October 4, 2013

We just started working on geometry in math, and the students are very excited! We explored polygons using geoboards on Wednesday (you can see some pictures above), then used the iPads to create a collage of places we see the different shapes in our lives and in our classroom. Yesterday, we talked about different kinds of angles and made an interactive notebook entry with moveable rays for the angles, and today we learned about different types of lines and how to name them. I warned the students they need to start studying flashcards if they haven't been already, since we're going to begin taking timed tests next week on Friday! Students will need to correctly answer problems from the 2's time tables. If they don't pass, they will have extra homework over the weekend. If they do pass, they will move on the 3's time tables the following week.

I also passed out a letter today about Day of the Dead and the project we are completing for it. Each student chooses one person to honor for this holiday. They will interview two people about their honoree, write a paragraph, and create an ofrenda for them. All the work (except for the interviews) will be done in class. I am sending home a letter about this and both interview sheets today. If you have any questions, or would like me to email you a copy, please contact me.

In the pictures above, you can also see students creating "seeds." We discussed how seeds are carried by wind, water, or clinging to animals' fur, and we talked about how engineers design, test, and then change their design to make it better! We designed the seeds on Monday and tested them, then discussed on Wednesday how to make them better. I'm happy to say that all the seeds did much better in the "being blown by the wind," "floating in water," and "clinging to an animal (felt)" tests on Wednesday.