have some more! What do you like on your pizza? I like pepperoni, black olives, and mushrooms, but Flat Joe likes anchovies, pickles, and peanut butter on his pizza—gross!
We had a lot of fun in the Windy City, and we decided if we go back, we will go to the top of the Sears Tower and look around, while we eat our pizza!
Be good,
Joe and Flat Joe

Third Grade Field Day

2011-06-02T11:40:00.003-04:00

What a blast we had this morning at field day! We played capture the flag with Ms. Keating, kickball with Mrs. Womack, spoon and sack race with Mr. Canelas, water race and hula hooping with Ms. Lipsky. Afterwards we all enjoyed two popsicles under the blazing sun.

Tell us, what was your favorite field day event? Why?

Charlotte's Web Novel Study- chapters 10 - 15

2011-05-30T20:20:00.005-04:00

The last time we blogged we knew that Charlotte was going to develop a plan to protect Wilbur from becoming Christmas dinner, and that Wilbur boasted he could do anything and tried to spin a web, but failed.

We have read 6 more chapters of Charlotte's Web. Comment with a brief summary (5-8 sentences) about what's happened in the last 6 chapters.

Skim over the chapters by reading their titles, looking at the illustrations and remembering what they were about. Then comment with your summary.

How to Eat Fried Worms

2011-05-30T19:47:00.002-04:00

In after school tutoring we recently finished reading "How to eat Fried Worms." The book was written by Thomas Rockwell in 1973. It is the story of 10-year-old Billy who makes a bet with his friend Alan that he can eat anything! So Alan bets him $50 to eat 15 worms in 15 days, one worm a day. Billy wins the bet by eating the worms covered in all kinds of sauces and fried.

This book has often been censored and protested because of its content. Some people believe that it is disgusting. It appears on the American Library Association's List of Most Commonly Challenged Books in the U.S. of 1990-2000. It is number 96 on the list. "Most Commonly Challenged" means that many people have argued that it shouldn't be read, shouldn't be in our schools, or in our libraries. What do you think, does How to Eat Fried Worms deserve to be on this list? Give details to support your answer.

More "food" for thought: Shel Silverstein's collection of poems "A Light in the Attic" is also on the list.

Charlotte's Web Novel Study- chapters 6 - 9

2011-05-19T20:28:00.007-04:00

We have been reading a lot recently. Review what we read over the past week by reading these summaries and then answer the questions below.

In Chapter 6, Summer Days, Fern is out of school and visits the farm daily. One day the goslings hatch. Templeton notices that one egg did not hatch. The goose and gander allow Templeton to keep the egg in his collection of weird things. Templeton rolls the dud away into his lair.

In Chapter 7, Bad News, the grouchy sheep tells Wilbur that he will be the Christmas ham once winter comes. Wilbur becomes very upset, but Charlotte tells him that she has a plan and he will not die.

In Chapter 8, A Talk at Home, Fern's parents grow worried about the amount of time she spends at the Zuckerman's farm. When she tells her parents about the conversations the animals have and about Charlotte the spider her mom becomes increasingly nervous. Fern's father however, thinks she just has an active imagination.

In Chapter 9, Wilbur's Boast, Wilbur attempts to spin a web by jumping off the manure pile with a piece of string tied to his tale. Of course he is unable to spin a web, as Charlotte explains, he lacks spinerettes.

Comment with your answers to the following questions. Type complete sentences. (Remember to capitalize and punctuate!)

1. In chapter 6, how many goslings were born? (Right There question)

2. List two character traits for Wilbur. Use story details to explain why these traits are appropriate.

3. List two character traits for Charlotte. Use story details to explain why these traits are appropriate.

Go Green!

2011-05-13T14:01:00.001-04:00

We won most recycling for the month of April!

We are very proud of ourselves for helping to keep Earth healthy.

What are some things you should recycle?

Charlotte's Web Novel Study- chapters 4 and 5

2011-05-13T13:55:00.005-04:00

In chapter four Wilbur wallows in his loneliness all day. It is rainy on the farm, which ruins his plans of digging a hole and napping in the sun. He asks different animals to play with him, but they all turn him down and he is left feeling friendless. Before bedtime a tiny voice says to Wilbur, “I’ll be a friend to you. I’ve watched you all day and I like you.” Wilbur goes to sleep dreaming of his new friend.

In chapter five Wilbur wakes up early. He had a mostly sleepless night because of the excitement of a new friend. The next day he discovers his new friend is Charlotte, the spider that lives in the corner of the doorway. He learns how Charlotte eats bugs that have gotten stuck in her web. She wraps them up with threads of silk and then bites to knock them out. Wilbur feels woozy from the idea of sucking blood from a bug for a meal, but is glad to have a new friend.

After reading the summaries above comment with your answers to the following questions. Type complete sentences.

1. The words friendless and sleepless have the same suffix –less. What does this suffix mean?

2. Reread pages 28-29. Put the characters that Wilbur asks to play with in order from first to last.

3. In chapter five Charlotte speaks to Wilbur and begins by saying, “Salutations!” What does salutations mean?

4. How does Wilbur’s mood change from the beginning of chapter four to the end of chapter five? Use story details in your answer.

Charlotte's Web Novel Study, chapter 2 and 3

2011-05-08T17:24:00.008-04:00

In chapter 2 Fern and Wilbur enjoy their time together. At the end of chapter 2 Fern's father tells her that Wilbur has grown too big and has an appetite too large to be kept in the Arable's yard. Fern sells Wilbur to her Uncle Homer.

In chapter 3 we learn that Fern visits Wilbur at the Zuckerman's farm every day after school. One day when Wilbur was feeling bored and lonesome he took the advise of the goose and nudged his way through the loose board in the fence and scampered out into the orchard. Wilbur was running around following the confusing instructions of all the barnyard animals. Mr. Zuckerman lures him back into the pigpen with a bucket of slops. Wilbur feels happy to be home again.

Comment with your answers to the following questions. Remember to use full sentences.

1. How much did Fern charge her uncle for Wilbur? (Chapter 2)

2. How do you think Fern feels at the end of Chapter 2? Explain.

3. When Fern visits Wilbur at the Zuckerman's farm where does she sit?Why does she sit there? (Chapter 3)

4. What happens when Wilbur escapes?

5. What is different about this photo from the movie than from the information in the book?

Charlotte's Web Novel Study, chapter 1

2011-05-03T20:16:00.003-04:00

In chapter one Fern stops her father from "doing away with" a runt pig. Fern had a strong feeling that killing the pig because it was weak and small was an injustice. Her father agrees to let her keep the pig, as long as she takes on the responsibility of caring for it. She happily agrees and names the pig Wilbur.

Comment with your answers to the following questions. Type your answers in complete sentences.

1. How did Fern find out that her father was going to kill the pig?

2. What example did Fern give her father to prove that killing the pig was an injustice?

3. Why did Fern answer "Wilbur" when the teacher asked her a question?

4. List and explain two character traits that describe Fern.

Field Trip to the Kirby Smith Center

2011-04-26T06:14:00.006-04:00

On Monday the Lipsky Team traveled back in time 100 years to experience life as a student in Gainesville in 1911. Our time machine is out for repairs, so instead we rode in a school bus to the Kirby Smith Center.

The Kirby Smith Center was originally built in 1900 as a public graded (elementary) and high school. It served as a school for 80 years and then became the School Board of Alachua County headquarters. It retains an original classroom from those early days for students to discover what life was like back in those days.

While back in time the girls got to wear pinafores, and the boys wore suspenders and collars. We went by old-fashion names such as, Hiram, Ezra, Amos, Ruth, and Grace. We read from a "Level 3 Reader" that was published in 1897. We practiced writing our new names in script on slate with chalk. Our school marm, Mrs. Smith, taught us about life in the early 1900s. And then students were split into groups to act as detectives and discover information about life in Gainesville over 100 years ago.

We had a great time! What was your favorite part?

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-22T06:21:00.003-04:00

Our school decorated brown grocery bags with Earth Day messages. The grocery bags were borrowed from Publix and will be returned so that shoppers requesting "paper" will receive one of our bags and messages. Take a look at the Lipsky Team's Earth Day Bags below.

The idea came from www.EarthDayBags.org. Lipsky Team if you could give the world one message on Earth Day, what would it be?

Mmm mmm rutabaga!

2011-03-23T18:42:00.003-04:00

Today we learned that rutabaga is not just a fun word to say, but also a yummy snack! The best tastes were rutabaga raw dipped in ranch like carrot sticks, and the yummy rutabaga chips. Raise your hand if you liked the rutabaga!

We are Gardeners!

2011-03-23T07:23:00.010-04:00

Our class finally harvested vegetables from our garden. Check out our ENORMOUS rutabaga! We grew two and enjoyed one raw dipped in ranch dressing and one baked like French fries and chips! Our carrots didn't do as well, and we didn't harvest our radishes early enough to enjoy them. We recently planted Lima bean seeds and have been making careful observations every day. They have not sprouted yet, but we are anxiously awaiting the sight of tiny buds.

Meet the Real Joe

2011-02-21T20:59:00.005-05:00

Over Thanksgiving Break Ms. Lipsky visited with her friend Joe, and Flat Joe. Here's a photo from that visit. We're all happy because we're full of turkey and mashed potatoes!

Celebrating the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2011-02-07T17:18:00.006-05:00

After we learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we learned poems that tell about his life.

Field Trip to the Thomas Center

2011-02-05T21:55:00.005-05:00

On Thursday, we visited the Historic Thomas Center to learn more about the history of Gainesville. Construction began on the Thomas Center in 1906 and was completed in 1910. It was named "Sunkist Villa" and Major Thomas and his family moved in on February 9, 1910. On that day the youngest of the five Thomas children, Margaret, was born.

The Thomas family made Sunkist Villa their home for 15 years. The large estate had 21 rooms and 12 fireplaces all made from terra cotta. We saw five of the fireplaces while we were there. In the 1920s Major Thomas decided to convert the home into a hotel. They added on another building, creating 94 guest rooms, three dining rooms, and four lounges for guests to enjoy.

The Thomas family sold the property in 1968, and its new owners leased it to Santa Fe Community College for seven years. The city of Gainesville purchased it in 1974 and it now houses art galleries, and government offices.

When we toured the Thomas Center the docent told us the stories that Margaret Thomas had told her about growing up there. We saw an example of a 1920s living room, and got to hear a record play on a phonograph. We saw a replica, or a copy, of Major Thomas's bedroom. We had to be careful walking around the Thomas Center because it had many antiques, such as an old telephone, typewriter, camera, binoculars, and piano.

Due to stormy weather we didn't get to go on a walking tour of the surrounding neighborhood, however the weather didn't rain on our parade. We walked around the art galleries inside. And the boys got to try on collars, bow ties, and arm bands, and the girls enjoyed fanning themselves, wearing necklaces, and clutching hand bags.

After reading about our field trip comment with your answers to the following questions:

(Remember to go back and reread parts of the story to search for answers.)

1. What was the original name of the Thomas Center?

2. When was Margaret Thomas born?

3. How did the Thomas home change when it became a hotel?

4. What happened AFTER the Thomas Center was a hotel, but BEFORE it became a building with art galleries and government offices?

5. Why did we have to be careful while walking around the Thomas Center?

6. Read this sentence from the passage, "Due to stormy weather we didn't get to go on a walking tour of the surrounding neighborhood, however the weather didn't rain on our parade." What does rain on our parade mean?

Flat Joe visits Macon, Georgia

2011-01-20T19:35:00.000-05:00

Hi, Ms. Lipsky’s class!

Yesterday, Flat Joe and I went to Macon, Georgia! Macon is actually not too far from Gainesville, about a four-hour drive. Flat Joe and I both really wanted to come down to visit you all, but we didn’t have time in our schedule, sorry!

Macon is a great town, and the weather was beautiful! Unfortunately, I was sick during this trip, but Flat Joe made me take him around the town, at least a little bit. We saw their cool downtown area, and Macon City Hall. City Hall is where the town or city takes care of all the work that goes in to running itself. Every city has one, but Macon’s is an especially nice building. Do you know where the Gainesville City Hall is? Can you name some of the work that gets taken care of at a City Hall?

After a while, I had to go drink a lot of orange juice and take a nap, because that is the best way to make yourself feel better when you are sick. While I was sleeping, Flat Joe got into some mischief—he took my walkie-talkie and started calling people on it! Flat Joe can be so silly sometimes.

Even though I was sick, Flat Joe and I still had a good time in Macon. You should visit it sometime too!

Best wishes,

Joe and Flat Joe

Flat Joe visit Portsmouth, New Hampshire

2011-01-10T19:19:00.000-05:00

Hey class!

Today, Flat Joe and I went all the way up to New Hampshire! We visited a nice little town called Portsmouth. Portsmouth is a town that’s next to a river, and on the other side of the river is the state of Maine. Can you find New Hampshire and Maine on the map?

New Hampshire and Maine are part of what is called “New England”. Way back in time, even before George Washington was around, the English came to this part of the country and settled it. That’s why they called it New England. Because it is so old, the buildings are really old too, much older than most of the buildings in Gainesville.

Anyway, it gets cold in New Hampshire! Flat Joe and I walked around to see all the old buildings and look at the water, it was all very pretty. But then it got cold, so we went back inside and warmed up.

It was fun visiting New Hampshire, but Flat Joe and I decided if we ever go back, it will be during the summer!

Take care,

Joe and Flat Joe

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-25T15:31:00.002-05:00

I hope all the 3rd grade stars are having a wonderful holiday season! Are you spending time with family and friends? Have you read any good books? Remember your book report is due January 4th! See you all in 2011!

November Reminders

2010-11-15T06:54:00.000-05:00

Field trip forms for "A Christmas Carol" at the Hippodrome and the $4 are due this week. The field trip is December 7.
The Scholastic Book Fair will be set up all week in the auditorium. Come check it out before or after school for great deals! Proceeds benefit our school.
There will be no school on November 24, 25, and 26 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Enjoy the time with your family!

Call, email, comment below, or stop by the room with any questions! Thank you!

Ms. Lipsky

Flat Joe in New York City

2010-11-14T20:25:00.007-05:00

Hi class!

Flat Joe and I just got back from New York City! It’s a very cool city, and we made the best of the little time we had.

Because the weather was bad, our flight got cancelled, so Flat Joe and I hopped on the train. The train goes slower than the airplane, but rain doesn’t slow it down. Plus, Flat Joe got to look out the window and see things as we passed by them!

Did you know New York City has more people living in it than any other city in the United States? It is a very big and very busy city, and what makes it so much fun is that all sorts of different people live there. And those people come from different countries, speak different languages, and make different food. Flat Joe and I ate at a Thai restaurant, which makes Asian food. And guess who we ran into? My friend Eric, who is a kindergarten teacher in New York City, and a big Gator fan!

We only had a little bit of time, but Flat Joe and I managed to get to see Times Square, the busiest part of the city. It has buildings that are 100 stories tall, like the Empire State Building, bright signs, and so many people! We got back to our hotel on the subway, which is an underground train that goes all over the city. Grand Central Station is one of the busiest, most crowded places in the world, and we were there!

The weather was not very good, but we had a fun time in New York City. Hopefully it will be sunny at the next place we go!

--Joe and Flat Joe

What are you thankful for?

2010-11-14T15:18:00.013-05:00

Thanksgiving is in 2 weeks. We should thank the people who help us everyday, but now is the time of year where we think about what we are most thankful for. You should think about who you want to thank for helping you in the past year and caring about you. You might even want to write them a thank you card or poem!

I am very thankful for my family, my friends, my co-workers, my students, my rights as an American and the soldiers that protect those rights, and the wonderful experiences I have been able to have over the past year.

What and who are you thankful for?

Flat Joe in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2010-11-07T20:54:00.006-05:00

Hi Ms. Lipsky’s class! Today Flat Joe and I went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for another adventure! The weather wasn’t great, but we still made sure to get out and around town. While I was working, Flat Joe checked out our hotel. When I finished I met him in the lobby and we went out exploring.

Neither of us knew much about Milwaukee, so we just walked around looking for cool things. We saw a big, funny looking building so we went to check it out. It’s the Milwaukee Museum of Art, where they put all the paintings and sculptures. Who in the class is good at art? If they get REALLY good, they might put their stuff up at the museum so everyone can see it!

When we flew in, I noticed that we were close to a big lake, but I didn’t know what it was called or how big it was. I found out it’s called Lake Michigan, and it is one of the Great Lakes! There are five of them total, can you name the rest of them? So we walked around until we found the lake, it didn’t take long. And guess what we found? An old sailing ship! I hope there are not any pirates around!

Flat Joe sure knows how to find cool places! He found a place called Discovery World, another museum where students just like you go and play with science experiments and stuff like that! We didn’t have time to go inside, but Flat Joe wanted me to get a picture of him with the cool spinning tops outside. Then he found the Milwaukee County Court House, which is very old and, as you can see, very big. Do you know who works at a court house and what they do there?

After a little while it was getting late and we had to come back to Washington, DC, but we had a really fun time in Milwaukee. Both Flat Joe and I hope we get to go back there someday! Take care and be good, class!

--Joe and Flat Joe

Practicing multiplication... feeds people?

2010-11-01T06:50:00.005-04:00

Lipsky Team click this link to practice your multiplication and donate rice to hungry people in need.

Comment and let us know how much rice you've donated!

What's the Matter?

2010-10-10T12:20:00.003-04:00

In science class, we've been learning about matter. Watch the Brain POP Jr. movie on matter to review what you know. Then take the quiz and let us know your score. Pay attention and watch it twice if necessary!

(Remember the log-in: alachuacounty_6 and password: brainpop)

Mount Rushmore

2010-09-29T16:48:00.007-04:00

Do you recognize that famous memorial? It's Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota. It memorializes four of America's past presidents. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Ms. Lipsky's parents (and Rowdy) are on a cross-country road trip and Mr. Lipsky snapped this picture of UF's mascot Albert with the memorial. The Gator Nation is everywhere. CHOMP!

Flat Joe- Seattle, Washington

2010-09-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

Hello from Seattle, class!

Flat Joe and I got to Seattle yesterday after a very long flight. After checking into our hotel, Flat Joe wanted to see what Seattle was all about.

Seattle is in the state of Washington, can you find it on a map? Seattle is a very cool city, and we are having fun exploring it! First we went to the Space Needle, which as you can see is very tall. There’s a restaurant at the top that spins very slowly so you can see all of Seattle!

Then we wandered down to the Pike Place fish market. It’s where they bring the fish in straight from the ocean and sell them right there! There are also shops and restaurants with great views of the harbor. Flat Joe really likes fish and seafood!

Do you know what famous coffee company started in Seattle? It’s Starbucks, where I went to get some coffee. Flat Joe is too young for coffee, but when I wasn’t looking, he drank some! Then he was bouncing off the walls of the hotel room—coffee makes you hyper!

The next day, I had to do some work, and Flat Joe stayed at the hotel. He made himself very comfortable, lying around in a robe watching TV—it was a real vacation for Flat Joe! Seattle is known for being a very rainy city, but it only rained on one day while we were there. Still, you can see from the pictures how gray and dreary the weather is.

Seattle is a great city, and we have both had a lot of fun, but we have to go back to Washington, D.C. tomorrow. Who knows where our next adventure will take us?

--Joe and Flat Joe

Watch the Featured BrainPOP

2010-09-21T16:46:00.001-04:00

Comment with your thoughts.

Main Idea and Supporting Details

2010-09-21T16:39:00.005-04:00

Read the "Flat Joe Goes to Washington, DC" post below. When you have finished come back to this post and keep reading.

The main idea of that post is that Flat Joe enjoyed visiting Washington, DC. Comment with TWO supporting details that show the reader that Flat Joe enjoyed visiting Washington, DC.

Flat Joe Goes to Washington, D.C.

2010-09-16T18:41:00.001-04:00

Hey class, this is Joe! First of all, thank you all for your letters, they were very nice! My new buddy, Flat Joe, told me he wanted to keep in touch with you guys, so I’ll be using your class blog to tell you about our adventures!

When Flat Joe got to my apartment, he was eager to stretch his legs, so we went walking around Washington, D.C. First, we went to the Executive Office Building, where a lot of President Obama’s workers work. Flat Joe said it looks like a castle!

Flat Joe said he wanted to see where President Obama lived, so we walked next door to the White House. Did you know the White House has 132 rooms? And 35 bathrooms! That’s a big house…

Then, Flat Joe saw a big pointy thing, so we walked to it. It was the Washington Monument, which is 125 years old! It is also 555 feet tall, which is bigger than 3 of the UF Century Towers stacked on top of each other! Can you guess who the Washington Monument is named after?

After seeing a few more sights, we had to get to bed before our big trip to Seattle. Flat Joe was so tired from our adventure, I had to wake him up in the morning so we didn’t miss our airplane!

Flat Joe slid into my folder for the trip, he said it was nice and cozy. Even though he really liked Washington, D.C., Flat Joe and I were both looking forward to our next adventure in Seattle!

Flat Joe and I will send our next post from Seattle, Washington. Talk to you guys later!

-Joe and Flat Joe

Flat Joe

2010-09-02T20:56:00.018-04:00

Our class is reading Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. Flat Stanley is the story of a boy who is flattened by his bulletin board in his sleep. Fortunately, Stanley is fine, but is now completely flat! He soon discovers that being flat has its advantages. He can slide under closed doors and be mailed in envelopes to visit friends who live faraway.

Our class made a "Flat Joe" who is on an airplane right now headed to Washington, D.C. to stay with my friend Joe for the school year. Joe's job requires him to travel A LOT and he has offered to act as Flat Joe's chaperone and take him all over the country. We will be able to follow Flat Joe's adventures through this blog.

I took some pictures of Flat Joe before he left. He enjoyed spending time in our classroom reading a book from the Flat Stanley series on our comfortable bean bag chair. Then he spent some time looking at our wall map and contemplating where he might like to visit. At the post office he wanted a picture in front of the sign and I took one more before I helped him slide into his Overnight Envelope. You can tell he was a little nervous at this point, but he had sweet letters written by the students to accompany him.

Oh and I did laminate him before he left. He said he didn't mind since he was already flat and that he actually preferred it because now he's waterproof and didn't need to pack his raincoat!

A furry visitor in the classroom!

2010-08-18T15:45:00.003-04:00

Hello 3rd grade stars! I can't wait to meet you this Friday and begin school on Monday. I've been working hard to get our classroom ready for your arrival. Here's a sneak peek of our classroom. That furry little dog's name is Rowdy. He is my parents' daschund and lives in Jacksonville.

Important Dates

2010-06-14T21:01:00.002-04:00

Meet the Teacher: August 20, 12:00 - 2:00 pm
First Day: August 23, 7:45 am

I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer! Remember to read. :)