UPDATES AND EVENTS
- The Box Top Contest will begin February 8th and will go until February 12th. DO YOU LOVE AIRHEADS? Do you have Box Tops at home? Wellllllll....here is your chance to get some CANDY and help raise money for TEASLEY! One Airhead for each set of 25 Box Tops!
- STEM Night will be February 11th from 5-7pm in the Teasley Gym. Students will be doing some simple science activities at different stations. Volunteers are needed to help guide visitors on how to do the activity. No science background is needed to help. Please contact Angie Herbel if you can volunteer at angela.herbel@cobbk12.org
- Our next Dress Down Day is Friday, February 12th. Students can wear a school appropriate outfit, of their choice, instead of the standard dress attire. Please send $1 to participate.
- Teasley Spirit Wear Order: The Teasley PTA is selling purple Teasley Elementary School short sleeve and long sleeve t-shirts. Two order forms can be found in your child's green folder. One for a short sleeve and one for a long sleeve. Orders with payments are due Wednesday, February 10th. All sales are final. There are no returns, exchanges, or refunds, so please make sure to use the sizing tables to determine the size of the shirt that you will need. Teasley spirit wear can be worn to school on Fridays with standard attire bottoms.
- Campbell Middle School is hosting a Parent Night Tour on Tuesday, February 23rd at 6pm. Come and discover the various academic and cultural activities offered by CMS. It's a great opportunity to learn more about our local Middle School.
- Teasley's 4th Annual International Night is on February 26th from 6-8pm. This year, we will have performances by the Atlanta Chinese Dance Company, African Drummers and Dancers, Ania La Candela Flamenco, and other. You can sample international cuisine provided by Teasley families and our partner restaurants. Grab a passport and experience a new culture. See the flyer for more information and to purchase your advance tickets.
- You can now order your 2015-2016 "Drawing Up New Memories" Teasley yearbook, online. Yearbooks can be ordered through 4/1/16 at www.yearbookmarket.com. Find the school in the drop down menu. It really is that easy!
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WHAT ARE WE LEARNING?
Math: We've been working really hard with fractions. We have been recognizing and making equivalent fractions; working towards comparing and ordering fractions; and using mixed numbers and improper fraction background knowledge to successfully add and subtract fractions. There are still some students who do not fluently know their multiplication facts. Please help your child faster these facts as doing so will definitely help your child be more confident and successful in math. We use basic fact knowledge, every day. Typically, fact fluency is measured within about 3 seconds per fact.
While we have already learned about comparing fractions with unlike denominators, I have seen some students struggling with this standard (NF.2). Some strategies to compare fractions are: using area models, benchmark numbers (such as o, 1/2, and 1), and finding the least common multiple (LCM) to create common denominators.
Comparing Fractions: making equivalent fractions by finding the least common multiple
Comparing Fractions using benchmark 1/2
We have also spent a great deal of time, over the past 2 weeks, adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators, as well as working with mixed numbers and improper fractions. Students should be able to EXPLAIN how to change a mixed number into an improper fraction, as well as changing an improper fraction into a mixed number.
Click on picture to view component skills from 3rd grade
Click on picture to view component skills from 3rd grade
There are often times when students have a hard time explaining the strategy that they choose. Many students have expressed confusion between what is being taught in class vs. what is being taught at home; specifically, strategies being taught by parents that may be "easier" to use (usually, these strategies are the "typical" short cuts that most adults know and/or use). While I don't mind students using these strategies to check the work they have done and the taught strategies, it is beginning to become evident that they are struggling with the reasoning behind their strategies (IE: "I used the "butterfly method" to compare the two fractions and when I did that I knew that ___ was larger than ___." They may be able to correctly identify which symbol (<,>,=) goes into the circle; however, they can't tell me why that "trick" works. This same issue comes when students are changing mixed numbers to improper fractions and they tell me to "multiply the denominator by the whole and add 1" but they can't tell me why that trick works. This is the main part of Common Core. It is not that these "tricks" don't work, it is that they limit a student's understanding of the reasoning behind the "short cut" and therefore inhibits their ability to explain. Please make sure you are letting your child guide you in their reasoning and strategies that are taught in class. This will help cut down on some of the confusion, AND it will help your child be successful and confident in math.
Standards for Mathematical Practice and Thinking Stems: (Click to View)
This week, we are moving to MULTIPLYING fractions!!
4.NF.4 Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction by a whole number.
A. Understand a fraction a/b as a multiple of 1/b. For example, use a visual fraction model to represent 5/4 as the product 5 × (1/4), recording the conclusion by the equation 5/4 = 5 × (1/4).
B. Understand a multiple of a/b as a multiple of 1/b, and use this understanding to multiply a fraction by a whole number. For example, use a visual fraction model to express 3 × (2/5) as 6 × (1/5), recognizing this product as 6/5. (In general, n × (a/b) = (n × a)/b.)
C. Solve word problems involving multiplication of a fraction by a whole number, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem. For example, if each person at a party will eat 3/8 of a pound of roast beef, and there will be 5 people at the party, how many pounds of roast beef will be needed? Between what two whole numbers does your answer lie?
Note: Grade 4 expectations in this domain are limited to fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 100.
About the Math
a. A unit fraction is a fraction that describes one part of the whole. Unit fractions always have a numerator of one. Students need to see that fraction parts can be counted, just like we count whole numbers. So if we count 1 orange, 2 oranges, 3 oranges, etc., we can also count 1 fourth, 2 fourths and 3 fourths. So if 3 oranges can be thought of as 3 groups of one orange, then ¾ can be represented as 3 groups of ¼ or 3 x ¼.
b. Prior to teaching the procedure for multiplying a whole number by a fraction, students need to understand conceptually why the answer is reasonable. If I have 5 groups of 1/6, how many 1/6s are there? You can add 1/6 + 1/6 + 1/6 + 1/6 + 1/6 to equal 5/6. If you want to multiply 4 x 2/3, students need to think of this as 4 groups of 2/3 or 8 groups of 1/3. When added to show four groups of two-thirds, 2/3 + 2/3 + 2/3 + 2/3 = 8/3 or 2 2/3. Or this can be shown as 4 X 2/3 or 4/1 x 2/3= 8/3 or 2 2/3.
Between what two whole numbers does your answer lie?
c. Students need to understand what a reasonable answer looks like when multiplying fractions. If students have been led down the incorrect idea that when you multiply whole numbers the product is always greater. Giving students “rules” such as that sets them up for confusion as they continue to learn about rational numbers. This is not true when dealing with fractions. Students should focus on what an answer will look like prior to actually calculating the answer. Questions like: Does this answer make sense? How do you know it is going to be less than a certain number? Using word problems in a context helps students make sense.
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ELA: We have been integrating the American Revolution into our reading lessons. Students have done SO well with this unit. They have been very engaged and excited to learn about the Revolution and all of the events leading up. We have been focusing on finding the main idea and inferencing using evidence to support our thinking. We have also been paying close attention to specific vocabulary throughout what we read. Students are working towards growing their own "gist" statement, instead of trying to use the text to say exactly what they are thinking. We are working towards the understanding that evidence is separate from our own thoughts and words. It is okay to synthesize the information in order to come up with our "gist."
We are paying close attention to what an appropriate constructed response should look like. This is very important as it is an element of the types of questions that are asked on the Milestones. Questions range from selected response, constructed response, extended constructed response, and an extended writing prompt.
4th Grade Constructed Response Rubric: (click to view) You may notice a common theme across rubrics is the student's ability to use sufficient evidence and examples to support their response/answer. Being able to explain, in 4th grade, is critical.
We have continued working on opinion writing, which was started with Ms. K. We review the rubrics and expectations for opinion writing. We also looked over the GA Milestones Study Guide, which can be found on the blog, to review keywords and expectations for opinion writing in response to a prompt. We will be working a great deal with prompt writing, as we prepare for the upcoming Milestones. Students must be familiar with reading a text, or two texts, and then responding to a prompt. Being able to EXPLAIN their reasons with FACTS from the text(s) is very important. This would be a good area to work on, at home, as well.
The organization piece of their writing, along with their ideas, is the most heavily weighted. The organization helps explain ideas and information more clearly. Students are working towards properly using transition words. I have stressed to students that using transition words is meant to "glue" the reason to details/facts; another way to look at it is to "push on" or dig deeper into what you are really trying to say. When responding to prompts, developed opinions must have meaning and support.
Remember, a fact is a statement that can be proven. An opinion is a statement that cannot be proven because it states a writer's belief or judgment about something. Deciding whether a statement is a fact or an opinion often comes down to whether or not it can be proven. This is important for students to recognize, as it impacts their claim, reasons, and evidence.
Here are a few tips to keep reviewing:
1.) Use STRONG reasons to support your opinions in your writing.
2.) ORGANIZE your writing by using chronological order, cause and effect, compare and contrast, or asking and answering questions.
3.) Make sure your writing has a CONCLUDING statement that support the information or explanation presented.
4.) Always read over your writing SEVERAL times to check work and catch errors.
5.) When writing an opinion piece, avoid using "I" in your writing. You do not need to include the "I" to make your reader aware that this is an opinion piece. Your voice and claims will do that.
4th Grade Opinion Writing Rubric: (click to view)
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