Math: We have been living and breathing fractions! Students are understanding that the amount that a fraction represents is based on the whole. 1/2 of the students in our class may be 11 students, while in a different classroom, 1/2 of the students may be 10 or 12 students. We have practiced fraction-of problems with a deck of cards, something you could do at home. What is the fractional amount of hearts? Of kings? Students are also learning to make equivalent fractions by using the equivalent fractions rule: You must multiply or divide the denominator and numerator by the same number. The numerator and denominator of 3/4 can be multiplied by 4, for instance, to make the fraction 12/16. Students will be taking the unit 7 math test next Wednesday, and the Open Response test on Thursday of next week.
Literacy: Have you ever asked someone to tell you about a book or movie, and then regretted asking because the person gave you way too much information? That is where summarizing comes in. We have been practicing finding the important elements in a story, then making written summaries based on those elements. One of the elements of a story is characters. Students have been learning about how characters are developed by authors; through their looks, their actions, by what they say, and by what other characters say. Students are recognizing that main characters typically change in at least one of the aforementioned ways by the end of a story.
Students are excited to begin book clubs this week! Students will be involved with a small group of classmates who are reading the same book. Each student will be responsible for making sure to read the assigned pages on time, being prepared with written thoughts on their book, and then contributing thoughts to the group discussion.
In writing, students are using their knowledge from reading to help them write effective fictional stories. We have planned our stories based on the story elements, have worked on how to begin our stories (no more "Once upon a time..." unless it's a fairy tale), and will work on writing scenes that include action, dialogue, and description about the setting. We always look to the experts--the books we love to read!
Science: Did you hear about the bones? Last Thursday, our room erupted when students were able to don some gloves and literally dig into the marrow of long bones from a cow. Sounds gross, but students were amazed to discover that the long bones in our arms and legs make blood cells and store fat! We are learning about how all of our organ systems are involved in movement. This week we will think about the importance of our diet and exercise in keeping our bodies healthy.
Stay tuned for dates and times for our Human Growth and Development lessons.
Social Studies: After we we wrap up our science unit, next week we will begin our social studies unit learning about how Wisconsin became a state, state symbols, how laws are made, and civic actions.
