My project for the summer has been to make an interactive math notebook for the year. When I taught science, I used it the notebook all the time and LOVED it. Last year was my first year teaching 6th grade math and I didn't really start using the notebook until November. We set it up the first week of school, but then it would be a thing we would get out every once in a while. I really missed having one consistently.
I want it to be truly interactive as well. Something students can use throughout the year to study, add to, revisit. I also want to incorporate more journaling in it.
So these are the pages I've created so far for our first unit--The Rational Number System. Use these pages as inspiration to create your own. Or you can buy individual pages or the BUNDLE at my Tpt store. (I'm having a sale from 7/29 to 7/31)
The first page will be a VENN DIAGRAM that the students will add to as they learn about the different types of numbers
Whole Number, Natural Numbers and Integers
Fractions As Division
Absolute Value and Opposite Numbers
Rational Numbers
Ice cream Cone and Ice Cream flip up and explain why each type of number can be written as a fraction
Fraction, Decimal, Percent Converting
Ordering and Comparing Rational Numbers
Coordinate Plane
I've left various pages blank to add in practice that we'll do at in small groups.
One of those pages will be for this activity made by my new co-worker. It is an awesome Rational Number Sort.
There is one thing all science classes teach the first week of school: Science Safety.
There aren't many dangerous things 5th grades get to do in science quite yet. The most dangerous thing they face can be their own behavior. I am sure some teachers have seen some crazy things! The worst I've had so far is some pencils poking eyes (mostly their own).
Yet, building good habits now will help when they get to that dangerous stuff later on.
As part of my "Plan-a-palooza," I have finished the lesson on science safety.
We'll begin with the science contract. It is the first grade of the year and it is an easy one. Just a parent signature!
My students have a hard time communicating their thoughts. After we go over the science contract, I will give the groups some scenarios of students breaking the rules. As groups, they will discuss what is going wrong and how the students can fix it. An easy intro to all the talking and writing about science they will have to do this year.
Both the contract and the science safety cards are available for download in the TpT store. Just click on the pictures. One thing I discovered last year, was this video. The kids love it.
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I am debating giving additional homework. I am definitely a teacher who believes in homework, especially if it involves the parents somehow. I might send home a blank sheet of paper and asking students to create a safety poster choosing one rules from the contract. I did this in class last year, but I just don't think I'll have the time with this lesson.
How are you sure your kids are safe during science?
