Inventing and Creating: Balloon Cars
Our first module in Reading is about inventing, inventors, and characteristics of great inventors. Therefore Ms. Sanchez, our STEM coach, came in, and we talked about the process of inventing or creating new ideas. We set our students the challenge to design and create a balloon powered car that could travel 30cm. Students brainstormed ideas, created drawings, and listed needed materials. This past week they created, tested, and re-designed their cars. While many cars were able to make forward motion, we had one car that was able to successfully move forward 30cm. Students worked through problem solving, team building, and revising their ideas and sketches. I was very impressed with their determination and perseverance!
Look at this Week:
ELA:
Writer's Workshop: We will continue to build our writing stamina in our notebooks. We have worked our way up to 8 solid minutes of writing.
Reading Skills: Students will continue to work on finding the central idea and summarizing the text. We will begin reading the story, "Wind of Hope."
Word Work: Students will be focusing on using context clues to help them with unknown words.
Essential Vocab: excel, illustrious, transcend, revere
Math: Students will continue to practice multiplication strategies (double and halving, the over strategy, and partial product). They will also be focusing on finding the volume of rectangular prisms (length x width x height).
Science: After discussing the scientific method, we will begin our first unit in science, Chemical Magic. This week we will be conducting an experiment using pennies.
Social Studies: Students will be reading Lesson 4.2 "Different Worlds Collide." We will be discussing how explorers (conquistadors) from Spain came and conquered the Aztecs.
Important Days:
Wednesday- Early Dismissal
