The End of My Blogging Year

          My 5th grade year of blogging is almost over but the greatest thing about it is that I get to go to 6th grade. This is my only year in blogging and it has been the best year ever since I’ve been in elementary school. Mrs. C has bought us a long way. I’ve become a better reader and writer. My vocabulary skills have excelled since I’ve been in blogging. Blogging is a fun way to learn. It is better than writing on a piece of paper where the teacher only sees it. I want everyone to see how well my classmates and I have done.

          I have made new friends outside of school because of blogging. I have had teacher form other states and countries comment to my blog. I had a teacher from Winnipeg, Canada named Mr.Kuropatwa comment on my blog. He teaches senior math and the children in his class were overwhelmed because of what I knew. He even showed his class my blog and they made a podcast and sent it to me. I have also had a person named Lani comment to my blog and she is from Chardon, Ohio. She’s always trying to encourage me to write better. She always gives me tips and strategies on how to read and write better.

         I have plenty of posts that I’m proud of but the post that I am mostly proud of is a post influenced by Mr. Kuropatwa it is titled “The Language of Math.” Here is what it said. 

              Math is one of the most the most complex languages in the world although it doesn't seem like a language. Believe it or not we use math everyday. How do you think the things around you are made!?! Everyone uses math in the world even other cultures. Instead of telling you about math I'm going to tell you what I learned in math.

              The things I have learned in math are about geometry(shapes). Some of the things I learned about were lines, 4 dimensional figures, rays, plains, and line segments. What it means to me is that I can share my knowledge with my children if I ever have any. It kind of changed me in a way. It was kind of like a project in learning. It taught me how to listen better and how to use it in the future. I also appreciate math because some children don't even get education.

               Can you write about something you learned in school?

                Here is his response to my post.

               

        Hi Eddie!

Thanks again for dropping by my blog and leaving me such a warm comment. I've just been reading through some of the posts on your blog. If you hadn't told me I never would have known you were a grade 5 student. You're so articulate. (You express yourself so well.)

I was drawn to this post as the one to leave my comments because, as you know, I teach senior math at a high school in Winnipeg, Canada.

It's true what you and the other folks that have left you comments say about math -- it's everywhere. Even in our own bodies.

There are some very special numbers in math that you'll learn about in high school. They're so special that we give them special names because we can't write the whole number on any one piece of paper. Pi (pie) is one of them. Maybe you've heard about it when you learned about circles. 3.1415926.... and on and on it goes. There's another special number called "e" and another one called phi (like "fly" without the "l").

Phi is approximately 1.618 which seems weird I know, but it gets weirder. If you measure your height and then the distance from the ground to your belly button, then divide your height by the belly button distance it's going to be pretty close to 1.618.

Measure the length of your arm (shoulder to finger tips), then measure from your elbow to your finger tips. Divide the long length by the short one ... you'll get 1.618 (Phi) again.

This is even true about your fingers! Take the length of any finger and divide by the length to the second knuckle from your finger tip you'll get phi ... again! Do this again with the two smaller lengths of the same finger and you get phi again!

There's a building in Greece called the Parthenon. When they built it 2500 years ago, they made all the doors and windows so that the length divided by the width equals 1.618. Some folks call this number The Golden Ratio ... a very pretty name for a very special number. We don't know why this is, but when things are made so that their length divided by their width is phi they just look pretty to us.

So, why am I telling you this? Well, two reasons:

(1) It's another example of how math is everywhere ... even in places you wouldn't think to look.

(2) You can get better marks without your teacher even knowing why she's giving you more marks. The next time you do a project, it might be on paper or it might be on presentation board, cut it just so ... so that the length divided by the width is 1.618. It'll just "look prettier" to your teacher and he/she won't even realize it ... and you'll get a better mark. ;-)

Keep studying your math Eddie. There's a lot to learn and sometimes it's really hard, but if you get through some of the hard (and boring) stuff there's a whole lot of really cool stuff you'll be able to learn as well. Don't even get me started about the Fibonacci sequence. ;-)

PS: There are special symbols that we use for Pi and Phi but your blog won't let me write them. I'll bet you can find them if you search on Google. ;-)

     This is something that I have done in blogging and I am proud of it. This is the end of the year in blogging and this has been a year to remember.

Comments

[Carolyn]

Eddie,

Have really enjoyed reading your blog this year. One reason I have enjoyed it is I have learned allot. The different things I have learned are:
1. Blogging is a way for people to connect despite geographical and generational separation. Where else could a grade five student in the US connect with a Math teacher in Canada!
2. Learning is encouraged when there is a rich community of learners.
3. We all have something to share with one another.

Thank you for what you have taught me. Keep blogging and keep learning.

[eddie]

Carolyn,
I really have enjoyed blogging this year. I hope that I get that chance again when I get into 6th grade. It really has pushed me to a higher plane. It has developed some opportunities.
eddie

[Dr. Susan Brien]

Dear Eddie,

I read everything in your classroom blog and I must tell you that I am impressed with the your writing skills. Doing well is obviously important to you and connecting with other students and teacher is important as well. I hope that you have enjoyed 6th grade and that you have continued to improve your skills in writing, thinking mathematics, and all that you learn. Well done, Eddie.

Dr. B.