More Than ABC is a informative, fun, creative blog dedicated to share what is going in in our classroom. Using technology, creativity, and quality materials keeps us busy! If your in my class or just a visitor, I'm glad you stopped in!
After some saving, spending, wiring, waiting, installing, and checking,
our school has a mobile set of netbooks ready to check out for classroom use!!!
I, for one, am THRILLED!!!
We already benefit from typically a very accessible set of computer labs, but now our classroom can become a computer lab too!
There are enough netbooks for each student in the class (set of 30) and they are stored in a mobile cart system that can also be plugged in to charge them. The carts wheel to different rooms as teachers check them out for class use.
Imagine trying to arrange all those cords! Parents, if you get a chance, thank our Library Tech Educator for all the work put into this system!
Once students are assigned a netbook they can take them to their desk to work from their own seat.
The netbooks have a more limited memory capacity compared to a laptop, but have Internet access, wireless printing and programs that word process, present, etc. that can convert back and forth from the other classroom computers.
We won't get to use them ALL the time, but it sure did motivate students the first and second times we've used them. I can't wait to see what we might be able to accomplish! Two days before break students were eager to type away on the netbooks. Paragraphs about an interesting, exciting, or important event of 2010 rolled off the printers with impressive writing!
Teacher Note: Knowing how to type makes a difference, and will continue to do so for all of these student's lives. If possible, encourage your child to type correctly and practice at home. Try Here, scroll down, and practice typing in the box in lesson 1.
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For all the candy, frosting, and graham crackers everyone brought in. It made for a deliciously fun buffet to decorate with! There are still a few bags of treats we might have to enjoy some January afternoon when the cold weather, test taking preparations, and hard work get to us!
Each student kept track of their costs on their house to try to stay under the pretend $30 budget.
With frosting, a lot of candy, and patience we had a whole neighborhood of fun looking houses!
Always a fun activity, and certainly a lot of math. Imagine each piece of candy having a price (in decimals) and adding them all up!
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Isn't it surprising to find another Schoolhouse Rock video on our blog? Yikes!
We use interjections everyday in speaking, but often forget to add them to our writing. Well, try adding some.
To a familiar seasonal tune...Hallelujah!
Hope no one is home like Reginald with the flu!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
As silly as some of these songs are, it is amazing how well (once learned) they can stick!
The title : Nations of the World is not to be misconstrued as listing ALL the nations, or the most current. The song was released in 1993, and since many political country changes have occured!
Beware, you are about to be frustrated (kids and adults alike) at not being able to read, talk, or sing fast enough.
United States, Canada,
Mexico, Panama,
Haiti, Jamaica, Peru;
Republic Dominican,
Cuba, Carribean,
Greenland, El Salvador too.
Puerto Rico, Columbia,
Venezuela,
Honduras, Guyana, and still;
Guatemala, Bolivia,
then Argentina,
and Ecuador, Chile, Brazil.
Costa Rica, Belize,
Nicaragua, Bermuda,
Bahamas, Tobago, San Juan;
Paraguay, Uruguay,
Suriname, and
French Guiana, Barbados, and Guam.
Norway, and Sweden,
and Iceland, and Finland,
and Germany now one piece;
Switzerland, Austria,
Czechoslovakia,
Italy, Turkey, and Greece.
Poland, Romania,
Scotland, Albania,
Ireland, Russia, Oman;
Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia,
Hungary,
Cyprus, Iraq, and Iran.
There's Syria, Lebanon,
Israel, Jordan,
both Yemens, Kuwait, and Bahrain,
the Netherlands, Luxembourg,
Belgium, and Portugal,
France, England, Denmark, and Spain.
India, Pakistan,
Burma, Afghanistan,
Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan;
Kampuchea, Malaysia,
then Bangladesh, Asia,
and China, Korea, Japan.
Mongolia, Laos,
and Tibet, Indonesia,
the Philippine Islands, Taiwan;
Sri Lanka, New Guinea,
Sumatra, New Zealand,
then Borneo, and Vietnam.
Tunisia, Morocco,
Uganda, Angola,
Zimbabwe, Djibouti, Botswana;
Mozambique, Zambia,
Swaziland, Gambia,
Guinea, Algeria, Ghana.
Burundi, Lesotho,
and Malawi, Togo,
The Spanish Sahara is gone;
Niger, Nigeria,
Chad, and Liberia,
Egypt, Benin, and Gabon.
Tanzania, Somalia,
Kenya, and Mali,
Sierra Leone, and Algier;
Dahomey, Namibia,
Senegal, Libya,
Cameroon, Congo, Zaire.
Ethiopia, Guinea_
Bissau, Madagascar,
Rwanda, Mahore[?], and Cayman;
Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi,
Qatar, Yugoslavia,
Crete, Mauritania,
then Transylvania,
Monaco, Liechtenstein,
Malta, and Palestine,
Fiji, Australia, Sudan!
Curious about the flags?
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
In a continued effort to keep bordom at bay and keep learning happening, can you learn all 50 state capitals? I bet you can? Sing along!
WAKKO'S AMERICA (Episode 21)
Music traditional (Turkey in the Straw). Lyrics by Randy Rogel.
Wakko:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Indianapolis, Indiana
And Columbus is the capital of Ohio
There's Montgomery, Alabama, south of Helena, Montana
Then there's Denver, Colorado, under Boise, Idaho.
Texas has Austin, then we go north
To Massachusetts' Boston, and Albany, New York
Tallahassee, Florida, and Washington, D.C.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Nashville, Tennessee.
Elvis used to hang out there a lot, ya know.
Trenton's in New Jersey, north of Jefferson, Missouri
You've got Richmond in Virginia; South Dakota has Pierre
Harrisburg's in Pennsylvania and Augusta's up in Maine
And here is Providence, Rhode Island, next to Dover, Delaware.
Concord, New Hampshire, just a quick jaunt
To Montpelier, which is up in Vermont
Hartford's in Connecticut, so pretty in the fall
And Kansas has Topeka; Minnesota has St Paul.
Juneau's in Alaska and there's Lincoln in Nebraska
And it's Raleigh out in North Carolina and then
There's Madison, Wisconsin, and Olympia in Washington
Phoenix, Arizona, and Lansing, Michigan.
Here's Honolulu; Hawaii's a joy
Jackson, Mississippi, and Springfield, Illinois
South Carolina with Columbia down the way
And Annapolis in Maryland on Chesapeake Bay.
They have wonderful clam chowder.
Cheyenne is in Wyomin' and perhaps you make your home in
Salt Lake City out in Utah, where the Buffalo roam
Atlanta's down in Georgia, and there's Bismarck, North Dakota
And you can live in Frankfort in your old Kentucky home.
Salem in Oregon; from there we join
Little Rock in Arkansas; Iowa's got Des Moines
Sacramento, California; Oklahoma and its city
Charleston, West Virginia, and Nevada, Carson City.
That's all the capitals there are!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
This video lists all 50 US states in alphabetical order. Need something to get stuck in your head? Here it is!
Alabama (AL)
Alaska (AK)
Arizona (AZ)
Arkansas (AR)
California (CA)
Colorado (CO)
Connecticut (CT)
Delaware (DE)
Florida (FL)
Georgia (GA)
Hawaii (HI)
Idaho (ID)
Illinois (IL)
Indiana (IN)
Iowa (IA)
Kansas (KS)
Kentucky (KY)
Louisiana (LA)
Maine (ME)
Maryland (MD)
Massachusetts (MA)
Michigan (MI)
Minnesota (MN)
Mississippi (MS)
Missouri (MO)
Montana (MT)
Nebraska (NE)
Nevada (NV)
New Hampshire (NH)
New Jersey (NJ)
New Mexico (NM)
New York (NY)
North Carolina (NC)
North Dakota (ND)
Ohio (OH)
Oklahoma (OK)
Oregon (OR)
Pennsylvania (PA)
Rhode Island (RI)
South Carolina (SC)
South Dakota (SD)
Tennessee (TN)
Texas (TX)
Utah (UT)
Vermont (VT)
Virginia (VA)
Washington (WA)
West Virginia (WV)
Wisconsin (WI)
Wyoming (WY)
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
Multi-digit Multiplication
The math program we use encourages students to learn multiple ways to solve problems.
One strategy that is great for many students is lattice multiplication.
Is this the way most adults learned? No. Is your way wrong? No. Is this the only way we'll teach multiplying? No. Give it a try though, multiplication can be TOUGH for many kids. This MAY give them an advantage!
Start doing single multiplication facts within the grid keeping the tens on the top left, and the ones on the bottom right triangle.
Finish doing all your facts (here in purple) and the multiplying is done.
Add following the diagonals (green here) and write the answer OUTSIDE the grid/lattice. The number is read top to bottom, left to right. So your answer here is 784.
Making grids at home is good practice because many tests won't provide the grid for students to use. However, check out printables here as well. (Scroll down to Multiplication Templates)
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
Our school will be administering the MAP test (Measures of Academic Progress) beginning December 1 through the 11th with makeups the week after. If you like more information from the NWEA testing website click HERE!
Students will take:
Mathematics
Language
Reading
Each test is on the computer and takes most students approximately one hour per test. The tests will be given on different days during that subject area's academic time in the day.
This test is a strong predictor of their academic abilities IF they do their best and spend time to answer each question carefully!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s.
