Five for Friday, Flashback Friday, and a Giveaway Winner!

It is Friday! This week was a "short" week, but honestly it feels like it has taken forever to finally be Friday! I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching and Teaching Maddeness for their Friday linky parties!

1. This week my students and I continued on our Motion and Design unit in science. The students experimented with their vehicles learning about force, friction, and air resistance.

2. We created our science foldable for our Motion and Design unit. Foldables are such a great way for students to take notes. I've blogged about them a lot so I will save you from reading my speech about how awesome they are.

Side 1 of foldable

Side 2 of foldable

3. My kiddos and I are also working through our measurement unit in math right now. I discovered this QR code pack on TPT and have been using them this week after key lessons to reinforce what we are learning. I hang the cards all over the room and have them walk around to solve the problems. My kids LOVE it, and beg for more.

I am in love with my new red table

4. I attended a great workshop on Thursday night about running a Math Workshop. I'm really planning on running a math workshop next year-but I am still a bit worried because I only have 50 min. for math each day...Do any of you run a math workshop? How long is your math period? I'd love to hear what you like/don't like about it. I'm thankful I have the summer to work thought my thoughts!

5. This week I ran my first giveaway! I am so excited to be able to announce the winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Tara! Be sure to check your e-mail. Enjoy your Friday everyone!

Science Foldables

In my school we study social studies in quarters 1 and 3, and science in quarters 2 and 4. That means that my students are currently in the middle of social studies (we completed a really fun simulation today that I will share with you tomorrow,) but last quarter we made some great Foldables for each of our science units.
Our first unit in science is electricity. My students make two Foldables for this unit and we glue them together back to back so they are all together.

Foldable 1-each tab opens

Foldable 2-glued on the back-classic "shutter fold"

My students use this to write all of their important vocabulary words and key concepts down on paper. They can then use it as a reference when they work on their final assessment which involves wiring a cardboard house.

Our second science unit of the year is the human body. For that unit we make three Foldables and glue them into one giant Foldable.

Body System Foldable

Vocabulary Foldable 1

Vocabulary Foldable 2

Finished Foldable

We put every body system that we cover as well as all of the key vocabulary on the Foldables. The students use them for in-class projects and reviews. Then they take them home to help them study for their test. The students love have a "giant" Foldable, and I love it because it is extremely hard for them to loose!

More Math Foldables

As I shared yesterday, I have fallen in love with Foldables! They are a great way to have your students write notes in a fun way. While we worked through our geometry unit we made many Foldables to help them learn the terms. Those of you that teach geometry know just how many terms students are expected to know. These Foldables are great because you just use notebook paper that you have on hand. If students use a binder they can place the Foldables in their binder using the holes.

Types of Triangles Foldable

Types of Triangles Foldables (inside)

 The students enjoy making the Foldables because they are able to create something. I let the kids use them to quiz each other in class to help them practice them. I also have the kids take it home to help them study. The parents appreciate them because, for many of them, it has been a long time since they used these terms!

Quadrilaterals Foldable

Quadrilaterlas Foldable (inside)

Check back tomorrow when I share some of the Foldables I use in Science. Happy folding!

Math Notebook Foldables

As fourth graders, my students have completed "millions" of worksheets (according to them,) by the time they enter my classroom. I can remember feeling the same way as a kid. Who doesn't? As a teacher I work to create fun interactive activities that allow the kids to explore...but I struggled with how to create fun and helpful ways for the students to take notes, until I learned about Foldables. Foldables have been created/marketed by Dinah Zike. You can find her website here.  They have been the answer to my prayer.

What I love about Foldables are the many ways you can use them, and the different types that there are. I use some of the Notebook Foldables to tape into our Math Journals.

3-D Foldable laying flat in our notebook

3-D Foldable "popped up"

Angle Foldable picture 1

Angle Foldable-sneak peak inside two of the flaps

 Tomorrow I will share examples of the other types of Foldables I commonly use with my kiddos. Happy folding!