In science this week we conducted two controlled experiments with our beetles and isopods. We designed and completed experiments to determine the preferred environment for our bugs. In one experiment we determined that isopods prefer moist soil and that darkling beetles prefer dry soil. We also determined that both of our bugs preferred being in the dark and not the light. We will use this information to help build habitats for our bugs. Students have chosen their biome and research is in full swing. Students will be choosing how they'd like to share their research next week. This will bring our science work to a close and we will be heading into social studies soon.
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| Checking on the bugs! |
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| We know they're in there somewhere! |
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| We think we've got them all accounted for! |
In math this week we began our unit on fractions. Although some students still confuse fractions with negative numbers, many understand that a fraction represents a piece of a whole that has a value between zero and one. In this unit there is a lot of emphasis placed on modeling and manipulatives are available for students who need a concrete model to make sense of what is happening mathematically. Our big revelation this week was that the division we have been doing is related to fractions! For example the division problem 1 ÷ 3 can be thought of as the fraction 1/3. Yowza! We will continue to build conceptual understanding as well as apply this understanding to real life situations.
In language arts this week we worked on our introduction and counterclaim paragraphs. This is hard work, but we have examples and rubrics to follow. Students have also sent surveys to their classmates. Mr. Arsenault come in last week and demonstrated how to set up a survey. They will use data from their surveys to support their thesis statements. Today everyone worked on our 'Almost There' check point. This check point is another helpful guide for students to follow. (Have they included important elements such as transition words, topic, and concluding sentences?)
In reading we are keeping track of one of the main characters in our Reader's Notebooks. Students selected one of the main characters to analyze. ( Toby, Betty, or Annabelle) They have listed three traits from the list we have in our notebooks. As I read aloud, we dot jot what the character does, says, or thinks that provides evidence to support our traits. Today we discussed how the phone switchboards worked in the early 40's. The students found it quite amazing to think that the switchboard operator might choose to listen in on conversations. We also heard some figurative language used in the time period the book is set in. - Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. and The lid was off, the worms were rearing their slick little heads, and they would soon be spilling out with their mucky secrets.
On Monday we will be writing about our Gift of Self. Students will write about why they chose their activity. They will include what they did and how they did it. In their second paragraph, they will describe the reaction of the person and/or how they felt about giving and how they think 'gifts of self' can make the world a better place. Thank you for your support with this.
Conversation starters:
- the fraction bar means divide
- numerator
- denominator
- controlled experiment
- biomes
- What did Betty claim to see from the belfry?
- counterclaim
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