Week at a Glance 3/2 and 3/16

Math-Students will be given more complex math situations for area and perimeter.  They will need to use their previous knowledge of how to solve for area and perimeter and in some instances be able to do both operations within the given situation.

Science- We are working on our sun and stars unit.  Check out the link to the video below.  It is a quick representation of the size of the moon, Earth, other planets, the sun, and other major stars in the sky.  We will learn the reason behind the naming of constellations.  Students will create and name their own constellation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEheh1BH34Q

Week at a Glance 2/24

Math-We have started a new unit on quadrilaterals.  Students are sorting and classifying shapes based on whether they have parallel lines, right angles, and equal sides.  Later in the week, we will review perimeter.

Science- We are working on our sun and stars unit.  Check out the link to the video below.  It is a quick representation of the size of the moon, Earth, other planets, the sun, and other major stars in the sky.  We will learn the reason behind the naming of constellations.  Students will create and name their own constellation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEheh1BH34Q

Week at a Glance 2/10 and 2/17

Math-We will start a new unit on graphing and data.  Students will learn how to create scaled bar graphs when given data.  They will also answer questions to interpret the data.

Science- We are continuing to discuss energy, with a focus on light energy and radiant energy. Students are learning that light reflects, refracts, or absorbs.  We will use mirrors, lasers, and gummy bears in class to show examples of each.

Week at a Glance 1/27 and 2/3

Math-We will work on comparing fractions with unlike denominators.  I am encouraging students to draw identical stacked number lines to compare.  The fraction closer to the next whole is larger.



We will also start to discuss equivalent fractions.



Science- We are continuing to discuss energy, with a focus on light energy and radiant energy. Students are learning that light reflects, refracts, or absorbs.  We will use mirrors, lasers, and gummy bears in class to show examples of each.

Week at a Glance 1/13 and 1/20

Math-I will introduce fractions on a number line this week.  See the chart below on the steps to create a number line between one whole.  There is also a link to a video that we will be using in class to help students understand the process.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZaXtOHNh6s

Science- We are continuing to discuss energy, with a focus on light energy and radiant energy. Students are learning that light reflects, refracts, or absorbs.  We will use mirrors, lasers, and gummy bears in class to show examples of each.

Week at a Glance 1/6

Math- We are continuing our unit on fractions.  I will introduce comparing fractions.  At first I am teaching them to draw two identical stacked rectangles, partition the rectangle, and then shade the fractional part.  This helps them to visualize the size.  (See the example below.)

Eventually, they will be able to look at the fraction and reason that the more you partition a fraction the smaller the pieces get.  They will no longer need to draw the model once they have that understanding.




Science-We are continuing our unit on forms of energy.  Students will design a robot that uses all 5 forms of energy and sketch what it will look like.  This has been a lot of fun for students in the past.

Week at a Glance 12/9 and 12/16

Math-We will start our new unit on fractions this week.  Students will learn how to notate fractions as the numerator (number shaded) over the denominator (total parts of the whole).  We are discussing the idea that the more times you cut or share a whole, the smaller the part.




Science-We will start our study on the five basic forms of energy-mechanical, electrical, light, thermal, and sound.  Students will brainstorm examples and we will go on a scavenger hunt around the school looking for them too.