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January 21, 2019
Fourth Grade Language Arts:
We started our lesson by learning the vocabulary for dissecting a good mystery. Learning what a red-herring is was fun and the kids were making guesses about what kind of red-herring might show up in the Westing Game.
We learned two new words this week: obituaries and beneficiaries. These were new words to many of the children. After learning new vocabulary, we got to work solving the mini-mystery of Mrs. Moneybags. This fun, shorter mystery is a way for us to begin the brain work we will need to read, analyze and discover the clues in The Westing Game.
Poor Mrs. Moneybags--on her death bed, rewrites her will. Lo and behold, someone steals it! Who would steal a 99 year old's will and testament? Well, if you are Mrs. Moneybags, you are just that--full of money and her beneficiaries are quite nervous. Who could possibly want to edit that will--was it her chauffeur, her cook, her nephew, or possibly the housekeeper? Using logic and clues, our sleuths are on the case. Stayed tuned as we uncover who gets what portion of the inheritance or does it all go to the Moneybag Foundation?????
Fourth Grade Math:
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| Using dry erase markers on the desk is so much fun!! |
Our Think Deeply this week was to review the 4 strategies we learned to compare fractions. The kids were quick to remember common denominators and common numerators. I had to probe a little bit to help them remember benchmarks and missing parts. The Think Deeply required them to order Candy Bags one last time from least to greatest using two different strategies. We worked together to write our best possible answers.
On Thursday, we learned some new vocabulary to start our next lesson. We defined the terms: are model for a fraction, congruent, denominator, equivalent fraction, linear model of a fraction, numerator and prime number.
The objectives of this lesson is to explore fractions using area models and begin looking at the area of a rectangle with fractional side lengths. I gave the students a seven-piece puzzle to begin developing these skills. Their job was to construct an original square using only those seven pieces. Many times, students who have strong mathematical ability struggle with visualization skills. This took much of our time together. I let them work until the level of frustration and then gave them clues along the way. I then posed the question:
"The square has been divided into seven pieces so each piece is equal to 1/7 of the whole, Correct?"
The children were correct to realize that that couldn't be true because the pieces are not equal. They then worked together to figure out the fractional value of each piece. They were all successful.
The objectives of this lesson is to explore fractions using area models and begin looking at the area of a rectangle with fractional side lengths. I gave the students a seven-piece puzzle to begin developing these skills. Their job was to construct an original square using only those seven pieces. Many times, students who have strong mathematical ability struggle with visualization skills. This took much of our time together. I let them work until the level of frustration and then gave them clues along the way. I then posed the question:
"The square has been divided into seven pieces so each piece is equal to 1/7 of the whole, Correct?"
The children were correct to realize that that couldn't be true because the pieces are not equal. They then worked together to figure out the fractional value of each piece. They were all successful.
Second Grade Language Arts:
Chapter Four in The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is the first foreshadowing of things to come for our main character. Pellegrina, Abilene's aunt, tells the harrowing tale of the Princess who only loved herself. This Princess finds herself lost in the woods with only a witch to help her. The princesses rude attitude gets her turned into a warthog. Pelligrina puts Edward to bed and whispers in his ear. "I am disappointed in you." We took great care to think about why Pellegrina would say this to Edward, who seemed to not heed her warning. This fairy tale is setting the stage for so many things to come. Edward's journey both physically and metaphorically is just beginning!
We analyzed Chapter Four as a whole group and came up with the main idea, key words, feelings, images and ideas. The children also wrote in their journals to the prompt:
Why do you think Pellegrina told the story about the beautiful princess who loved no one?
Reading and Grammar in Second Grade:
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| Jamie helping us analyze our sentence |
After our learning, we practiced the skill. We took a sentence from Chapter Four in Edward Tulane: She shone as bright as the stars on a moonless night.
The first level analysis was looking at the parts of speech. Then we analyzed the in terms of subject, predicate and clauses. We will continue to work on grammar in HA.
*They need to read Chapters 4-8 by Tuesday, January 22, 2019*
Second Grade Math:
Our Think Deeply this week required us to write about which tool was best to measure the circumference of the egg. The children were quick to know that the tape measure was the best tool, but WHY????
It was very easy for them to determine that because the tape measure could bend easily it was the best tool. However, when I asked them to tell me why they picked the tape measure over the yarn, which also bends and wraps easily, that gave pause. Clearly within a few moments of thought, they all knew quite readily that the yarn doesn't have numbers or benchmarks for measuring!
It was very easy for them to determine that because the tape measure could bend easily it was the best tool. However, when I asked them to tell me why they picked the tape measure over the yarn, which also bends and wraps easily, that gave pause. Clearly within a few moments of thought, they all knew quite readily that the yarn doesn't have numbers or benchmarks for measuring!
On Thursday, we began measuring the materials we will use to build our car seats. The students are getting so good at estimating a length and then actually measuring and finding the difference. This has been hard for them, because they didn't understand that estimating is not making a mistake and it actually helps them become better mathematicians.
They will draw their prototypes and build next week!
My second graders are really interested in Rube Goldberg's. Below is a video that demonstrates how they can use materials around the house to design and construct one. They are super excited to try. I apologize in advance!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrYypDKXTc
Third Grade Language Arts:
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| Our beloved Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle |
Reading aloud Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle was a high light of my day. If you ask your children, they will tell you that I used character voices and really got into reading the book aloud. Unfortunately, one of the children reminded me that the accent I was using was Scottish and not British! LOL.
I gave the girls a little bit of background on Ms. Potter and after a good laugh we figured out that Beatrix Potter was NOT Harry Potter's wife!! LOL, again!
We talked about the story along the way. We discussed Interactions that Beatrix Potter wove into the tale. Using nature and animals as a backdrop for all of her interactions, Ms. Potter told this little tale and left the reader clamoring for more. Did Lucie really have interactions folding laundry and sitting by the fire drinking tea with a dressed hedgehog with a name or was it all a dream??
The girls worked in pairs to analyze the book. They wrote about key words, ideas, feelings and emotions and the interactions that took place in the story.
I modeled for the girls how to complete a reading analyzer. Then they practiced the skill on their own as seen below:
I gave the girls a little bit of background on Ms. Potter and after a good laugh we figured out that Beatrix Potter was NOT Harry Potter's wife!! LOL, again!
We talked about the story along the way. We discussed Interactions that Beatrix Potter wove into the tale. Using nature and animals as a backdrop for all of her interactions, Ms. Potter told this little tale and left the reader clamoring for more. Did Lucie really have interactions folding laundry and sitting by the fire drinking tea with a dressed hedgehog with a name or was it all a dream??
The girls worked in pairs to analyze the book. They wrote about key words, ideas, feelings and emotions and the interactions that took place in the story.
I modeled for the girls how to complete a reading analyzer. Then they practiced the skill on their own as seen below:
Third Grade Math:
Our Yeti is Born!
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