General Grant's Tree

This was a quick side trip on our way out of the park. Unfortunately, the snow distracted from the giant sequoia trees, so the students didn't pay a whole lot of attention to them.

Moodle

Mark Twain teachers are learning a new tool today called Moodle.
Hopefully if we can learn it well, next year we will be able to use a lot less paper and will be doing more on computers. It is already being used by students, teachers and parents at John Muir and Corcoran High Schoool. We will be able to post study guides, class work, home work, as well as blog and chat with each other.

CST is almost done

One day left of the CST. I'm very proud of this class. Everyone is
using the test-taking strategies and trying very hard to do their best.

WE REALLY ARE BLOGGING NOW!

We finally started for real on Monday and we are taking off. Check out the 2nd link on the left "G2 kids are blogging".

Collecting Data

We have collected much interesting data this week on ourselves and made some equally interesting graphs so that we could talk about using data. Here are some new words we learned.

median - the middle number in a set of data when the data is put in order from least to greatest

mode - the number in a set of data that occurs most often

mean - the average number (add all the number and divide by the number of numbers)

outlier - a number in a set of data that is distant from the other numbers (an outlier may give you unreliable information)

G2 kids are blogging

I found a new blog site yesterday, at kidblog.org, which lets the students each have their own blog page in a safe and structured way without having to submit an email address. Hopefully we will start using it to publish some of our writing and thinking about what we are learning. If you click on the first link under "Links to Learning" it will take you there.

I am excited about this new tool because it allows me to give opportunity for the students to blog without them having to have an insecure email adress, without me having to give them access to my email address and it allows me the ability to oversee all posts before they are published.

Comparing Fractions

When compare fractions we are seeing if the are the same size or a different size.
We use the signs < (less than) >(greater than) =(equal to)

We have a nice easy trick to doing this.


1/4 is less than, greater than or equal to 2/3


1/4 is < > = 2/3

1/4 2/3 to find out, multiply the denominator of one fraction by the numerator of the other fraction. Do this to both fractions. Put the answer at the top of each fraction.

1/4 and 2/3
multiply 1x3 = 3 put that above 1/4
multiply 4 x 2 = 8 put that above 2/3
now compare 3 and 3
3 is less than 8
SO
1/4 < 2/3
1/4 is less than 2/3

Equivalent Fractions

Equiva lent mean equal, so equivalent fractions are equal fractions.

1/2
Equivalent fractions for one-half are easy, because the numerator is half of the denominator.

1/2 - 1 is half of 2
2/4 - 2 is half of 4
4/8 - 4 is half of 8
10/20 - 10 is half of 20
SO
1/2 = 2/4 = 4/8 = 10/20

Here is a song we learned to help us find equivalents of other fractions.
(to the tune of "Are You Sleeping?)

Equivalent Fractions
Equivalent Fractions
Multiply
Or Divide
By another Fraction
By another Fraction
Equal to One
Equal to One

To find an equivalent fraction, you need to multiply by a fraction equal to one.
Fractions equal to one are 2/2 3/3 4/4 5/5 6/6 ...etc.


So to find an equivalent fraction for 2/3, multiply 2/3 by 2/2. That would be 2x2 and 3 x2, which would be 4/6.

2/3 = 4/6
2/3 is equal to 4/6

Simplest Form
when finding simplest form, you are finding an equivalent fraction that has a numerator and denominator that cannot be reduced anymore.

To find simplest form you divide by a fraction equal to one.
The tricky part is finding a common factor of both the numerator and the denominator.


Put 15/20 in simplest form.
15 and 20 have a common factor of 5.
So divide 15/20 by 5/5. 15 divided by 5 is 3 and 20 divided by 5 is 4.

15/20 = 3/4
15/20 is equal to 3/4

3/4 is in simplest form because 3 is a prime number and because 3 and 4 have no common factors and cannot be divided further.

Finding a fraction of a number

Fraction of a number.

Alfredo has to read 24 pages in his science book by Friday. If he has completed 3/4 of the assignment, how many pages has he read?

We need to find 3/4 of 24. There are two ways to do that.

3/4 x 24/1
1. multiply 3/x 24 = 72 and 4 x 1 =4
2. that gives us 72/4 which is a division problem
3. 72 divided by 4 = 18
4. So 3/4 of 24 is 18.
5. So Alfredo has read 18 pages.

or

3/4 of 24
1. 24 divided by 4 = 6
2. 6 = 1/4 of 24
3. 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 3/4
4. 6 + 6 + 6 = 18
5. 3/4 of 24 is 18
6. So Alfredo has read 18 pages.

Formulas are Fun!

We trying out lots of new things in math for the new year. Last week we worked on negative numbers and this week we are learning formulas for perimeter and area for squares and rectangles!

perimeter = the distance around around a figure

a square has four congruent(equal) sides SO the perimeter can be found with this formula

P = 4s (perimeter = 4 times the measure of one side)

a rectangle has two pair of congruent sides SO the perimeter can be found with this formula

P= 2l + 2W ( perimeter = 2 times the length + 2 times the width)


Area is the measure of the space inside of a figure.

the area of a square or a rectangle can be found with this formula

A = l x w ( area = length times width)

How does SETTING affect a story?

Our Houghton-Mifflin selection this week is Cendrillon, a Carribean Cinderella Story, by Robert D. San Souci.
We are looking at how the setting of the Carribean changed the story from the original Cinderella story we are used to. We have also read several other versions of this classic story and noted how the setting changed things.
Then we made up our own settings and talked about how the Cinderella story would be changed.
For example:
if it took place in modern times VS the time of the dinosaurs

in modern times: Cinderella would arrive in a limo, have a DJ at the ball and it would be held at the Save Mart Center or maybe at a fancy casino in Las Vegas. Cinderella would have very high-heeled glass slippers.

in the age of dinosaurs: Cinderella would arrive on the back of a very large dinosaur, drums would be the only music played at the ball, and Cinderella would wear a moccasin.

We also discussed a winter VS summer setting

summer: Cinderella would arrive in a convertible or on a surfboard, the ball would take place at the beach, she would wear a tank top and shorts, and would leave behind a flip flop

winter: Cinderella would arrive on a sled or maybe a snowmobile, the ball would take place at a ski hill or ice rink, she would be wearing a parka and would leave behind a boot

Veteran's Day Activities

Here is a link to PBS with some activities for kids related to Veteran's Day.
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/activitypacks/socialstudies/americanidentity/

Order of Operations

We are working on expressions, equations and inequalities with all of the operations. The rule we follow to know which operation to do first is called the Order of Operations.
It goes like this:
Parentheses
Exponents
Multiply and/or divide (left to right)
Add and/or subtract (left to right)

We use the Mnemonic Device to help us remember the Order of Operations.
Please
Excuse
My
Dear
Aunt
Sally

Example: 45 - (3 x 8) + 9
In this expression we would multiply 3 x 8 first because it is in parentheses.
That would leave us with 45 - 24 + 9
Then we subtract because it come first moving from left to right.
That would leave us with 21 + 9 which equals 30.
So the value of 45 - (3 x 8) + 9 is 30.

Figurative Language

We are working on similes, metaphors, personification and hyperbole.

Similes are a comparison of two unlike things using like or as: the boy ran like the wind Metaphors are a comparison of two unlike thing: The misbehaving child was a monster. Personification is giving human characteristics to inhuman things, objects, ideas or animals: The wind whispered my name and told me to come out to play.
Hyperbole is exaggeration: that was the worst movie I've ever seen.

Here are some similes the students in G-2 have written.
I am as brave as a bear.
Mrs. Coleman is as smart as a scientist.
I was as hungry as a bear that hasn't eaten all summer.

Test-Taking Strategies

Next week is the middle of Trimester 1 here at Mark Twain, which means we have a Language Arts test, as Science Test and a Math Test all in one week. Today we covered some good strategies for a taking a reading comprension test. We talked about how reading in a test is different than reading a book for pleasure or even information, so we need to approach it differently. Here are some strategies that can help us attack a test.

1. Read the Questions First
2. Highlight or underline key words or phrases in the questions.
3. Read the passage 2 - 3 times.
4. Highlight key words or phrases in the passage that relate to the questions.
5. Read the questions again and ALL of the answer choices.
6. Eliminate the wrong answers.
7. Choose the correct answer and mark it.

We are practicing these techniques now, and will continue to review them throughout the year.