Today in homeroom we checked out Mr. Young's and Mrs. Johnson's blogs. We learned that the blogs have important information and dates. They also have links to fun and educational websites. There is also some pretty cool information about what we are learning, and about Mr. Young and Mrs. Johnson, too.
Prairie Creek Rocks! :)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Prime and Composite Numbers
Math Vocabulary:
Prime Numbers are numbers with EXACTLY TWO factors, one and itself.
Seven is a prime number because the only factors of 7 are 1 and 7. Other examples of prime numbers: 2, 13, 19, 59, 73.
Composite Numbers are numbers with MORE than TWO factors. Nine is a composite number because it has more than two factors: 1, 3 and 9.
Interestingly, the number one is not prime nor composite.
Prime Numbers are numbers with EXACTLY TWO factors, one and itself.
Seven is a prime number because the only factors of 7 are 1 and 7. Other examples of prime numbers: 2, 13, 19, 59, 73.
Composite Numbers are numbers with MORE than TWO factors. Nine is a composite number because it has more than two factors: 1, 3 and 9.
Interestingly, the number one is not prime nor composite.
Divisibility Rules
Monday's lesson will be about using divisibility rules to test for division by 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10. A whole number is divisible by another whole number if the remainder in the division is zero. The result (quotient) must be a whole number.
Below are the divisibilty rules students will be learning. While students are not required to memorize them at this point, recall of these handy shortcuts will benefit them in the future.
Below are the divisibilty rules students will be learning. While students are not required to memorize them at this point, recall of these handy shortcuts will benefit them in the future.
- All even numbers are divisible by 2.
- A number is divisible by 3 if the sum of the digits is divisible by 3. (Sum of digits is the answer when adding the digits together. For example, 123 is divisible by three because 1+2+3 = 6, and six is divisible by three.)
- A number is divisible by 6 if it is divisible by BOTH 2 and 3.
- A number is divisible by 9 if the sum of it's digits is divisible by 9. (378 is divisible by 9 because 3+7+8=18, and 18 is divisible by 9.)
- A number is divisible by 10 if it ends in 0.
- A number is divisible by 5 if it ends in 0 or 5.
Great First Week
We had a great first full week at Prairie Creek! :)
Factors are the numbers you multiply together to get another number. For example, 3 and 4 are factors of 12, because 3x4=12. Also 2x6=12 so 2 and 6 are also factors of 12, and 1x12=12 so 1 and 12 are factors of 12 as well. So ALL the possible factors of 12 are 1,2,3,4,6 and 12.
In science we investigated using pendulums, and conducted controlled experiments to discover how changing one variable at a time affected the outcome. After starting with a standard pendulum system, we changed were angle of release (where we let go of the pendulum), mass of the bob (how many pennies were hung at the end of pendulum), and string length. We determined that the angle of release and mass of the bob did NOT affect the number of swings a pendulum made in 15 seconds. The length of the string, however, did affect the number of swings in 15 seconds. The shorter the string, the greater the number of swings a pendulum made in 15 seconds. Conversely, the longer the string, the fewer swing cycles a pendulum completed in 15 seconds.
Science vocabulary for the week:
Variable - Anything you can change in an experiment that might affect the outcome.
Controlled Experiment - An experiment in which only one variable is changed at a time.
Pendulum - A mass, hanging from a fixed point, that is free to swing to and fro.
In math we reviewed rectangular arrays and learned about factors and divisibility.
Factors are the numbers you multiply together to get another number. For example, 3 and 4 are factors of 12, because 3x4=12. Also 2x6=12 so 2 and 6 are also factors of 12, and 1x12=12 so 1 and 12 are factors of 12 as well. So ALL the possible factors of 12 are 1,2,3,4,6 and 12.
In science we investigated using pendulums, and conducted controlled experiments to discover how changing one variable at a time affected the outcome. After starting with a standard pendulum system, we changed were angle of release (where we let go of the pendulum), mass of the bob (how many pennies were hung at the end of pendulum), and string length. We determined that the angle of release and mass of the bob did NOT affect the number of swings a pendulum made in 15 seconds. The length of the string, however, did affect the number of swings in 15 seconds. The shorter the string, the greater the number of swings a pendulum made in 15 seconds. Conversely, the longer the string, the fewer swing cycles a pendulum completed in 15 seconds.
Science vocabulary for the week:
Variable - Anything you can change in an experiment that might affect the outcome.
Controlled Experiment - An experiment in which only one variable is changed at a time.
Pendulum - A mass, hanging from a fixed point, that is free to swing to and fro.
Friday, August 20, 2010
What does a scientist look like?
Armed with paper and crayons, groups of students were asked to draw a scientist, and write five words or phrases about scientists. After discussion and collaboration they penned images that represented a scientist in their minds. 86% of groups drew a male. Most were old, had wild hair, glasses and a write lab coat. Almost all were chemists with test tubes and chemicals with explosive power. Mad scientists. This was certainly the result I expected.
Stereotypes influence our image of the scientific field. What is a scientist? Male or female, young or old, crazy hair or no hair at all... I view scientists as those who observe, investigate and study to learn more about the world and universe that surrounds them. And today, when I looked out at my students, there were fifty-six bright eyed and curious scientists looking back at me.
So, when you child looks in the mirror and sees an artist or an athlete, musician or mathematician, techie or gamer, I hope they also see a scientist. :)
Stereotypes influence our image of the scientific field. What is a scientist? Male or female, young or old, crazy hair or no hair at all... I view scientists as those who observe, investigate and study to learn more about the world and universe that surrounds them. And today, when I looked out at my students, there were fifty-six bright eyed and curious scientists looking back at me.
So, when you child looks in the mirror and sees an artist or an athlete, musician or mathematician, techie or gamer, I hope they also see a scientist. :)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
We Survived the First Day!
Yay! We had a wonderful first day at school! Today was tons of fun. Our objectives for today? To make new friends, and learn more about the wonderful place we call Prairie Creek Intermediate. In addition to lots of "getting to know" activities, we went over important procedures that will help our classroom community function effectively. Parents, you would be AMAZED at how little time it takes fifth graders to warm up to their new environment and make new friends. It is super cool that by lunch, many students who were strangers at the beginning of the day were talking to each other like they had gone to school together for years, despite having met only few hours before. I even witnessed a couple of students sitting with their new friends on the shuttle bus over to Point, and exchanging phone numbers.
Hopefully your child had positive stories to share about today, and looks forward to this school year. I'm sure many of them were exhausted by the time they got home. I know I was!
Tomorrow we will be operating on a Late Start schedule. This does NOT mean school has a delayed start. Instead, the first two hours of the day will be used to hold a school wide common area expectation activity, where classes travel to different areas of the building. At each station (lunch room, playground, IMC) teachers and administrators will explain the common expectations that all students will be held accountable for. Prairie Creek is committed to creating a positive learning environment where all students can grow and learn together.
Best regards,
Mrs. J.
Hopefully your child had positive stories to share about today, and looks forward to this school year. I'm sure many of them were exhausted by the time they got home. I know I was!
Tomorrow we will be operating on a Late Start schedule. This does NOT mean school has a delayed start. Instead, the first two hours of the day will be used to hold a school wide common area expectation activity, where classes travel to different areas of the building. At each station (lunch room, playground, IMC) teachers and administrators will explain the common expectations that all students will be held accountable for. Prairie Creek is committed to creating a positive learning environment where all students can grow and learn together.
Best regards,
Mrs. J.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Welcome!
Welcome to the online newsletter for Mrs. Johnson's math and science classroom at Prairie Creek Elementary School. Read often to keep up to date about what is happening in our classroom.
- Bookmark and follow this blog so that you can easily find our latest updates.
- This blog will be updated by Mrs. Johnson, and by student contributors at least twice per month.
- Privacy will be respected. Student last names will not be used and your requests as indicated on the 'yellow cards' will be honored.
- Please feel free to post comments on our blog entries. We love hearing from you. We only ask that you keep things positive. If their is a concern, please contact Mrs. Johnson directly.
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