Converting Fractions & Decimals {Task Cards}

As I was going through my math resources gearing up for another year of 4th grade math, I realized I hadn't created a set of task cards for benchmark 4.NF.C.6.  This benchmark is one that my students, for the most part, pick up on pretty easily - as long as they have that number sense foundation.

Keeping that in mind as I created this set, I designed the first 16 cards to be easily pulled to reteach a small group with those students that hadn't mastered the skill yet. Cards 1-8 focus on converting fractions & decimals in tenths and Cards 8-16 focus on hundredths, exclusively.

Cards 17-32 are mixed for your "on level" students. I would mix in a batch of Cards 1-16 to have a set of 32 cards instead of 16.

And the final 8 cards, Cards 33-40, are challenge cards for your higher learners. These cards are all fractions with denominators other than 10 or 100 and require students to change the denominator to 100 and then make the decimal. For example, students have to convert 1/4 into 25/100 and then 0.25.

Mystery Science Labs 2

Back in college, I stumbled upon/came up with the idea of Mystery Science Labs. Ever since then, I've spent the last few days of the first week of school allowing my students the chance at their first lab.

It's great! The kids get to make some fun observations and handle objects they may or may not have ever seen before. Raccoon tails, gator claws, our live turtle (they don't get to hold/touch Donatello!), plant & animal cell samples, weird looking/smelling rocks & minerals...for many of them it's all new stuff. It's also an introduction into what we'll be learning about this year.

Better yet, I get to observe the kids. I can quickly see if the new kid is fitting in. Or if there are a couple of kids that most definitely should NOT be sitting next to each other, given the amount of horseplay/off task behavior going on. I also get a chance to gauge how well the class is at following directions and how respectful they are when handling materials. They're barely in 4th grade, but I've had groups that handled my materials so carefully and made sure everything was taken care of...and then I've had the flip side of that.

So then, why would I create a second set? Isn't the first set working? 

Well, yes and no.

The first set is great. One of my all-time favorites is The Nose Knows....the smelling station. The kids love that one too and are eager to get to it! But, it's not even remotely related to my benchmarks. I decided to go back and create a whole new set of labs that specifically focus on the benchmarks covered in 4th grade - moon phases; rocks & minerals; and food webs - to name a few.

Now, as they go through this new set of labs, they'll also be given a preview of what is to come for the rest of the year.

If you already have my original Mystery Science Labs and are curious about this one...no worries. There are no duplicate stations between the two.

Magnificent Desolation: NASA IMAX Movie

I first saw this movie at Kennedy Space Center in the IMAX theater. It. Was. Amazing. My dad, being the biggest supporter of my classroom and a huge space nerd to boot, decided I  needed to have this for the students. After seeing the movie, who was I to argue?? It really is amazing.

We have one lonely benchmark on space exploration in Florida - SC.4.E.5.5. I like to show this movie around this time. It ties in with the Apollo missions and the what-ifs of what could have happened if things had gone wrong.

I like to pose a question to my students: Would you go to the  moon? - and then have them make a t-chart of pros & cons in their notebooks. Their final writing assignment is to make a decision...would they go to the moon? And write their thoughts based on the evidence from the movie.

This is a great way to tie writing in with the science curriculum - and I'm talking about writing that will actually  help them prepare for the 4th grade FSA Writing test. (And if you hang these in the hallway you'll look really good when your principal takes a peek at the writing expectations of your science class!)