Deck-O-Card Math

This week we have been using our BRAINS!!!
Depending on grade level, we have to multiply, add, and subtract in order to reach the magic number of 201! Where do they get the numbers to X, +, and - you ask?  Well easy....a deck of cards!
For the upper elementary, this has been a lot of fun.  A lot of thinking is taking place.  Do we multiply the 10 and 10....or the 7 and 3?  How many more do we need?   If we go to 184 it might be easier than if we are at 197....

For the Kindergarten, we are working on 10 friends.  We find our friends that help us make 10.  We also have some fun with cards on our foreheads!!  At the end of the day, we are learning and having fun...two of my favorite things! :)

Weekend Football

I have some great news for our Freshmen football team....  WE WON!!!  12-7 against the Sault Area Schools!!
As a matter of fact, all three Flivver teams won this weekend!
The Varsity traveled to the Soo on Friday and handed them a 35-14 loss in a DOWNPOUR!!
The Freshman team scored first, then went down 6-7 but found the end-zone again and held off the Soo passing attack for the win.
The JV team won 35-7.

As for other football teams that strike my interest:
U of M won.
MSU (GO GREEN) beat up on ND.
The Lions lost in the 4th quarter....classic them.
The Packers didn't play very well and the Vikings defense played OUT-OF-THEIR-MIND!

Next week my parents get to go to Lambeau for the Lion/Packer game!!!  I'm VERY excited for them!!!   GO! PACK! GO!!!

****If you do not like the packers...you can take the chant, "GO! PACK! GO!" and say it in revers to show your dislike for the Cheesheads.****

Last day of Bridge Building

We have had the BEST TIME building bridges in STEM class!!
I am blown away EVERY DAY at the creativity and ingenuity of these young Flivvers!
I have taken a TON of pictures and short videos that can be found here: mr_jvdusen on instagram
Check them out!!

Switch Gears:  Football

The Varsity Flivvers head to Sault Area Schools tonight to take on the Blue Devils.
The game will be streamed LIVE!
The MHSAA insists that it be password protected....and I'm not able to post the password.
But...you can get it here: Streaming Password Request

Once you have the password....watch the game here: GO FLIVVERS!!

The Freshmen and JV teams head to the Soo Saturday morning to play.
L~O~N~G bus ride....I hope all three teams come out with a WIN!

Building Bridges

More teamwork this week in STEM class!
Students have to build a variety of different bridges using cups, a wooden block, and a meter stick.  in order for the bridge to be proven, a small wooden car with a 10 ounce fishing weight has to be able to "drive" across the structure for 3 seconds.
All classes have been doing GREAT!
It has been interesting to see how the classes work together.  Leaders and followers emerge.
Check out this video of a 5th grade three group bridge.
IT WORKED!!!
https://goo.gl/photos/nodibdKK5v19J1rs6

A few big plays...

Putting on my coaching hat for a second....
The Freshman Flivvers played a tough one yesterday.
Lost to Lakeland JV 12-6

He wasn't the first to say it, but Safety Eric Weddle of the Baltimore Ravens said:

There’s 60-70 snaps, there will be four or five plays – you either make them, and you win the game, or you don’t, and the other team does, and they win. So, we want to be on the right side of that and win a bunch of games.

Nothing could be truer yesterday!!
Just a few key plays away from a win.

The key plays:
1) Run that sprung for 20 yards: We were on a drive.  We were blocking smart and running hard.
2) On that drive: Fumble.  That fumble mentally took it's tole on us.  We were defeated in our mind.  We put them in a 4th down, but couldn't seal the deal to get another chance with the ball.
3) Long pass complete: This was how Lakeland scored their go a ahead touchdown.
4) Long pass incomplete: The defense was spinning in their spikes...man open downfield.  Off his hands....   MAN!  That was close.

A few other incomplete ed passes, missed assignments, etc.  But those were the big four.

Usually, a punt block would be a "big play" but yesterday each team had one.  Depending on the quarter and clock, either one of them could have been bigger than they were.

Either way, I'm very proud of my FLIVVERS.
It's back to work Monday...headed to the Soo next week.

LAVA MATH!

Lava Math is fun! 

After one day I have some pretty interesting observations.

First of all, goups that have more than one "boss" don't do as well!

They are not as quick as some of the other groups and they don't always get the correct answer....

I wonder why?

Groups that work well together generally have one person who is (unofficially) in charge.  They are quick and get the right answer every-time.

Yesterday, the second graders were BY FAR the quickest at getting the correct answer.  They worked well together as teams and had a TON of fun doing it!

First graders also did very well. I was impressed!

Fifth graders struggled more than I thought they would.  I don't think it had anything to do with the math, it was all about who was in their group.  Interesting...