March

Exploration:

This month we got to dive in to part two of our exploration unit, Exploring through Problem Solving. We began by looking at the scientific method as a problem solving tool. We went through the steps and conducted a class test to see how many random numbers a third grader could hold in their brain without forgetting. We also experimented to see how many drops of water could fit on a penny. We also read one of my favorite books, Ada Twist: Scientist by Andrea Beaty and used a dancing raisin activity to distinguish between observations and inferences.
Our next topic took us on an investigation of simple machines. We were able to use a student paced Simple Machines Nearpod to brush up on our understanding, take some good notes, and play several online quizzes and activities reinforcing the concepts. As a fun way to show off their learning, groups used information from the previous lesson to complete a lock box break out challenge. Students loved solving puzzles and cracking codes to discover what simple machine had been taken from our classroom!

M^3 (Mentoring Mathematical Minds) Unraveling the Mystery of the Moli Stone:
This month we visited ancient Egypt and its’ number system to look at their use of symbols and lack place value and zero digit. Students decoded, wrote, and even added and subtracted with hieroglyphics.

Critical and Creative Thinking:

I loved seeing students present their inventor and invention projects! I learned a lot and it was a wonderful way to engage and build enthusiasm for our new unit! I was proud to see a lot of our research skills at use and loved the creative products!

 

 

January/February

Exploration:
Students have worked so hard in the research process to complete their museum placards and artifacts for our ancient civilizations projects. We researched, took notes, drafted, signed, edited and made some amazing final products for our museum display.

As a culminating adventure, students were called on to help me with a slight dilemma where they used their learning to come through with flying colors! Our ancient civilization time travel mystery was enjoyed by all and we look forward to starting on exploring through problem solving next week!

M^3 (Mentoring Mathematical Minds) Unraveling the Mystery of the Moli Stone: For our second unit, we looked at regrouping to develop a greater understanding of why it occurs in computation. In exploring groupings they visit the Land of Treble and explore the base 3 number system. If you heard your child talking about gickles, bickles, and rickles, they haven’t gone mad, they have just been making trades in base 3. They practiced both adding and subtracting and then enjoyed the game “A Race in Base” where they used both base 10 and base 3 in order to make comparisons between the two number systems.

Critical and Creative Thinking:
Sudoku puzzles have been our focus as of late. We have been using the process of elimination and 2-step logic to complete our number grids.