Here are some sites that would be great for kiddos to use at home for practicing math skills.
Multiplication:
Multiplication Baseball
Multiplication Concentration
Number Invader
Space Racer X
Monster Multiplication (Great for Halloween!)
www.multiplication.com (This is a great site-lots of variety and students can choose the fact family they want to work on. Highly recommended!
Division:
Division Matho
Division Baseball
Geometry:
Pattern Blocks
Geometric Solids
Sort the Shapes
Banana Hunt (measuring angles)
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Notes for the Calendar
Just a couple of things for you to mark on your calendar:
*Open House has been changed from September 29 to October 6.
*School pictures are September 29th.
*The students will be having a strings demonstration here at school on September 27th
Have a great weekend!
*Open House has been changed from September 29 to October 6.
*School pictures are September 29th.
*The students will be having a strings demonstration here at school on September 27th
Have a great weekend!
The Great Water Race
Yesterday, we used wax paper to show how water droplets are cohesive. The students dropped several beads of water in a small area on a sheet of wax paper. Next, they gently shook the paper and observed. The students noticed that the droplets came together to form one large bead. In some cases, when the small droplets got near one another, they seemed to attract each other like a magnet.
For the second part of our demonstration, we taped a maze on top of a piece of cardboard and then taped the wax paper on top of the maze. Students were asked to guide their drop of water from start to finish without going out of bounds. The students noticed how the water slid on top of the wax paper instead of being absorbed into it. Almost all the students participated but only six were able to make it through without going out of bounds.
For the second part of our demonstration, we taped a maze on top of a piece of cardboard and then taped the wax paper on top of the maze. Students were asked to guide their drop of water from start to finish without going out of bounds. The students noticed how the water slid on top of the wax paper instead of being absorbed into it. Almost all the students participated but only six were able to make it through without going out of bounds.
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Unfortunately, my camera died before I could get pictures of all the contestants. Our contestants and their times are as follows:
Contestant Time
S.W. 34 seconds
A.G. 36 seconds
E.W. 45 seconds
J.M. 53 seconds
I.L. 1 minute 3 seconds
M.S. 1 minute 31 seconds
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tin Foil Boats
In our study of water, the students were charged with the task of creating a vessel that had to meet three standards: 1) be made of tin foil 2) float 3) carry cargo. The students created vessels of varying shapes and sizes. Some were rectangular and some were rounded, some were tall and some were shallow. Next, they took turns floating their boats. We added pennies one at a time to see how much "cargo" each vessel could hold before sinking.
The results were surprising! We had three boats that held over 100 pennies! The owners of these boats were very excited and proud. They were all good sports, encouraging each other and cheering each other on as the pennies piled up. Here are some photos from our activity.
The results were surprising! We had three boats that held over 100 pennies! The owners of these boats were very excited and proud. They were all good sports, encouraging each other and cheering each other on as the pennies piled up. Here are some photos from our activity.
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We decided that the best floating boats had large surface areas which helped the pennies to be spread out across a larger area. The walls of the boats were thicker, meaning they were able to push back against the force of the water. Who knew studying the properties of water could be so fun?
Monday, September 19, 2011
What's up with Water
On our path to learn more about water and the water cycle, we took a side road to talk about properties of water. We did an activity where we dropped water onto the head of a penny. In their predictions, students guessed they could fit anywhere between 4-8. They were very surprised that you can actually fit a lot more than that! The reason for this is cohesion. Water tends to stick to itself, meaning the droplets will come together and form one large drop. Here are some pictures from our demonstration.
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Saturday, September 17, 2011
Seasonal Poems
The students did a great job writing their poems about ordinary things. Their words create such a beautiful picture in the reader's mind! Here are a few that go along with the season. Enjoy!
Tree
I am a tree.
I am cut down for a lot of reasons.
I help you live.
I have a lot of sisters and brothers.
Our mother is Red Wood.
I can almost touch the sun.
There is life in me, scampering
through the branches, in every leaf,
every root and every twig.
Even if I am a moldy old tree
don't forget I help your life.
I am an important tree.
By T.M.
Leaf
One little lush green leaf,
Unnoticed, unimportant.
In the Spring, it catches small,
silvery drops of water like a bucket,
In the Summer it soaks up sunlight
Like a sponge.
It desperately clings on to the tree
In the wind and in the rain,
Until Fall, where it flutters to
The ground,
And dies.
By N.S.
Dirt
You make plants and trees grow,
what I would do without you, I don't know.
I love you running through my fingers.
You are where the worms all linger.
You are colored gray and brown,
and you are all over town.
By E.W.
Leaves
Leaves, leaves all around
They fall swiftly to the ground.
Leaves come in some of the most
magnificent colors I have ever seen.
Crunch, crunch the leaves are crunchy
fun to play in.
But soon the fun is over because
a blanket of snow has buried the leaves
farewell leaves farewell.
By M.S.
Tree
I am a tree.
I am cut down for a lot of reasons.
I help you live.
I have a lot of sisters and brothers.
Our mother is Red Wood.
I can almost touch the sun.
There is life in me, scampering
through the branches, in every leaf,
every root and every twig.
Even if I am a moldy old tree
don't forget I help your life.
I am an important tree.
By T.M.
Leaf
One little lush green leaf,
Unnoticed, unimportant.
In the Spring, it catches small,
silvery drops of water like a bucket,
In the Summer it soaks up sunlight
Like a sponge.
It desperately clings on to the tree
In the wind and in the rain,
Until Fall, where it flutters to
The ground,
And dies.
By N.S.
Dirt
You make plants and trees grow,
what I would do without you, I don't know.
I love you running through my fingers.
You are where the worms all linger.
You are colored gray and brown,
and you are all over town.
By E.W.
Leaves
Leaves, leaves all around
They fall swiftly to the ground.
Leaves come in some of the most
magnificent colors I have ever seen.
Crunch, crunch the leaves are crunchy
fun to play in.
But soon the fun is over because
a blanket of snow has buried the leaves
farewell leaves farewell.
By M.S.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
What makes a door hinge so special?
Today in writing we talked about having a "Poet's Eye." A poet looks at an ordinary, every day object and thinks about what is extraordinary about it. Poets give inanimate objects feelings, hopes, and dreams. We read poems by X.J. Kennedy, Valerie Worth, and Kristine O'Connell George about topics such as a pencil, popping popcorn, an umbrella, muddy sneakers, and an onion.
After reading the poems, we brainstormed a list of items that we might pass by every day without noticing. After narrowing the list down, we chose door hinges to write about. Next, we came up with a list of things that made door hinges special, including the fact that they're small but they hold up a lot of weight! Lastly, we did some shared writing and combined our ideas into one poem. We hope next time you pass by a door hinge, you'll give it a little recognition!
Door Hinge
Be happy because
you have one friend
and you never let
him down.
You see many people
come in and go out,
they don't even notice you.
You are small, flexible, and tough.
Gray, silver, and brass.
People make you for a reason.
To open doors.
After reading the poems, we brainstormed a list of items that we might pass by every day without noticing. After narrowing the list down, we chose door hinges to write about. Next, we came up with a list of things that made door hinges special, including the fact that they're small but they hold up a lot of weight! Lastly, we did some shared writing and combined our ideas into one poem. We hope next time you pass by a door hinge, you'll give it a little recognition!
Door Hinge
Be happy because
you have one friend
and you never let
him down.
You see many people
come in and go out,
they don't even notice you.
You are small, flexible, and tough.
Gray, silver, and brass.
People make you for a reason.
To open doors.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Welcome back!
We are back into the swing of things here in fourth grade! The students are entering their first five day week of school and they seem to be handling it nicely. We have already started some specials, including P.E., music, art, computer, and library. We'll soon be starting keyboarding (after testing is done), recorder/strings, guidance, and some students will choose to participate in chorus.
The students are currently in the middle of taking their NWEA testing, which they do once in the fall and then again in the spring. We test in the areas of reading, language, science, and math. I can tell already that we have some pretty smart kiddos in our room!
In math we are learning about the properties of polygons and circles. We are learning how to use tools such as rulers and compasses. In writing we are practicing the art of poetry. We have written Bio Poems about ourselves as well as a character we read about named Philippe Petit. In reading we are choosing "good fit" books and applying different reading skills to what we read. Water and the water cycle make up our science curriculum. The students already know so much about it!
I have sent home Scholastic book order forms for anybody that might be interested in ordering some books. You can also order online if it's easier! Just use the activation code that's written on the top left of the book order form. Please send them back to school by September 29.
September also brings with it lots of special events. We will be having a character education assembly on Friday, September 16 at 1:30. Students will have an instrument demonstration on Tuesday, September 13. We will be finishing up our NWEA testing this month and will get started with NECAP testing early next month. School picture day will be on Thursday, September 29. Our school will also be hosting an Open House on Thursday, September 29. We also want to wish J.M. a very happy birthday on September 28!
The students are currently in the middle of taking their NWEA testing, which they do once in the fall and then again in the spring. We test in the areas of reading, language, science, and math. I can tell already that we have some pretty smart kiddos in our room!
In math we are learning about the properties of polygons and circles. We are learning how to use tools such as rulers and compasses. In writing we are practicing the art of poetry. We have written Bio Poems about ourselves as well as a character we read about named Philippe Petit. In reading we are choosing "good fit" books and applying different reading skills to what we read. Water and the water cycle make up our science curriculum. The students already know so much about it!
I have sent home Scholastic book order forms for anybody that might be interested in ordering some books. You can also order online if it's easier! Just use the activation code that's written on the top left of the book order form. Please send them back to school by September 29.
September also brings with it lots of special events. We will be having a character education assembly on Friday, September 16 at 1:30. Students will have an instrument demonstration on Tuesday, September 13. We will be finishing up our NWEA testing this month and will get started with NECAP testing early next month. School picture day will be on Thursday, September 29. Our school will also be hosting an Open House on Thursday, September 29. We also want to wish J.M. a very happy birthday on September 28!
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