Groundhog Day: March 2, 2012

We saw our shadow - just like Punxsutawney Phil. Shadow means 6 more weeks of winter!?

The Smith Spokesman March 12-16

Mom, Dad - I'm Bored!  Try:  http://guest.portaportal.com/elin 

MATH:  Unit 4

“Multiplication, Division, & Fractions”            

Unit review will be Monday with post-test (‘final’) probably Tuesday.  Instructional focus this week has been fractions with egg cartons.  It’s a very hands-on approach with an egg carton perfect for dividing into 12^ths, 6^ths, 4^ths, and 3^rds.  We are also wrapping up multiplication facts through 12’s!    

12x12 = ? 12x6 = ?  7x8 = ?  7x9 = ? 4x4 = ?  

To practice multiplication, try:  http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/popup/popup_multiplication.htm

SCIENCE:  Planets

This unit was out of this world!  And, is coming to a close.  We computed miles into inches to show the distance each planet is from the sun.  We assigned each 10,000 million miles to 1/8^th of an inch,  placing each planet cut-out in order  onto our  galaxy representation hung in the classroom.  Students will give an informal presentation to the class next week.

 

ART:  Postcards from the Edge

Students wrote postcards FROM their planet telling us why we should visit that planet.  The 5 senses were used.

                    

SOCIAL STUDIES:  Explorers

And you thought Magellan was just a GPS!

WRITING:   Idioms, Metaphors & Similes  This was fun!  I can most relate to the idiom/metaphor:  “She wears her heart on her sleeve.”  Ask your students why this is.  We completed this assignment with drawings of the literal meaning.

                                                                                

LITERACY:  Unit 5 Week 3

Story of the Week: Talk with an Astronaut

               

Upcoming events/dates:

Mar 17    St. Patrick’s Day

Mar 19-23  Spirit Week next week!

Mar 20    Read- Aloud-Athon, 9 am

Mar 21    2-Hour Late Opening

Mar 26-30  SPRING BREAK!

Apr 02    Chez Jose Dine for Schools Fundraiser

Apr 13    Teacher Planning Day – NO SCHOOL

MATH:  Volume 2, Unit 3

“Geometry & Measurement”      
In this unit students will investigate, describe, compare, and contrast both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes.  As you probably saw at Family Math & Science night, your students have learned how to find the area of paralellograms AND triangles!  It’s tricky and ‘fancy’ – just ask them.
                                                

SOCIAL STUDIES:  Native Americans

Native Americans of the Northwest continue.
Which tribe is your student researching?  Our poster portion of the unit should be finished next week.

Coming up in SCIENCE: 
Sun, Moon and Stars, starting with the phases of the moon.

WRITING:  Imaginative Narratives

This weeks lessons included exaggerated stories!  It started with my burnt bagel, and then….

LITERACY:  Unit 4 Inventors & Artists   Week 1: Westfalia
“What do people gain from the work of inventors and artists?”
Genre: Fiction   Skill: Draw conclusions   Strategy: Answer questions
                          


ART:  Happy Chinese New Year! 






                            

And…..

CONTINUING:  Multiplication fact tests 0-12
Help your students study up to their twelve’s.

NEXT WEEK:  No school on Friday. Teacher planning day/end of quarter = report cards