Measurement... the length kind

    For this unit, our students are learning all about measurement. Prior to me, most of my students exposure to measurement revolved around "non-standard" types of measurement. Here is the most recent anchor chart I have created for my classroom to help keep students fresh on the terms.

 



    I have learned from 5 years of teaching this unit that my kiddos struggle with the customary and metric system. To help them out, we first start with the easiest one... customary. After hunting for items that are about inch, foot or yard and recording them on the flowchart below, each student got to create their own inch ruler, foot ruler and yard ruler. This was simply done by cutting 1 inch strips of paper for the inch ruler, 12 inch strips for the foot rulers and 3 additional 12 inch strips for students to put together to create a yard ruler. Basically, I start with the inch ruler. Students draw a line from one side of the inch paper to the other and mark a 0 and a 1 on the line. Next, they fold the paper in half, open it and draw a line where our paper has been halfed. Since we have already talked about fractions, the kids have a easy time understanding why that line is called 1/2 line. I repeat this with the foot ruler. Students use their completed inch ruler to mark off 12 inches and the 1/2 inches between each inch. Then we discuss and label why each 1/2 inch has a whole number in front of it (eg- it is called 2 1/2 because it is the half way mark between 2 and 3). Lastly, students put 3 foot rulers together to make a yard. We label each foot (3 feet total), and how many inches are in a yard. Because we have learned to multiply kids have an easy time telling me that 12x3=36 inches. To conclude the unit, students learn the customary song with kinesthetic movements.

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Next, we move to the metric lesson. Again, students find things that are roughly a millimeter, centimeter, decimeter, meter and kilometer big and record it on their flowchart. The following day, students are placed in groups fo 3-4 to create their very own meter monster. Below are the directions I created as well as some of the meter monsters. Materials needed: pencils, coloring tools, large pieces of white butcher paper, meter sticks.

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Meter Monsters





 

To get my Meter Monster directions, visit my TPT site.

Math  Charts in the Classroom

Here are a few of the math charts that I have hung up around the room to keep the kids fresh on what we have learned. The first is a place value poster. In Texas, 3rd graders are expected to learn to 999,999. Now, since this is such a big jump from 2nd grade, my kiddos often get confused on the place values after the hundreds place. 

After teaching addition and subtraction we dive right into multiplication, followed by division. Below are 2 posters that students use when solving those types of problems. We imphasize to our kiddos that it does not matter which way they use to solve the problem as long as the choose a way the are comfortable with.

Recently, we just finished up learning abotu fractions. We first had to review numerator and denominator. We taught the kiddos a fun way to remember it. They stretch out their arms to make the fraction bar then "Nod their Numerator" (head), and lastly, Dance their Denominator (bottom). Gett it N=numerator and nod, and D=dance and denominator!

Once that concept is down we moved equivalent and comparing fractions. Whew, is that a tough one for them. I'd love to hear from yall about what you use that has been succesful when it comes to teaching about those!

Next, we moved onto clock fractions. That was fun. Each student was given 3 big clocks. First we talked about what a whole clock was (60 minutes) and recorded it on the first clock. Next, we folded the 2nd clock in half and talked about what that meant and recorded it on each half (1/2 clock=30 minutes, when the minute hand points to the 6 we say "half past".) Finally, we took the last clock, folded it into fourths, talked about it and recorded on each fourth (1/4=15 minutes, quarter past, quarter til)

Lastly, for this unit we talked about fracions on a ruler. Again this was another doozie for the kiddos, but we got through it and I think they got it for the most part. Obvisously more review is needed!

Our Changing Earth

Our Changing Earth

This unit was focused on how our wonderful Earth changes daily. Students learned, explored and observed the different rapid changers and slow changers of our Earth. After learning about weathering and erosion, I taught them a cool way of remembering the different between weathering and erosion. You can see the hand signs in the picture below. Basically, students make a "w" with each of their hands and wiggle their fingers as they lower their hands and while saying "weathering is the breaking down of rock". For erosion, students turn their "w" hands sideways so now the "w" looks like an "e", moving their hands across their body and saying "erosion is the movement of weathered material". Great for teaching kinesthetically.

 

 

After learning about weathered material, we moved into our soil unit where we focused on what soil is and how it is created. Students studied soil samples and recorded it in their AIMS Soil Study booklet. The next day, students created their own soil sample in a vial using the same ingredients we discussed the day before. After filling the vial with material, students added water, shook the vial and let it rest till our next class. Upon entering the next day, students got to see how their soil sample settled, which parts were which and why they thought it settled that way. Lastly, we discussed how important soil was. Students did not think that soil was in their lives as much as it was. We learned that without soil we would be "naked, hungry and without shelter". Students discussed with partners using a Kagan Structure about how we use soil to make our food, clothes and shelter. To wrap it all up, students created a "Storyboard" about how to create soil. They had to include different types of weathering, erosion and the mixture of weathered material to create their soil.

 

 

Lastly, to wrap of this unit, students explored our Natural Resources. We created a 6 part foldable about how important Natural resources are to survival.