Researching about Natural Resources

4HR is beginning our summative assessment for our Where you live impacts how you live unit. We will be sharing our learning about:

Resources: natural, capital, human

Needs & Wants

Trade & Scarcity

Supply & Demand

Consumers & Producers

After choosing a natural resource to investigate, each student will use their Nonfiction reading skills to find important information. Here are our list of resources to use:

Encyclopedia Britannica 

username: panthers 

Choose to read at Elementary level first. You can choose to challenge yourself at the Middle or High school level after getting the important information from the Elementary level. This resource will be the most helpful, so start and stay here!

Big Universe

Username: student panther apps

Password: student panther apps

Group Username: libiskl

Your resource may have its own book on Big Universe. This your second stop for researching. 

Appropriate Google Search

This is the last resort for finding information. You will need to take your time sorting through information, too high, too low reading levels, and unimportant details. Use the other resources first.

-Oil for kids

-Oil - natural resource

Trade Routes

Trade Map

This resource is tricky to use, but gives you great information about the consumers of your country's natural resource. 

Other possibilities -no guarantee of finding anything related to your research.

Natural Resource Maps - website

Country Profile- National Geographic - Can read to find out what natural resources the country has.

Africa Natural Resources - Commodities

CIA Country Fact Book

Natural Resource - World Map

Natural Resource - World Map 2

Our investigations

Sean, Connor & Jamie - diamonds in Canada

Zaaviar & Sissi, Carmen, Emily- gold in China

Miguel - fruit in Spain

Mason - gold in California

Victoria, Eva & Carol - lumber

Ryan & Mihir- diamonds in Botswana

Sarah - Iron in the UK

Caimi - UK

Sarah - cattle

Elin - lumber in Nordic countries

ZY - fishing in Norway

Amaan - diamonds in Russia

 

Building Our Own Seismograph

4HR is building seismographs that are affordable, accurate, and sensitive for countries that can't afford fancy computer seismographs. Our first step to collect information that will help us design accurate and sensitive machines.

What is a Seismograph?

Finding out:

Handout

PowerScienceKnowledge

PBS Kids

Simple Seismograph creation

UC Berkeley professor explains

What could be more accurate? What could be more sensitive?

What did we find out about seismographs? What are they made of?
Connects to base ten number system, in that the Richter scale works in powers of ten - Jamie
Steady and stable - Zaaviar
The paper would go around a wheel, with an axle in the middle. - Sarah
Wood plank needs to be smooth. Paper needs to be tight. - Connor
Platform: use cardboard. - Emily
Ink: when the paper keeps on moving, the writing instrument keeps writing. - Mason
The height of the weight and the weight of the weight. If the weight is super heavy, it wouldn't show small movements because it is held down. If it is lighter, it would show the smaller movements. - Sean
Vertical metal rod and steel wire. - Victoria
Platform: use cereal boxes, put something heavy in it. - Carmen
Platform: wood, because you can drill into it. - Amaan
Platform: tile. - Sean
Ball and pencil hung from rod. - Carol
Inverted pendulum seismometer: pencil suspended on a metal rod, adjusted to change the pendulum, so it can be more accurate. When the ground shakes, the pencil shakes, drawing on the paper. Wavelengths converted on the Richter Scale: lines on the paper. - ZY
You need a weight to make it stable. - Miguel
Measures how big the Earth's movement. - Elin
These seismographs connect to pendulums, except they don't move and stay in the same spot. It picks up the vibration of the surface, which causes the pencil or pen to move. - Caimi

Flipped Classroom

4HR is learning about different geometric shapes and attributes. To help us get comfortable using the new vocabulary in class, let's practice independently.

For each concept, choose one way of finding out. Then, on Friday, we will share your Way to Show Your Learning.

All About Geometry
Watch BrainPop video
Glorious Geometry on Big Universe

Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
Watch BrainPop video
Stone Age Geometry: Lines on Big Universe

Line segment, Lines, Rays, and Points
Khan Academy tutorial
Lines Segments, Rays, and Angles on Big Universe

Angles: Acute, Obtuse, Right
Lines Segments, Rays, and Angles on Big Universe
Stone Age Geometry: Squares on Big Universe

Big Universe Log-in Information
Username: student panther apps

Password: student panther apps

Group Username: libiskl

Ways to Show Your Learning
1) Draw a piece of Art: In your beautiful drawing, include the following geometric attributes (parallel & perpendicular lines; acute, right and obtuse angles; lines, line segments, rays, and points). Make sure to label all the attributes.

2) Make a YouTube Editor movie that demonstrates your learning about the following geometric attributes (parallel & perpendicular lines; acute, right and obtuse angles; lines, line segments, rays, and points). Make sure to label all the attributes.

3) Brain Pop shape sorter: Sort the shapes. Take a screen shot or print final results to bring in on Friday.

4) Your choice: Talk to Ms. Heather before Wednesday to have your choice approved.

Nonfiction Reading Strategies

Grade 4 has been working on developing our Nonfiction Reading Strategies. Our big foci have been word attack skills, interpreting visual information, determining main idea and detail, and merging information through synthesizing. 

We have been collecting ThinkMarks aligned with this rubric throughout our Nonfiction reading unit. Now we are going to create a video explaining our thinking about Nonfiction texts and our great strategies with the world.

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Finding our Values

4HR is exploring beliefs, values, cultures, and traditions in our current Social Studies unit. We began by exploring what 4HR values. We found out that we really value:

Understanding     Learning    Respect     Care     Listening     Collaboration     Fun & Enjoyment

Next we looked at ourselves. We arranged these statements in order from most important to least important, and analyzed our responses to determine our individual values.

I try to understand what other people are feeling.

I am as important as everyone else.

Everyone else is equal to me but different from me.

I know what is fair and not fair. I try to do the right thing.

I look after the environment and don’t waste things.

I try to help others and not fight with them.

I have my own ideas but can alter them when I realize they were wrong.

I want to learn more about the world.

I think I can change things in the world.

What would your responses be?

A Day in the Life of an ISKL Student

To investigate how Where you live impacts how you live, 4HR watched documentaries about a day in the life of children in Thailand and Vietnam. But there was no documentary on Malaysia! We decided to make movies that show how the natural, capital and human resources of Kuala Lumpur affect our daily lives. Take a look!




And Afterschool and Weekends!

Our feedback:

What went well:
-the editing process
-the timeline
-timing of audio and video

What we would change:
-equal collaboration
-quiet room for recording
-audio difficulties
-keeping on task
-keeping to agreements

What we learned:
-what impacts our lives
-video and audio in YouTube
-collaboration on YouTube
-pros at tech

Geometry Practice

Today we are going to practice our Geometry skills and strategies. Look at your "I Can" statements to determine which skills and strategies are most important to practice.

Geometric Shapes
I can look for, identify, and draw points, line segments, angles, and perpendicular lines and parallel lines in two-dimensional figures. Splash Math

Classifying Triangles
I can classify triangles as right angles or not. Splash Math

Area and Perimeter
I can use the area and perimeter formula. Ship Builder, Compare Area and Perimeter
I can use the formulas to solve problems. Area and Perimeter, Party Planner

Angles
I can explain that an angle is measured in degrees. - Estimating Angles, Hitting the Target
I can measure an angle using a protractor. - Protractor Game, Random Angle
I can use a protractor to create a given angle.
I can sketch angles when given a measurement. - Banana Hunt,
I can explain that the angle measurement is the sum of its decomposed angles.
I can write an equation with an unknown angle measurement. - Angles Games, Add and Subtract Angles
I can solve word problems involving unknown angles. Kung Fu Angles

Choose wisely!

Flipped Classroom!

4HR is learning about different geometric shapes and attributes. To help us get comfortable using the new vocabulary in class, let's practice at home.

For each concept, choose one way of finding out. Then, on Friday, bring in your Way to Show Your Learning.

All About Geometry
Watch BrainPop video
Glorious Geometry on Big Universe

Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
Watch BrainPop video
Stone Age Geometry: Lines on Big Universe

Line segment, Lines, Rays, and Points
Khan Academy tutorial
Lines Segments, Rays, and Angles on Big Universe

Angles: Acute, Obtuse, Right
Lines Segments, Rays, and Angles on Big Universe
Stone Age Geometry: Squares on Big Universe

Big Universe Log-in Information
Username: student panther apps

Password: student panther apps

Group Username: libiskl

Ways to Show Your Learning
1) Go on a geometry hunt. Find at least 15 objects that demonstrate different geometric attributes (parallel & perpendicular lines; acute, right and obtuse angles; lines, line segments, rays, and points). In a Google Slide or poster, includ a picture or drawing and identify each attribute.

2) Draw a piece of Art: In your beautiful drawing, include the following geometric attributes (parallel & perpendicular lines; acute, right and obtuse angles; lines, line segments, rays, and points). Make sure to label all the attributes.

3) Brain Pop shape sorter: Sort the shapes. Take a screen shot or print final results to bring in on Friday.

4) Your choice: Talk to Ms. Rich before Wednesday to have your choice approved.

Learning from a Physicist

Today 4HR spoke with Dr. Anthony Boyd via Skype. He is a physicist who works at a Naval Research Laboratory near Washington, DC. He talked with us about how he became a physicist, what his work day looks like, and answered our questions.

This is what we learned today:

- For a short time, we are stronger than gravity (lifting foot off ground)

- If there was no gravity, there would be no friction. The exception is in space when planets can rub against each other.

- If there is too much friction, we can't move.

- If there is no friction,  you would slide a lot.

- Friction always works in an opposite direction.

- There is a relationship between the moon and tides.

- Gravity is stronger than friction

- Gravity is an attractive force, so it pulls not pushes.

- We need to gravity to stay down.

- Even if the mass is different, in space objects falls at the same rate.

- You can fit more than 1,000 Earths inside Jupiter.

- There is only one kind of gravity. Sometimes it is safe, sometimes it is dangerous.

- People can't combine their strengths to push ourselves to space.

- Floods are connected to high tide and low tide.

- If there was no gravity, it would be hard to breathe because dust particles would stay in the air.

- We are pulling against the Earth, but since the Earth's mass is so much greater, the Earth pulls us.

- Momentum doesn't help us gain acceleration, but it does help us gain velocity.

- We need a lot of space to get out of the Earth's gravity.

- Distance affects gravity and mass affects gravity.

- When an object is falling, air resistance is pushing up against the object. When there is larger surface area, there is more air resistance.

Potential and Kinetic Energy to Simple Machines

4HR is investigating into How does the transfer of energy impact the motion of an object? In watching this video, we see how objects transfer energy from potential to kinetic energy. What happens as a result?

Later this week we will revisit this video, looking for simple machines. What do you already know about simple machines?

Writing Blog Posts

Today 4HR is reading blog posts and deciding what makes a blog post excellent. We have read three exemplars and compared them. We asked ourselves What information should a blog post have? and What should a blog post look like? In groups, we recorded our ideas on post-its to share with the whole class. Then, we created a blog checklist to help bloggers always write excellent posts.

Soon 4HR will be blogging! It is important that we know what to include and what to avoid. Our purpose for blogging is to attract an audience and share information. If we write posts that are hard to read, understand, or look at, then our audience might not learn from the post. We take our blogging seriously!

In the future, help us by commenting on what we did well and what we can improve on! It takes helpful editors and peer revisers to make sure our blog posts are excellent.

Image source