It's been a busy week! We are starting to get in the swing of things!
In science we've been investigating magnetic strength. We investigated the relationship between the number of magnets and the strength of the magnets. We used plastic cups, tongue depressors, paper clips and steel washers to gather data and we are learning how to use a spreadsheet to create a graph of our results so we can analyze our findings.
We learned something in math this week that will change lives forever! We learned about order of operations! Hooray! Until this point, problems have always been written for students so that the problems followed the correct order of operations. For the rest of their lives students will have to use order of operations when they are solving equations. I learned this as "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally," but the new generation knows this as "Please excuse my detention after school." Boy, times have changed! This new knowledge allows us to solve more complex problems and allows us to use math to model more complex situations. PEMDAS never takes a vacation.
A quick refresher when solving equations:
P: parentheses and brackets are done first
E: exponents next
MD: then multiplication or division, whichever comes first working left to right
AS: and finally addition or subtraction, whichever comes first working left to right
Metaphors, similes and more! Phew! We took notes in our Reader's Notebooks about similes and metaphors. While we are reading we also see if we can spot them in our books. Our new class read aloud, Animal House and Iz is loaded with similes, metaphors, hyperboles, and personification. The The main character, Iz, has 3 fun stepbrothers, one cool dad, and a hard-to-hassle stepmother, not to mention, her praying mantises.... The themes include the importance of friendship and family.
Our Reader'sTimelines are just about complete. Thank you for helping your child write down some early picture book favorites!
We are keeping track of the awesome vocabulary from our read alouds which include: infinitesimal, prudence, oblige, glowered, and trudged.
Mrs. Stuhr shared Chris Van Allsburg's The Stranger with us. We tried to guess who the stranger is by listening and looking for clues in the story's words and pictures. I believe it is Jack Frost. :)
The students wrote personal narratives this week. This allows Mrs. Conley to see the where the students are in their writing as we get ready to launch our writing workshop.
Students are finishing up letters to our Ugandan pen pals. Mr. Roscoe will come back in late October to bring their letters back to us.
This week's secret words to gather intelligence from your child:
- The Stranger
- Steel washers/magnetic strength
- PEMDAS
- Allyson & Justin's quilt
- Scruffy the Tugboat
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