Reminder: Math & Science Quizzes

Students, this is a reminder that you will have your final two quizzes of the year this week. 

For information on the Fractions and Decimals quiz, click here. 

For Science, you know that your quiz will be on Plants. Here are some things you should know to be prepared for the quiz. 

• Identify ways that plants are important to humans
• Provide examples of seed dispersal
• Explain what a seed plant needs to survive
• Explain the job of different plant parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds)
• Provide examples of pollinators and explain why pollinators are important
• Use Science vocabulary correctly, such as photosynthesis, chlorophyll, dormant, seed coat, embryo (baby plant in the seed), deciduous, coniferous

If you feel that you need to practice/learn any of this information, check on the Google Classroom under "Science" for many videos and websites we used this month. 

Fractions & Decimals Work and Upcoming Quiz

For the past couple of weeks in Math, we have been exploring fractions and decimals. We know that fractions:

• are a part of a whole
• the pieces of a fraction are equal
• the top number is called the numerator and the bottom number is called the denominator
• the line in between the numerator and denominator is a division line
• when we cut the fractions into smaller pieces, the denominator gets bigger
• are connected to division because we can use fractions sometimes to represent a remainder
• the language we use to express a fraction has a "th" at the end of it (for example, "seven hundredths," "two tenths," "two hundredths," "four hundredths," "two thousandths," "two millionths," "one fifth," "three sixths.

We know that we can convert fractions to decimals when: 

• the denominator has a base of ten (10, 100, 1000, etc)

To practice, we have been making Pixel Art creations. For this Math & Art assignment, we have to colour the pixels one-by-one to create a piece of art. Then, you count the number of squares for each colour and write the fraction and decimal. So, for example, if there were 17 red squares, that equals 17/100 and 0.17. If there were 5 yellow, the fraction would be 5/100 and the decimal would be 0.05.

 

On Monday, June 5, we will have a Quiz on Fractions and Decimals. Here are the things students will need to know: 

• Write a fraction to represent a given picture.
• Write a decimal to represent a given picture.
• Draw a picture to represent a given fraction.
• Draw a picture to represent a given decimal. 
• Order fractions (with the same denominator) and decimals from least to greatest.
• Circle objects in sets to show a given fraction or decimal.

If students are looking for ways to practice, they are encouraged to try the assignments on Mathletics: Fractions and Decimals. There are also resources under "Math" on the Google Classroom that can help.

HOMEWORK: Prepare for Division Test

Hi Students,

This is a friendly remind that you have a Division Quiz on: Tuesday, April 25. 

On the quiz, you may be asked to: 

• Represent a division equation using a picture/array/Base Ten blocks
• Write a division equation to match a given picture/array/Base Ten blocks
• Solve division equations up to 2-digit by 1-digit using strategies, such as "Grouping Based On What You Know", or the "Expanded Algorithm" 
• Solve a Division word problem in pictures, numbers, and words (a sentence answer)

If you would like to practice, you are encouraged to go on to Mathletics and complete the following assignments: 

• Division Strategies (by 3s, 4s, 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s)
• Multiply & Divide (Related Facts 2, Fact Families)

If you have any question, please ask Ms Lacour.

From, 

Ms Elder and Ms Lacour

The "Grouping Using What You Know" strategy

Since this strategy is unfamiliar to many parents, I am going to describe it here using the language we used in class: 

1. Think about the problem. An example of what 48 / 4 means is that you have 48 of something, and you are sharing that out equally between 4 people.
2. Draw circles or stick people to represent the number of the divisor (4).
3. Use a number you can skip count by easily (like, 10, 5, 2...). Share out the same amount to each person/group. For example, in the picture, the student started by giving each person 3. 
4. Calculate how many you just gave out in total (3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12).
5. Subtract 12 from your dividend to see how much you have left to give (48-12 = 36).
6. Do steps 3 & 4 again until you have shared out all that you have. 
7. Count up how many you have in one of the groups. This is your quotient (answer). 

HOMEWORK: Prepare for your 3-digit by 1-digit Multiplication Quiz

Students, this is a reminder that you have a short Multiplication Quiz on Thursday, March 23. You will need to be able to: 

- Solve a 2-digit by 1-digit Multiplication equation

- Solve a 3-digit by 1-digit Multiplication equation 

- Show your strategy clearly using a picture/array/distributive property/algorithm...you get to choose how you solve it, as long as you can show your steps

If you are looking for ways to practice, you can go onto Mathletics and do these assignments: 

-Multiply 2-digit by 1-digit

-Multiply 1-digit Number, Regroup

Zoo Enclosure Designs

Our class is designing a zoo and we are making enclosures with different areas and arrays. We know the best unit for measuring area is a square. We're taking the dimensions and calculating the total area of each enclosure. This assignment has both (and we are being marked on both) Math and Art.

Here are some student quotes about this learning task: 
"I liked how we got to design animals and figure out how long the width of the enclosure." ~ Olivia
"I found it challenging the detail we had to put in to it because small details are very important." ~ Keagan
"I liked that it has Art and we have to make animals in enclosures." ~ Aarav
"I liked how we got to design different animals in our cages and put lots of detail in them." ~ Abbey
"I learned that it makes the picture look better if you add colour around the outside, not just the inside." ~ Charlie
"I enjoyed putting in different animals and detail." ~ Alice
"I liked that we combined my two favourite subjects: Math and Art together." ~ Sy
"I enjoyed colouring the animals." ~ M
"I learned that squares are the best unit for measuring Area." ~ Arsh
"I really liked that Ms Elder made it fun, like a zoo instead of just having squares." ~ Sage

"I liked that I learned that we are getting an Art mark." ~ Nico
"I liked how we could do animals that are dead or don't exist and that we can make it bigger than just one page." ~ Koen
"I like art so I enjoyed doing art." ~ A
"I like this project because we make me so happy because we have to draw and I love to draw." ~ V
"I liked that the big the area was, the more Math we had to do." ~ Nolan

Multiplication Art

We have been finding fun ways to practice our multiplication facts. A reminder that students in Grade 4 are required to memorize their facts up to 7x7. We practice in class up to 12 x 12 because it is helpful when they start working with larger numbers to have those facts memorized. Here are some ways we have been practicing our facts in class: 

• Multiplication Strategy Posters (click here to see our previous blog post)
• Games: 
• Multiplication Luck (see Google Classroom for rules)
• Array Capture (see Google Classroom for rules) 
• Bury the Bones (in class with dominoes) 
• Multiplication Bingo (to come next week)
• Multiplication Rock Songs (search on Youtube and sing along at home!)
• Practice worksheets

Today, we made Math Art! Students go to choose the times table they most need practice on. They created a design with flaps and wrote the numbers 0-12 on the flaps. Under the flaps, they put the products. Now they have their own device for practicing one of the times tables. 

HOMEWORK: Prepare for Multiplication Quiz

Students, this is a reminder that you have a Multiplication Quiz on Friday, February 10. You need to be prepared to: 

• Multiply numbers up to 9 x 9
• Match multiplication equations with the appropriate picture (groups) and array
• Problem-solve, showing your answer using a picture (groups or array), numbers (multiplication equation), and words (sentence answer)
• Use vocabulary, such as factor, product, array, equal groups

If you are looking for extra practice, go on to Mathletics and do activities for Multiplication 1-digit by 1-digit.

If you have questions, please contact me. :)

~ Ms Elder

Gr 4 Multiplication Posters

Today we worked on our times table posters in partners. We are showing strategies for remembering each times table without  memorizing. For example, we look for patterns in the multiples of that number. 

By making these posters we are accelerating our math vocabulary with words like, "increasing," "decreasing," "ones place," "tens place," "patterns", etc.

Tomorrow, we will be presenting our posters for the class and we will put them up in the classroom to help us learn our facts. 

"I really like making the posters and doing the different times tables because it's a fun way to learn your math." ~ Alice

"I liked learning all the different ways to do it like skip counting, using a hundreds chart, looking for patterns." ~ Clover

"I liked finding new patterns when skip counting by 7's. I thought it would be shorter for the pattern to end and restart but it actually does it when it hits 70." ~ Charlie

"I really liked that we got to design a poster about Multiplication facts." ~ Sage

"I liked working with my partner. We give one part to one and the other part to the other. We do a good project with both our ideas." ~ V

"I really liked how we got to work on big grid paper." ~ Olivia

"I really liked how we don't have to do a lot of things and it's gonna be useful to somebody who reads this." ~ Kashvi

Gr 4 Multiplication

We finished up our work on Adding and Subtracting decimal numbers last week. Students are on-track, though many need reminders to regroup when subtracting. A fantastic game to play at home to support your child is the "Banker's Game" (click here to see our old blog post with instructions). Students could print/draw Base Ten blocks to use instead of the blocks, or you could use coins. 

We have moved on to Multiplication. So far, we've talked about what Multiplication is and how we could represent it. Students were able to recall information from Grade Three, such as: 

We practiced drawing groups or arrays to match multiplication equations and have been using math vocabulary words in class, such as: factor, product, equation, array. 

This week, we are exploring patterns in the Multiplication table and looking for strategies to help us memorize them, such as: in the 3's times tables, the multiples of threes are even-odd-even-odd..." 

Students are working in groups to create posters to put up on the wall. They will present them to the rest of the class, using their best Math vocabulary, next week. 

You can support your child at home by playing games, singing the facts (check Youtube for multiplication fact songs!), doing flashcards...whatever works best for your child to help them memorize the facts up to 9x9. I have posted the rules to a game we played in class called Multiplication Luck on our Google Classroom. It's a lot like Yatzee and is really fun! I will also post the rules to another game, Array Capture, after I teach it to the class on Monday.

In Grade 4, students are expected to demonstrate an understanding and application of multiplication equations up to 9x9 with fluency/memorization up to 7x7. We will be working with the numbers in class and the focus of class time will be spent on understanding and representing multiplication, not memorization.

If you have questions, I'm always happy to chat! :)

~ Ms Elder

Playground Design Project Sharing

Last week, we finished our playground designs and students pitched their designs to the class. We voted on the design that we thought best met the needs of the community, while also taking into consideration the cost. Two designs came close in the number of votes they had: V, M, and Abbey's design that with 12 votes and Sy, Nico, and Liam's design with 14 votes. Both groups moved on to be allowed to pitch their designs to the Community Association and City of Calgary. 

Today, we had two guests in our classroom: Nicole from the Ramsay Community Association and Rob from the City of Calgary. They listened to what we have learned so while working on this project. We:

• researched the City of Calgary playground criteria
• looked at the Census data to learn the demographics for the Ramsay neighbourhood (how many people are in each age group in Ramsay)
• discovered the 6 simple machines
• went on Community Walks to study the simple machines in playground equipment
• were informed on the 4 healthy play components, as described on the City of Calgary website
• looked at a map and found the grassy areas in Ramsay and identified them as possible playground spots 
• went on a Community Walk to visit the three potential playground sites we found
• learned from Nicole that two of the sites we'd found on the map are actually being considered for new playgrounds
• discovered the real-life cost of different pieces of equipment and ground cover
• discussed the word collaboration and what it means to work together as a group
• cut and glued pieces of playground equipment from Blue Imp catalogues
• calculated the total cost of our design 
• pitched our ideas to the class and voted!

As you can see, this project encompasses outcomes from all subject areas: Language Arts (Speaking), Math (Adding), Science (Simple Machines), Social Studies (connecting with municipal processes; considering the needs of the community); and Wellness (different types of play; working as a team). For more info, Check our previous blog post (click here). 

Today, Rob told us that what we have done in class is just like his job in "real life." 

He said University students do projects like this to learn about city planning.

Our finalists with Rob from the City of Calgary and Nicole from the Ramsay Community Association

Here are some quotes about our learning: 

"I really liked collaborating with my team and seeing the different ideas we can add." ~ Abbey

"We learned about the different aspects of designing." ~ V

"I never thought that we would make our own playgrounds; it was fun!" ~ Aarav

"I liked cutting and gluing because it was interesting how many different types of playground equipment there was in the catalogue." ~ Alice

"I liked the presentation." ~ Arsh

"I liked working with my team and trying all we could." ~ Raj

"I liked presenting to Rob and Nicole because they gave us their ideas." ~ M

"I liked combining the simple machines and playground designs to get the final product." ~ Charlie

"I learned about all 4 healthy play components." ~ Sy

"I learned that it's fun to collaborate with my group members." ~ Liam

"The images were fun and cool." ~ Daniel

"I learned that we have to do our best and we can win. " ~ S

"I learned that even if you can't communicate in the same language, there are other ways to communicate and even if someone doesn't understand it, other people can help." ~ Suzi

"I liked how we can design our own playground." ~ Kim

"I liked the idea that our design could include everyone, like people with disabilities." ~ Nico

"I liked how it was a big project." ~ Olivia

"I learned that persuading people can be very hard." ~ Artur

"I liked designing the playground because it was fun to look through the pamphlet and find the different equipment." ~ Clover

"I liked that we got to vote on our favourite design." ~ Sage

"I liked how to collaborate with my group." ~ Michael

"I liked this playground project." ~ Milana

"I liked that we got to learn the prices." ~ H

"I like my team." ~ O

"Project is very hard and fun." ~ Andria

"I like how Math was involved in this project." ~ Nolan

"I like playground and project." ~ R

Playground Design Project

This week we have been working on our Playground Designs! After spending the past two weeks learning about playground components and city criteria, we were ready to start designing! This cross-curricular assignment meets outcomes from a variety of subject areas: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Well-Being. To learn more about the specifics that the students will be marked on, take a look at our Google Classroom where the instructions and assessment are linked. 

Students finished up designing today. They have double-checked to see that they have included all 6 simple machines and all 4 healthy play components. They have ensured that their designs are inclusive and that the space meets the needs of all demographics of Calgarians. Now, they are calculating the cost of their designs with reasonably realistic prices based off the Blue Imp catalogues we've been using.

Check out each group's design so far!

"Something I liked was how I could add my ideas with my group." ~ Arsh

"I liked how I wrote the script and add our points to it." ~ Pari

"I liked how we could use our creativity to create different things. In our project, we used our imagination to create a pond with a fountain in the middle." ~ Vihaan

"I learned how expensive a playground actually is!" ~ Sy

"I liked how I learned more about other people in my group." ~ Suzi

"I liked learning about the six simple machines and the four healthy play components." ~ Abbey

"When we started it, it was really fun to learn about it and I told my mom. I've been trying to make simple machines at home~" ~ Kashvi

Math Squares and the Banker's Game

This week in Math we are working on our adding skills, with regrouping. After doing a lesson together on the Smarboard, students had the option of choosing the Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced Math Squares worksheet. You need to add up all four boxes to find the total. Some questions have blanks instead of the addends, meaning you need to use the inverse operation to solve. Students loved having choice over the difficulty of their work. All were checked by the teacher and students needed to make corrections, if necessary.

When they were done, the students played the Banker's Game. In this game, you roll two dice to gather Base Ten blocks. Every time it's possible, students need to regroup. The first one to reach 1000 wins!

Gr 4 Place Value Game

In preparation for Wednesday's Quiz, we played the Place Value game. In this game, you play against an opponent. You each draw an array that is 2x4, like the one shown. 

One person starts by rolling a die. They can choose where they put their number. 

You continue by taking turns to roll the die. Once a number is placed, you cannot change where it is. When all the spaces are filled, you add up the two numbers. The person with the greatest number, wins!

Hailey is the winner!

This is a great game you can play at home to practice Place Value concepts. We are working in class on recognizing which number is greater. There is strategy in this game for where you should put the bigger numbers, like 5 and 6. On the Quiz, students will need to order a group of numbers from greatest to least.

Grade 4 Number Quiz

Grade 4 Students, this is a reminder that you will have a quiz on Representing Numbers on Wednesday, December 7. You will need to know how to: 

• Write numbers up to 10 000 in words and numerals
• Express numbers up to 10 000 using expanded form
• Express numbers up to 10 000 in numerals after being given expanded form
• Order numbers from greatest to least and least to greatest
• Represent a given number up to 10 000 using Base Ten blocks
• Count Base Ten blocks to find a total number

If you are looking for ways to practice for your Quiz, make sure that all of your assignments on Mathletics are completed. You can also re-do any of the Numbers to 10 000 Activities.

Number Games

 

In Math these last couple of weeks, we have been working on our understanding of Number Concepts. We have played games and tried challenges that are open-ended, meaning there is more than one possible answer. This broadens students' math thinking and aids with problem-solving skills. It has also been an excellent way for Ms Elder to gather information on what we know about numbers. Here are two activities from this week that were tons of fun and built our mathematical vocabulary and place value understanding: 

What's My Number? 

In this game, everyone had a sticker on their backs with a number on it. We had to ask Yes or No questions to figure out what our number was. Here are some questions we brainstormed ahead of time to help us: 

Esti-Mysteries

Esti-Mysteries are a fun way to practice estimation, as well as building math vocabulary and an understanding of Number.  We start by making an estimation on a whiteboard. Then, we are given clues to help us adjust our estimates until we have enough clues to know that it's the actual answer. 

Excited to Do More At Home?

These are games that can easily be adapted for at home or in the car. Try playing "Higher or Lower" where one person thinks of a number and the other person asks "Higher or Lower" until they figure it out. 

Or, play "What's My Number" without the stickers by having one person think of a number and everyone else asks questions like the ones modelled above to figure it out. Have fun playing!

Using Tables to Solve Problems

We have been working on using tables to keep track of patterns, and using patterns to solve problems. Today, Ms Elder read us the book, One Grain of Rice by Demi. 

In the book, a raja (king) tries to keep the kingdom's rice for himself. A girl outwits him by asking for one grain of rice on the first day, then double that every day after for 30 days. At first, it doesn't seem like this will amount to very much rice. But, when we started to do the calculations, we saw how quickly the number of grains grew!

We needed to work as a team and use many whiteboards
to have enough space for our calculations!

We used a table to keep track of the number of days and number of grains.

Together, as a class, we took up our answers.
We needed to do so much adding!

This also led to a great mini-lesson on how to read large numbers. Many students needed help reading past the thousands place. You can help your child at home by reading these large numbers together. 

As an extension, students have been given an optional challenge to add up every grain of rice that Rani received!