Place Value and Rounding

Our first topic of math for the year will be place value. We will expand on the concepts that students were introduced in third grade and we will also work with larger numbers (up to millions). We will begin with learning how to write numbers in standard form, word form, and expanded form. We will then review how to identify the value of a digit in a number, for instance the value of the 2 in 529 is 20. After comparing numbers, we will explore the concept of rounding. Please click on any of the higlighted words to go to sites that we have used in the classroom. For a challenge try these links on expanded form, word form and value of digits. Additional practice with rounding can be found at Teach R Kids and aplusmath.com. For other practice with lots of other math related concepts visit the home page of aaamath.com.

Our Super Solar System

We will start science off with an exciting study of the solar system. The internet offers a wealth of knowledge about the great beyond. We will use enchantedlearning.com to learn about the nine planets. We will visit geocities.com to discover constellations. Last but not least, we will use BrainPop.com to learn about the moon and its phases, the sun, and seasons. NASA has a great site on the current space shuttle mission. I hope you get a chance to visit these sites and have some fun (and learn a little too)!

Lovely Landforms

We will begin social studies with a study of geography. While learning about maps and globes, the students will be introduced to landforms that can be found in the United States. Some of the landforms that we will be learning about are Death Valley, the Great Plains, the Great Basin, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. Click on any of the highlighted words to learn more about these unique land forms.