Math - Division Using Place Value Sections Model

This week we worked really hard to understand division using what we already know about multiplication.  Here are a couple of the powerpoints that we used during class.  They are a great way to review over the weekend.

Lesson 3-2

Lesson 3-3

Friday Fun

When I was growing up I was definitely a rule follower.  I was very quiet and never questioned anything.  If my younger sister gave me directions or an order I followed even what she told me to do.  

This week we introduced some new things.  Limericks were just one of those new things.  I am so thankful for those students that questioned a little bit of the new that I was trying to introduce.  Some of them didn't question it but they were willing to break the mild ever so slightly to be an original.

Friday afternoon we spent time reviewing math skills with some games.  In our room we did Number Top-It.  It's a great way to review place value.   This time we played with hundreds, tens, and ones.  Later we will play it with decimal places (tenths, hundredths, and thousandths).

I am proud of my 4th graders for their anxiousness to try new things this week as well as to question the rules.  They were willing to take risks and because of that they achieved far more than I had imagined.

They are  a fabulous crew.

It was also a super mail day!   A new Scholastic Book Order arrived.  I'll be reading all that I can from these new books over the weekend so that the 4th graders can start reading them on Monday.

It's going to be a great week! How will you plan for your success?

A Monday that will Motivate You

I don't know what tomorrow's lesson will be like but it will be what it is....  In other thoughts and reflections:  Today was one of my best days at Winskill.  Even though it is the final week before Christmas break  I felt like the 4th graders were engaged and learning.  Behaviors were in check and I walked the class out at 3:15 with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.  THIS IS THE ME I KNOW!  So what was different? 

First of all we spent more time on the carpet than we normally do.  I really like the circle (or rectangle in our case) approach to talking.  We could all see each other and everyone was listening intently.  I also loved getting to share our video from Santa with the class.   You can check it out HERE! 

For reading we assigned roles for our reader's theater.  It is going to be FANTASTIC.  We went through it with Mrs. Stimpson's help today and we will be practicing it a few times tomorrow.  If you would like to come and see it performed, you are welcome to join us in the presentation room at 9:45 on Wednesday Morning.  All 3 classes will performing something different.  We plan to have all 3 groups done by 10:45.

 We also got to read the responses to our Santa Disguise ideas.  Check with your 4th grader to find out about what their letter said.

In math we focused on remainders.  After a one minute table talk about remainders, we turned our attention to what remainders mean in word/story problems.  When we have a word problem we have 3 choices for what we can do with the remainder:  1-ignore it, 2-report it (as a decimal or fraction), or 3- round up the answer.  Tonight's homework and remembering will be a great study aid for our math test that will be on  Thursday morning! 

We are also seeing a burst in 4th grade blogs!   I'm proud of those who were inspired to start them on their own.  As soon as we have done a few things together, we will begin sharing the links for our individual blogs.  Great things are happening as we go Running Through 4th Grade!

**If you haven't signed your 4th graders' midterm envelope, please do and send it back to me.

** All school Sing A Long on Friday Morning at 8:30.

** Classroom Party on Friday at 2.

Today was a day that has me feeling excited to be back at school tomorrow!  It was definitely a Monday that Motivated Me:-)

Hero Day

We are lucky to have 90 minutes for math each day.  We are just getting started with our multiplication study and we are using those 90 minutes to the fullest!

The students came back from lunch today and we created all the possible dot arrays for 24:  1 x 24, 2 x 12, 3 x 8, and 4 x 6.

After the dot arrays, we began building arrays with unifix cubes.  We started with building all possible arrays for 4. 

We worked our way up to 16.

Ask your 4th grader if they can tell you how many arrays can be made for the number 9!

I love the way that we are learning and talking about our thinking EVERY DAY!  

We do so many fabulous things at Winskill that I don't always tell you about all of them, but dressing up for Homecoming is definitely a favorite thing for many of us.  Today was HERO DAY!  Check out these great idols that the 4th graders want to be like:  dads, moms, doctors, veterinarians, football players, and so many more.