Photography Field Trip

Our field trip to take photographs of nature was fantastic! We are using our understanding of the elements of photographic composition to improve our photography skills.

Our next step will be to edit our photos to create works of photographic art.

Real-Life Math Problems

I have a problem!

Neighbours tell me that I should expect about 300 trick-or-treaters on October 31!

We are using our understanding of how to determine the "best deal" to figure out how many boxes of which type of candy I should buy to spend the least amount of money.

We are using our math communication skills to create a Google slide presentation that shows evidence of our calculations and a complete explanation for our recommendations.

For the full problem and the photos of products and prices, check out the assignment in the Google Classroom.

Population Distribution & Density

In Geography, we are investigating the different ways population is distributed around the world. We examined satellite images of the Niagara Region to help us identify areas of linear, clustered, peripheral and scattered population distribution.

We also learned how to calculate population density. It was a surprise to many of us that the most densely populated area on Earth is Monaco which has a population density of 26,000 people per square kilometer.

Our next step is to investigate the reasons why people settle where they do.

Understanding Fractions

We are reflecting on what we understand about fractions. We realized that we were missing some understanding of key concepts like what "simplified" means, what a denominator is, and the difference between factor and multiple.

We had a great discussion about the different ways we solved this critical-thinking problem. We know that we need many more opportunities to solve problems like this to build our confidence with fractions.

The Hailstone Sequence

In Math, we are working on developing our social emotional learning (SEL) skills. These are important skills that will help us solve problems, reflect on what we are learning and make connections between concepts.

Some of the SEL skills we are focussing on are:

• maintaining a positive mindset and persevering with challenges

• collaborating and communicating effectively

• thinking critically and creatively

To practise these skills, we are working on solving challenging problems. One of these problems is called the "Hailstone Sequence" or the Collatz Conjecture. You can try this cool math problem by clicking here .