Math/Science Week of September 24th

Dear Parents,

This week in Math we will be taking what we have learned over the last five weeks with place value, and applying it to rounding.  Early in the week, I will introduce rounding two digit numbers to the nearest ten.  We use a fun roller coaster flip chart to introduce rounding and the kids really enjoy it a lot.  The roller coaster theory is pretty simple to relate to as well.  We talk about "THE POINT OF NOOOOOOO RETURN," when rounding.  Once the roller coaster reaches the top of the track (5,15,25,35,45,etc...), it has reached "THE POINT OF NO RETURN," and must swoop down to the bottom, thus rounding to the nearest ten ahead.  If the roller coaster doesn't quite make it to the top, it will fall backwards and we will then round to the nearest ten behind.  Towards the middle of the week, we will be rounding three digit numbers to the nearest ten as well and then move on to rounding to the nearest 100 at the end of the week, with 50+ being "THE POINT OF NO RETURN."   The students will have a quiz on rounding to the nearest ten and hundred on Friday.  

Last week's fast fact score was recorded in the grade book, and now we are moving on to Subtraction Facts.  Please change gears and study subtraction facts only with your child for at least the next four weeks.

In Science this week, we will continue our unit study on Matter and its properties.  The kids will perform a Solids Lab this Monday and make observations and conclusions about objects that are solids.  Towards the middle of the week, we will have a gas demonstration, and the kids will practice making predictions and conclusions in their journals again.  At the end of the week, we are scheduled to complete a liquids lab.  We will be practicing estimating ML and measuring our liquids in the liquids lab.  

It should be a fun week of learning!