We will be
hitting the ground running! Students started our new unit in math, which is one
of my all-time favorites to teach since it focuses on algebra! In lesson 1 we
discuss using variables to write expressions. Students know how to evaluate
mathematical expressions containing numbers and operational symbols. Students
were introduced to expressions containing variables. A variable is a quantity
that can change or vary. Variables are often represented with a letter, such as
x. Some students may misinterpret the use of variables, thinking that a certain
variable always represents the same value. However, any variable can represent
any value. Understanding variables and writing algebraic expressions are
important skills for developing algebraic reasoning. In our second lesson
students will dive into the order of operations. Remember PEMDAS (Please excuse
my dear Aunt Sally)? Research says that children lack experience in the ability
to think about operations as expressions of quantitative relationships rather
than as procedures. This ability is required for solving equations. In this
lesson students focused on evaluating numerical expressions with three or more
numbers and more than one operation. They start with the Parentheses, then
exponents followed by Multiplication/Division and Addition or Subtraction.
Students solve either M or D and A or S in the order they are in the
expression. So if the subtraction comes before the addition then they should
subtract first. Students made their own PEMDAS creations for a new bulletin
board outside our classroom!
During
writing students are continuing to work on their narratives about their magical
object. They are working on including entertaining beginnings, extending
endings, and elaborative details! I am very excited to announce a special
feature to our student blogging assignment. Each week an interested blogger
will get to take home THE BLUE BUNNY! I met with Peter Sunday morning and he has
bestowed the blue bunny on us! The guest blogger will take the bunny with them
for the week and take photos of the bunny. The blog will showcase their week
written in the point of view of the blue bunny. Peter is excited to be part of
our blogging experience and will be checking social media for our blog posts
from our agents. I will be running creativity workshops at the store. Our first
one is Feb 28th from 1:30-3. I will send out info in case you are
interested in bringing your agent over (siblings ages 5-12 are also welcome). I
love all these opportunities for our students.
In reading I
will be teaching the students about SCAMPER. I first learned about this
strategy when teaching students about inventive thinking when I was at UVM in
2000. Now it is applied to reading! Students will be working in groups reading
three stories during unit 3. They have already chosen their first story. I
cannot wait to see their thinking evolve. To learn more about Scamper read
below:
SCAMPER (Narrative Text or Stories)
What is SCAMPER and why is it important? SCAMPER (Manzo & Manzo, 1990) is a strategy that encourages students to think creatively and increase their understanding of a story by deciding how to change story parts in response to one of the SCAMPER challenges.
SCAMPER is an acronym that stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to Use, Eliminate. Reverse. With questions provided or with questions you have created, encourage students to make up their own story by using SCAMPER challenges in an original way. "King Bidgood's in the Bathtub" is a story about a king who refused to get out of the tub. Following are examples of SCAMPER challenges that could be used for this story.
Substitute: What do you think would happen if the king fished for sharks instead of trout?
Combine: What might happen if members
of the entire court wouldn't
leave their bathtubs?
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