Week of Nov. 9-13

November 13:

Math: Finding fractions that are equivalent to one-half was really easy with the fraction towers. We saw that various fractions, such as, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, 6/12, etc. are the same amount as 1/2. As the denominator stays the same, and as the numerator gets larger, the fraction gets closer to 1 whole. As the denominator stays the same, and as the numerator gets smaller, the fraction gets closer to zero.

Science: We watched a neat video on how oceans can change land. The waves begin to weather the rock on a sea cliff, which forms a sea cave; the the water weathers the rock in the sea cave all the way through which forms a sea arch,; then the waves continue to weather the arch in which the top part collapses forming a seas stack; finally, the waves weather the sea stack down to a sea stump.

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November 12:

Math: Plotting fractions on a numberline can be simple if you are careful. Be sure to label the tick marks based on the number of spaces between the whole numbers. If you do not see whole number to whole number, look at the fraction that is marked on the line already, and that will tell you what each tick mark represents.

Science: The ice and dirt activity was a fun way to see how much sediment can be picked up by just a tiny piece of ice. Water gets into the cracks in rocks, and when the water freezes, it expands and breaks the rocks even more.

We also looked at soil conservation today. None of us may have direct access to a farm and growing crops, but we can help save the soil around us by planting grass, trees, shrubs, flowers, etc. By doing so, the roots of these plants will hold the soil and prevent erosion. Three ways that farmers can conserve the soil they use are CONTOUR PLOWING (plowing around a hill instead of up and down it), STRIP CROPPING (planting different crops between each other so that the shorter, stronger plants can help prevent soil erosion), and CROP ROTATION (rotating the crops on a yearly basis so that they can replace the nutrients in the soil).

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November 11:

Math: The mixed number and improper fraction practice was excellent! Your labeling of the models and addition of the fractions is spot on. Remember that we do not add the denominators of fractions since the denominator tells us the number of parts in the whole. Keep up the great work!

Science: I am so proud of you for doing so well on the Soil Properties Quiz! I could tell that many of you studied, and that hard work has paid off in not just the quiz, but in helping learn specific characteristics of various soils. Check out the photos of the soils below.

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November 10:

Math: An improper fraction has a numerator that is greater than or equal to its denominator. We will have either a fraction equal to 1 (if the numerator and denominator are the same) or a fraction greater than 1 (if the numerator is greater than the denominator). A mixed number contains both a whole number and a fraction.

Science: A glacier is a large piece of ice that weathers rock as it slides by and erodes the rock by taking it with it. Glaciers will carve out u-shaped and v-shaped valleys. As they melt, they form rivers that flow through the canyon or valley. We also reviewed the properties of soil.

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November 9:

Math: When we have a fraction that has a numerator greater than the denominator, that fraction is greater than one. This is considered an IMPROPER fraction that we have to convert to a MIXED NUMBER.

Science: The weathering, erosion, and deposition activity today was really good! It was such a great visual for us to see these processes. Check out the photos and video below: