Ukuleles and math

We have continued to work hard this week in all aspects of academia.  This post, however, will focus on the work we are doing in math, and our uke-club.  As I outlined last week, many students in fourth grade participate in band.  Many, however, is not all therefore, this year all of those who are not participating in band will still be learning to make music, as we are building our own ukuleles!  These little instruments are fun to play and are proving cool to build.  We have affixed the necks of our ukes to the bodies, and will be gluing fret-boards next week!  Hopefully by January our room will be filled with "sounds of the islands."

This image is of our ukuleles drying!

The following images are of some of the models we have been building in math.

We have continued to work in math on solving multiplication algorithms.  We are working to master to concepts of multiplication by using models.  The premise we are working from is that all multiplication algorithms can be solved using the area of a rectangle, and we have been building these rectangles!  To build them we are using cuisenaire rods and hundreds blocks.  This model allows students to gain a sense of what is happening in multiplication that they can extend to the algorithm that many of us are familiar with...then one that involves "carrying."

As always, I hope you have a restful weekend, and look forward to seeing your students again on Wednesday.

-Dave