What We're Learning this Week (January 30-February 3, 2012)

As a wrap up to our area review, on Monday we practiced finding the area of various circles using the formula A= Πr² when given the radius or diameter. We also discussed how knowing only the center point of a circle allows us to find numerous facts about that circle, including the radius, diameter, circumference, and area. 

Tuesday we began the day by playing the card game "I Have, Who Has?" reviewing how to find the radius, diameter, circumference and area of circles as one last cumulative review before we move on to our next concept. Unfortunately, however, our projector had other plans for us. As our second period class was ending, our bulb blew (with a loud POP! that scared us all half to death) rendering us helpless and without a working SmartBoard or document camera. We use both of these pieces of technology EVERY SINGLE DAY in 5th grade Math, so this was a major catastrophe. For 3rd and 4th period Math classes, we had to improvise, so we got a head-start by completing our Diagnostic Assessment (pre-test) on a program called Moby Math that we will begin using regularly in Math class. More details will be sent home as the implementation of this program continues. On another note, pray that our bulb gets replaced soon, for we are lost without it! 


Wednesday we practiced and reviewed how to read line plots displaying fractional data, as well as answer questions using the data given. We first discussed this topic at the beginning of the year during our Graphing Unit, so today proved to be a good refresher course on line plots. 


Thursday we worked in the computer labs to finish up our Diagnostic Assessment on Moby Math. All but a handful of students in Mrs. Joseph's class got finished. Lessons have been assigned and students are ready to work at their own pace completing lessons. This is an ADDITIONAL way, along with XtraMath and Weekly Math Problems, for students to earn extra credit points in Math. 


Friday we took our weekly Math quiz. This week, every class improved their class score from last week, thank goodness! It was a very close race between which class won, with all 4 classes only being separated by a few points. Mrs. Joseph's class, however, pulled off the win and had the highest overall score again this week. Friday afternoon we all joined the Tumbling Team in the gym for an assembly, as we watched the team members show off their tumbling skills. 

What We're Learning this Week (January 23-27, 2012)

Monday we began our 5th Math Unit over Measurement and Data by taking a Pre-Test to see what we already knew and to give us something to compare our scores to at the end of the unit. We also began reviewing finding the perimeter of various polygons, as well as finding the circumference of various circles. 

Tuesday, we continued our work on perimeter and circumference by participating in a Scavenger Hunt that led us all throughout the school solving problems before we were able to move on to the next clue. 

The clues led us all over the school: to other teachers' classrooms, the library, gym, cafeteria, even Mr. Thatcher's office. We had lots of fun not only trying to solve the problems, but also the riddles that led us to our next clue. By the time we were finished, we were sweaty, thirsty, and overall beat. But we had fun and of course, winners were awarded a treat for their hard work!!

Wednesday we were back at it with the dominoes, using them to help us practice finding the area and perimeter of squares and rectangles. It was a good practice and didn't seem like work at all. 

Thursday, we continued our study of area by learning the formulas for finding the area of parallelograms (A=bh) and triangles (A=1/2bh). We watched a BrainPop video and took the quiz after, which every single class scored a 100% on! We know how to find the areas of MANY different kinds of polygons, that's for sure. Friday rounded the week out with us taking our weekly quiz. We didn't do so hot this week, but Mrs. Joseph's class came out on top with the highest overall mean score.

What We're Learning this Week (January 16-20, 2012)

Monday was a great day off, especially when paired with a snow day the Friday before! We all took advantage of our 4 day weekend to get rested and re-energized for this week. Tuesday was business as usual in Math. We practiced dividing fractions by fractions, fractions by whole numbers, fractions by mixed numbers, and mixed numbers by mixed numbers. We realized that once you learn to multiply fractions, dividing them is a piece of cake!


Wednesday we continued working on division of fractions by using models to show problems and quotients. Thursday, we reviewed for our Summative Assessment by having fun, throwing in our competitive nature, and playing a game, all in one class. In teams, we played Review Jeopardy, which we ALL love. In every single class, the winning team came down to the Final Jeopardy question and depended on how much we wagered. We've worked on this Fraction Unit for a LONG time and we are all ready for a break and for some new material, including Ms. Goldy!

It's Official!

After breaking the Guinness World Record for the "World's Longest Friendship Bracelet" this past May, we asked Gary Hunt, the mayor of Owingsville, what we needed to do to have May 20th declared as Friendship Day in honor of our achievement. Just when I thought Mr. Hunt had forgotten all about our request, guess what popped up in my mailbox at school!

How awesome is that?! So, from here on out, May 20th is officially "Friendship Day" in the city of Owingsville for us all to celebrate! Have I mentioned that I love what I do and where I work!? I couldn't be prouder!

What We're Learning this Week (January 9-13, 2012)

Monday we were back at it in Math, finishing up our fraction review. We used Popsicle sticks in class to determine whether the answer to the mixed number subtraction problem on the stick was correct or incorrect. Based upon that, we sorted them into appropriately labeled cups before recording our answers. (We're very versatile and multi-purpose our classroom supplies lol). 

On Tuesday, we reviewed multiplying fractions of all sorts; fractions by fractions, fractions by mixed numbers, fractions by whole numbers, and mixed numbers by mixed numbers. Wednesday we continued reviewing fractions by drawing models to help us solve answers, as well as identifying the multiplication problem and product just by looking at the model given.

Thursday, we continued our review of multiplying mixed numbers. We used regular decks of cards to create our mixed numbers, then practiced changing them to improper fractions before multiplying and finally reducing our answers to simplest form.