fractions top down web

This year the Common Core added multiplying and dividing fractions to our list of standards.  The hardest part of fractions (besides overcoming the inevitable panic attack that accompanies them) is remembering which operations require a common denominator and which don't.  So I made this handy-dandy top down web to use as a resource.

Since were are well into the year, my class is well on their way to making their own top down webs.  So we did the addition portion together and then I let them create the rest.  I allowed them to choose where to place "simplify" in the multiplication and division sections since some wait until the end while others simplify within the problem.

Now whenever we review fractions, the kids pull out their web and review the steps.  Good luck and let me know how it goes if you try it.  Did it help?  Did you make changes?

Psst!  You can download a printer-friendly version, here, at my TeachersPayTeachers site.  Oh yeh, and it's FREE.

five for friday

I am excited to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for this Five for Friday linky party!  As this is my first Five for Friday, I didn't take a whole lot of classroom pics.  Note to self for next time.

                             



This week was a crazy one.  I was one sick puppy all week and the kids were jumping out of their skin with excitement for April vacation to begin.  But thankfully, we all made it through in one piece.



1. We continued our reading groups this week.  This is the second full week and so the kids are really getting   into them.  Below are the books we are reading:

                                           


                                   

In addition to reading their assignment, they all have to fill out a "Think Book" which helps them brainstorm topics to discuss when we meet.  One requirement is for them to record any new words they come across.  We discuss the strategies they used to discover the meaning or if they still don't know, we figure it out together as a group.  In particular, this set of books contain many words that are specific to the culture, location, or time period where the book takes place.  The kids are having fun pointing out these new words to their classmates.



2. We finished up our dividing fractions unit this week.  Since this was the last operation we studied on fractions, the kids had the chance to put them all together.  They worked in partners to solve word problems that included all operations on fractions.  To help them remember the steps, they used a top down web they created.

                                           





3. In Social Studies, we finished learning about how the 13 colonies were formed (I'll blog more about this later).  Instead of making them memorize the colonies, the kids learned where each one is located by piecing together their own maps.

4. A small group of teachers and I are training for the Tough Mudder in June.  We met a couple times after school this week to run together in addition to training individually.  It's so nice to have workout buddies!!

                                              

5. The third book in The Infernal Devices series came out last month, and I finally had the chance to begin it this week.  It's a young adult fantasy series and the second from this author.  I always like reading books that I know my students will be interested in because it makes my book talks much less contrived.  So I'll be excited when I finish this one and can add it to our classroom library. 

                                       

I hope everyone in the New England area has a wonderful April vacation!!

top down web

Well, I think my school is officially the last one to start.  We still have over a week left of vacation!  (If you are jealous now, you won't be in June.) In preparation for the new year, a couple of my colleagues and I went to our Keys to Literacy Coach training today in order to plan our coaching sessions for the year.  I received some great ideas for reviewing KTL note-taking skills.

When I got home, I was so excited to start that I immediately downloaded the free Inspirations app on my iPad and created the following top down web.  Although the app has its limits, it gets the job done and is very user-friendly.

I plan to use this web during the first week of school to not only remind them how to make top down webs, but also to share a little bit about myself.  Then they will create their own.

Is anyone else out there using Keys to Literacy in their school?  It's a great program, but I don't see much talk about it in the blog world.  So if you use it, give me a shout out and let me know how it's going in your classroom!

I hope everyone's first weeks are going smoothly!