Grade 3 classrooms took on the look and feel of busy auto repair shops recently, as students traded pencils for “tools” and stepped into the role of mechanics to fine-tune their writing skills.

Led by grade 3 teachers including Penny Mateer, Ashley Tyus, Alyssa Sandoval with co-teacher Savannah Paxton, the classroom desks were transformed into themed workstations with names like “Punctuation Pit Stop,” “Capitalization Carburetor,” “Run-On Radiator,” “Apostrophe Axle” and “Quotation Quick Fix.” At each station, students rotated through hands-on activities designed to help them identify and repair common writing errors.

The lesson challenged grade 3 students to “fix” sentences by correcting punctuation, capitalization and grammar mistakes, reinforcing their understanding of language conventions in an interactive way.

According to Mrs. Mateer, the approach emphasized collaboration, problem-solving and attention to detail, as students worked together to play the role of “mechanics” for the day, each student was provided an opportunity to diagnose and repair issues in each sentence.

Grade 3 students earned classroom “pay” for completing their tasks, adding an extra layer of motivation. At the end of the lesson, they were rewarded with quick, mechanic-style snacks, reminiscent of grab-and-go items found in a garage vending machine.

Across all grade 3 classrooms, teachers reported high levels of engagement and teamwork, along with a noticeable sense of pride among grade 3 students in their work.