Fractions Are Harder than Decimals or Decimals Are Harder than Fractions?

The title of today's entry reflects our study of comparatives and superlatives in Literacy class. Comparatives and superlative adjectives are used to compare things.

Comparative adjectives compare two things. If the adjective is one syllable, then you add -er to the end of the word. If the adjective is more than one syllable you put the words more or less before the adjective.

Superlative adjectives compare three or more things. If the adjective is one syllable, then you add -est to the end of the word. If the adjective is more than one syllable you put the words most or least before the adjective.

Examples:
Adjective: tall (one syllable)
Mrs. Hartberg is taller than Mrs. Sorenson. (comparative)
Mrs. Hartberg is the tallest in the class. (superlative)

Mrs. Hartberg is tall.
(This sentence doesn't compare anything, so we don't add an ending or a word.)

Adjective: interesting (more than one syllable)
Some say science is more interesting than recess. (comparative)
Some say reading is the most interesting subject during the school day. (superlative)

Science is interesting. (This sentence doesn't compare anything, so we don't add an ending or a word.)

In other literacy news: We took our Unit 4 week 2 spelling test today. Ask your child how he/she did.

We read more about the moon. You may want to ask why footprints don't disappear from the moon's surface or what is the real shape of the moon. (Hint: It's not the shape you think it is!)

If you want to read what we've been reading, go to the Lead 21 link found on the left side of the page and have your child login. All of our readings can be accessed online.

Students can practice their vocabulary cards for Unit 4. This can be done nightly!

MATH
We reviewed equivalent fractions in math today by playing Fraction Bingo. We also worked on renaming "easy" fractions as decimals by using a chart. Students made flashcards of fractions and their decimal equivalents such as 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 1/3, 2/3, 3/12, 4/12, 8/12, 9/12, 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, and 5/10, so they can memorize them at home.

Please look under the fraction tab above to find games to play to reinforce the concepts we are learning at school.

Tonight's homework: practice fraction/decimal flashcards.

Patterns in the Sky

Our current reading unit is called Patterns in the Sky. The cover of this unit reads, "We will summarize what we know about what we find in the sky and make inferences about the past and the future based on what we know and discover.

We are two weeks into this unit, and we are learning a lot about outer space.  We're making great connections between our literature selections and asking questions that demand to be researched.  (Although some of the answers are so scientific that we struggle to figure out how to understand!)

One of the things we've listened to while reading and thinking are music selections from Gustav Holst's The Planets.  We talk about how he used the personality of the planets to write music that sounds like those planets.

Just in case you're interested, the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra is performing The Planets on February 4, 2012.  It is supposed to be a family friendly performance. 

Here are some youtube videos of The Planets by Gustav Holst.






Our readings this week are all about the Moon and myths that people have created to explain how the moon moves across the sky and changes shape.  We're also learning about what people have written about the moon and how people have learned about the moon through the years.  That's just what we've learned this week.  Last week's readings were about what inventions were created for space exploration and how we've benefited were amazing!  (Solar powered calculators, improved athletic shoes, ribbed swimsuits, fire-resistant materials, improved brakes, smaller computers, etc....)

We'll continue to update you on our space learning!