Two weeks of school are just about completed - hard to believe really! With our shortened school days, I have only had a chance to work with the 4th and 5th grade math students so far but 4th and 5th grade language arts both begin next week. In math, we have been establishing routines and building on our cooperation and problem solving skills. We have also had a chance to begin our first units of the year in math (number sense for 5th grade and geometry for 4th grade.) Here is a glimpse into the excitement going on in Knowledge Peak in what will be the first installment of "Three for Thursday" - 3 highlights each week from Mrs. Bean's class. 5th grade took on the Marshmallow Challenge - build a tower out of spaghetti, string, and tape that can support a marshmallow. Teams met with varying degrees of success, but the kids knew it wasn't necessarily about a winning tower but an attitude of perseverance and a spirit of collaboration - two things we'll be emphasizing all year in math. Check out all the photos on the "photos" page but here is a quick glimpse of some of their efforts... 4th grade works on problem solving and team building but this time with string, cups, and rubber bands. We reflected afterwards about how do you make sure everyone's ideas are heard and how do you encourage others when things get tough. Cup stacking when you can't touch the cups with your hands is not easy! (More photos on the "photos" page. Both 4th and 5th worked in their math notebooks this week. I am a huge believer in helping kids learn to organize their learning through notebooking. 4th grade worked on adding math terms to their glossary (lines, line segments, rays, parallel, perpendicular) while 5th grade worked on number sense ideas related to arrays, factors and multiples. 4th grade will continue that work with triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles next week. 5th grade will continue with building number concepts like prime vs. composite, order of operations, and divisibility.
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Welcome back to another great school year! Parents, don't forget to put Thursday, September 11, from 6:30-7:30 pm on your calendar. I will be holding a Back-to-School night for parents of GT students in the media center. Come find out about the identification process, ALP's (Advanced Learning Plans,) and details on my classes. Look forward to see you! Back-to-School Night September, 11 @ 6:30pm |
Tracey BeanWerner Elementary Archives
May 2018
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