Understanding Structures and Mechanisms: Gears and Pulleys

Hello my little scientists,

We are going to be starting our Science unit on Understanding Structures and Mechanisms: Gears and Pulleys. I know that many of you expressed a great interest in this topic and I think we will have a great time learning. Some of the areas we will be covering will include:

- identification of objects that have gears in their mechanisms

- identification of different kinds of simple machines

- objects that contain pulleys and the work they do

- understanding the mechanisms of a fixed and movable pulley

I just discovered that The Ontario Science Centre has a hands-on workshop about this very topic. I believe that in order to truly learn Science you need to be hands on. So, boys and girls, we will be making our way to the Science Centre very soon! I will provide a date and additional details as I get them. In the meantime, please go to the The Ontario Science Centre website and start looking for any information that you can find about gears and pulleys. You may also want to visit Simple Machines Learning Site to help you with your research on this topic. Remember, to take notes as you research and come prepared to share your findings with the class.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Mulone

3-D Geometry

Students: Last week when we started working with three-dimensional (3-D) geometry shapes, we identified, built and described prisms and pyramids. We will now be learning how to identify attributes such as the number of faces, edges and vertices of 3-D shapes. IXL Math is a site where you can go to practice identifying various polygonist 3-D figures and to compare sides, edges, faces and vertices of 3-D & 2-D shapes and polygons. If you want to create your very own 3-D form, why don't you check out PBS Kids. Have fun with this.

Have a great day!
Mrs. Mulone

Recycling things to make and do

Hello kids,

There are a surprising number of things you can make and do with old magazines, cardboard tubes, plastic bags and other things from your recycling bin. The book "Recycling Things To Make And Do" by Emily Bone and Leonie Pratt includes a number of handy craft projects with everything you need right in your very own recycling box and it's great for the environment! We spent a great deal of time talking about conservation and lessening our impact on the environment. So, I thought that this was a great book for you to know about. I have a copy in the classroom, please make sure to look through it so that you get ideas for your next art project. For those of you who are looking for more creative recycling craft ideas, visit KinderArt. Enjoy!

Mrs. Mulone

Light and Sound

Hello Boys and Girls,

Our next topic in Science will be Understanding Matter and Energy and we will be investigating the characteristics and properties of light and sound. Bill Nye the Science Guy has a very good video on light optics which would be useful for you to view. When you get to the website, just click on the episode entitled "Light optics" and play the video. Please share with the class any interesting facts you learn while watching.

Mrs. Mulone

Learning to tell time - Analogue and Digital

Welcome,

As part of measurement in Math we were learning today how to read time using analogue clocks, to the nearest five minutes, and using digital clocks. We also learned how to represent time in 12-hour notation. Please try practising your time-telling skills by going to Apples4theteacher and playing a few of the educational games they have that relate to this topic. Another helpful site is time-for-time. This website allows you to play around with the clock and to see time in both analogue and digital form. Have fun and let me know how well you do!

Parents, if you are looking for ways to help your child grasp the concept of time, please see this useful video which is filled with handy tips.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Mulone

Helping your child learn math - A Parents Guide

Dear Parents,

A number of you have approached me seeking advice on how to help children that are struggling with math. I wanted to recommend that you visit the Ontario Ministry of Education website which provides parents with helpful advice, tips, activities and resources on this very topic. Another helpful site is Nelson Mathematics . Just follow the links, select the grade and you will find each chapter in your child's textbook with suggestions on how to help your child learn mathematics. You can also find additional activities and exercises that your child can do for extra practice. If you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Your partner in education,
Mrs. Mulone

Math Books

Dear Parents & Students,
I thought I would let you know about two great math books that I have come across. The first is entitled "The Best of Times: Math Strategies That Multiply" by Greg Tang. This book is wonderful because it really helps kids master their multiplication tables. The focus of the book is not just repetition and memorization but more on helping children develop a sounder, more intuitive understanding of multiplication. For those students who need a little extra help with multiplication I found a good site called

Multiplication.com that has fun games to help you learn your times tables.

The second book "What Comes in 2's, 3's, and 4's?" is a great book which introduces numbers in a creative manner. It describes the various ways that numbers 2, 3, and 4 occur in daily life. Parents, when ordering from Scholastic please consider adding these books to your child's collection. They are great ways to encourage students who are not fond of math. I have a copy for our classroom and I am encouraging all students to sign them out at some point.

Your partner in education,
Mrs. Mulone

What's happening in Toronto for Kids?

Good morning Parents,

I hope that everyone is having a great March Break. For those of you who have decided to stay close to home, I thought I would let you know about two great websites, Toronto4kids and Canadian Family, which have a lot of information about events and attractions that are happening in the city for kids. Also, you will find information on fun activities and crafts that you can do with children at home. Have a safe and enjoyable break.

All the best,
Mrs. Mulone

EARTH HOUR

Dear Parents and Students,

Please watch this short video about Earth Hour and show your support by turning off the lights on March 27th at 8:30pm.

Thank you,
Mrs. Mulone

The 11th Hour Video

Hello Students,

Wow, I found a really great trailer that I want to share with you all. It was produced and narrated by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio and it ties nicely with what we have been discussing in Science class: the need to stop the depletion of the Earth's non-renewable resources. We have been talking about topics such as recycling (reduce, reuse, recycle), sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint on Earth. Please put aside a few minutes to watch this short video, and take note of some of the issues addressed and ways in which we can make changes. I want us to have a class discussion about this once we return from March Break.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Mulone

The Value of Money

Hello Students,
I found a great poem by Shel Silverstein entitled "Smart". I would like everyone to read the poem and come to class prepared to discuss it. After reading the poem try to answer the following questions:

Did the boy in the poem know money values?
What was wrong with his logic?
Did the boy in the poem get a good deal?
How much money did he lose?

I think you will find this poem provides a great lesson about the importance of knowing the value of money. Enjoy!
Mrs. Mulone

Smart
My dad gave me one dollar bill
'Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny
quarters
'Cause two is more than one!

And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes -- I guess he don't know
That three is more than two!

Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!

And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!

And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head--
Too proud of me to speak!
- Shel Silverstein

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Hi everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that you had an opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy the wonderful weather we had. As you all know, Earth Day is approaching soon. In Science class we have been discussing the impact of society’s consumption of our non-renewable resources and have been looking at ways in which we can reduce those impacts. I would like you all to come up with 3 ways that you would like to reduce your impact on the environment and be prepared to share them with the rest of the class. Make sure to check out the following link EcoKids, which has some useful information to help get you started towards reducing your carbon footprint. National Geographic Kids also has a fun and interactive game that you can play called "Recycle Roundup" which will put your recycling skills into practice. While visiting their website make sure to read up on some of the handy green tips they have about conservation and recycling. See you soon!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Mulone

Adding and Subtracting Money Review

Quiz - Don't Forget!

This is a friendly reminder to all students that we will be having a Math quiz on Thursday. It will be a review of what we have been working on the last few classes – adding and subtracting of money. I was so pleased to see how enthusiastic everyone was about this lesson and how you all participated in our simulated classroom corner store. Everyone really grasped the importance of understanding the value of money. I am confident that all of you will do great on the quiz. I will see you in class tomorrow.

Mrs. Mulone

(p.s. For those of you who would like a bit more practice please go to Math Playground for some challenging fun and interactive money games.)

Field Trip to the Royal Ontario Museum

Dear Parents and Students,

This will serve as a reminder that our class will be taking a trip to The Royal Ontario Museum on Wednesday, March 24th to see the new bat cave exhibit as a part of our unit in Science on animal habitats. Please ensure that permission forms are signed and returned with admission money no later than this coming Friday. I am looking for two parent volunteers who would like to attend this excursion. If you are interested please respond to me as soon as possible. Volunteers will be selected on a first come, first served basis. This should be a fun and educational experience for your children.

Students, please set aside some time to visit the following two websites: Bats4Kids and National Geographic Kids. They contain a lot of useful information about bats that is not only informative but a helpful addition to what we have been discussing in class. Please jot down a few new insights that you discover as you explore these two sites and please be prepared to share with the rest of the class. Thank you.
Best regards,
Mrs. Mulone

Cool Math and Science Websites

I hope you are all having a great day. I just wanted to direct your attention to some great Math and Science websites. Please take sometime over the March Break to check them out and I would love to hear all about your new found knowledge.

Science Kids
Yahoo Kids
Science With Me
Discovery Kids
Math Playground
Math is Fun
Ask Kids

Virtual Museum

Science Made Simple
Coolmath4kids

howstuffworks

Have a safe and enjoyable break!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Mulone

Welcome!

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to my educational blog! I would like to thank you for stopping by to read about the current events and activities that are taking place in your child's classroom. I hope that you will find this site informative, resourceful, helpful and fun. I will be posting relevant information regarding class and school-wide activities that are taking place. At the moment, I thought I would direct your attention to a few useful websites that are both educational and fun sites for parents to visit with their children (please see above: Links for Parents and Students). Hope you enjoy them!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Mulone