Capacity

Last week my math class learned about capacity.  The students first arranged 5 containers in order from least to greatest and then they used beans to determine if they were right.  I didn't tell them how  to use the beans.  It was really interesting to listen to the groups' discussions about how to use the beans in order to figure out if they had their containers in the correct order.  Next, they had to find containers that had a capacity of 1 cup, 1 pint, 1 quart, 1 gallon and 1 liter and use the beans again with various measurement tools.  For the last bean activity the students had to first estimate and then prove how many cups are in a pint and so on. 

Sounds in Science

We have been studying sound and how sounds are made.  For one lab we made a straw whistle and experimented with the pitch by making the straws shorter.  The students concluded that as they shortened the straw, the pitch of the whistle got higher.  To take this a step further we examined the strings on a guitar.  The thinner strings had a higher pitch while the thicker strings had a lower pitch.  The students also discovered that shortening the string on the guitar also yielded a higher pitch.

To experience the vibration of sound, pairs of students tied two pieces of string to a wire hanger.  Then one partner wrapped each string a couple of times around their index fingers and put their fingers in their ears. When their partner gently tapped the hanger with a pencil, the other student could feel and hear the vibration.  The partner with the pencil could gently touch the string and feel the vibration as well. 

AR Dates

January 23rd-25%
February 6th-50%
February 20th-75%
March 6th-100%

Math Quest

My math group is starting an adventure called Math Quest.  It focuses on 6 problem-solving strategies.  The students earn travel dots for their team based on teamwork, written work and oral presentations.  Each day the teams also choose fate cards that either help or hinder their progress. Hopefully all the teams make it to the treasure chest in 6 weeks!

Christmas puppets

 For the past week, my students have been learning about Christmas in a different country.  Each group had to read about their country and then write a puppet show depicting Christmas events in their country.  Yesterday, they got to perform their shows in front of their classmates.  The kids did a great job of taking informational text and turning it into a puppet show for all of us to enjoy!

Science Lab

4A is busy preparing for the state science assessment.  We have been learning about matter, mass, volume, and density.  The students have completed several labs to help them understand these concepts.  For one of the labs, the students poured water, syrup and vegetable oil in a cup and observed the liquids.  Then they dropped in a ball of clay, a raisin, a piece of foil, and a piece of celery and observed which ones floated and sunk. We are all looking forward to the next hands-on science lab.  

 

Ice cream party!

Last Friday, my math class celebrated our multiplication and division facts with an ice cream banana split party.  The students had to earn toppings by finishing timed tests in both multiplication and division for each number 1-12.  The students who got through the division 12's, earned a $2 coupon to Sonic and a candy cane filled with candy.