News from Room 305
December 11, 2015
Math
In Chapter 4: Multiplying Decimals, students became proficient in using the powers of 10 relationship to multiply decimals using the algorithm. (The number of places you move the decimal point to the right to make it a whole number is the same number of places you move your product's decimal point to the left.) Students also used decimal models to multiply a decimal by a decimal (see picture). When multiplying a decimal by a decimal, you're taking a piece of a piece. Looking at the first example, the student shaded in the 0.8 vertically. Then of that 'piece' he took 0.7 (horizontally). The product is the double shaded array. We should be able to wrap up this chapter next week.
E/LA & Social Studies
After reading Can't You Make Them Behave, King George, students found two main ideas and details that supported them using a page from the text. Students used the strategy of underlining the important words in each sentence and then looking for the relationship between the details. Then they picked out a few key words to use and created a main idea sentence that could act as an umbrella to all of the other details. This creates their own main idea statements, not just using the topic sentence, as the complete main idea may not be directly stated. Using those two main ideas, the students created an overall main idea statement. The class took their main idea/detail posttest on Wednesday.
In writing, students focused on revision. Students added essay or narrative where needed to bring out their messages. As they completed revision, students began editing "with a fine-tooth comb." We reviewed keeping a consist verb tense, paragraphing with dialogue, and the placement of commas and quotations in dialogue. Final drafts will be printed the beginning of next week.
Students learned how colonists protested and rebelled about the taxes being placed upon them. Then King George implemented new laws, the Intolerable Acts, as punishment for the Boston Tea Party.
Science
In Project Lead the Way (PLTW), students began work on their chassis. All of the directions are located on an Ipad app, which allows them to manipulate the images any way they'd like. Students continue to amaze me with their teamwork and problem solving.
We are wrapping up our unit on Weather and the Water Cycle. This week we reviewed water cycle terminology and dug deeper into ground water. Students learned about the overuse of groundwater in California and other parts of the world. Today, they learned about various aspects of glaciers and watched a video clip showing glaciologists going inside the Svartisen glacier in Norway. Those scientists had 200m worth of glacial ice above them. The class wanted to see how large 200m was so we measured. We started right inside the recess fence by the parking lot and ended by the swings. They kids were astonished by the size.
Next Week's Specials' Calendar:
Tuesday, Dec 15 - Day 4: Library
Wednesday, Dec 16 - Day 1: Music
Thursday, Dec 17 - Day 2: PE
Friday, Dec 18 - Day 0
Upcoming Events:
December
12/18 - Winter Parties; 2:05-2:40
12/18 - End of 2nd Quarter
12/21-1/4 Winter Break
The Major Saver collection dates are Dec 9 - Dec 16.
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Contact Information:
(816)736-5600 x.2637