Have a Great Vacation!

What a crazy day!! Check out the video below of our impromptu class dance.  You guys definitely had too much sugar today :)

I'm so proud of all your hard work with your crafts today and your secret snowflake gifts.  I was so happy to see how thoughtful you were in making everything.  It made my day!  

Have a wonderful vacation, see you next year!

Secret Snowflake

SHHHHHHHHHHH!!

       This is the season of sharing and caring.  In class we’d like our students to participate in the concept of a “Secret Snowflake”. 

 It isn't about buying anything, but more about making something/doing something nice and from the heart for our secret pal each day. 

       

On the days below you will leave a special treat for your secret snowflake.  On Wednesday and Thursday you can secretly give us the card/poem and we will put them in the mailboxes.  You may also leave a clue as to your identity if you wish.  It is nice to put time and effort into these special treats for your classmates.  If you know you are going to be absent on any of these days, please make your gifts early and give them to me so we may distribute them to your Secret Snowflake.  

This activity will help build upon the caring community in our classroom.  It also reinforces that one person can make a difference.  

We have done this for the past two years in class, and each year we are blown away with the thoughtfulness behind these acts of kindness. 

Wednesday Dec. 21st -Handmade card
A card wishing your classmate well to show you care.

Thursday Dec. 22nd - A Poem

You want to decorate an acrostic poem of the recipients’ name (or any poem about recipient).  I will provide special winter themed paper if needed.

Friday Dec. 23rd - Handmade gift 

A gift made from the heart!  You will have from now to work on this gift.  Do not feel the need to go out and make purchases.  Be creative and put some thought into it.

Here is a link to craft-like homemade gifts for ideas:

http://teachbesideme.com/kid-made-gift-ideas/

Some of these examples are a little more intricate that others, but it gives you an idea if you're totally stuck.  In the past we have had students make ornaments, bracelets, snowflakes, a frame out of popsicle sticks and decorated, etc.
It is not the quality of the gift, it is the thought that counts! 

Please keep your secret snowflake a secret!!  It takes the fun out of the game when you tell your friends who you have.   I look forward to seeing the creative gifts made for your classmates! 

 I hope you enjoy it too :)

Multiplying and Dividing Fractions

Here are some links to the videos we watched on Friday, and an additional word problem video we watched today.   I hope you use them to help you as reminders in studying and doing homework.  

Dividing Fraction Rap

Multiplying and Dividing Quick Tutorial

Word Problem 

Also different models to represent multiplication and division of fractions.... 

5.NF.6 Solve real world problems involving multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem.

5.NF.7 Apply and extend previous understandings of division to divide unit fractions by whole numbers and whole numbers by unit fractions.

Hour of Code

Today in class Ms. Kosakowski came in so we could participate in Hour of Code.  
Click on the link below to go to the different puzzles and games that you practiced today in class. 
https://hourofcode.com/us/learn

Please click on the link below to go to the Spofford Pond Technology Blog and leave some feedback for Ms. Kosakowski about Hour of Code.
http://spoffordpondtech.blogspot.com/
We even had a special visit by our new superintendent, Mr. Morrison and your previous principal from Cole School, Mr. Middleton-Cox.  They were interested in trying to code with you!

Compassion Superpower

This month's superpower is COMPASSION.  Today we had a discussion of what this means and how we can show it.  
It is important to be thinking of others not only this month but at all times. 
The book in the video below is a good example that explains how Nikolai shows compassion for others.  
Click here to hear the story "The Three Questions"

Gratitude Padlet

Heat Transfers in 3 Ways

Conduction, Convection, and Radiation
Essential Question:  What are the different ways in which heat can be transferred in thermal energy??
We are learning about Thermal Energy in science.  We conducted three demonstrations to show how heat is transferred through thermal energy.

One demonstration showed how heat transfers through conduction.  We had two different materials, a plastic block and a metal block.  We placed an ice cube on each block to see which would allow the ice to melt more quickly.  When making predictions, some of us thought the metal block would allow the ice to stay in the cube form longer because it felt cold to the touch, so therefore the ice would melt faster on the plastic block.  However, the opposite happened.   Though the metal block felt colder, it was actually the same temperature as the plastic block.  Because it is a good conductor of heat, the heat left our hands more quickly, so therefore it felt colder.  When we placed the ice on the blocks, it was amazing to see how fast the ice melted on the metal block!

Yesterday and today we demonstrated convection.   We put red food coloring in a large bin of cold water.  Then in a small jar, we put in hot water with blue food coloring.  The small jar had holes in it to allow water to leave.  When the jar was placed in the bin the hot water rose to the top of the cold water, because heat rises.  The water was trying to create a balance between the hot and cold.  The blue water was now at the top, while the red stayed at the bottom.  Colder water is more dense than hot water.  In the middle there was a balance of the two where the color started to turn purple. The movement of heat through currents in water is convection.  

We also attempted to demonstrate radiation.   A lit candle was placed below a spiral of aluminum foil.  The infrared heat waves from the fire was supposed to move the spiral, however, due to the movement of air in the room, it was hard to show.

You then drew and described what happened in each demonstration







Click the link below for the song :
Conduction, Convection, and Radiation Song       

Mrs. Wiles-Stasko's class REALLY enjoyed the song and wanted to sing nice and loud :)

Super Moon

Look out at the moon tonight and tomorrow night. It will be closest to earth than it has been in almost 70 years! There won't be another one like it until 2034!
Click here to read a NASA article

The Ladder Method

How Do Ladders    Help With Math???
I can't tell you enough how much I love the Ladder Method!  To be honest, I didn't like it until last year.  Believe it or not, a few years ago was the first time I learned it! Like many of you, I was hesitant to use it because it was a new concept to me and it wasn't how I was taught. Learning new ways to do something can be hard for people to accept and use. Even though I wasn't a big fan of it, I taught it to my students and showed them how to use it.  We used it as a strategy, but primarily used listing factors as our go-to solution.   Towards the end of the year, I was determined to like it, because other teachers really liked using it.   How did I get over my frustrations with it?  I practiced, practiced, and practiced some more!  Now when I use the Ladder Method, it makes so much more sense.  I love that you can use this one tool to figure out 3 different concepts!   Once you get the hang of it, it is a real game changer and saves some time.      Here is a video that explores this concept step by step!  

Something you really need to know is your PRIME NUMBERS.  It helps you get a good start when using the Ladder.  You really need to use the smaller ones.  It is good to have the first 5 or 6 memorized. 
  You also need to know your MATH FACTS!  If you struggle with knowing your basic math facts fluently, then practice, practice, practice!  You want it to be automatic.  

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.A.1
Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers) by replacing given fractions with equivalent fractions in such a way as to produce an equivalent sum or difference of fractions with like denominators. 

For example, 2/3 + 5/4 = 8/12 + 15/12 = 23/12. (In general, a/b + c/d = (ad + bc)/bd.)

Let me know what you think!!  

Are you starting to enjoy the Ladder Method???  

Comment below and share your thoughts :)

Halloween

Here are a few pictures from Monday's Halloween activities.

I hope you all enjoyed your day :)

 

 

And I know many of you asked to see a picture of Logan .... so here it is :)