Great Sites for Math Practice

Below, you will find three links to websites that will help your child in math.  Allow your child 10-15 minutes to get some additional practice.

http://www.mathplayground.com/GrandSlamMath2.html

http://www.mathplayground.com/WordProblemsWithKatie2.html

http://www.mathplayground.com/NewThinkingBlocks/thinking_blocks_multiplication_division.html

Traveling Through Space

Last week, we received a revisit from the Starlab Planetarium.  The students had the opportunity to have a "close encounter" with the phases of the moon and many stars.  Below, you will find pictures of students at work on various activities that we've worked on throughout the course of this unit.  We'll wrap up with this unit next Wednesday, with the Astronomy test and then, we'll go back to Social Studies and learn about life during Colonial America.  Be sure to ask your child what he/she found most interesting during this unit of study and ask them to tell you what they learned about that topic.

                                   Our class outside of the Starlab

Lost in Space

Lost in Space

 

   This week, we started our first major science unit, Astronomy.  Throughout the course of this unit, we will learn about the planets in our Solar System, the phases of the moon, what causes the seasons, day & night, and the change in tides.  We will also learn about the relationship between the Earth, the moon, and the Sun and why our shadows change throughout the day.  To accompany this unit, we will have the Starlab come and visit next Thursday.  The Starlab is a portable, inflatable planetarium dome that will reinforce some of what we are learning in class and will provide the students will a very engaging learning experience.  Please make sure that your child is studying for the upcoming Astronomy vocabulary quiz and is completing the vocabulary homework.  Check back next week for pictures of students hard at work on creating models of the planets.  Below are a few links for your child's pleasure, to learn more about Astronomy and play a few games.

 

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm

 

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level1/solar_system.html

 

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/whatisaplanet.cfm

 

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/space_games/space_games_unscramble.html

 

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/space_games/space_games_linematch_def.html

 

 

 

A Great Website for Multiplication for Practice

The link below is a great resource for your child to practice his/her multiplication facts!  It allows students to select which set of facts to practice and it is timed.  Please encourage your child to use this site to practice in preparation for their weekly timed test.  

http://mrnussbaum.com/gamc-play

Mrs. Harris' Class 2013-2014

Finally updated.....

       Welcome to Our Class Blog!

  I would first like to apologize for the delay in updating our blog.  From this point forward, it will be updated, at least weekly.  We have had a quite a busy week and we are wrapping things up tomorrow with a Topic 1 test, Multiplication and Division: Meaningful Facts, in math.  This week we also started with "Mountain Math."  Mountain Math is simply the timed multiplication tests that students will take weekly until they complete the 12's.  One hundred percent accuracy is required to move on the next set.  Please make sure that your child is studying a bit each night and completing the packet over the course of the week.  We will start Topic 2, Generate and Analyze Patterns, next Tuesday.  In unit of study, we took the Explorers unit test today and will start with our first major science unit, Astronomy, tomorrow. In Reader's Workshop, we continue to learn about strategies that good readers use to comprehend their reading and in Writer's Workshop, we are learning how to write an expository piece.  Check back soon for the latest happenings in our class.

The Wax Museum

   The 4th Grade Wax Museum was a huge success last night (and yesterday morning)!  I want to thank you all for helping to prepare your child for the Wax Museum.  The costumes were great and it was obvious that a lot of time and effort were put into the Little Books.  If you happen to stop by over the next couple weeks, you'll see the Little Books on display on our class' bulletin board.  Below you will see a few pictures from the Wax Museum yesterday morning.

Happy New Year!!

  Believe it or not, we are nearly half through the school year, boy how time flies!!  Last week we started with division in math.  I'm sure many of you have already seen your child come home with a study link and they were using a method to solve division problems that you were very unfamiliar with.  That method is called the Partial Quotients method for solving division problems.  I respectfully ask that not teach your child the "traditional" long division method at this point.  That will only confuse your child, until she/he is proficient with Partial Quotients.  Today, I am sending home an small packet that thoroughly explains Partial Quotients and, at this point, your child should be very comfortable using Partial Quotients.  I will start to teach the class long division on Thursday.  Lastly, below you will find the link to a YouTube video that demonstrates someone using the Partial Quotients method to solve a division problem.  If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call or e-mail me.  

Partial Quotient Video Clip