And we’re back!

 

Very lite day today.  The students managed to do one of our games on Friday in less than a minute, so they won themselves a lite day of homework today!

Math is still rooted in our exploration of place value, and we are now talking about exponents, writing our numbers in exponential form, and how we can use this to tell what kind of numbers we will end up with when we are multiplying.

The students should do these three math problems for homework.  First they should write the numbers in exponential form, and then solve them in exponential form before converting back to a simple decimal.

.000001 x 4000 =

300 x .00006 =

.000002 x .000004 =

Here is the first problem which we did together as an example if they need a hand.

MathHwk_May12

In Language Arts we took quite a bit of notes about figurative language, as we are having some problems with this vocabulary.

We then looked at our flect/flex stories from last week, shared them with each other, and finally took our vocabulary quiz.

As this is a fairly short week, we won’t be doing a vocabulary list this week.  We’ll be doing a new one starting next Monday.

 

Which brings me to Friday, and the Field trip!

Students took home some information about the field trip again today, as well as reminders about the Human Growth and Development meeting this Thursday at 5:45 in the media center.  Please make sure you take a look at this, and also note that the meeting is for adults only.

If you haven’t seen the itinerary yet, here it is:

FieldTripItinerary

tldr;

3 math problems – convert them to exponential form first, solve in exponential form, and then write them as a decimal

.000001 x 4000 =

300 x .00006 =

.000002 x .000004 =

Reading log as always!

Take a look over the field trip/human growth stuff in the Monday folder!

 

The homework is essentially to read and do three math problems….I expect 100% turn-in tomorrow!

Have a good one

-Mr. Potter

Field Day and Nap time tomorrow!

 

So today we had a pretty good day, and we therefore have a very lite night of homework!  I’ll keep this short and sweet…..

In Language Arts, students should finish their story using their vocabulary words.  They can skip using circumflex and reflex angle, but should do their best using the other eight words.

 

I sent home a letter that has our basic plan for tomorrow, but here are the important parts:

Tomorrow we’re having snack and a nap

students may bring in a snack to share with the class!

Students may bring in a pillow/stuffed animal and a small blanket/towel.  This is because yes, we have decided that we will have nap time tomorrow before our field day.  That is what we decided upon as our reward.  I can’t make this stuff up folks.

In case it was lost, here is the letter:

FieldDayLetters

so tldr;

vocab story

wear appropriate clothes for field day!

nap time!

 

Tomorrow should be fun!

-Mr. Potter

Place value, research, and electromagnets!

 

We are well on our way in this unit about place value, and multiplying decimals.  We took a good bit of notes, that are pretty much required for doing tonight’s homework:

PlaceValueNotes

 

There is an example at the bottom, which shows how students should do their homework tonight.  They have two multiplication problems to do.  As they do these problems, they should be thinking about the example, and how we know where our decimal point goes based on what we are multiplying.  For each ‘line’ in their problem, they should have an arrow and a sentence stating what decimal place they are beginning with.

The homework is these two problems:

MultiplyingDecimalsHwkMay7

 

In Language Arts we talked a great deal about our weather research, and how we should be organizing our notes.  This is very much uncharted territory for many of our students, as they are unused to taking notes and being in charge of what information they must find.  We talked about how making sure our notes are well organized will lead us to making better decisions about what kind of information we already have, and therefore what information we still need.  Again this is brand new to many of our kids, so it will take a while and some real experience until this sinks in.  When they must later organize their paper into sections, they will really see how organizing their notes and information will pay off.

We then watched a short video about how electromagnets are used in motors, and how almost any appliance in their house that spins in some fashion contains a motor, and therefore an electromagnet.  This will help them to answer the final two questions on pages 255 and 256 in their motivation reading books.  They must also answer the quick questions on pages 251-254.  These six pages will be turned in tomorrow and GRADED, so make sure they get done!

 

In Science, we played around with electricity, metal, magnets, and all sorts of cool stuff!  We saw how electricity traveling through a wire creates a magnetic field, and it made our compasses go crazy.  We then built our own electromagnets out of wire, nails, and batteries, and had some fun picking up different stuff.  I hope that good times were had by all!

 

so tldr;

Math homework is two multiplication problems, done using our strategies for determining place value

MultiplyingDecimalsHwkMay7

 

Language Arts homework is pages 251-254, and finish the last two pages on 255-256.  THIS WILL BE GRADED!  Do your best on it.

 

Have a good night, and I will see everyone tomorrow!

 

ALSO….

Friday is Field Day!  It so happens this also coincides with us earning our first jewel.  Therefore we will have a small celebration on Friday morning before Field Day.  Students are invited to bring in a snack to share with the class, and their pillows/blankets.  We are going to perhaps watch a movie and have nap time (No, seriously, this is what your fifth grade students decided to do….) before we go outside for the afternoon.  It should be quite a relaxing morning.

 

See everyone tomorrow!

 

-Mr. Potter

 

 

 

Magnets Magnets Magnets!

 

I can’t believe how many of our students had never used a compass before!!!

It’s a new world, full of new-fangled gps, google earths, and online maps.

Today in science we busted out the compasses, and talked about how they work by lining up with the Earth’s magnetic field.  We then tested out a few different objects to see if they would affect the compass at all.  We discovered that copper wire and plastic are non-magnetic, but that steel nails are magnetic.  Tomorrow we will see if we can possibly magnetize some of those items that were non-magnetic.  It should be good fun.

 

In math, we started our unit on multiplication.  We’re going right back to the basics, with what multiplication means, powers of ten, and the base ten system and place value.  We talked today about knowing what would happen when we multiplied certain numbers.  For instance if we multiply something by 1, we get that number again.  If we multiply by a number greater than 1, we get a number greater than our starting number, and if we multiply by something less than 1, we get a number that is less than our starting number.  We extended this to talk about place value.  In that vein, tonight’s homework is to answer the following, with examples…..

 

What happens when you multiply…

 

ones x tenths =

ones x hundredths =

ones x ones =

tenths x tenths =

hundredths x hundredths =

tenths x hundredths =

 

I want them to answer what the answer will be in terms of, and then give me an example.  We did three of the problems together in class, so here are examples if needed:

Multiplication_Homework_May6

 

In Language Arts, we did some more research in the computer lab.  The students will be writing a fairly in-depth research paper on a facet of weather of their choosing.  We discussed that doing research means becoming an expert on a given topic, and their beginning questions should be “What is it?” and “How does it happen/form, and why?”.

 

We also talked about our new vocabulary words.  They are flect and flex words.  Unfortunately I don’t have any extras to post here, so I will just post the list:

deflect

reflect

reflection

retroflex

infection

flexor

reflex angle

inflexible

circumflex

flexible

 

Students should write a sentence for only NINE of the words (Leaving out reflex angle, as it’s kind of a a toughie to really write a sentence as it has one and only one use).

 

 

so tldr;

6 math problems that ask students what happens when you multiply two different place values, with examples

9 vocab sentences

 

Come tomorrow ready to play with some more magnets and electricity!

 

-Mr. Potter