Mr. McCoy's Summer Weekly Log
Friday, June 12, 2015
Tales from the Crypt
Tales of African hunters, mummies that come back to life, anteaters, and ancient games of skill and chance: We have continued to be mesmerized by the facets that comprise our study of Africa! Our work, on the African Safari project, featured taking notes, writing a bibliograpy, alphabetical order, and preparing to make a presentation. Our math focus was on place value through millions, decimals and place value, rounding decimals; using place value to compare decimals; decomposing multiples of 10, 100, 1,000; and number patterns. Each student also journeyed back in time to African beginnings--and played games of “Firecracker Multiplication,” “Five Alive,” “Nine Men's Morris,” “Double or Nothing,” and “Survivor: Africa.” We have also been enjoying the rollicking adventures involved in Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy during lunch! Light your torch, cross your fingers, and keep reading: More “Tales from the Crypt” can be excavated below!
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Research Help
African Folk Tales
Here are the links to this week's pulse-pounding African Folk Tales:
11-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JfCec8KMrk
12A-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7pBkiEdw10
12B-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2la7vg_HZ8
African Beginnings
We have delved into African Beginnings, a nonfiction book about the history of Africa. You can access the first two parts of this book via these links:
http://www.educreations.com/lesson/view/african-beginnings-1/8798814/?ref=app
http://www.educreations.com/lesson/view/african-beginnings-2/8801136/?ref=app
Motivational Tip
Turn everyday events into learning opportunities. “Being educated doesn’t mean knowing a lot of disconnected facts. Learning is building from what you know and connecting it to new facts. Encourage your child to explore the world around him/her. Although sports activities are valuable experiences, too many scheduled activities can add “too much stress” to your child’s life, and distract him/her from exploring the pleasures of learning at his/her own pace.
Organizing for Success
Study skills are being taught this summer—and will be taught in fifth grade. To assist with this process, please support these skills, at home, by emphasizing following:
Encourage a START NOW approach. Procrastination is the main cause of poor homework!
Familiarize yourself with your child’s homework and organizer. Help him/her organize his/her work routine. Work on what needs doing when. Especially encourage your child not to leave everything until the night before it is due. ÒTeach your child to organize himself.
Help your child plan his/her study time, each evening, before he/she starts.
Encourage routines, such as doing homework, immediately when your child gets home from school.
Insist that work precedes play.
Notebook Organization
The time has come to emphasize notebook organization! It is vital that your child learn how to use a notebook to organize all assignments. For that reason, your child has set up a notebook with subject dividers. I have worked to guide your child to organize assignments and other information by reminding him/her to always take the time to clamp every piece of information into his/her notebook. The first Organization Inspection took place this week! Mastering the art of notebook organization will make life easier for your child when he/she begins fifth grade on August 18. And, of course, it will pave the way for monumental successes at Discovery Middle School!