As we get closer to the end of the year, there are a number of permission forms for field trips that need signing.

 Please check backpacks and get them sent back as soon as possible!!

The field trip yesterday to Leonard's Mills was fabulous!  It was pretty buggy, but the kids were troopers and didn't let it take away from the fun.  Some of the highlights were the fish ladder, where the kids were catching and releasing alewives in big nets, sometimes they caught 5 at a time! There were "old-timey"games, crafts and a lot of learning more about Maine logging history, especially the the Lombard Log Hauler.  As one student put it, " I guess people were pretty smart back then."  I guess she was right.





Many thanks to our wonderful parent volunteers, the trip was so much more fun and interactive with all of you there to support our class.

I hope you all have been able to spend more time outside than inside this weekend!  Spring is a very busy time in and out of school, so there are a lot of things coming up.


Wednesday, May 24 - Day long Field Trip to Leonard's Mills
       If you have not returned the permission slip yet for this trip, please do so as as soon as possible!!  I am still missing a few. Some important notes for this trip - we will be gone the whole school day, and will be outside for about 6 hours.  We will be going no matter what the weather is, so if it looks like rain, send their rain gear as well.  Right now, the forecast is calling for a chance of showers, but keep your fingers crossed for a pleasant day.

Please send your student to school this Wednesday with sunscreen on, and already sprayed with bug spray, wearing sneakers.    Because it has been so wet, it is likely to be very buggy there, and this is also a bad year for ticks.

Wednesday, May 31 -  Tour of Old Town Field Trip
Permission slips and more information are coming home this week. Please sign the permission form and get them back ASAP!

Wednesday, May 31 - The OTES Annual Pancake Breakfast is coming up!  The breakfast is open to all families and is FREE!  Please come on May 31st from 7:00-8:30am and enjoy bacon, eggs, fruit, juice, and coffee.  This wonderful breakfast is sponsored by our OTES PTC

Tuesday, June 13 - Old Town Airport/Forestry/OT Museum Field Trip
details and permission slip to come.


Last Friday was World of Work Day at OTES, and the Third Grade had a busy morning learning about the Arts from the Next Generation Theater. We also learned what it takes to be a chef, a TV reporter, a TV cameraman, a Hair Stylist, and a Wildlife Management professional.  Many thanks to our presenters, and to Mrs.Wilcox for organizing this eye-opening day!

     Please be aware that my email has changed.  It will be susanne.white@rsu34.org.  I am not sure if this is a permanent change, but for now, if you need to contact me via email please send it to this address. 
     If you have any urgent dismissal changes during the school day, please call the office and speak to Kathy Rivers and she will get the message to me.  

We have some catching up to do!  We have been busy in our classroom.  

We have a fish tank in our room, and the students are very good at seeing that they get what they need.  Recently, there was great excitement because our guppies have had babies! We have a few pairs up for adoption.  If your child would like to bring a pair home, please contact me and we can make arrangements for their safe travel to your home.  No fish will go home on the bus. 
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Coming up this Wednesday, April 26 is our Science Night at OTES.  Please join us in this fun night.  There will lots of fun things to see - robotics, rocket launching, and a helicopter landing on our playground, just to name a few. Here is the link for more information: 
 https://drive.google.com/a/rsu34.k12.me.us/file/d/0B_OurziqKOQsbXpsQzRGUXlBNUk/view?usp=sharing

Hope to see you all there! 

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Our field trip to the University of Maine's Maple Sugar operation was great!  The students learned so much about Maple Syrup making, and got to sample some of the new product, hot out of the boiler!

The bus ride over was fun too! 

Using power tools!  Ask your students why you have to be careful where you drill multiple holes in sugar maple trees!

using power tools!

 Peering into the inner workings of Maple Sugar making!

A Maple sugar expert

Different grades of Maple Syrup, all equally delicious.

Glad they allowed cats on the property

The calendar said this was a spring day in Maine, but the snow and frigid temps told a different story.

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Some other things we have been up to are finishing up our Junior Achievement Unit.  We have been studying our community, as well as financial literacy, business and city building.

Building 3 dimensional buildings and building our city, putting the different buildings where they belong in the zones.

Designing a diner with classmates, there are lots of money decisions to make when you're a business owner! 

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Dress as your favorite book character was a fun day! 

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One of the STEM activities we have done recently was the third grade Lego Robotics build - the Dancing Birds!  Some fabulous students from Mrs. Daniel's classroom joined us and were excellent peer coaches. They know their stuff, and the third graders loved learning with them.

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We have begun studying fractions in math, lots of hands-on activities help understand this sometimes tricky topic! 

I think he likes fractions! 

 That smile says fractions are awesome!

This beautiful spring door decoration took lots of math skills. Each flower is 5 fraction problems solved!  

Have a great week! 

Please do not forget that we are going on a field trip tomorrow, 3/22/17!!!  There are a number of students I am waiting for permission slips for, so please bring them in the morning!  If you have lost the slip at home, please write a note giving permission for your son or daughter to go to the University of Maine Sugar Shack.

Dress very warmly, and wear boots because we will be in the woods and outdoors for a good part of this fun trip!  It is not supposed to be very warm tomorrow. 

                                Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Thank you so much to Christian's Mimi (the fabulous Mrs. Karin Randall), who sent in yet another special treat for this green-themed St. Patrick's Day holiday!  We really appreciate you thinking of us!   

 There are lots of important events coming up next week at OTES!  

Monday, March 20 is our class' turn to shop at the Book Fair!  Wishlists your student made out on our preview day went home in backpacks, so please look for them if you have not already done so.
     The Book Fair will be open 7-3 from Monday, March 20 to Wednesday March 22. There is a family night as well! On March 21 the Book Fair will have extended hours from 3-7pm. 
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Weather permitting, on March 22 we will be visiting the Sugar Shack at the University of Maine to learn more about Maple Syrup making. Please send your child with appropriate clothing for being outside in the cold, and they must be wearing boots to take part in this fun field trip, since we will be spending time in the woods in the deep snow.  If the weather does not cooperate we will reschedule it for the following week. Please sign and return the permission form that will be sent home today! 
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Report Cards come home March 17, please take a look and see all the successes your student has had during the second trimester!        Please sign and return the envelope!
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The weather is unpredictable at this time of year, so please keep sending winter gear in with your child, even if it looks like it may not be needed. If it warms up, we'll leave the gear inside. We go outside every single day that it is above 10 degrees and not raining, so it makes for an uncomfortable recess if you didn't bring something warm to wear.
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If you are looking to contribute to your children's school, our classroom can always use these supplies:  We are in need of tissues, pencils, snacks - such as bags of animal crackers or pretzels, inexpensive earbuds, and paper towels!