Manipulating Graphics

During computer time today students learned how to manipulate graphics for their novel study title pages.  First they opened up their previously saved document, and then searched for images on Google Chrome that would represent aspects of their book.  They then copied and pasted their picture from the internet into their word document.  Next they learned how to wrap the text so they could move the picture freely on the page.  After doing this guided, each student then did it independently and saved their work.  It was great to see how quickly the students picked up on this skill.

Conductors & Insulators

In IPC today we experimented to see what items are conductors and which are insulators.  First we discussed that conductors allow electricity to flow easily through them and insulators do not.  Then, the students tested both a nail and a coin to see if these objects were conductors and insulators.  Next, they chose two other objects to test and then could freely test other objects throughout the school.  Finally, we created a t-chart and listed items we found to be conductors and insulators,  In the end we drew the conclusion that most conductors are metal and most insulators are not.

Using Quotation Marks

We've been taking a close look at quotation marks in class.  Some things we are noticing are how they are written in text (the correct punctuation used), their purpose (to show speaking out loud), and who is speaking.

Today as authors we started to use quotation marks in our own writing.  On Kidblog, we wrote single, independent sentences that used quotations at the beginning or end of the sentence.  Along with this we discussed how the punctuation would change (location and style) if the quote was a statement, question or exclamation.

In doing this, we also "put said to bed" meaning we came up with a variety of other words to use instead of said.  Words that would make our writing more colourful and create better pictures for our readers.  Enjoy!

Using Quotation Marks (Kidblog Link)

Mosaic Mural P2

Today 4th grade purple participated in the second part of the Mosaic Mural (first part and description about the project can be found in earlier posts - October 2015).

For the second part, students got to start applying tiles to the wooden slabs that will create our Under the Sea mosaic mural - a project done in conjunction with Gaslini Children's Hospital.  The students had a lot of fun learning how to apply tiles to the wood (using LOTS of glue) and how to ensure the tiles are straight and not too close to the edges.  It was also interesting to learn which side of the tile goes face down, a surprising fact to Ms Simonsen.

Thank you Ms Stacey for all your hard work on this project.  To find out more about her organization please go to: http://www.apatchworks.org/

Long Division Box Method

As we continue with long division, we are looking for more ways to understand how to do this operation.  It can be very tricky for some of us with all the steps we need to do (divide, multiply, subtract, etc).

Today the students learned another way to complete long division.  We called it Method #2, but it is also known as the Box Method.  Below is a video describing how to do this method of long division.  Some of us found this way a lot easier, and I told the students it doesn't matter which we they do it as long as they can do it one way accurately and understand what they are doing.

Podding It Up

During our language arts pods today, students incorporated two new activities to add to their language repertoire.  Two of our regular pods, teacher led and reading online, were part of our morning.  But today we also participated in a sentence mix up activity where each student chose a sentence from their novel, cut it apart then gave it to a partner to reassemble.  And our second new activity was free write, which we've done before, but using MS Word and then saving our work on our USBs independently.  I love seeing how involved the students get in their work and in honing their language and tech skills.

Free Write via MS Word

Sentence mix-up fun

Read aloud our novel to a partner, checking for comprehension as we read

Reading online, National Geographic Young Explorers

Simple Circuits

In IPC today the students got involved in an experiment where they were looking at simple circuits.  Using wires, light bulbs, and batteries the students created various circuits to see which ones were open and closed circuits.  Throughout their experiments they discovered that all wires need to be connected to create a circuit, and that when a circle is created, although the wires are all connected, does not create a circuit.  We are looking forward to exploring more with circuits.

Reading Response via Tech

Incorporating technology into our language arts program is very important to 4th Grade Purple.  One way we try to do this is by using our kidblogs to post our thoughts and responses.  Today students did a reading response telling what they know about the main character in their novel.   Please check them out if you'd like to know more about our characters.

KidBlogs - Character Reading Response

Electrical Inventions Timeline

Students are looking at a variety of inventions created that use electricity.  Using a timeline, where they ordered the given times themselves, students started looking at ordering different electrical inventions by date.  They were encouraged to use critical thinking skills (ie if a microwave uses light then the light would be invented prior to the microwave) to help them decide where to order items, and it was great to see schema coming into play as well (some students asked when Thomas Edison was born to help them decide when his invention would've been invented).

Long Division

Students are beginning to learn long division this week with the algorithm.  There are many steps to doing long division and various operations involved (divide, multiply, subtract).  It's a tricky process and we'll be doing lots of practice this week to bridge what we did with the manipulatives (understanding the concept) with the algorithm (procedure).  We're off to a good start.  Here are a few more tools for students to use at home:

Video: Introduction to Long Division

Video: Introduction to Remainders

Video: Dividing Numbers with Remainders

Game: Snork's Long Division

Math Words

Having a math word wall with words, definitions, examples and other forms of information help in aiding students.  This tool allows students to recall previously taught concepts and to find information that they may not have mastered yet.  Our math word wall grows with each unit and is visually present in our classroom.

"Quotations"

As we read novels, we encounter a lot of dialogue.  Therefore, it's important for students to understand what is dialogue, how it's used, its purpose and how to incorporate it so they can apply it into their own writing.

Today we took a part of a novel and began to analyze the quotation marks.  First, we identified quotation marks and noted that they are used to indicate what a characters says out loud.  Then we noticed that different punctuation is used at the end of dialogue, which is dependent on (a) where the dialogue is located in a sentence, and (b) if the dialogue is an exclamation or a question.  Dialogue sure can be tricky!  We're also working to enhance our understanding of knowing who is speaking the dialogue, when sometimes it doesn't explicitly tell us.

A Novel Activity

As we progress through reading our novel, students do various activities to showcase different elements of the text, check comprehension, analyze aspects related to characters and plot, and more!  Today we looked at character's feelings (with story proofs) and wrote summaries to show we understood and could reiterate events in chronological order.  In addition to this, we worked on finding and creating wonderful verb lists that will aid us in our Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs paragraph/narrative writing.

Intro to Long Division

Today students started on an introduction to long division.  Before we jump headlong into using the algorithm, students need to build an understanding of the concept of dividing larger numbers (ie 245 divided by 6).

To do this, in groups students used manipulatives (coloured counters) to begin understanding the concept.  We learned that at times we need to regroup because we don't always have the correct amount for equal groups.  We start in the hundreds place because this way we can regroup down (changing hundreds to tens, tens to ones) which is an easier process that regrouping up.

Tomorrow we'll continue with this understanding through manipulative tasks and then see how the algorithm derives from it.

Reading Importance

I had a parent send me something similar regarding the importance of reading and thought I'd share this with our community.

Feedback from Feedback

Last week students began their novel studies.  We have 3 different novel studies going in the room, each geared at students level and to incorporate differentiation in the classroom.

One of the first activities the students did was to predict what the novel was about, using clues from the cover (title, pictures, back writing).  After doing so, I provided feedback to each student in the form of a question, to help them engage their thinking.

Today, in their groups students gave feedback to each other on the feedback I'd given.  So, one student at a time would read their prediction and the accompanying question, then the other students would take turns answering the question for their peer.  This continued until all members in the group had provided feedback, then the next student would read their prediction and receive feedback from their peers.  The students and I discussed this method of conversational peer learning and they agreed that it helped them learn how to write a more in depth, detailed, comprehensive prediction next time.