3rd Grade

updated 06/15/2026

3rd Grade GATE - Spring 2026 Highlights

Our 3rd Grade GATE students had an exciting spring filled with STEAM exploration, engineering challenges, research, and creative problem-solving!

2nd and 3rd Grade GATE Convocation: A Celebration of STEAM We started the spring with our 2nd and 3rd Grade GATE Convocation, led by our amazing 8th Grade GATE students, who planned and facilitated interactive workshops for our younger learners. The day was filled with opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering, art, math, and creativity.

In Morning Mindfulness, students learned strategies for mindfulness, relaxation, and focusing their minds to prepare for learning. In The Science of Sound, students explored how sound travels, learning about vibrations, pitch, and how inventors, like Alexander Graham Bell, have used sound throughout history.  Students then applied their learning by creating their own pitch pipes and drums to investigate how different materials create different sounds. 

During Creative Writing, students used their imaginations to develop original characters by thinking about personality traits, character details, and storytelling elements, then brought their characters to life through puppet-making. In Pixel Art, students explored the connection between art and technology by creating digital designs and learning how individual pixels work together to form a complete image. In American Sign Language, students learned about another form of communication by practicing ASL and discovering how people connect and share ideas in different ways.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving After the Convocation, 3rd graders continued developing their critical thinking skills through challenging logic puzzles, math investigations, and problem-solving activities, practicing how to look for patterns, test strategies, and think creatively to solve complex problems.

Natural Disasters and Engineering Solutions Our final unit of the spring focused on natural disasters and the engineering solutions designed to address them. Students explored different types of natural disasters, including hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and other extreme weather events, learning about the science behind these events, their impact on communities, and how engineers design solutions to help keep people safe.

Students participated in several hands-on investigations. In Hurricane Condos, they explored how engineers design structures to withstand strong winds, designing and testing buildings while considering stability, materials, and survivability in hurricane conditions. In Earthquake Towers, they investigated how buildings can be designed to withstand movement caused by earthquakes, testing different structures and learning about the importance of strong foundations and flexible designs. And in Flood Barriers, they examined how communities protect themselves from flooding, designing and testing barriers to discover which materials and structures were most effective at controlling water.

After completing their engineering investigations, students selected a natural disaster to research in greater depth. They gathered information about its causes, effects, locations, safety precautions, and ways communities prepare for these events,.  After completing their research, students created infographics that combined research, facts, visuals, and design elements to teach others about their natural disaster.  

NJCGTP Snowman Challenge We also celebrated the results of the "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" Challenge. We are incredibly proud to announce that Oliver was selected as a finalist for his creation, "Mayor Oliver of Fair Haven." Oliver designed his snowman using recycled sports balls and demonstrated the pillar of citizenship through leadership, responsibility, and community involvement. Congratulations to Oliver on this amazing accomplishment!

We are so proud of all the submissions from all our Third Grade GATE students. Students who participated in the Snowman Challenge showed outstanding creativity, teamwork, and dedication, and received certificates recognizing their hard work.

The First Annual Gifty Awards We ended the spring with our First Annual Gifty Awards, created by Mrs. Ganley to celebrate each student's unique gifts, strengths, and talents. Every student received a personalized award recognizing what makes them special as a learner and member of the GATE community.

To celebrate another wonderful year in GATE, students received a special snowflake rubber duck in for their participation in the Snowman Challenge.  They also received a collectible GATE duck. Students can continue collecting a new duck each year they participate in the program!

Thank you for an incredible year of innovation, creativity, and discovery. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer and cannot wait for more GATE adventures next year!