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!