Sounds Come From Vibrations!

Of all of the wonderful science projects and experiments we've done in class, I have to say that today's lesson seemed to excite the kids just a tad more than usual :)  We had a great time exploring the production of sound with a tuning fork (on the left) and long gong (on the right). 

We learned all about sound sources (things that make vibrations) and sound receivers (things that detect the vibrations) including how certain animals generate and receive "sound".  Ask your kiddo how a fish, grasshopper, and snake communicate! 

With the use of the tuning fork and long gong the boys and girls looked for vibrations at the sound source, identified sound receivers, and compared sound volume/vibration intensity.  They explored the vibrations using the instruments as well as other tools such as a ping pong ball, water, paper, and their own cheek!

The main take away point from today was for the kids to not just understand but experience that sound is caused by vibrations :)

Narrative Writing: Beginning A Story



We had a lot of fun today in Writer's Workshop! The boys and girls always love when it's time to work with their narratives :) Now that they have learned to create quick sketches and quick notes, they are ready to learn how to write a story/narrative beginning, middle, and end- all with flowing transitions.  The 6 strategies/methods above give students tools for beginning their story narratives- no small process because the beginning is where an author grabs the reader!

The goal of providing students with 6 different ways to start a story is not to limit them but to give practice so that they may become more aware of how narratives start and eventually develop their own approaches : )

We read through the 6 methods as a class and then talked about the similarities and differences.  Then we shared which beginning we liked the best.  I told the kids that I preferred the “Interesting Comment” method for the particular story title of “Soccer Superstar”.  Then I took out the Quick Sketch that I’d done as an example with the kids and modeled how to turn it into full sentences that amount to the beginning of a story.  There is a lot of thinking and playing with organization- it’s important that the students learn how to consider what a reader would thinking as they read.

Below is one example of a student’s work.  Their Quick Sketch is on the right and how they chose to begin their narrative is on the left.  We had 5 students who were able to share their Quick Sketches and beginnings… and many more who haven’t had a chance yet : )

 

                 

 

Science Code Detectives :)

Students were put into groups of 4 and asked to develop a code by assigning letters of the alphabet to a selection of objects. Using this sound code, the students sent messages to one another by dropping a series of objects into the drop chamber.

The target of the lesson was for the boys and girls to recognize that the properties of sound can be used to make a code and communicate different bits of information. They learned that the more they could discriminate between sounds, the easier it was to determine what letter was being made and vice versa. For instance, 2 metal objects may sound very similar and it would be challenging to figure out which letter was being represented.

 

A Problem Solving Classroom

 A climate that is conducive to problem solving is as important as the math problems themselves. My goal is for the students to feel comfortable playing around with numbers, problems, and solutions, as well as learning to throw up their hands whenever they hit a bump in the road. They should feel free to experiment, think, talk, talk about their thinking, and make mistakes. Successful problem solving cannot happen in an environment that stresses doing the problem alone, getting the right answer, or doing the problem only one way. When students are encouraged to explore, be open-minded, curious, and make guesses- successful problem solving behavior will flourish :)

One of the many reasons I love teaching math to third graders is because they're capable of understanding an array of methods and ways to reach one common answer. Consulting various resources regarding problem solving, including those within our EnVision curriculum, has shown that there are many different lists of problem solving strategies. 

Because there will more than likely be more than one way to solve any given problem, teaching a variety of these strategies is key.  I've grouped the essential strategies into 5 categories: draw a picture or diagram, use manipulatives, extend a repeating pattern, make a table/list/chart, and choose relevant information.

While the students are learning that they can use whichever strategy works best for them, a few things will always remain consistent.  I refer to these as the 4 stages of problem solving: understanding the problem, devising a plan, solving the problem, and checking the problem. 

At this stage in the game the boys and girls know how to check for understanding of a problem.  We are currently working within the "devise a plan" (pick a strategy) stage, as well as the "solve the problem" stage.

Bumps in the road? Go over or around!

As we move further into the year, I'm realizing the impact that having continuous conversations around persevering and setting goals has on the students.  The best way to connect with the kids on these topics is through example. 

 We started out by looking at the above picture.  I explained that it’d been almost a year since I was able to run, and that it took a lot of seemingly pointless/minor exercises to get me to where I felt strong enough to attempt a run.  We discussed challenging ourselves to do the labor- no matter how simple or difficult it may seem- so that we can then do the fun stuff.  The skills of persevering and honing grit are going to be tremendous assets to the kids for the rest of academic careers.

 Next we talked about how it felt the day of my first run- I was thrilled before and during, but highly disappointed afterward.  In my mind I had set a goal of running 1 mile, and in reality I was unable to reach it.  Defeated and unsatisfied I hung my head (I showed the kids how I looked after my run).  

 When I did that, every student got wide eyes and a few said aloud things like “don’t give up!” or “persevere!”  This allowed us to transition nicely into the conversation of what to do when you hit a bump in the road- something that is an obstacle and makes you feel like you “can’t”.

 The discussion went on and the kids realized by looking at the picture that I didn’t give up and eventually met my goal of 1 mile. We were then able to talk about what would have happened had I accept defeat and not challenged myself and the kids had great things to add.  Some commented on how I was excited, then defeated, then excited again.  Others talked about how the littlest things (stretches etc.) helped me get to “the big mile”. 

 Most importantly was the understanding that when you do your best, even if you fall short and get defeated, you need to be satisfied.  If you are unsatisfied with your best, you create mental bumps in the road that make it very difficult to persevere and try again. The key is to balance satisfaction with motivation.

 I am excited to help support you and your student set and reach their own goals for the upcoming second quarter J

 

Multiplication: Writing to Explain

The boys and girls have learned how to explain their thinking regarding solving multiplication problems.  Today they learned how to write out their thinking.  To start we talked about what makes a good math explanation and came up with: correct, complete, and easy to understand.  Keeping those components in mind, they were given the following problem to solve:

Kay needs $25 to buy a bicycle helmet.  She earns $9 a week babysitting.  How long will it take Kay to earn the money she needs?  Decide how to solve the problem, then write an explanation of your thoughts.   

Students shared their responses and we discussed how there is often more than one good explanation for each problem, since there is often more than one way to solve it.  As the kids shared, the class offered improvements when needed.  Ultimately, all of the explanations were alike in that the answer was the same- Kay needs 3 weeks to earn the money for the helmet. 

One of the key points throughout this unit is going to be the use of *tables.  Tables are great visuals for patterning and showing information in a predictable manner.  As we move through multiplication, the skill of knowing how to create and set up a table is going to be key :)

Winter X-Games

This past weekend I enjoyed watching the Winter X-Games like I do every year J I’m always amazed at the level of difficulty of tricks, the amount of work that must go into preparing, the dedication, and how much fun the participants have! The X-Games also remind me of the power and relevance of goal setting, and how it is never too early to talk about the importance of acting purposefully. Watching 14 yr-old Ayumu Hirano medal in the Super Pipe yesterday drove this point home even more.

I showed the kids highlights from some of Hirano's footage and they were amazed! So much so that they got out of their seats and began imitating him :) Then we talked about how they thought Ayumu got to where he is today and ultimately decided that "hard work and a plan" were the culprits. It was great to see the boys and girls excited about what making goals can lead to.

Setting goals is the first step to achieving them and achieving goals is one of the first steps to success. Having a clear and focused idea of what you’re after is key- essentially placing significant importance outcomes. However, the journey toward that outcome is equally important. It’s especially important for kids because it’s easy to get overwhelmed by concentrating on where you're going instead of how you're going to get there.

It’s critical to set goals for a number of reasons including getting used to thinking/planning ahead, learning to persevere through obstacles, and also to grow to accept failure. The more adaptive students become to the process, the healthier their self-esteem is as they get older. That, and thinking about the future becomes much more fun!

I'm looking forward to discussing your child's progress regarding the goals they set in our previous conferences :)