Measurement Test on Friday

Good afternoon parents!  I just wanted to let you know that our measurement unit test has been moved to Friday.  We did a review sheet today in class and graded it so they should be bringing it home to study.  We also played a game in class yesterday that they can play at home to review.  I have also attached another version of the review to my email if you would like to do it together for extra review.

Here is the Kahoot link that we used to review:
https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/ce01c8a7-e23b-4c46-a2c6-4049815b9adfv

Measuring Up!!

The kiddos have had lots of fun with our measurement unit.  They have measured with models, rulers, meter sticks, yard sticks, and even candy.  We are wrapping this unit up this week.  Our test on measurement is Thursday April 30th.  On Tuesday, we will be playing an online "game show" called Kahoot.  Students can bring their own technology devices on Tuesday.  The device needs to have the ability to access the internet. It should be lots of fun!

We only have two units left for the school year.  WOW!  Where has time gone???  Our next unit is multiplication and division.  We will use arrays and picture models to combine groups and separate into groups.  I also sing songs to help students recall their multiplication facts.  I will apologize now if they come home singing.  But trust me...they WORK!!!

Week 4/6

It was a great week this week!  The kids had lots of hands on practice with measurement.  We started measurement using models then transitioned into using rulers.  We went on a measurement scavenger hunt around the school and created a measurement monster.  They turned out so cute!  I'll post pictures next week.  Next week, we will be measuring with broken rulers and figuring out how to determine the measurement.

Don't forget our field trip is next Tuesday 4/14.
Students need:

• Bring a sack lunch that can be thrown away and does not need refrigeration.
• Wear tennis shoes.
• Wear a Cox t-shirt or blue t-shirt.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Ashley showing off her Easter spirit!!

Measuring week 3/23

We began our unit on measuring length this week.  However, we used only models this week.  We used square color tiles to represent an inch.  The kiddos completed a technology project to practice their measuring.  They really wanted to share them with you all.  You can view them by going online to: https://www.haikudeck.com/ .  My login information is: tracy.halligan@wylieisd.net and the password is halligan2.  You can find your child's haiku deck and see what they created!  They really had fun making them.

Next week, we will begin measuring centimeters using models.  Also, we will measure with an inch and centimeter ruler.

If you have not returned your Orignial works magnet or order form, please do so by Monday.  (Mrs.Ashley's class will receive them today in their Thursday folders.)

Thank you to all of you who came out to Chick-fil-A last night.  I loved seeing all of the pictures of coyotes coming out to support a good cause.  Relay for life is a very special to me as I have lost both my father and aunt to this terrible disease.  There will be more opportunities to contribute over the next few weeks.

Enjoy your long weekend!

Chick-fil-A Spirit Night support American Cancer Society

Tonight is the Chick-fil-A spirit night supporting American Cancer Society Relay for Life.  It is from 5-8.  Please post a picture of your student on the 2^nd Grade Facebook page, email me (or Mrs. Ashley/Mr. Garrett), or send me a tweet (@halligan_tracy)!  Have a great night!  See you there.

Time resources

Here are a few time and money online resources:

• http://www.abcya.com/counting_money.htm
• http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/money.html
• http://www.abcya.com/telling_time.htm
• http://www.maths-games.org/time-games.html

Time, time, time and again!!

We made it through a full week!  Has it dawned on you that this is the first FULL week of school since the week of February 9th.  Crazy!!! But we survived!

This week we began learning about telling time to the fifteen minute and the five minute.  We learned how to tell the time in many different ways.  Ask your kids if they can tell another way to say 2:15, 3:30, and 5:45.  Hopefully, they will say "quarter past/after", "half past", and "quarter til".   They had lots of fun using the clock manipulatives to watch the how as the minute hand moves, the hour hand does too.  We spent a lot of time describing where the hour hand is when the minute hand is in different places on the clock.

Next week, we dive deeper down with time to the minute and discovering the difference between AM and PM.  We will look at a "flattened clock" which looks like a time line that starts and ends at midnight.  I want them to see that, just like a number line, even though all of the numbers aren't there, they ARE all there.  Please spend any free time counting and identifying coins and telling time.

Next week our homework will be back on paper with practicing telling time.

A few other notes/important events:

• We are still collecting donations for our carnival silent auction baskets.  Please send all donation with your kiddos and we will add to the box.  
• Mrs. Halligan's and Mrs. Ashley's homeroom is collecting "Classic Disney" stuff
• Mr. Garrett's homeroom is collecting "Star Wars" stuff
• Carnival tickets are on sale!!  Tickets are $5 before or $6 at the door.  The carnival is April 10th from 5:30-8.
• Cox Coyote Chase - March 28th
• March 30th and 31st - 4th Grade STAAR Writing test - no visitors will be allowed on campus during testing.  Please do not plan on eating lunch with your student on these days.
• April 2- Snow day make-up day
• April 3 - Good Friday No school!

Rain...Snow...Sleet...GO AWAY!!

What is the saying?  "In Texas, if you don't like the weather, stick around it will change!"  Let's hope that only rain drops will be joining us later today!

We started our next unit in math on Monday, which covers time and money.  This week we will be focusing on money.  I introduced the kids to "Hairy Money". (see picture)

This is a strategy that I teach the students to count money by 5s.  Counting by 5s comes very natural to them.  Ask them to show you how it works.  Here is an example.

Our math homework is online this week.  There are a few tricky questions about making a dollar. Students really need to read the question carefully!  Have a great week!

LOVE LOVE!!

Happy Valentines Day to all!  Thank you all for all of your sweet gifts for Valentine's day.  You know how to make a lady feel special!  I hope the kids had fun at our party on Friday!  They always enjoy getting a little free time to play and be silly.

We continued working on fractions last week.  When we are identifying fractions, we are only defining them in words.

I compared fractions to puzzles and pizzas.  We learned that the LESS parts there are, the BIGGER the pieces.

Also, we learned that the MORE parts there the SMALLER the pieces.

Example: This shape would be defined as FIVE-EIGHTHS shaded.

Also, we are only focusing on halves, fourths, and eighths.

This week we will continue to practice identifying shaded parts of a shape, defining a partitioned shape as equal or unequal parts, and describing a fraction that is more than one whole.

Example:

I want them to recognize that four parts equal their whole.

Back by popular demand...Homework will be done online again this week. Once we worked out the log in kinks, everyone seemed to like it.  At the end of the week, anyone who has not been able to log on and complete the assignment, will do so in class.  I gave each student a piece of paper to keep in their red folder with their log in details.  Again, let me know if you are having any issues getting in.

Another note, it is supposed to be a cold yucky week this week.   Please remember to send the students with jackets and any other cold weather gear.  We will go outside if at all possible!

Have a great week!!

Been too long...

Hello families!  It has been too long since I have updated you.  Life has brought me some crazy twists and turns over the past few weeks.  First, I was having some extreme headaches and the doctor was concerned so therefore so was I.  Everything checked out okay so that was a relief!

Then I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off preparing for Math and Science Night.  I want to thank everyone for coming and I hope that you found the night full of fun and good information.  If you have any feedback for next year, please let me know.

Then the third strike was losing my aunt, which was like a second mother to me growing up, to breast cancer.  I made the trip up to Indiana last weekend to spend some time with her in her last days. Then mother nature dropped 20 inches of snow on them and my flight was cancelled.  I finally made it home and spent all week trying to get caught up on my life.

I wanted all of you know since you may have begun to wonder why your child kept coming home saying "Mrs. Halligan wasn't there AGAIN today...we had a sub!"  I don't like to be out so hopefully things will calm down!

First of all, we finished up out unit on graphing this week and took the test.  I was SOOOOO proud of the kiddos performance.  I had 19 100s and 16 90s!!  WOW that is 35 students out of 52 that missed 0 or 1!  Proud teacher moment!  These 35 students will be getting a special lunch with me on Monday!  It will be a packed house!

We started our unit on Fractions this week.  I think that kids will enjoy this unit.  We only focus on halves, fourths, and eighths.

Here are the main aspects of fractions that we will be studying:

-To partition is to divide into equally sized parts.  Even though students will not be able to draw exactly equal parts, they should understand that the parts are the same size.

- Identify the whole in the problem first before looking at how many parts.  The whole can change for each model.

-Use only words to name fractions (one-fourth, three eighths, etc…)

-Students must be able to explain in words.  This can be done through questioning-

          How many halves does it take to make a whole?
          How many fourths?
          Which are larger?  Why?

-Identify how many parts in one whole first.
- Then count how many total parts in more than one whole using fractions to count.
            i.e. one-fourth, two-fourths, three-fourths, four-fourths, five-fourths, etc…
- Use the words “fair shares” or “equally sized parts” to determine whether it is an example or non-example.
- Just like numbers can be decomposed, so can shapes.  This allows our students to become flexible thinkers.

I will be sending home homework this next week via the internet.  I am wanting to try the program that goes with our textbook.  If you child does not have access to the internet at home, please let me know and I can print a copy to send home.

Also, here are a few games that they could play at home: (none of them have only halves, fourths, and eighths but I practice is practice!)

Fractions Shoot Game - http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/earlymath/fractions_shoot.htm

Fraction Frenzy - http://www.mathwarehouse.com/games/our-games/fraction-games/fraction-frenzy-4/

Various Fraction games -http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/staff/boldtkatherine/mathresources3-6/math_fractions.htm

Have a great weekend!

Semester One in the books!

It is hard to believe that the first semester is done and in the books!  We wrapped up the semester in Superhero fashion with our Unit 3 & 6 test.  This was our addition and subtraction unit test as well as a benchmark test covering most missed questions from previous tests.  I was so SUPER proud of how they did!!  I told them that if they score an 85 or higher, they could eat in my classroom.  And let me just tell you, I had a room full of kids!!

We started our next short unit on graphing last week.  Last week, we focused on reading bar graphs and pictographs or "analyzing the data".  They did very well.  This week we will create graphs from survey data.  They will be creating a survey using a website called Kahoot.  After they collect data using their survey, they will create a graph and questions.  This is a short unit so we will take our test next week.  I will be sending home a small amount of homework tomorrow for students to work on reading, analyzing, and creating graphs.  The homework will be due on Monday, February 2nd.

Please don't forget that this Thursday night is Math & Science Night.  The tailgating party (aka dinner) will begin at 5:30.  Then the fun math and science festivities will begin.  We will have math games, hands on science activities with the SMART girls from Davis Intermediate, and science vocabulary tips.  It should be a fun night of learning.  We hope you can join us!!

Also, if you have not sent in your field trip money, it is due by this Friday 1/30.

Have a great rest of the week!!

Week 1/5-9

Welcome back!  The kids came in bouncing full of stories about their holiday break on Monday!  I loved hearing all of them!  In my homeroom, I had them write down their best memories of the break or the presents they couldn't wait to tell about.  Then to add to the suspense I read a few everyday finishing today.  They would sit on the edge of their seats waiting to find out if it was going to be them. :)  

In math, we expanded our knowledge of adding and subtracting to three digits.  Once we got the wrapping paper and bows knocked of those cute little brains, things started to fall into place.  Some of the kiddos are still making silly errors like: forgetting to borrow when the number on the bottom is bigger, forgetting to actually go borrow from the next place value before adding 10, and forgetting to add the one that was regrouped.  If you have a few free moments this weekend, give them a few two and three digit adding and subtracting problems to keep it fresh.  We have our unit test on adding and subtracting next Friday.  It will also cover a few of the errors that our students showed some weaknesses on the first semester tests.  I will be sending home a review sheet next week for homework.  Please have the students work through it independently, then go over it with them.  I know that they are going to do amazing!!

Have a great weekend and stay as warm as you can!