Unit 4 Math Reflection

1. Tell why you think it is important to be able to divide numbers. For what kind of problems do you need to use division?

It is important to be able to divide numbers because for example, if you have $30 dollars, and a can of soda is $5, you can divided 30 by 5 and find out how many cans of soda you can buy. When you go shopping or want to split something into equal pieces, you need to divide.

2. Tell what part of this unit was the most difficult for you and why. Describe what you did to overcome any difficulties you had.

To me, the most difficult part of this unit is measuring maps. I overcame this difficulty by always trying hard when it comes to measuring maps.

The Parable of the Sower

One day, Jesus went out and sat by a lake. Many people crowded around him. It was so crowded that Jesus had to get into a boat while the others stayed on the shore. He told the people a parable. He said" A farmer went out to sow his seed. He was scattering seeds and some fell on the path. Birds came and ate the seed up. Some fell on rocky places that did not have much soil while some others fell among thorns and the rest fell on good soil. The seeds that fell on rocky places sprang up quickly because there was not much soil. The seeds that fell on thorns choked the plants. The seeds that fell into good soil will produce a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."The disciples were confused and asked Jesus why he spoke in parables. Jesus replies by saying The secrets of the kingdom of heaven is given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has, will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables.

After that, Jesus explains what the parable he just says means. It meant that when someone hears a message about the kingdom and does not know what is means, the evil one will snatch away what was sown in his heart. That is the seed the was sown along the path. The one who received the seed the fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word from God and receives it with joy at once. The one who receives that seed that fell on the thorns will be the man that hears the work and is scared that it would do him harm. The one who receives the seed the fell in good soil is the man who hears the word, understands it and produces a crop yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. This is what the parable means.

From this book, I have a connection to my life. In my life, I have been the person who picks up the seed from the thorns and I have been the person who picks up the seed that fell on rocky places. The time I pick up the seed from the thorns is when I am not brave enough to do something even though in my heart, I know I can. The time I pick up the seed that fell on rocky places is when I am brave enough to try something new. My heart tells me to go and so I do.

Writing Reflection

Writing Self Assessment

1. What do I notice about myself as a writer as I read through my work?

That my writing is smooth but sometimes, I repeat too many words and then my writing turns sour. I am working hard to change that. My beggining is better than it had ever been. I know how to start sentences in many ways and each sentence makes me want to read the next. Using tricks and details is not a problem to me anymore. Smoothly and quickly, I can think of a trick or detail to use in my writing. I have things that I am good at and thinks I can improve at.

2. How have I changed as a writer so far?

I am more aware of not using a lot of I's and and's. My sentences all begin with different words and I always put details and tricks in my writing. I think more about sentence fluency and punctuation than I have ever before. I always keep an eye out to things I can improve in.

3. What are three things I do well as a writer?

One of the things I do well as a writer is that I always concentrate on my work. Even though I get distracted sometimes, I try to keep my head down and think about my writing piece. Another thing I do well as a writer is that I try to put details and tricks that will hook my reader in and make my reader feel that he or she is in the story much as possible. The third thing I do good at is that I always think about the 6 + 1 traits and try and make my story as good as possible.

4. What are some things I want to get stronger at as a writer?

Even though I try to stop writing I's very often, it get very tricky for me to think of other ways without using I's. Then, my story turns out with about 30 I's. I want to get sstronger in thinking about other ways to say things without using I. Another thing I want to get good at is thinking about seed ideas. It takes me quite a long time to think about what I want to write. I feel that I can get stronger in those areas.

5. What is my favorite piece, and what are the things I love about it?

My favorite piece is called Pig's Heart Dissection. I like it because when I read the first few sentences, I myself get hooked in, even though I am the one who wrote it. Also, because I put many details and tricks in it to make the reader feel like he or she is in the story. Those are the reasons why I like the story Pig's Heart Dissection.

Math Rocks!

I like the part in Factor Captor when you get to do mental math (addition) and you have to be careful of what number you choose or else the other player will get more points than you. Also, I like adding big numbers together to exercise my brain. I always choose big numbers so that I can add them up.

An array might help someone find factors of a number because all you have to do is look at how many dots there are in a row and you will know 1 factor. Then, you look at how many dots there are in a column then there is your other factor. Also, you can make many different kinds of arrays for one product. So first, list all the arrays, then count how many columns and rows there are in each array.

I like pages 14 and 7. I like page 7 because I enjoy reversing number sentences and putting them into different equations like addition into subtraction or multiplication into division. I learned how to use big numbers to make a factor triangle. I like page 14 because learning the divisibility rules are really fun and will be useful in the future. I think that these divisibility rules are very interesting because it is cool how the divisibility rule works on all numbers.

Learning Rocks! September 16, 2009

Math
I really enjoy math. Last year, I was my class' "Math Enrichment Director". I was in charge of a lot of math programs. Every year, I do every week's math puzzler because I enjoy challenging work. I know how to measure angles without a template, make graphs, use decimals is a hard way, solve hard problems, do rates, and many others. Math is one of my best subjects. I think it is fun and enjoyable. This year, I learned how to do prime factorizations by making a factor tree. I think making factor trees are easy and fun. I need to improve on memorizing the metric system. Every time I try to remember the metric system, I forget it.

Writing
Writing is also very fun for me. I know how to use similes, alliterations, onomatopoeia, metaphors, parallelism, details, sentence fluency, word choice and many others. I'm good at writing but I can improve a lot. This year, I learned how to brainstorm little seed ideas. I can present my ideas in an organized way. Sometimes, when I am writing, I like to have a little bit of soft music in the background.