Here we go

Hello,


Today was more like it.  We're back in the swing of things.  Our math class made some major strides in understanding fractions with numerators greater than one.  The kids have been proficient at representing 1/4 or 1/8, but throw them a 3/5 or a 5/8 and we have had major problems.  It hasn't been a worry because they just need more time mucking about with different set, area and distance models.  Today that mucking around was paying dividends.  We used Cuisenaire rods as a combination area/distance model and I could see the light bulbs coming on across the classroom. 


For example, I would yell out, "Show me 4/7!"


"Of what?" they would reply, because they know that a fraction doesn't mean anything without knowing the whole.


"Of two orange rods and a brown rod!"


They then laid out the rods end to end and eventually would show me that four magenta rods are equal to four sevenths of the whole.


"Prove it!" I'd shout, only to get many replies like, "because one magenta is one seventh," or "seven magentas equal the whole." 


Good stuff.  We'll keep at it tomorrow.  I've abandoned the book for a spell while we get these basic concepts down.  No one should be multiplying or dividing fractions without a clear understanding of what a fraction is in the first place.


In literacy class, we read for information.  We did a lot of skimming and then careful reading when we found our topics of choice.  They are pretty good at this already.  Much like paragraph writing, we just want to keep their skills sharp. 


In our read aloud, we learned what an indentured servant was.  Our main character, twelve year old Isabel, is being sold at auction along with her sister.  Pretty sad so far.  This book, Chains, will hit on a lot of the major topics that our country faced during the revolutionary and civil war time periods.  The bonus is that it is extremely well written.  I don't think that I'd attempt to read it to fourth-graders, but they are understanding it well and asking some good questions. 


The final WWF election right before vacation was a major upset.  The sloth took down the saola 10-9.  I think we were all shocked.  I think the sloth even got some sympathy votes from people so that it wouldn't be a blow out.  Wow.  I'm expecting to get our "adoption papers" any day now.  Great job to most everyone.  We did learn a lot.  I now know what a saola is.  I can't believe the Unicorn of the South East didn't pull it out.  Slow and steady won the race.


Here is the link to the homework tonight:


http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/interactiveadventures/john-smith/


Look, learn, play.


Have a great night.


Mr. Shea