Cerrito Creek

Young scientists worked on concept maps for electricity and magnetism before jumping into gizmo building. 

A concept map in progress. 

Artistic flourishes spice up the maps. 

One student group is making a battery operated car. No remote control, however, so this car will have a mind of its own. 

Though not entirely visible in this photograph, this student made her propeller work today that she will attach to a soda bottle boat.

Homework:
•Wordly Wise: Exercises C,D
•Words Their Way: re-sort and writing sort (in packet)
•4th and 5th math worksheets, download in top toolbar
•Read for 20 minutes or more and fill out reading log

Good turnout for math club today. Here's the scoop. Check out the Vi Hart videos! 

In Math Club students explored fractals, patterns formed from iterative processes.  For example, we can add copies of a small figure together to make a bigger figure that looks like the original figure. This is a newer part of math actively researched by mathematicians, and there are great examples of fractals in nature.  While we ate, we watched a fun video about fractals and infinite series by Vi Hart.

Students started by figuring out how many equilateral triangles would be created if they subdivided an equilateral triangle into more equilateral triangles.  With some shading, they created a famous fractal called Sierpinski's triangle.  Some students went on to see the relationship between Pascal's Triangle and a Sierpinski triangle, while others experimented with Koch Snowflake fractals.  The fractal handouts can be downloaded here. Others worked on some fun number puzzles.  Next week we'll do some problems with Halloween themes.