How is it almost October already?

Can't believe it, but we have already been in school for a month. What a great month it has been! Our classroom has been working so hard, and having a good time doing it!

Math: Math rotations have been a great way to keep math interesting, and get students talking using math vocabulary. I am so impressed with the students' ability hold a conversation about a math topic. I can not wait to listen in on math conversations as the year goes on.

Toothpick problem solving!

Science: This week we focused on the biosphere, and how the biosphere is a system. We focused on a woods ecosystem, and learned about food chains and food webs, and how producers, consumers and decomposers work together to keep an ecosystem going.

Chapter Summary - Fiction

Need help with your chapter summary? Remember the format we use in class to summarize Something Upstairs.

Somebody: Main character
Wanted: What does that character want to do?
But: What problem arises?
So: How is the problem resolved?
Then: What will the character do next?

Here is an example from Chapter 5 of Something Upstairs:

Math Workshop

Room 202 has started up Math Workshop! It has proven to be a great experience for the students, teacher, and teacher's assistant. The students move through three math related stations a day: teacher, problem solving, and independent practice. Each station lasts for about 20 minutes, and students get to each station everyday. Working cooperatively at the stations allows the students time to engage in mathematical discussion.

Teacher Station: The students come to the rug with any necessary materials, and take part in a 20 minute lesson. This lesson aligns with our Math curriculum, and where students receive direct instruction.

Problem Solving: At this station, students complete a "Problem of the Week." They have all week to show two different ways to solve the problem, and explain their thinking. When they complete the "Problem of the Week," students have a choice of problem solving activities that are on their level.

Independent Work/ Choice: At this station, students complete independent work and play math games. They sometimes go on Reflex Math to practice their fact fluency.

These are the "Math Towers." This is where students come to find their math related activities for the stations. Each bin contains the necessary materials for each group.

This is a sheet in their Math folder that shows the schedule for each day.

This is the recording sheet that students use to track their completed work. As I said before, 4th grade requires organizational skills, and we work on them throughout the year.

Homework

Check out the Homework tab at the top of the page. It has all the information about the homework to be done daily and/or weekly. I try my best to update it daily with homework assignments, and sometimes websites to help with math assignments.

I have checked in with all the students about Internet access. If students are unable to use Reflex Math at home, I have arranged a time for them to complete it before school (when buses arrive) or at dismissal (while students are cleaning/ packing up).

Week Two...Place Value and more!

I can't believe it! Two weeks into the school year already! We have started to dive into the curriculum in ELA, Math, and Social Studies. We are awaiting the arrival of our first science kit, Living Systems!

In Math, we have started to learn more about the place value system. Specifically that everytime you move one place value to the left, the number is 10x larger. For example, a 2 in the ones place is worth 2, but if you move that 2 to the tens place it is worth 20. 2 X 10 = 20, therefore 2 tens is 10x more than 2 ones. Click here to watch a video that explains this concept in greater detail. Below is a picture of the "Status of the Class." At the end of each Math lesson, students are asked to "rate" themselves on how well they understand the learning target. Our learning target for our first math lessons is, "I can recognize that a number in one place value is 10x as much as the place value to the right." The students decide whether they "need help," "can do some of the time," or "are an expert." I noticed that the first day students may not have honestly placed their post-it note, but after a few lessons, they seem to have placed their post-it where they REALLY are in their learning.

Below I have attached some pictures from Open House!

Place Value Games

Here is some websites you can go use to help you practice place value!

http://mrnussbaum.com/placevaluepirates - for this one you have to be sure to click on "play on computer" or "play on iPad"