3-D shapes in bubbles!

Students really enjoy creating 3-D geometric shapes with toothpicks and gumdrops...but to increase the level of interest, add bubbles!  As you can see the faces, edges and vertices become inverted.  So cool!

Texas Native American project

Fourth grade Texas history includes the study of Native Americans that lived in Texas.  Once we have studied each of the 5 main tribes, each student chooses their favorite tribe.  Their project includes a "buckskin" pouch that contains items that represent their food source, habitat and skills. This student choose to complete his project over the Caddo.  What a great job!

buckskin pouch

Caddo pottery

food

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Space writing camp

I have been ask to repost our 4th grade space writing adventure. Most questions are about how to make the space library. This was done with a roll of plastic, duct tape and a box fan. If you need details, please let me know. Your students will love reading in the space library!

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What a great idea...Pinterest!

I am really enjoying this new website.  I have found so many creative ideas, beautiful photography, great recipes, inspiring messages, and talented artists.  It's fun to see and share common interests with those you know and don't know.

How exciting to see that teachers are sharing wonderful classroom designs, teaching ideas, great books and lesson strategies. It's also, exciting to see my student's interactive math journals on Pinterest.

If you haven't stopped by Pinterest to start exploring you're missing out. Warning, though it is somewhat addicting :).


Another digital slideshow by Smilebox ">

It looks like a crime scene ...

Today we studied transformation.  I love this math lesson, because there is so much to do.  After defining translation, rotation and reflection, we practiced this by playing Simon Says---Simon says translate right, Simon says rotate 90 degrees and well you get the picture.  Then we go outside with our sidewalk chalk, boys with boys and girls with girls.  Your partner lays on the sidewalk and you outline them using the sidewalk chalk.  Then, your partner rotates 90 degrees and you chalk their outline again.  It looks like a crime scene when we finish, but they really enjoy this lesson.

Life lesson for 4th graders

Whenever there is a real life teachable moment, take it. So goes our lesson on the current gulf oil spill.  Each student was given a cup of water, couple of pieces of foam (dropped in the water), a pipette, and a few cotton balls. As the students were talking and trying to figure out what they were going to be doing, I walked by and put a couple of tablespoons of cooking oil in their cup of water. "Now your job is to clean it up." After a few moments of shock and horror, the work began. There were several silent minutes of intense cleaning going on.  Then the light bulbs began to shine. "This is killing our fish, we'll never get this all cleaned up, oh no, this will affect the food chain."
They got it. A lesson learned.
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