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