Ain't Nothin' but a Coordinate Plane

In math this week, we are working on geometry. To be more specific, we are learning about the parts of a COORDINATE PLANE.

First things first. Let's start with the vocabulary words. What is a coordinate plane, anyway?

Other important parts of the coordinate plane are...

In geometry, a coordinate plane includes all numbers, both positive and negative. It is divided into 4 QUADRANTS. We write the quadrants as roman numerals and the order travels around the coordinate plane in a counter-clockwise fashion.

In your math future you will plot points on all of the quadrants, so pay close attention to the coordinates. Are they positive or negative?

Today, we will stick with QUADRANT I where the x and y axes are positive (+,+).

When you use coordinates to plot points, you always travel across the x axis first. Then, move up the y axis. Across, then up.

 

This trick may help you remember what to do...

RUN across and then JUMP up!

 Thanks Mario!

Let's practice. Are the answers on this activity correct?

 

Now we'll do the plotting. On this activity, we were given coordinates. Are the points in the correct places? 

I believe they are! Nice work!

No lesson would be complete without a song. Am I right? Here's a catchy tune about the parts of a coordinate plane. Turn up your speakers and feel free to sing along!

 Yoooou ain't nothin' but a coordinate plane...

Thanks Mr. Phillips!

 For games and other resources to go with this lesson, click on the links below!

Locate the Aliens

What's the Point?

Coordinate Grid Games

Additional Video Lessons
 

Check your email for a Coordinates page to add to your math notebook and keep up the great work!

SLASH!

What's SLASH, you ask? It's Language Arts with a little Science, Social Studies and History mixed in. Since Language Arts involves a lot of reading, discussion and writing, many of our lessons will feature historical events, famous Americans, Washington history, scientific wonders and other general awesomeness. We'll even dive into a novel or two!

SLASH is a multiple-subject smorgasbord, if you will.

Anywho, I enjoyed seeing my students in Class Connect this week! Wow, I have a bright group this year! In SLASH today, students did an impressive job of reading aloud, finding evidence in the text and answering questions like old pros... AND IT WAS THE FIRST DAY!

 
We learned a handy "recipe" for making sure our answer is complete and convincing when talking about something we've read.

Are you ready to R.A.C.E.? 

Here is an example...

[click on any picture on this post to enlarge it]

If you'd like to print R.A.C.E. strategy information 

and sample text above click here.

Every week we will practice our text-based responses in one way or another, so by the end of the year you'll all be experts! This skill will come in handy in all courses from now, through college... and beyond.

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This year we will save all of our Math and SLASH Class Connect notes and assignments in a spiral notebook. By June, you will have a cool (and super-fat) spiral notebook with all of the lesson information from the ENTIRE YEAR in one place! Please remember to bring your math and ELA notebooks to class each week. Notebook pages will be sent via k-mail, so you can add them to your notebook before class. You can also find many of them here.

Here is a peek at my 5th grade SLASH spiral. 

Today's R.A.C.E. printable should be added, right after the Table of Contents.

I used the Grip and Rip technique to add my pages...

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Homework Due 10/7/15:

• Buy a spiral notebook (8.5 x 11 inch size), add cover label (4th or 5th), Table of Contents, and Intro to R.A.C.E. printable.
• Watch this R.A.C.E. Strategy presentation on Prezi. Read through the information and enlarge the text as needed (the zoom icon is on the right). Answer the questions thoroughly in your SLASH Spiral. 

A Notebook Page in No Time!

As promised, here is a quick video explaining how to add a complete notebook page to your spiral in one fell swoop (okay, maybe two). I learned this trick from my son, who learned it from his teacher. Thanks for the idea, Mrs. Podpora!

Behold, The Grip and Rip!

The cool thing is that  you can add double-sided pages too!

Since this week's math notebook only has one printable page, you can quickly add it to your spiral this handy way!

See you in class!