Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Reminder about Class Docs!
Remember that you can now watch play-by-play with what happened during your child's math class when I use the tablet @ http://cfsmatthew.wikispaces.com/classdocs!
Decimals!
It had been so long since we did a warm up! So we did a whopper--with three problems! It took us awhile, but we made it. :)
Today we started.... (drum roll....) DECIMALS! The kids were pumped, I was pumped, it was a good day. :) We made it to the ten-thousandths place before we had to go! But, we ran out of time before we could really get into the juicy stuff. :( No homework!
And an apology for such a late post. The latter part of my day was spent in my role as fourth year advisor on a mini-retreat with the fourth years. AND, First Year Math will not meet tomorrow due to Adolescent Issues Forum. Until Thursday!
Today we started.... (drum roll....) DECIMALS! The kids were pumped, I was pumped, it was a good day. :) We made it to the ten-thousandths place before we had to go! But, we ran out of time before we could really get into the juicy stuff. :( No homework!
And an apology for such a late post. The latter part of my day was spent in my role as fourth year advisor on a mini-retreat with the fourth years. AND, First Year Math will not meet tomorrow due to Adolescent Issues Forum. Until Thursday!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Hypatia
Today was about our first female mathematician... Hypatia. What a great story! But it stirred up a lot of questions. Why is she the first woman? Why was she more recent in history? Why was she murdered?!!?
For a copy of what we did today, see http://cfsmatthew.wikispaces.com/classdocs.
For a copy of what we did today, see http://cfsmatthew.wikispaces.com/classdocs.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Playing with Number Tiles!
After getting everyone on the same page today (from yesterday's play practice) we worked on these really cool Number Tile things... I'll post a picture later this evening so you can see what I'm talking about. Basically you are given the digits 0-9 and you can use them once and only once in a variety of ways. Today we looked at fractions using these number tiles. Don't be thrown off or think that they are easy--They can be quite tricky!
No homework over the weekend!
No homework over the weekend!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Test Return Day
Due to a scheduled play practice, some of our kiddos were out from third period today, so we focused on returning our tests, getting our corrections done, and cleaning out our folders! Those who were out today will do that tomorrow.
Our next unit? DECIMALS. :)
Our next unit? DECIMALS. :)
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Archimedes!
What an interesting start back to the school week... on a Wednesday!
The kids bugged me to share how many stickers they had earned by completing their review problems, and they'll get those stickers before the end of the day. :)
And since today was the beginning of the week (technically), we read our story! It was on Archimedes... and you can see those notes below. :)
No homework!
The kids bugged me to share how many stickers they had earned by completing their review problems, and they'll get those stickers before the end of the day. :)
And since today was the beginning of the week (technically), we read our story! It was on Archimedes... and you can see those notes below. :)
No homework!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Test Day!
Today the kiddos took their Fractions test! And we took up their review work!
But that was about it... :) Have a great weekend!
But that was about it... :) Have a great weekend!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Review!
Today was just a final day of getting ready for the Fractions test tomorrow! We played a little review game... and it seems like everyone's quite solid on their skills!
Tomorrow's the day!
Tomorrow's the day!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Corn Husk Dolls & Fractions Tests!
Today for our Block period (this only affects third and fourth period for first years) ALL of First Year Math went up to the Upper School Meeting Hall to participate in the Corn Husk Doll Making Art Project -- all gearing up for the MLK Jr Day Celebration next Monday. It was a BLAST! Take a look at the photos I snapped below! :)
Check out more about MLK Jr Day here: http://www.cfsnc.org/whats_new/index.htm
Yesterday, however, we read about PYTHAGORAS. The kids absolutely loved it! And you should have heard them coming home needing to find out more about a five pointed star... Hm... What was that?
A pentagram!
The biggest piece of news, however, is that our Fractions Test is THIS Friday!
This Friday?!!
Yup. And here's what your children should know how to do on this test:
• Identify the numerator and denominator of a fraction
• Shade (draw) a fraction, identify a fraction from a drawing
• Label a fraction proper, improper or mixed
• Add and subtract fractions with like denominators
• Reduce fractions to lowest terms
• Find equivalent fractions
• Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators
• Compare fractions by finding common denominators
• Convert improper fractions to mixed number and mixed numbers to improper fractions
• Add/Subtract Mixed Numbers (including BORROWING!)
• Multiply & Divide Fractions
• Multiply & Divide Mixed Numbers
• Cross cancel (pre-reduce) where you can when multiplying & dividing
You should have seen last Friday TONS of Review sheets come home. As always, this is an opportunity for some great review, and to earn some stickers! Each correct problem? Sticker!
I would recommend taking a look at all of these skills (and those sheets) with your children. This test can be a doozy--nothing to be scared of, it's just kind of big. :)
Whew, what a post!
Your children will not see me tomorrow (Block Schedule) -- which is why I'm recommending that they look over their stuff with you guys tonight and tomorrow night and Thursday night. Onward!
Check out more about MLK Jr Day here: http://www.cfsnc.org/whats_new/index.htm
Yesterday, however, we read about PYTHAGORAS. The kids absolutely loved it! And you should have heard them coming home needing to find out more about a five pointed star... Hm... What was that?
A pentagram!
The biggest piece of news, however, is that our Fractions Test is THIS Friday!
This Friday?!!
Yup. And here's what your children should know how to do on this test:
• Identify the numerator and denominator of a fraction
• Shade (draw) a fraction, identify a fraction from a drawing
• Label a fraction proper, improper or mixed
• Add and subtract fractions with like denominators
• Reduce fractions to lowest terms
• Find equivalent fractions
• Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators
• Compare fractions by finding common denominators
• Convert improper fractions to mixed number and mixed numbers to improper fractions
• Add/Subtract Mixed Numbers (including BORROWING!)
• Multiply & Divide Fractions
• Multiply & Divide Mixed Numbers
• Cross cancel (pre-reduce) where you can when multiplying & dividing
You should have seen last Friday TONS of Review sheets come home. As always, this is an opportunity for some great review, and to earn some stickers! Each correct problem? Sticker!
I would recommend taking a look at all of these skills (and those sheets) with your children. This test can be a doozy--nothing to be scared of, it's just kind of big. :)
Whew, what a post!
Your children will not see me tomorrow (Block Schedule) -- which is why I'm recommending that they look over their stuff with you guys tonight and tomorrow night and Thursday night. Onward!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Review, Review, Review!
We are just reviewing our butts off! And your children today were little math problem machines!
Today I filled in the gaps of the skills I left off. I promise to write more this weekend (in particular on the skills) on these sheets and our upcoming test next week.
What to note is that the kids can choose to do work over the weekend or not... I recommend choosing work! :)
Thursday, January 8, 2009
A little late, I know...
Well, this post is a little late for it to be of any use tonight!
Today the kiddos began their favorite time in First Year Math... Review Time! That means stickers!!
The kids could choose the skills that they reviewed today--the only ones that are missing right now are all operations with mixed numbers and multiplying/dividing fractions. Those they should be able to get their hands on tomorrow.
We seem to be good to go for our test next week! Yay!
Late posts
Meetings took up most of my afternoon, so blog posts will come this
evening.
evening.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Matthew Ross
ross.matthew@mac.com
mross@cfsnc.org
919/414-1983
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Wrapping up Thales
We spent our time together wrapping up our discussion and story on Thales. And your kids did their homework beautifully! To read more about a "cubit" - check out just this one site.
Tomorrow... back to fractions! Expect a test in the near, near future! :)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Happy 2009!!
Welcome back!
Instead of the traditional sharing after a long break, today we began another First Year Math tradition... Mathematicians Are People, Too. It's a book that introduces you to a variety of ancient (and not so ancient!) mathematicians and their ideas/theories via stories. We've started today, and it will continue at the beginning of each week from now... until we're done! I'll put up more information on the book and our process soon.
Today was Thales! (That's THAY-LEEEEZ!) ;) And we've only made it through part way of the story. We paused to have a talk about some of the concepts in the story... in particular the idea of a "cubit."
In fact, your child's homework tonight is to find out what a cubit is!
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