Ecosystems, Organisms, & The Food Chain

Fourth grade students in Rooms 9 and 15 are researching different organisms in the Monterey Bay ecosystem. 

Working in pairs, we are constructing models in the Studio Lab, and each student will complete a nine-part, written report on his/her organism that is due on November 18.

 In their reports, students will create a diagram of their organism's food chain, label all the producers, consumers and decomposers, and track the path of energy as it passes through the chain.  They will describe their organism's size, appearance, diet, and predators, as well as other details including its conservation status, factors affecting its future population, and scientific name.

 

Of course, students will also include a complete bibliography as well, citing at least three print, web, or interview sources.

For those of you interested in brushing up on food webs, endangered species, and identifying herbivores, carnivores and omnivores, check out the free online resources for kids that Ms. Laichtman found from Sheppard Software, at http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/kidscorner3.htm.

Online Math and Spelling Games

There are many free online websites where students can practice their skills in a game format.  We've utilized a few of these during Computer Lab in room 15, but I encourage you to take advantage of them at home as well.  

Multiplication.com is a fun place to practice multiplication facts.  Students can choose to focus on one factor at a time, or mix it up with multiple factors in a game of their choice. 

     

Practicing multiplication facts every day helps students know those factors immediately, making complicated operations and word problems infinitely easier.

Spellingcity.com enables students to play spelling games and do practice tests using the words we're working with in class.  Each week, I'll load in our 4th and 5th grade words, so that we can use this fun resource in class and at home.  (HangMouse is my favorite!)  To find the Walgrove list, just click on "Find a List" and either search by school and zip code (Walgrove, 90066) or by my name (Laurie Hansen).



Try them all out, and let me know which one you like the best.