Math Rotation Stations

Last Tuesday, we were lucky enough to host 'Mathletes' at the school. Students in grade 2-6 participated in 'Station Rotations' whereby they visited math centres to tackle a variety of math challenges in a hands-on, collaborative manner. On Thursday and Friday, we did our own version of 'Station Rotations' in the classroom with a focus on angles. Students moved throughout the room at 20-minute intervals. There was a 'Math Antics' angles video, an art related station, a station where they practiced measuring angles using a protractor and a number sense station whereby students used our class number code to add up angle-related math vocabulary words.

Math Antics - Angles & Degrees

Curriculum Update Math & Language

MATH

Today we launched into a mini geometry unit on angles!

Summary of unit key concepts for grade 4
-Recognize and contrast benchmark angles: right angles (90 degrees), straight angles (180 degrees) and half-right angles (45 degrees)
-Angles are measured by the spread of the angle's arms and NOT by the length of the arms or the area in between the arms.
-Smaller angles can be used to measure larger angles (e.g. two half-right angles makes one right angle, four half-right angles equals one straight angle, etc. )
-Compare other angles to benchmark angles (e.g. almost a right angle, almost a little more than a half-right angle, almost a straight angle, etc.)

Summary of unit key concepts for grade 5
-Understand that angles are measured in units called degrees and using a tool called a protractor
-Recognize and contrast benchmark angles: right angles (90 degrees), acute angles (between 0 and 90 degrees), obtuse angles (between 90 and 180 degrees) and straight angles (180 degrees)
-Estimate and measure angle measurements using protractors. Reorient a protractor, as needed, to measure an angle in an unusual orientation
-Understand that only certain combinations of angles are possible in certain shapes (e.g. if a polygon contains four right angles than it must be a square or a rectangle)

After we complete this mini unit on angles, we will explore polygons, 2D and 3D shapes!

LANGUAGE:

We continue with our 'Mystery Book Club' centres and activities. Students are currently working on their mystery story organizers which they will use to write their own mystery stories.

Check out some of the 'settings' their mystery novel or our classroom shared novel, that students created during our centre activities before the March Break:

It was wonderful to see everyone today after the March Break. There were a variety of stories and recounts presented during our morning sharing circle and it sounds like everyone had a great break.

-Tuesday March 19th, we have a fun-filled day of 'Mathletics' at St. Augustine School. It will be a day of math activities in a 'rotation station' format and should be very interesting. Ask your child all about it Tuesday night at the dinner table!

-Information sheets and permission forms went home today regarding our upcoming school-wide field trip to the sugar bush on Thursday, April 4th. Please be sure to complete forms and return them to school as soon as possible.

-Letters also went home about our upcoming Family Life unit 'Created Sexual- Male and Female.' Instruction for this unit will be done separately for grade 4's and grade 5's as the content varies slightly. See the letter for more details.

-Math quizzes went home today. Please sign and return them to school.

-Reading Logs continue to be an important aspect of your child's learning. Daily reading improves reading comprehension in all subject areas and also strengthens verbal communication and writing skills. As I have said before, when your child does his/her reading is up to them and you. There may be 'double up' days and other days when reading just isn't possible. Either way, the log is there in order to formalize what is an extremely important skill and a home-school connection. Plus, it promotes the love of reading and exploring the world through printed material!

Measurement Quiz Friday, March 8th!

There  will be a short math quiz on Friday March 8th which will cover the

following Measurement concepts:

Grade 4:

-Estimation and/or measurement of money amounts to the nearest penny

(even though pennies are no longer in circulation, bank card and credit

card transactions are still debited to the nearest cent)

-Estimation and/or measurement of the capacity of

containers in mL (millilitres) and L (litres) & the relationship between these

two units of measurement (1000 mL = 1 L)

-Estimation and/or measurement of the mass of objects in g (grams) and

kg (kilograms) and the relationship between these two units of

measurement (1000 g = 1 kg)

Grade 5:

-Estimation and/or measurement of money amounts to the nearest penny

(even though pennies are no longer in circulation, bank card and credit

card transactions are still debited to the nearest cent)

-Estimation and/or measurement of the capacity of

containers in mL (millilitres) and L (litres) and the relationship between these

two units of measurement (1000 mL = 1 L)

-Estimation and/or measurement of the mass of objects in g (grams) and

kg (kilograms) and tonnes (t) and the relationship between these units of

measurement (1000 g = 1 kg and 1000 kg = 1 t)

-Estimation and/or measurement of the volume of objects in cubic

centimetres (cm3)  and the relationship between Capacity and Volume

(e.g. displacement used to calculate the volume of irregularly shaped objects)

Mark Your Calendars!

Thursday, February 28th - Junior Ski Day

Tuesday, March 5th - Grade 6 Bake Sale (Fundraiser for end-of-the-year trip)

Wednesday, March 6th -  Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten Season.

There will be a liturgy at in the gym at 11:00 a.m. All parents/family members are welcome to attend!

Friday, March 8th - Math Measurement Quiz and Outdoor Winter Play Day (weather dependent of course)

MARCH BREAK - March 11th - 15th

Report Cards Reminders!

By now, most of the report card slips and envelopes have been returned to me. If you have yet to do so, please send back envelopes and report card slips next week! Once again, if you would like an interview with your child's teacher(s), it's not too late to complete complete the form that was enclosed with the report card OR simply write a note in your child's agenda!