Measurement and a ruler are much more than the age old trick of creating a pencil helicopter! Teaching how to use a ruler and then offering objects to measure are instrumental (some pun intended!!) to the conceptual understanding of measurement. There are 16 tiny little marks in between the inches marks. Pointing this out to a 10 year old can be a little tricky because "they already know that!". Putting it to practical use is a different idea all together.
Measuring to the nearest inch, nearest half inch, nearest quarter inch, and the nearest eighth inch is very enlightening. Using objects that kids love like race cars, stuffed animals, books, stick of gum, etc, can make the measuring more intriguing.
Offering support and feedback is crucial to the understanding of measurement. Also asking questions like how many sixteenths are between the 1 inch and the 2 inch mark on the ruler? How many quarter inch marks are there between the 2 inch mark and the 3 inch mark? And even relating to simplified fractions for example: What mark on the ruler is the same as 8/16?
Kids know it looks cool to spin a ruler around on the point of a pencil, but when they feel cool because they understand, this is what creates the makings of a life long learner!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Movie Star Names
The students today came up with their "Movie Star" names...take your middle name for your first name and use your street name as your last name...There was a Henry Pinecrest, Willow Riverbanks, May River, Enrique Tammi, Wyat Jones and so on! The students were assigned the job to write a story using their movie star name as the main character.
The writing was the best I have seen from this group. They were truly inspired and created some amazing people! There was a great artist who returned to paint her teacher's portrait, there was a rock star who just happened to living in a VW van, there was a SWAT team agent who used nerf guns with playful accuracy and so on. The students read their stories aloud and were encouraged by the comments and compliments.
So here is to movie stars, imaginations, and colorful characters!
The writing was the best I have seen from this group. They were truly inspired and created some amazing people! There was a great artist who returned to paint her teacher's portrait, there was a rock star who just happened to living in a VW van, there was a SWAT team agent who used nerf guns with playful accuracy and so on. The students read their stories aloud and were encouraged by the comments and compliments.
So here is to movie stars, imaginations, and colorful characters!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Reading, Reading, Reading...
Who would think the adventures of Calvin and Hobbs would continue to be so popular. This fun loving duo is up to regular tricks and speaks a child's mind and wishes! Calvin wants so very badly to be in charge. Hobbs is a willing stuffed animal that has become very real due to Calvin's imagination. The two pals find a good time in everything they do together.
Sometimes comics are the perfect motivator. They are short, colorful, context clues rich and even lend themselves to enriching vocabulary, for example, what is the difference in crochet and croquet! Comic strips like Calvin and Hobbs have a very special way of tickling funny bones.
Sometimes comics are the perfect motivator. They are short, colorful, context clues rich and even lend themselves to enriching vocabulary, for example, what is the difference in crochet and croquet! Comic strips like Calvin and Hobbs have a very special way of tickling funny bones.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
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