LINKS ABOUT SIMPLE/RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINES FOR 4TH GRADERS:
Source 1: Simple Machines Facts
Source 2: Bill Nye the Science Guy Simple Machines
Source 3: Forces and Motion
Source 1: Simple Machines Facts
Source 2: Bill Nye the Science Guy Simple Machines
Source 3: Forces and Motion
4th Grade Advanced Academics
Quarter 3, Week 6
Math: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders continued to explore dividing by zero and the mathematical patterns that inform dividing by zero. They also explained the process of using near facts to divide. ELA: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders continued to use different sources to answer questions about simple machines and using simple machines to make Rube Goldberg machines. Quarter 3, Week 5
Math: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders began to explore dividing by zero by looking at fact families and the inverse relationships between multiplication and division. ELA: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders are using inquiry to conduct research about simple machines. Quarter 3, Week 3
Math: The fabulous fourth graders examined the relationship between multiplication and division to learn a strategy for basic fact fluency called "Near Facts." ELA: The fabulous fourth graders used informational texts to ask and answer questions about force and motion. Students are researching how to make a Rube Goldberg machine using simple machines. Quarter 2, Week 7
Math: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders developed their logical reasoning (and algebraic) skills by solving problems. ELA: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders read the story "Thank You, M'am" and then participated in a learning strategy called MicroLabs. In MicroLabs, students build a collaborative culture by speaking and listening to answer questions. In this MicroLab, students were answering higher order thinking questions about the text. Quarter 2, Week 6
The fabulous fourth graders did a Thanksgiving STEM challenge. Students were challenged to make a catapult to help a turkey escape over a river! We represented the turkey with a purple cube and the river with two pieces of blue paper. The fourth graders also did a variety of Thanksgiving brain teasers! Quarter 2, Week 5
English Language Arts: The fabulous fourth graders Math: The fabulous fourth graders used arrays to explore the Associative Property of Multiplication and the Distributive Property of Multiplication over Addition. The pictures below show show some examples of using the associative and the distributive properties for a 4x6 array.
The fabulous fourth graders also did a Thanksgiving Table STEM challenge this week. This two-part challenge had students work together to 1) make a Thanksgiving table to seat a maximum number of holiday guests; 2) and support the most number of "turkeys"--represented by dictionaries.
Quarter 2, Week 4
English Language Arts: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders began work on their CYCLE projects. Please be on the look out for these projects around the school! Math: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders used triple Venn Diagrams to collaborate to create challenges with factors and multiples. Quarter 2, Week 3
English Language Arts: The fabulous fourth graders selected CYCLE projects that they are going to do around the school to make Pearsontown a better place to work and learn (that will hopefully CYCLE back to them). Projects include: cleaning up to encourage others to clean up; create a proposal for cleaner bathrooms; plant bulbs for the spring to encourage other beautification efforts; and to encourage students to work towards an A+ school. Math: The fabulous fourth graders learned new math vocabulary: greatest common factor, least common multiple, and relatively prime. Students used Venn Diagrams to help them figure out these numbers! The fourth graders also sorted different numbers into Venn Diagrams and reasoned why some sections of the Venn diagram have numbers and why some do not. Quarter 2, Week 2
English Language Arts: The fabulous fourth graders are continuing their study of CYCLES by writing proposals for projects. These projects are to include an idea for making Pearsontown a better place to learn and to include a CYCLE that would hopefully cycle back to the originator of the project. Students also learned four brain-teaser activities for future warm-ups. Math: The fabulous fourth graders reviewed multiples by learning three new, related math games: 1) Buzz: Students stand in a circle and count sequentially by ones. When students reach a number that is a MULTIPLE of 7, instead of saying the number, children say the word, "Buzz." Students can be eliminated from the game if they say the wrong number, fail to say the word "buzz" when appropriate, or say the word "buzz" when not appropriate. 2) Buzz Bang: Buzz Bang has the same rules as Buzz, but with an added challenge. In addition to saying "buzz" for MULTIPLES of 7, students say "bang" for MULTIPLES of 5. If a number is a MULTIPLE of both 5 and 7, students say "buzz bang!" 3) Buzz Bang Bong: Buzz Bang Bong has the same rules as Buzz Bang (and Buzz, too), In addition to saying "buzz" for MULTIPLES of 7 and "bang" for MULTIPLES of 5, students also say "bong" for MULTIPLES of 3 (as well as for buzz bang/buzz bong/bang bong/buzz bang for any combination of the multiples)! Students also worked with triple Venn diagrams to review the math terms we studied last quarter. Students also learned four brain-teaser activities for future warm-ups. Week 9
English Language Arts: This week with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders compared their dynastic cycle to the other dynastic cycles about which they learned. They used a Double Bubble Map to show their information about the comparison. Week 8
English Language Arts: The fabulous fourth graders presented their dynastic cycles to other students. Math: The fabulous fourth graders figured out which number from 1-100 has the most factors. Students used their knowledge of our number system, their knowledge of divisibility rules, and number patterns to play Guess My Rule and to sort numbers using a Venn Diagram Week 7
English Language Arts: This week, with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders studied the Shang Dynasty more deeply. They applied this knowledge to other dynasties. Math: This week, with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders continued to explore numbers and the patterns in our number systems. Students also reasoned by using categories of numbers to strategize while playing the Name that Number game; and by examining the number of factors for square numbers and creating generalizations based on these observations. Students explored a student-generated strategy for dividing.
Week 6
English Language Arts: The fabulous fourth graders delved further into research--how to research, what steps to take to research, how to find trusted sources, and how to take research findings to complete an assignment. Math: The fabulous fourth graders solved and composed number riddles to strengthen their understanding of prime, composite, square, even, and odd numbers. Week 5
English Language Arts: This week, with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders shared the CYCLES that they found in science. Then students learned about and diagrammed the dynastic CYCLES. Students then researched what contributed to the periods of prosperity and decline for the specific Chinese dynasties. Math: This week, with Team Howko, the fabulous fourth graders continued to examine the divisibility rules for common numbers. Students also played "Name that Number" game to apply their knowledge of numbers Week 4
English Language Arts: The fabulous fourth graders continued their study of CYCLES. Students examined science books to find examples of CYCLES in science. Students then diagrammed the CYCLES they found. Math: The fabulous fourth graders continued their study of MULTIPLICATION MAGIC! Students played a game called "Guess My Rule" in which they explored the divisibility rules of common numbers such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10. The fourth graders also delved more deeply into numbers by figuring out if a number is prime or composite; odd or even; and square or not square. Then students listed the factors for a given number. Week 3
English Language Arts: This week, fourth grade students started a unit on CYCLES! They began the unit by making connections by listing cycles that they see in their daily lives. Then, students read cyclical texts and diagrammed the plot structure of these texts. Math: This week, fourth grade students started a unit of Factors, Multiples, and Leftovers called MULTIPLICATION MAGIC! They began with an exploration of arrays and a discussion of factors and of the commutative property of multiplication (a x b = b x a). Then students examined patterns within our number system: square, prime, composite, even, and odd numbers. |
LOOKER, RUNNER, BUILDERS: (above) Here is the model Team Howko created; students were to use teamwork, communication, and leadership skills to recreate this model.
(below) Here are the recreations students made.
(below) Here are the recreations students made.
Week 2
Fourth grade students continued to learn the routines and procedures in Team Howko's room. Ms. Howell and Mrs. Krisko modeled reflection and problem-solving while establishing these routines and procedures with these fabulous fourth graders! Students reflected upon and explained their learning preferences for independent or group work. In addition, fourth graders focused on teamwork, communication, and leadership skills this week by completing a STEM challenge (create an umbrella to keep a tissue dry) and by participating in a Looker, Runner, Builder construction challenge (see pictures above). Week 1
This week, the first week of school, 4th grade students were introduced to the expectations of room 208s. Students reflected on what they need to be successful: from Mrs. Krisko and Ms. Howell; from themselves; and from their peers. Team Howko shared what they need to be successful: from themselves; from the students as individuals; and from the students as collaborative teams. We are looking forward to an fantastic year with fourth grade! |
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