Baking Bread

Connecting math and reading together, this week we read about the science of bread and yeast. We followed that up by having groups of 2-3 students follow recipes to make loaves of bread. All together, our class brought in 9 bread machines and a table full of ingredients. We will enjoy the different types of bread this afternoon while we share what we are thankful for during this time of year.

Scaled Map of Playground

Today we began a three-day mathematics lesson that deals with analyzing our grass on the school playground. Modeled after the new SBAC test that replaces the CRT test in the spring, the math tasks require students to use a variety of skills to accomplish the task. Today we measured the grass and created a scaled model on paper. Future lessons will involve calculating the cost of new edging to go around, while also determining which product (from Lowe's or Home Depot) would be best based upon cost. They will figure out how much fertilizer to apply based on the area, and calculate how many bags must be purchased and what the total cost would be (including our Nevada tax rate).

Mixtures and Solutions

We kicked off our unit of mixtures and solutions by analyzing sodium chloride, diatomacious earth, and gravel mixed with water. The kicker came when students were told they needed to return ALL the materials so they could be used again next year. Using science, students returned 2 of the 3 materials. Next week, students will prepare the NaCl solution again and use a method that does work to get the salt back.