Second grade math continued to work on subtraction strategies. The best part is that students are starting to discover what strategies work best for them. Some students are still working with base 10 blocks because they need the reinforcement of physically moving blocks as they trade a ten stick for ten units. Other students are drawing base 10 blocks to help them regroup.  People who are drawing then use a few different strategies as they subtract. Some cross items off as they subtract, others are circling tens and ones together to show that they’re being subtracted together. Working in this way allows me to conference with individual students to help them work out strategies that are best for him/her.

My first grade math group went out to the big playground today to do more measuring. We measured the rock wall, the swings, and the monkey bars so that next week we will be able to compare the numbers from the little playground and the big playground. We also measured the slide, which proved to be a challenge. Some students came back with 144 inches, while others came back with 77 inches. This was a deliberately challenging task – as some students were measuring with yard sticks and others with rulers – which allowed us to have another conversation about efficiency and choosing the right tool for the job. We measured the slide together and came up with approximately 117 inches.

Fourth grade math continued their exploration of geography. Based on yesterday’s conversation, students were asked to come back with some place names they’d like to know more about. I also had a list of place names for students to research. In doing this research, students learned that places are named for a variety of reasons: geographic, people, or events.  Some of the places they researched included:

• George, Washington
• Devil’s Bit, Ireland
• Boring, Oregon
• Dull, Scotland
• Torpenhow Hill, England
• Spuyten Duyvil, New York
• Fishkill, New York
• Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales

We spent a short amount of time looking at some digitized images of maps found at the British National Archives. We will continue that part of the activity next week. Students were amused as one of the maps shows North America as Europeans believed it looked in 1710.

Second grade reading continued to work on their friendly letters to Mrs. Thompson. Some students have completed their letters and learned how to address an envelope. I was impressed by the number of students who knew not only their complete street address, but also their zip codes.