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| This is how I use my conjunctions: and, but, or or. |
"Is there something different about you?" said the teacher. With a curious look on her face, the student replied, "No. I don't think so." With a slightly concerned look on his face, the teacher continued "Are you sure? You seem like you're one year older?" A moment of silence fell between the teacher; the teacher watching to wheels turning in his student's mind. Suddenly, the teacher bursted into a roaring laugh and asserted, "I am funny! You will laugh one day." Welcome back, Mr. Mike.
So, I am back. The usually goofiness accompanied by merriment and general joviality undisturbed. We have a lot to catch up with with, so let's get to the good stuff...
Our migration unit has been an emotional roller coaster. We have learned people in Uzbekistan, families that live and work around us, and teachers we see every day just might have a migration story of their own. We heard from guest speakers, Ms. Magda and others, who have migrated thousands of miles to seek freedom, peace, and safety. We have read migration books that are rich in vivid descriptions, powerful imagery, and fantastic stories. We have explored the geographical movements of these people around the world, by using map skills. Finally, it is time to put all our new knowledge together and share it. Each student is working by themselves to retell a migration story from one of our migration books. Within each retell, each student must include how, why, and the consequences of migration for the characters in the story. Using their strengths, students choose from a variety of performances/projects to share their retell, including creating a book, picture book, writing a song or poem, performing a skit, creating a Google Slides presentation, using the Explain Everything app, creating a coding project, or coming up with an original/authentic way to present his/her retell. We can not wait to see what our creative juices and knew knowledge will look like when they come together.
Our more in-depth study of place value, using operations to solve word problems, and looking at multiplication and division came to its culmination in an assessment last week. The Landmarks in the Thousands assessment will be graded and sent home for you to review with your child. In the interim, we have started our second week of probability, or the study of chance. At first, we had a difficult time connecting probability with real-life. After exploring the idea further using different games and speaking with specific vocabulary, we realized it is around us all the time - like when we look at the weather forecast and there is 90% chance of rain. Do we bring an umbrella to school, or not? The answer depends on whether, or not, you believe in probability!
Book clubs have been a blast. Students are focusing on how to summarize sections of the text using a strategy called determining importance. We have to figure out which events are important, how they could be connected to character's actions, and evaluate the author's intentions all to help us filter out the "stuff" that is unimportant; so we can share what is most important in our group summaries. It is an invaluable skill and one that we continue to work on.
Our December book shares will finish up this week and our February book shares begin soon. Be sure to plan ahead and practice, practice, practice your presentation several times before the day of your book share. Enjoy the week!
Homework
Along with reading 20 minutes each night and preparing for
your February book share, please complete the following:
Monday: Do You Two Want to Go, too? & They’re There,
Now! activities
Tuesday: Its or It’s & Let’s Agree activities
Wednesday: IXL Math. We are working in our new probability unit. There are three options this week, beginning with a basic level of understanding of probability and moving up to "I need to be challenged" level of understanding of probability. Choose only 1 to do tonight. If you find you want to dabble, or try something easier, or harder, then do so.
In a fog option... Math Grade 3 Probability & Statistics V.1
A bit hazy option... Math Grade 4 Probability & Statistics V.1-V.2
Crystal clear option... Math Grade 4 Probability & Statistics V.6
Thursday: Some Little Riddles & Can you See the Sea? Activities
Friday: While balancing a spoon on your nose and combing
your hair, hold a mirror behind your head and a book in front of your face;
then, read for 1 million seconds. Also, laugh and play with your family. :)
Guest speakers sharing about partition between India and Pakistan.
Factors and multiples - a student presentation.
Completing our United States of America visa "applications" for our U.S. Embassy field trip.
They're alive!
December book share!
Where in the world is...?
Working on globe and atlas skills together.
Hello, atlas, meet Google Earth.
Conjunctions: They bring two independent clauses together. Let's share.
Close to 1,000!
We can manipulate the value of a digit by multiplying and dividing by 10.
What... this is math?
Book clubs.
Book clubs & our first probability game - Two Dice Sums!
"Mr. Mike. I love math."
"What part?"
"All of it. The games, the playing, and the learning."
"So, let's do more tomorrow then!"
Morning Mania activity called "Two on a Crayon."
We likened communicating with each other in our community to a harmonious song. What kind of music, soul, beat, happiness, etc. do you want to add to our rhythm?
Probability centers!
Coin Toss!
Paper Basketball & 52 card Pick-Up! (Yes, the cards were meant to be thrown everywhere.)
Let it Ride! Rolling a die and learning about 1/6 outcomes.
There is a greater likelihood to picking a red cube because he put more red cubes in the bag!
