Author: mhooper2

Fourth Grade Math

8)  Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student identifies and describes attributes of geometric figures using formal geometric language. The student is expected to:

(A)  identify and describe right, acute, and obtuse angles

URL to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2rJRDTfN0g

Summary: This video provides students with a song about the various types of angles. In the fourth grade, students are expected to identify acute, right, and obtuse angles as well as straight lines. This video gives a description of the angles as well as attributes of all angles. For example: an angle is two rays connecting at an endpoint.

Instructional Strategy: I would use this song at the beginning of a unit on angles. It would be a fun way to start off the new concept and who doesn’t love learning new topics through song? I would print each student a copy and we could learn the song together over the course of a few days. The song wouldn’t be the whole lesson though. I would also provide students with instruction as well as other assignments. After students have mastered the concept of identifying the various types of angles, I could take them on an angle walk around the classroom and school. As they look for the various types of angles, they could sing the song to help them remember which angle has what qualities. While the concept of learning to identify angles comes easy for many students, others may require more time to understand which is which. I think that this song is a fun way to help all students learn to identify angles better.

Jason Chin

 

Jason Chin is an author and illustrator who just loves nature and wildlife. He has written three of his own books, but has illustrated for a total of seven. Chin incorporates factual information in his stories while doing some story telling as well. His books are easy to read and when new vocabulary is introduced, Chin offers an explanation of the word. His most recent book Island has won the 2013 Gryphon Award for Children’s Literature and was also considered to be one of the top twenty children’s books of 2012 by School Library Journal. His books Redwoods and Coral Reefs have also received starred reviews from Horn Book, Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, and Kirkus Reviews. Jason Chin is definitely an author you will want to share in your classroom!

Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier

 

Excerpt from the the text:

Now at this point, it would be wonderful if Peter knew what he was looking at. While certain things in life may seem obvious to seeing people like you and me, this was not so for Peter. Books, for example, with all their adventrue and wonder, were completely lost on him. Though he could tell you how many pages a volume had just by holding it, or how old it was just by smelling it, or who had read it before just by ruffling the pages, he had no way of telling what the title was (unless, of course, it was gilded on the spine). But these six yolks had neither spine, nor gilding, nor anything else that would help Peter identify them.

“What are you?” he asked, taking the open box in his hands. Had Peter been able to see, his hear would have stopped. A smile wuould have crept across his face, and his dry throate would have let loose its first real laugh in ten miserable years. Because Peter Nimble had stumbled across something too wonderful even to imagine- something that could only be described as fantastic.

 

When I was trying to select a book, I wanted something that would be age appropriate for the grade I wanted to intern in. I also wanted to find a book that was published fairly recently so that it would be new to the students (and fellow classmates) as well. I chose Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes because it had me hooked as soon as I read the first page. Auxier writes beautifully and uses amazing imagery throughout the whole story. Many of his chapters end on cliff hangers, making the reader want to read more and more. Not only is the story a fun read, but it has underlying themes of bravery and justice which could be introduced to the class. The book is definitely a fantasy themed novel and Peter Nimble is a great book to introduce the fantasy genre. This would be an excellent book for students in a fourth or fifth grade classroom to read for a few weeks. I whole heartedly recommend Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes!