Marvelous Math

Math has come a long way since I've been in elementary school! Here is our future professor using the document camera to demonstrate how to solve a word problem.

Of course, we still use our good-ole' tried and true manipulatives to understand abstract concepts. When I was taught math, numbers were just 2-D writings on paper to solve using rules that did not make sense in my head. Now, there are SO many things available for our children to use to "feel" the numbers and apply to every day situations.

Thanks to your generous donations from Lakeshore, the kids are using a variety of items for reinforcement.

I LOVE to see our kids working so well together in groups. They are learning daily how to work with other people. 

Yes, we still do work on paper, too :) I have such hard workers in my class.

Sound Energy Lab

Yesterday, we conducted a science experiment regarding sound waves as energy.



We predicted what would happen to salt on saran wrap if we spoke over it with soft sound waves. Next, we predicted what would happen to the salt if we spoke with a loud voice. 

We also determined how distance would affect the strength of energy.

You should have seen the salt dance and bounce all over the place! It was great to have a visual demonstration of how sound travels as energy in the form of compressed waves. 

Bartering, Trading, Bargaining

 Today in social studies, we learned about the economy of one of the American Indian tribes we are studying, the Yuroks. In the old days, they used strings of toothshells as money in order to purchase deer skin, canoes, salmon and such.

 So, the kids make their own Yurok canoes, houses, white deer blankets, etc., and put price tags on their items.

 The "money" had to be 27 inches long, so they did a bit of math as they cut the strings.

 Finally, it was time to sell, barter, trade, and ask for bargains!

 Some ended up with 3 houses, while others were simply happy with their 1 luxurious white deer skin coat!

 I considered it a personal victory to make Declan smile for the camera :)

I LOVE my creative kiddos!

Energy and Technology

We are absolutely LOVING our document camera in the classroom. We can project just about anything! Today, the children got to do a fun Friday afternoon science activity. Since we have been studying the various forms of energy, they came up with "inventions" using as many different forms of energy as they could incorporate into their inventions. 

There were robots...

And bunnies...



And waterfalls that turned turbines...

To houses with solar energy that cook meals...

And complicated machines that open and close garage doors...

And "thingymajigs" that cut grass and pull out weeds...

As well as machines that turned rocks into gold using thermal energy...

There were quite a few machines that would do homework for them...

You just wait. In about 20 or so years, these energy inventions might make it into your household...

And it all started in Mrs. Johnston's 3rd grade science class :)

What a creative group of students!

Excellent job, everyone.