Structures and Materials

A tennis shoe is a structure. It holds our foot securely, so we can walk or run. A bicycle is a structure. It has a certain shape and size. It is built securely so we can sit on it and it can take us places. Learning about structures can be LOADs of fun!!!

Students will look at structures in our NATURAL environment, as well as MAN MADE structures. 

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most famous structures in Italy. 

Learn about why it leans, as well as famous landmarks:

  

Through interactive Google Slides, students will experiment and learn about:

• The STRENGTH of a structure is its ability to hold a load.
• The STABILITY of a structure is its ability to maintain balance and to stay in one spot. 
• The PROPERTIES of materials, such as STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, and DURABILITY, need to be considered when building materials. 
• The TYPES of structures, such as FRAME, SOLID, and SHELL.
• FORCES that affect the shape, balance, or position of structures.
• STRUTS and TIES which help strengthen and stabilize structures.

If you are looking for fun ways to teach Structures and Materials, whether face-to-face or digital, this resource is for you.

Mapping Skills

This year is certainly different! I have been teaching grade three online since September! I have been busy creating digital resources for my students!

Our current social students unit is looking at different representations of Earth. Even though many of us view maps on phone apps, students still need good map skills. Fortunately, the concepts are applicable for apply for virtual and paper maps.

1. Share map books.

    Epic has many great books that I have shared.

2. Map out fairy tales.

Read a familiar fairy tale. Design a simple map of the main character’s travels. This is a cute way to help young minds explore map skills. 

3. Map your bedroom or yard.

Turn students into junior cartographers! Students draw a room in their house or their background from a variety of perspectives, such as an aerial view and a map view. 

4. Play Battleship

The online Battleship game helps students learn grid coordinates.

5. Go on a satellite scavenger hunt.

Google Maps and Google Earth provide many opportunities for a scavenger hunt. Familiarize students with satellite images, so they can find their own house and world landmarks.  Look at satellite and street views!

If you are interested in learning more, please visit my resource, Mapping Skills. Perfect for distance learning, this social studies resource includes Google Slides™ to teach students about various representations of Earth. This interactive resource helps students understand different representations of Earth, such as maps, globes, aerial photos, and satellite images, as well as geographical concepts that help define and identify places on the earth.