Welcome to Mr. Baker's Math and Science Home Page
This week students began to explore fractions and decimals and how they relate to each other. We built a variety of fractions and organized them from smallest to largest. Students learned how the size of our denominator (bottom number) impacts the size of an individual piece. For more practice with fractions they should visit:
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me3us/flash/lessonLauncher.html?lesson=lessons/10/m3_10_00_x.swf http://www.softschools.com/math/fractions/games/ordering_fractions/ With decimals, students learned the place value for tenths and hundredths. They began adding decimals together seeing how our rules for regrouping are consistent no matter the side of the decimal. Like any of our computation work, students will need practice to support their process. Here are a couple links they can use to gain this practice: http://www.math-play.com/soccer-math-adding-decimals-game/adding-decimals-game.html http://www.math-play.com/decimal-math-games.html Science Students have been refining their scientific process as they redesign their balloon powered rockets. They are seeing the benefit to how modifications are an important process for scientists to experience. Here are a couple games that support this learning process of design thinking and scientific problem solving. https://pbskids.org/catinthehat/games/invention-engine https://askabiologist.asu.edu/training-room-game/play.html
1 Comment
This week students concluded their division work with a final check in. Their marks will be posted on Powerschool. Even with division done, our students need continual practice with their mental math and computation work. We will revisit these sections and would also appreciate support at home with adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing questions.
Students worked with adding and subtracting up to and from 10 000. They could also multiply and divide triple digits by single digits. Doing a few short sessions of practice a week will help them retain their accuracy and efficiency. Students are now exploring fractions. They are learning how we can combine fractions together, what the denominator means and what fractions are larger than others. Students can use these links to help them with this process. https://www.splashmath.com/fraction-games https://www.coolmath4kids.com/math-help/fractions Students are continuing their work in science with simple machines. They are learning about forces and how to create balloon powered vehicles. The students are continuing their work around drawing scientific diagrams and redesigning their projects after a testing phase. These links are excellent learning opportunities for students. They are centered on energy and simple machines. https://wonderville.org/asset/save-the-world https://wonderville.org/asset/medieval-levers This week students have been working on seeing the relationship between multiplication and division. This is an important skill as they can use the other process to double check their work and estimate their answers. Students were presented with numerous problems that looked like: Complete as many multiplication and division sentences as you can with the following numbers: 2, 4, 8. Answers would be: 2x4=8, 4x2=8, 8÷2=4, 8÷4=2 They also needed to solve questions with missing values such as: 5, 15 and ? the ? could be either 3 or 75 depending on how the students approached the problem. 5x?=15 or 5x15=? They can show you their skills with the following problems. Complete as many multiplication and division sentences as you can with the following numbers: 7, 3, ? 18, 6, ? 14, 7, ? Students also completed a check-in for both multiplication and division so there is an up to date artifact for Parent-Teacher conferences. During their homeroom class, students have been working on telling time. Use these links for more practice: http://www.abcya.com/telling_time.htm https://www.splashmath.com/time-games https://www.mrnussbaum.com/clockworks/ https://www.mrnussbaum.com/bedtime-2/ In science students have been presented with the following task:
They had all week to plan and build. They are learning the difficulties of designing and building functional machines. This process will continue into next week as they test and sketch their creations. We need to keep remembering to apply our scientific knowledge into each step of our building process.
Students have been working to learn how to divide both double and triple digit numbers by single numbers. This process is proving challenging to many as they need to have strong mental math facts for multiplication and subtraction in order to be successful with larger questions. This week students used visual drawings to represent their procedures. Currently, students are working on a procedure called the partial quotient method. This is a building block to long division. It is beneficial as students can use the mental math concepts they know instead of prescribed ones that they might get wrong. The following slide explains this process.
Students need to have continual practice with their mental math skills. We practice in the classroom during our warm ups, however they need to have more time to perfect their skills. By working on both multiplying and subtracting at home, students will be more successful with larger equations.
Students should be able to answer the following questions so far: 95÷5= 67÷3= 49÷2= 58÷4= Have your child prove their math skills to you this weekend. Also, students worked on a new math website. It can be found at: https://solveme.edc.org In science, students investigated the power of rubber bands. They researched a variety of vehicles powered by rubber bands in preparation for next week’s building challenge. We focused our discussion and research around the idea of potential and kinetic energy. The blog post below provides 3 links to further develop their understanding of this topic. This week students have started looking at division. We started this week looking at how division can be representing by breaking a certain number into equal groupings.
Meaning, 40÷4=? 1. 40 is broken into 4 groups (ten in each group) 2. 40 is broken into groups of 4 (you get ten groups of them) We also started looking at how we can represent our division with repeated subtraction. For example: 60÷6= is the same as 60-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6=0 (it took 10 sets of 6 to reach zero) This being our first week of division, students will need continued practice with finding equal groups to build their confidence and speed with division. Using the following links will be a good start to practice: https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/menus/division.htm https://www.multiplication.com/games/division-games In science, students were researching different paper airplane designs. They were looking for a design that would travel the farthest. Students then began to explore the power that is stored in stretched rubber bands to launch their aircrafts. At home can you create an airplane design that can be launched using a rubber band? Send a photo or video in to show the class! Students have been working on a large math project this week. They needed to apply their knowledge of surface area and perimeter into designing 2 different floorplans for a single-story home. They needed to follow specific dimensions in order to be successful. This was excellent practice applying their conceptual knowledge into a multi-stepped task. Check the file below to see the task they worked with:
If more practice with area and perimeter is needed, these links can be used:
https://www.mrnussbaum.com/zoo/ https://www.turtlediary.com/games/area-and-perimeter.html In science, students have continued to learn about levers, pulleys and roller systems. Students were exploring when to use specific simple machines to accomplish a variety of tasks. Your weekend task is to try and find simple machines in the world around you.
We are going to be starting some more science building projects. If you could start bringing in recycling items that would be amazing. Such items as: cardboard, plastic bottles, lids, straws etc. |
AuthorHello, My name is Mr. Baker and this is my third year at NCS teaching Math and Science. Please visit my blog regularly for updates on what is being done in the class as well as for extra support with your learning. Archives
June 2019
|