Today we started a Mystery Science investigation about how constellations also follow seasonal patterns. We discussed the reason for this and debunked the idea that it was because Earth spins. Students had great insight and were spot on. The investigation talks about our position from Earth being like the windshield of a spaceship, so as we travel around the sun, what we can see out of our windshield changes to different parts of the universe.
On Thursday we will make a "Constellation in a Box" where we can see how the constellations change throughout the year. Hopefully students can use them to try and find our spring constellations :)
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Today we started working on subtracting mixed numbers where students need to borrow for the fractional part. This is new for all and I was really impressed with the group as a whole. We did some problems together where we needed to find common denominators but when students practiced independently, they worked only with like denominators. I wanted them to focus on the borrowing part without the added step of finding a common denominator.
NO ASSIGNED HOMEWORK TONIGHT BUT STUDENTS CAN WORK ON IXL SKILL SHEET (L19 IS PRACTICE OF WHAT WE DID TODAY) Today we continued to practice reducing fractions to lowest terms. I have encouraged students to use the factor chart that they were given at the start of the school year (in their math journals) to help when needed to find the greatest common factor. I have also encouraged students to make it their personal goals to learn their math facts through 12 to make all areas of math, but in particular fractions, easier.
After we reviewed, we continued to work on adding mixed numbers. Students volunteered to solve problems in front of the class which we reviewed and then students worked on IXL skill L18. NO HOMEWORK TONIGHT, BUT STUDENTS CAN USE THEIR FRACTION SKILL SHEET AS PRACTICE ON IXL Today we watched two crash course kids videos to continue our learning on how the seasons change throughout the year based on the amount of direction sunlight and why different places on our planet have different seasons than we have in Maine. Students filled in notes as we watched.
Video 1: Seasons and the Sun Video 2: Why No Polar Pineapples Notes Sheet Link Students took their patterns quiz today. Tomorrow we will continue to look at why seasons change throughout the year.
Today we started working on reducing fractions to lowest terms (simplest form). This is review for some students and new for others. We will continue to practice during our lesson time this week, but will not be held accountable for it on their work until next week. We also worked on adding mixed numbers today. We reviewed finding common denominators, and how to create the equivalent fractions so that we could add. I went over two regrouping ideas: find the fractional part and the whole number part. Then changing the improper fraction to a mixed number and adding the two whole numbers together (see picture below). Some students felt more comfortable with converting the fraction immediately and carrying the whole number to the next column like with whole number addition.
HOMEWORK TONIGHT: COMPLETE WORKSHEET GIVEN IN CLASS (THIS IS DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT KIDS) We have continued our work with finding common denominators and being able to make equivalent fractions so that they can be added or subtracted. We have had a lot of fun using siblings as a way to talk about how to convert equivalent fractions: if one sibling (the denominator) gets something, the other sibling (the numerator) wants the same thing. We completed pages 156 and 157 in our new math journals and then most students worked on and completed Home Link 5-2 in class.
On Monday we watched a BrainPop video on the Solstices and Equinoxes. Students took notes, which we reviewed as a class and connected to our other work. Today we looked at how the tilt of Earth's axis changes the amount of direct sunlight (and warmth/hours of daylight) throughout its orbit.
Yesterday we started working in unit 5 of our math journals (journal 2 was handed out and journal 1 can be taken home). Some students worked with me on learning how to find common denominators and then make equivalent fractions so that they could add or subtract simple fractions. The rest of the class worked through the journal pages independently, checking-in as needed then played a review game. Today we did a check-in where students had to solve a fraction problem and then give a detailed explanation (think steps of a recipe) of how they solved the problem. We are working to really hone-in on what makes a good explanation of your work/thoughts in math.
There will be no homework this week, but students can be working on IXL from their Unit 5 list (in accordions) |
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April 2020
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