2015 is off to a good start, and we are busy already. Quick schedule note… 4th and 5th grade will complete the third Math Olympiad contest next Wednesday, January 14. There will be two more – one in February and one in March. Fourth grade language arts is in full-swing again this quarter. Both 4th and 5th grade language arts are participating in literature circles to kick off our 2015 time together. Fourth graders are reading books about boys dealing with change in courageous ways. Two groups are reading “Hatchet” and the other group is reading “Bud, Not Buddy.” Fifth graders are all reading a book called “When You Reach Me.” This book defies being identified by one genre so part of the fun of this book is debating at the end which genre the students fill it best fits in (science fiction, mystery, realistic fiction, historical fiction – seriously it has them all!) Please check in with your GT language arts/creative child to make sure they know their reading assignment and their job. All lit circles will begin on Monday, January 12, so your child might have homework for the weekend to make sure they are prepared. Their job could be: Director – Prepare 2-4 deep questions. Summarizer – Write a 6-8 sentence summary. Word Wizard – Define the word, page number, synonym, and quick sketch for each of the 4 words. Illustrator – Draw a picture with details and write a 2 sentence reason why that picture is the best choice. Vacation – Some groups are big enough that one person gets a night off! Every week (usually on Wednesdays) each of my math classes take time to really focus on problem solving skills. For 4th and 5th graders, this especially helps them prepare for the Math Olympiad contests, as well as providing mathematical knowledge. In third grade, I spend time explicitly teaching students strategy and guiding them through the different steps that can be taken to solve a problem. This can be drawing a pictures, using logic, creating a table, or other problem solving strategies (see the poster below that is on my classroom wall.) This week third grade got really wrapped up in a problem which began with a table and progressed into using algebra. They were so proud of themselves when, all of them working in small groups, came to the answer through exploration, experimentation, and a glorious table! The problem stated: How many toothpicks do you need to build a square if each side measures 1 toothpick in length? Now build 2 squares connected to each other. How many toothpicks do you need now? Use a table to figure out the number of toothpicks needed to build a row of 20 squares. These third graders did a GREAT job of sticking with the problem to find an answer and then kept working on it to discover the shortcut they could have used (# of squares times 2 plus 1) - the beginning of algebra! The awesome thing is that when given a similar problem with triangles and then hexagons, they could easily adapt their thinking and, without the tedious process of creating a table, determine the algebra equation to solve the new related problems. Finally, my classes are all about cooperative learning and group work. There are challenges with elementary students working with partners and small groups in the form of respectful listening and polite conversation (especially in our tiny physical space.) After all they are really learning to do these things when trying to complete a task. I find giving them concrete strategies for what group work looks like and sounds like tends to make our time together go more smoothly. Those strategies equal the four L’s: look, lean, listen, and lower voice. To that end, I have put up a new poster in my classroom that we are using as a reminder. And it turned out that using my last name made it a little quirky (see if you get my “joke!”)
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May 2018
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