Need a break from your break?

Here some really cool websites to check out over the break if you need a break from your parents. :)

We will be having our class Geo Bee after we get back from the break.  If you would like to go ahead and see what some of the questions may be like you can go to Geo Bee Practice.

Don't forget to keep up your math facts.  Keeping in theme with the Holiday Spirit you can practice it playing with Christmas Lights!

You can also READ, READ, READ!!!  After all it is the only way to become a better reader!

Have a WONDERFUL BREAK!!!!  I will see you January 5th!

Party Time!

Take a look at a few pictures from our party!

Plant and Animal Cells

Today students began their Cell Projects by reviewing items they brought from home that represented the function of each organelle.  Students did an awesome job of then deciding on which item they wanted to use as a group!  

Students can also use this cell website to study for their cell quiz on Tuesday!

Spain Park High School Holiday Performance

Fractions - A Whole New World

Today we continued discussing fractions.  I wanted to bring in more visual models of fractions.  Students were given a sticky note with 1/2 and asked to place it on a number line labeled 0-4.  The picture below shows where the various groups decided to place it.  You can see students labeled the 2, 1 and 1/2, as well as 1/2.  

After asking questions about number lines and fractions, we began to make a list of what we knew and consequently what we could figure out.  You will see this discussion created statements that were so powerful.  Students now know that fractions are PORTIONS of a WHOLE.  They also decide that 1/2 would be between 0 and 1.

Later I asked the students to decide which fraction was larger 1/3 or 3/4.  Again students used number line and area models to defend their answers.  We discovered that thirds are greater than fourths but that 3/4 is closer to a whole and therefore larger than 1/4.  

We did this same thing with 3/12 and 3/6 in which students discovered they could half sixths and when they did they created twelfths.  They also confirmed that the more pieces the smaller the quantity.  So ask your child what he or she knows about fractions!