Well, today is one of those days in the world of elementary schools where you know there will be things that interrupt the day, but you just don’t realize how much. Today, my Block 1 met for our normal block time, but Block 2 was completely taken up with a terrific guidance lesson (about hopes and anxieties students may have regarding middle school) and class pictures.
In Block 1 Math today we went over our homework on simplest form and most of the students did a terrific job with it. Then we introduced the concept of Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions. The students looked at models of fractions using wholes and parts of a whole together. The students had opportunity to practice writing both Mixed Numbers and Improper Fractions. The students explored changing a Mixed Number into an Improper Fraction (Multiply the denominator times the whole number, add the numerator and put that number over the original denominator; Example 2 1/3 : Multiply 3 X 2, Add 1, total of 7, put that over the original denominator 3 and you have the Improper Fraction 7/3). We also looked at changing an Improper Fraction into a Mixed Number (Divide the numerator by the denominator; the whole number part of the quotient is your whole number; the remainder is the new numerator and the denominator stays the same; Example 7/4: Divide 7 by 4; 4 goes into 7 1 time with a remainder of 3; the Mixed Number is then 1 as the whole number; 3 as the numerator; and 4 stays the denominator 1 3/4). For homework tonight Block 1 is to do Practice Workbook page 87.
In Science for Block 1 we started looking at the concept of Energy being passed through Ecosystems by way of food chains and food webs. The students watched a video off UnitedStreaming about food chains and food webs and how the energy is passed along starting with plants (producers) who make their own food using sunlight and on to other organisms (consumers) who eat the plants or other organisms to get energy.
Mr. B.
Due to the unscheduled evacuation on Friday and the students not being able to get their bags and materials to study over the weekend, I am rescheduling the Social Studies test for Thursday 3/29/07.
Topics to be covered on this test include:
- Expanding Overseas
- The Progressive Movement
Mr. B.
There will be a math test on Friday 3/30/07.
The topics to be covered on the test will include:
- Equivalent Fractions
- Comparing Fractions
- Ordering Fractions
- Simplest Form
Mr. B.
Today in math the students worked on reducing fractions or putting fractions in simplest form. We discussed how the skill of reducing fractions is really using the skill of finding an equivalent fraction. The only criteria is that we want an equivalent fraction that uses the smallest numbers possible. We discussed that the students can work by dividing both the numerator and denominator by the same number until there are no more possibilities or we can find the Greatest Common Factor and divide the numerator and denominator by the GCF. (Example 12/18 you could divide them both by 2 reducing the fraction to 6/9 and then divide them both by 3 reducing the fraction to 2/3 (simplest form) or you could find the GCF for 12 and 18 which is 6 and divide them both by 6 giving you an equivalent fraction of 2/3 (simplest form)). Tonight for homework the students are going to do Practice Workbook page 86.
In science today the students continued to take notes on Ecosystems. Today we discussed limiting factors in Ecosystems including the number of plants and how the number of plants affects the population density (number of organisms in a given area). The students in block 2 began working on a review assignment that covers the key concepts from these notes.
Mr. B.
Today the students received their report cards for the 3rd Nine Weeks and their take-home folders. Both of these things should be signed and returned no later than Thursday of this week. Please be aware that any student that still owes lunch money or school fees had their report card held until these are paid.
Mr. B.
We have finished up our reading and discussion on the U.S. expanding overseas and the Progressive Movement. Today the students began working on their study guides on these two lessons and the test for these lessons will be next Tuesday 3/27/07.
Mr. B.
Today in math we reviewed the concept of equivalent fractions and then introduced the skill of comparing and ordering fractions. We discussed how the skills of finding LCM and making equivalent fractions are important to being able to compare and order fractions. The students worked on some practice problems in class and tonight should do page 85 (#1-8 & #17-19) in the Practice Workbook.
In science we continued our discussion and note taking on Ecosystems. We discussed habitats and niches of organisms. We talked about how the organisms can share a habitat (place where they live), but have different niches (role they play in the ecosystem). Tomorrow the students will take a test on Cells and we will continue talking about Ecosystems.
Mr. B.
On Friday the students learned about equivalent fractions. They learned that fractions can have different names, but an equal value. We discussed and practiced creating equivalent fractions by using multiplication and division.
In science the students began taking some notes on Ecosystems and watched a very good UnitedStreaming video about the many biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors that affect ecosystems. Please remember that the Cells test will be on Wednesday.
Mr. B.
Happy Friday! Today after taking the Math 4 Today and Daily Language quizzes, students edited their personal narratives about the field trip. They used Ultra Hal Reader and headphones to listen to their writing being read aloud by the computer. We have found that what we write and what we thought we wrote don’t always match. This oral editing helps students hear/see what’s actually in the their text, and they are able to edit to make their text say what they actually meant. Then they used the track changes tool in Word to peer-edit for 3 other students. After a final rereading/revising of their own text, students were able to post to request publishing to their blogs. I will try to get these read and posted by the first of next week. I was so proud of the efforts our students made with this particular piece of writing.
Congratulations to Brianna R. who is receiving the Governor’s Citizenship Award for RBE. She was featured on the WRBE news program this morning. Congratulations also to Ives C. who performed a trumpet solo on the news program as well. He did a fantastic job playing the theme from the movie, Titanic!
Remember: No school on Monday! 
Have a great weekend!
- Study for Morning Work Quiz (Math 4 Today #28)
- Cells Test on Wednesday 3/21/07
