Classy Clauses!

Mrs. Ranney's students have learned that one clever way to add class to your writing is to use a 
variety of sentence types!

One type that we have learned to write is a sentence that starts with a dependent clause.

Dependent clauses start with special words:

After, Before, Since, While, When, If, During.

 A dependent clause ends with a comma and cannot stand alone as a sentence. It must be followed by an independent clause, which is a sentence that can stand alone!

Here are some excellent examples of sentences with dependent clauses, written by students in our class:

When Ramona and Beezus were cross at their parents for making tongue for dinner, their parents told them that they had to make dinner for the family the next night. (by Carly)

When Molly paid scant attention to her mother's directions, she was very cross. (by Leah)

Since my black lab, Hopscotch, is still a mischievous puppy, she is always causing terrible calamities like jumping on strange, new people! (by Jamie)

After Hurricane Katrina was over, scientists figured out that fixing the ruins caused by the calamity would cost 81 billion dollars. 

(by Justin)

If we succeeded in building a toy car, we would win 

an outstanding prize.

(by Shawn)

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Since we are working on sentences with dependent clauses, please submit a comment that includes 

two sentences with dependent clauses.

(Use html code to bold your spelling words and any other high level words that you'd like to give special attention to.)

Today you may choose two of the following words: echoed, nuisance, quarrel, or stunned for your paperless homework today! 

Flaunt Your Funny, Frivolous, Fabulous Fads!

Currently, Mrs. Ranney's Class is reading

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 

by

the wonderful, well-known author, Beverly Cleary.

We have just finished reading hilarious Chapter 3, "The Hard-Boiled Egg Fad!"

In this chapter, Ramona and all her third grade buddies are having fun with the latest fad: packing a hard-boiled egg in their lunches each day.  The fad isn't just about eating a hard-boiled egg, however! It's really all about cracking it on your head before you peel it!

  Some of the kids use the timid "rap-rap-rap" method.  Others, like Ramona, 

like to show-off with one big  "whack" to the head!

The fad is not so much fun anymore for Ramona, when she finds that the egg 

she thought was hard-boiled was really raw! Boy, how humiliating!

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A fad is something that is very popular for a short time,

and fads can be a lot of fun! Fads often involve fashion, an activity, or some kind of toy or trinket.

In your comment, tell us about a fad that you know about.

What is popular right now? What has been popular in the past?

Family members and friends, this is a great post for you to get involved in! Tell us about fads that were popular 

when you were young!

April 12: National Drop Everything and Read Day!

Happy 95th Birthday, Beverly Cleary!

Different covers...same story!

 In class, we started reading one of Beverly Cleary's books called Ramona Quimby, Age 8 . In chapter two, Ramona's teacher, Mrs. Whaley,  introduces D.E.A.R time to her third graders. During this daily thirty minute period, students are allowed to read anything they like. 

To honor Beverly Cleary's birthday, April 12 is officially called National 

Drop Everything And Read 
Day!

Throughout the day in Mrs. Ranney's class, students will be dropping everything and reading. Many students are bringing special books to read during our D.E.A.R. time!

Here is an interview of the incredible Mrs. Cleary. She explains how she became a writer and where she gets ideas about her characters. 

Here is a trivia game about Ramona and her friends on Klickitat Street!

Which books have you read by Beverly Cleary? Please share a favorite part!

Who is your favorite character and why? 

Please share some facts you learned about Beverly Cleary from the hyperlinks!

Biographical Bonanza!

A biography is a true story about a person's life.

Mrs. Ranney's Class is currently reading biographies about

people who have made significant contributions to our world!

Artists, inventors, statesman, composers, doctors,

aviators, astronauts, and pioneers in many fields 

are among the amazing historical figures about whom we are reading!

We are each reading a library book, as well as doing research using
World Book Online.


 

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After reading about your biography subject,
please leave  a comment as if you are that person!

Be sure to include a few facts you learned from your library book or the online encyclopedia.

DO NOT PLAGIARIZE! (Use your own words!)

Watch the comments to see if you can converse with another biography subject you may know!

(Family members: You may want to choose your own biography subject and join in the conversation!)

The Flute Puts the Fun in Fun Friday!

Recently Mrs. Ranney's Class had a special treat for Fun Friday:

A flute recital by Mikayla!

Not only did we enjoy listening to the music she played for us,
we learned a little about the flute as well!

Mikayla showed us how to hold the flute.

She told us she has been playing for 8 months and practices about 4 times a week.

We looked at the music to the tunes she played for us.

Please enjoy the music as much as we did by watching the video below!

When she was all finished, she showed how to clean the flute...

and pack it up!

Thanks so much, Mikayla!

************

What did you enjoy most about Mikayla's flute recital?

If you play a musical instrument too, 

share something about it with us!

Poppa's New Pants!

This week Mrs. Ranney's class is reading Poppa's New Pants by Angela Shelf Medearis. 

This humorous story has many similes and tons of hyperbole. (hi • per • bo •lee) 

Hyperbole is when a writer exaggerates to make a point. 

The story is part of the Smart Solutions Unit. In the story, Poppa buys a brand new pair of pants. Unfortunately, they are too long and need to be hemmed. He asks his relatives who are staying at the house to mend them, but they are all too tired for the task.

The problem gets solved in a way that will leave you laughing like a hyena!


Listen to the story here! 

We cut  a pair of pants out of paper to recreate the story. 

The pants were as long as a table cloth!

In the story, some strange things happened during the night. George, Pappa's grandson, is sleeping in the kitchen because the relatives are using his bed. Throughout the night, George hears strange noises and sees ghostly shapes in the dark kitchen. He balls up like an armadillo he is so frightened!

By morning, it is revealed that Poppa's new pants got shortened!

Below, we recreated the story!

A "ghost" came and measured six inches, drew a line...

 and snip, snip, snip!

 Then the pants were perfectly hemmed!

A second "ghost" took the pants, measured off six inches...

 and Snip! Snip! Snip!

Then added a hem!

 The final helpful "ghost" took the pants, measured off six inches,

 Snip! Snip! Snip!

And, again, added a hem!

 In the end, the pants were too short for Poppa!

 However, they were just right for George!




*************

Can you explain what happened?

Who were those "ghosts" during the night?

What was your favorite simile or hyperbole from the story?

A Landmark Day: Learning with Laptops!

This week Mrs. Ranney's class is very fortunate!

The fifth graders are at Outdoor Education.

Now, why is that  lucky for Mrs. Ranney and her students?

They were able to use the fourth/fifth grade laptops!

Here's how we used them:

First, we each composed a blog comment in word. 

 That way we were able to use the spelling and grammar check tools!

 After proofreading, we copied and pasted our comments into the comment box on a blog.

 Some of us commented to our Quad Blogging Buddies in Mrs. Watson's Class.

Others commented on our Skyping with Mr. Avery or Family Blogging Month posts.

 After blogging, we practiced this week's vocabulary by playing the "Poppa's New Pants" eword game.

Then it was on to IXL to work on new skills with decimals!

If we completed our work on IXL, we were able to choose other links to explore.

Some of us chose Grammar Ninja!

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What did you think about this experience?

What did you enjoy most about using the laptops?

What useful sites or applications could we use if we can get them again? 

Let's Meet Our Blogging Buddies: Mrs. Watson's Class in Canada!

Mrs. Ranney's class enjoys sharing and learning 

with other classes around the world. 

This year, they are QUAD buddies with three other classes!

 

 

Mrs. Ranney's Classroom Blog 3rd Grade California, USA 

(March 7th-13th)

Mr. Avery’s Classroom Blog 4th Grade Massachusetts, USA 

(March 14-20th)

3DD Classroom Blog Grade 3 Australia (March 28th-April 3rd)

Mrs. Watson's 2/3 Class British Columbia, Canada (April 4-10)

The concept is  four blogging classes come together and learn about one another one week at a time. 

This alliance will help each class increase learning more about the wonderful world we live in.

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This week, let's meet Mrs. Watson's 2/3 class in British Columbia, Canada!

Head on over to Mrs. Watson's Class to learn about them 

and leave a comment!

To leave a comment, look for the comment count 
at the top of any post. 
Click on it, and you can leave a comment of your own.

Be sure to say that you are from Mrs. Ranney's Class!

Join Us for Family Blogging Month!

 

Mrs. Ranney and her students ♥ to share what they are 

learning and experiencing.

In an effort to include more family members in our online community, we are proclaiming:

April is Family Blogging Month!

Make a list of your family members. After looking through the archive, select  posts that you think each relative will be especially interested in.

Let's invite everyone to comment: moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandmas, 

grandpas, uncles, aunts, and cousins. We welcome friends, too!

Students will be inviting their family and friends to participate in a conversation! 
Maybe we'll get some 2-point comments!

We'll be looking for:

• Great content: specific details, compliments, connections, and questions
• Proper format: greeting, closing, topic sentence, conclusion
• Correct use of conventions: spelling, punctuation, capitalization

What do you think of our idea?

Who have you invited to be a part of our online community?

Please leave a comment and introduce yourself!