Friday, September 30, 2011

HUNGRY?

YOU ARE INVITED.....


WHAT:  McTeacher Night
WHEN:  Tuesday Oct. 4 from 4-8 pm
WHERE:  Waterloo McDonald’s


 Come eat!  See your teachers!  Support our school!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Ms. Garrett's 5th Grade Classroom: Math Landmarks

The 5th graders are also studying landmarks!
Click on the link below to hear what they have to say about how to find them!

Ms. Garrett's 5th Grade Classroom: Math Landmarks: Explanation of the landmarks median, mode, maximum, minimum and range.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Bird Beaks

Every bird uses its beak for catching and eating food.
Today in science we experimented with to see how the shape of a bird's beak affects what it eats.
For our "beaks" we used a spoon, fork, clothespin, and toothpick.


want to learn more about birds? 
check out this BrainPOP video...
http://www.brainpop.com/science/diversityoflife/birds/preview.weml

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Student Council 2011-2012

This past week was student council election week.
We had a tough competition this year.  So many great students wanted to represent our class.  (In fact we had 13 candidates running this year!)  The speeches on Friday were terrific.  After a very close vote, here are our winners!

Guess, Estimate, Collect Data

We used raisins to help us learn about math landmarks.
First we made a guess (how many raisins were inside the box)
 Then we opened the box to preview the raisins.  Using this new information we adjusted our guess (making an estimate).
Next we opened the raisins and counted how many raisins were actually in the boxes!


Finally using this data, we were able to find the landmarks:  maximum, minimum, range, mode, median, and mean.

The median

Landmark data...maximum, minimum, range, mode, mean, and MEDIAN!
How do you find the median?
We used playing cards to practice this skill.
1.  Deal out cards
2. Put them in numerical order
3. Find the "middle" number.





Collecting Data

Roll two dice, find the sum, mark a tally to collect data.
Which sum(s) had the most tally marks? Why?
Which sum(s) had the least number of tally marks?  Why?


Addition with base-ten blocks


One popular way to add numbers it to build the two numbers using base-ten blocks.
Then put the two parts (numbers) together to find the total.




Partial Sums Addition

In math there are several algorithms (Step-by-step methods) to calculate the answer to an addition problem.  Here's the partial sums addition method:


Also check out the EverydayMath website for terrific and helpful videos!
Click "free resources"
Select "Algorithms in Everyday Mathematics"
Fourth grade
addition
partial-sums addition
Then select an animation!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Magazine Sales

We were the top selling class this week in magazine sales!  We got the “traveling trophy” stuffed snake.  We named him “Ed” and he’s our class pet for the week.  J  Keep selling those magazines!

we earned other prizes for our magazine sales






Remember the next magazine sale turn- in days are:

Tuesday, Sept. 20 and 27

Monday, September 12, 2011

BoxTop Party

I am so proud of this class.
They are working hard collecting BOX TOPS!

So far we've collected...
500 boxtops and earned popsicles

1000 boxtops and earned ice cream

1500 boxtops and earned popcorn with Bulldog megaphones
(Friday we celebrated this party and a few fun photos are posted below).

TODAY it was announced that we made it to the next level: 
2000 boxtops and we earned a kickball game with Mrs. Ivers!
Congratulations!



Other ways to help support our school is by:
-participate in the magazine sales fundraiser,
-save your Denny's receipt
-collect Sunny D UPC's
-save Campbell's labels
-use an E-script card at Schnucks

Sunday, September 11, 2011

September 11

Today is the 10th anniversary of the attack.

Watch this free BrainPOP video with your family
www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/september11th

Remember to wear red, white, and blue tomorrow. 
It will be a day of remembrance and a way to stand together as a school to show our pride in our country.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Hat Day

Thank you to everyone who donated food items for “Help Heal Hunger Hunt.”

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

CIRCLES

Do you know how to use a compass?
Can you create concentric circles?
WE CAN!









WIN

During WIN (What I Need) time this week we visited some centers around the classroom.
Be a geographer...what state is this?

Be a geographer...learning facts about our USA

Be a geographer...puzze of our country

Thinking games...how's your logic puzzle IQ?

Thinking games...using tangrams

Working at the kidney shaped table...today's lesson:  vocabulary review

Brainbuilder...Science activity folders (I see a food web being made!)

Computers...visiting the EverydayMath site

Math wrap-ups from the black rack