Math and Science Week of April 7th

Parents,

The next two weeks we will be getting ready for the STAAR test in a variety of ways.  We are working on making it as fun and as challenging as possible.

1. On Monday, we will review probability and vocabulary such as certain, likely and impossible.

2. On Tuesday, we have planned a "Round Robin" activity to prepare the kids for Objective 5 which entails probability, reading Picto graphs with different keys, and analyzing bar graphs.  The kids will work in groups to help one another solve.  Last week I motivated the kids by turning this into a competition of sorts.  If their group missed none, they all got a free HW pass!

3. On Wednesday, we will take Objective 5 Quiz on Probability, reading Picto Graphs with different keys, and analyzing bar graphs and answering questions from those graphs.

4. On Thursday, we are going to take a step back to November and early December when we studied Multiplication.  We will review and practice using all strategies taught in Multiplication to help solve the problems.  These strategies include Circles and Stars, Clothesline Method, Arrays, Making Paired Tables, etc....  The kids will work with a partner to complete some multiplication word problems.

5. On Friday, we will review Division strategies learned a couple months ago such as the Octopus and Cookies Method.  The students will again work with a partner to determine how to solve some Division word problems.

Multiplication Fast Facts will be graded this Friday.  I have several students that have completed all of their fast facts to twelve and have started division.  These are the students I consider 4th grade ready at this point in the year.

In Science we have a Solar System test scheduled for Tuesday.  After this we will move on to our study of Living and Non Living things which evolves eventually into Ecosystems.  We will be learning that a living thing is something that is or once was alive.  Living things do certain things like breath, require food, and reproduce.

It should be an awesome week of new learning and discovery ;-).
Ms. S