Scientific Saturdays: Scientific Method

 I am starting the scientific method and matter with my fifth graders this week.  We will be reviewing the steps by reading about them in our "Sciencesaurus" book, putting in a page in our science notebooks from Laura Candler and watch Study Jams.

Link to Laura Candler

On Day 2 we will start with "The Scientific Rap" on youtube.   Then we will begin the banana experiment.  I have seen it on Pinterest and other blogs(google for ideas).  The children come up with many ways to keep a banana fresh.  I will have them observe for one week.  We will use the lab report below.

Link

Day three will be looking at physical properties of objects.  I will be using a lesson from the Evan Moor chemistry book.

More to come….

Mathematical Mondays: Rounding Strategy

Here is a strategy that I have been using to teach rounding numbers to older students.  I use the acronym CUBA.  I created this sheet to put in their notebooks this year. 

Link

I also created a page to teach "Ways to Write Numbers."  We will review whole numbers and then use for decimals.

Link

Scientific Saturdays: Week One Plans

We finally started school last week and we had students for three days.  The kids spent the week adjusting to their new school and classmates.  This week, I will be starting science class this week with my two fifth grade classes.  I can finally start taking photos and post things happening in the science classroom! 

Day One: Setting up Notebooks

• Science notebook covers
• Science Interest Inventories
• Making table of contents in front/vocabulary bank in back

Day Two:  Think like a Scientist

• Looking at science photos (printed photos from the web)
• Creating science talk sentences and questions and share

Day 3:  What is a Scientist?

• Brainstorm "What is a scientist?" (talk about stereotypes)
• Read "S is for Scientist"
• Create list of verbs that scientists do

Day 4:  Working as a Team

• Roles and rules of team  members in science labs
• Cup Challenge

Fabulous in Fifth's Friday Finds

Mini Chart Stand

How to Make Symbols on a Mac

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Giant Pool Noodle Pencils

Love this quote!

Mathematical Mondays: Free Math Fonts that Create Symbols and Manipulatives

Do you like to use cute fonts?  Do you try to make math materials and don't have the symbols you need?  

I stumbled across these math fonts on Sunday while looking for some regular fonts.  You can create bar models, numbels lines, fractions and so much more using your keyboard.  Check out the following links to get Free fonts for your math sheets.  

(School started today and I'm a day late with this post…so this needs to be short and sweet today…sorry!)

http://www.dafont.com/kg-teacher-helpers.font

 

http://www.dafont.com/kg-fractions.font

http://www.dafont.com/kg-math-bar-models.font

 

http://www.dafont.com/kg-traditional-fractions.font

Scientific Saturday: Music in the Classroom

I have started collecting videos and music to incorporate into my lessons.  Here are a few to start the year.  I am saving them in my Live Binders with each science unit for easy access.  Live Binder is a free online file system.   You can "pin or tab" links on the web into your files.  

 The songs are for matter, scientific method and water cycle.

This is the same matter song but just lyrics.

Fabulous in Fifth's Friday Finds

Link to Fraction Number Line

Link to Teacher Survival Kit

Link to State Plate Project, Use for Science Projects

Link to Extra Work Folder…Made mine already 

Link