Mrs. Berg's Basics

  Classifying Quadrilaterals and Triangles We have been studying different geometric figures. Our main focus has been on classifying quadrilaterals and triangles. A  quadrilateral  is a four-sided polygon with four angles. There are many kinds of quadrilaterals. The five most common types are the parallelogram, the rectangle, the square, the trapezoid, and the rhombus. Here is how they relate to each other: We have been looking at triangles based on their angles. The  right triangle  has one 90 degree angle and two acute (< 90 degree) angles. Obtuse triangles  have one angle that is greater than 90 degrees. Obtuse triangles have only one obtuse angle. Acute triangles  have NO angles greater than or equal to 90 degrees -- all their angles are less than 90 degrees. Acute triangles have three acute angles. Ask your kiddo if they can find these different quadrilaterals and triangles in the world around them.

  Heredity Heredity  is the passing of genetic traits from parent to offspring. This is done through dominant and recessive genes. Dominant genes  are the strongest and are usually labeled with a capital letter - "B" for brown, for instance. Recessive genes  are typically hidden by dominant genes. Label the recessive gene for blue eyes "b" - lowercase. If you get two dominant genes for eye color - BB - you're a brown-eyed beauty. Inherit a dominant and a recessive gene - Bb - you get the dominant color: brown. When both parents contribute a recessive gene, in this case blue-blue or bb, you've got blue eyes. These examples are all inherited traits.    Inherited traits  are characteristics that are determined by an organism’s genetics and passed from parent to offspring. This can include eye color, hair color, skin type, height, etc. Acquired traits , or learned behaviors, are behaviors that are acquired by an organism’s interactions with its environment...

  Elapsed Time We have just finished out our unit on measurement. This included calculating elapsed time. Elapsed time is the time that elapses while some event is occurring. We learned a few different strategies to calculate this, including using a number line, a t-chart, mountains, and zoom. Number Line: T-Chart: Mountains, Hills, and Rocks: Zoom: Follow this link if you need a video refresher: Elapsed Time Video Here are some games to practice elapsed time: RoboClock Math Man Elapsed Time Game Elapsed Time Please let me know if you have any questions!

  Life Cycles A  life cycle  is the sequential stages of growth and development that an organism goes through in its lifetime. Organisms undergo observable changes during their life cycle including birth, growth, development, reproduction, and death. Some animals, such as butterflies and beetles, pass through distinctly different life stages during their life cycle. Some plants, such as radishes and lima beans, develop from seeds into small plants that resemble the adult form. Life Cycle of a plant: The plant starts life as a seed, which germinates and grows into a plant. The mature plant produces flowers, which are fertilized and produce seeds in a fruit or seedpod. The plant eventually dies, leaving seeds which germinate to produce new plants. Life cycle of a beetle: The life cycle of a beetle is known as a complete metamorphosis, meaning it has four very different stages: egg, larval, pupal and adult. Here are some games to solidify these concepts: Life Cycle...

Converting Customary Units of Measurement We have been working on converting Customary Units of measurement in Math. In problems which involve measurements such as width, length, height, weight, capacity or temperature, it is often necessary to convert from one measurement unit to another. Basic Conversion Rule: To convert from a LARGER unit to a SMALLER unit...MULTIPLY To convert from a SMALLER unit to a LARGER unit...DIVIDE We have four different strategies that we have learned to help us with conversions. 1. Draw a picture. 2. Make a t-chart. 3. Use the saying. 4. Use a proportion. Here are a couple of videos that further explain conversions in the customary system: Conversion Example Customary Units of Length Here are some games that will help solidify this skill: Customary Best Match Ruler Game Capacity Match Up Artie Ounces Soda Jerk – Units of Volume Game Please let me know if you have any questions!

  Converting Metric Units of Measurement The metric system is a comprehensive system of measurements used all over the world today. One of the biggest advantages that the metric system offers is that conversions between its units is simple and logical, as its units scale by powers of 10, just like our place value system. Because of this, converting within metric measurements is usually as easy as multiplying or dividing a given measurement by a power of 10 to find the new value, or, as a shortcut, simply moving its decimal point. The basic metric units are meters (for length), grams (for mass or weight), and liters (for volume or capacity). There are many metric-unit prefixes, but the usual ones required in school are these: kilo-, hecto-, deca-, deci-, centi-, and milli-. The same basic rule of converting works with the metric system as well. Basic Conversion Rule: To convert from a LARGER unit to a SMALLER unit...MULTIPLY To convert from a SMALLER unit to a LARGER unit...DIVIDE W...