Breaking news... A grade four boy in Scarborough discovers that fractions are fun. After finding numerous fractions equivalent to 1/4, this ten-year-old walked around the classroom with a triangular smile on his face for the rest of the day.
Language: Writing/Reading - We will continue working on explanatory writing in class. Explanatory writing, "explains how something is done or made or how something works. Explanations are fairly procedural in nature, presenting information in an organized way. However, the writer isn't trying to teach readers how to do something. The aim is to teach about something." (A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction - Ontario Ministry of Education) We have been looking at examples of explanatory writing in class and students have all written an explanatory piece on how to make pizza. This week, students will choose his or her own topic (an area students feel they have some expertise in e.g. how to score a hockey goal, or how to clean an incredibly messy room). They will be given in-class time to work on this.Media Literacy: Modernized fairy tales are due this Friday. A presentation schedule will be posted in class and presentations will begin this Friday. I will check in with those who have yet to complete their project to see how I can support them. We will also be looking at the "House Hippo" campaign as part of critical literacy.
Math: Fractions - We will continue working on fractions and decimals this week. There will be a quiz on Friday. Students must be able to find equivalent fractions in a set of fractions, convert improper fractions to mixed numbers, add and subtract fractions with the same denominator, and convert simple fractions to decimals. No need to panic. It's just what we've been working on.
Science: I was not able to run our "light centres" last week as planned due to a change in my schedule. We will run them this week. Students will also be assembling assorted opaque, transparent, and translucent materials to make mobiles. I hope our eyeball models will be completed as well.
Social Studies: Grade 5s Mummy Madness. We will be reviewing the mummification process and this Tuesday afternoon students will be making their mummies. If any parents out there have any good ideas as to how we can construct 23 coffins with relative ease, please let me know. Grade 4s will be completing their Medieval village homes. They will also begin reading about the construction of Medieval castles and castle life.
Homework: Writing - In their Home Writing Journal, students will write a mock autobiographical adventure tale. The story will be inspired by the children's classic Flat Stanley. Students will write their own version of the story. Students will be given a planning sheet on Monday. (First rough draft of their "Flat Story" is due Thursday morning.
Social Studies: Students will choose a topic that he or she will be able to explain. Grade 4s will choose an aspect of Medieval Times that interest him or her (e.g. how a man becomes a knight, how weapons were constructed, why a castle was built in a particular way...) Grade 5s will do the same, but will choose a topic from ancient Egypt (e.g. how ancient Egyptians groomed themselves, why the ancient Egyptians had so many gods, etc). Please do not choose mummification, since we're taking a close look at it in class. This Friday, students will hand in their topic sheet for approval. They will then have one week to compile jot notes from a book or books (no internet sources). From these notes, students will compose a short piece of explanatory writing in class (date to be announced).
Math: Rounding decimals.
Have a great week!
