Early March update

Hi Families!

Well time has flown by and lots of learning has been happening in math class!

Lately in....

5th:
We are well into unit 4 in 5th grade. This unit started off with reviewing decimal place value. Students learned how to represent decimals through the thousandths. They learned how to compare decimals and how to round decimals as well. We then moved into learning about coordinate grids which is always a favorite subject for many students. We played a really fun game called Hidden Treasure which is quite similar to battleship. Most games that we play in class, students can also play at home! If you have an SRB at home, check out the Game section in the back!

Next we will be moving away from learning about coordinate grids and we will go back to decimal operations. We will learn how to add and subtract decimals. Hopefully most students will be able to relate adding and subtraction decimals to money!

Many 5th graders still REALLY need to memorize their multiplication facts. They should come into 5th grade having them all memorized. Please support your child at home by helping them to practice!

6th:
This is one of my absolute favorite units right now is 6th grade. ALGEBRA! We are learning all about algebraic expressions and equations.

FYI.....
Algebraic Expression: an algebraic expression is an expression (which does not have a relation symbol) that has a variable which stands for a number.
Algebraic Equation: an algebraic equation is an equation (which has an equal sign) that has a variable which stands for a number.

We have reviewed the order of operations. Learned what distributive property is. Learned how to create expressions and equations. Next we will be learning what inequalities are and how to graph their solution sets.


** As a reminder I am available every morning from 7:30-8:00 for tutoring or homework help!

Hope you're all enjoying our wintery weather!
Rachael

 Some of the final Giant Mystery Projects!

6W made some "Self Love" valentines for valentines day!

Math Update

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! As usual, we have been quite busy here at school!
Last week I sent out a permission slip which required students to decide if they wanted to take home an SRB for the remainder of the year. Student Reference Books can be helpful in a variety of ways which are outlined in the sheet that I sent home.

You may have noticed that students have had more homework in math lately. Students will now get  homework every Monday and Wednesday in math (except if they have a test on one of those days). I've started to give more homework so students can find a routine at home and continue to have more responsibilities. I've offered students all year extra support before school and I will continue to offer that for homework help or any other support.

 Here is an update as to what the 5/6 students have been doing in math and what is coming up!

5th:
We are in full swing with fractions! Students have learned how to add and subtract fractions using God Fairy #1. Please ask your student to explain who GF #1 is and how to use him/her when adding fractions with unlike denominators.
Looking ahead we will be moving into "fraction-of" problems which require students to make models to solve. Here is an example of a "fraction-of" problems:

6th:

Students just took their unit 2 assessment today. They will have those back by Monday to bring home to make corrections and get it signed by someone at home. I ask parents to sign student's test in hope that you will have a conversation with your child about their success in math class. 

In our next unit we will be working with decimals and percents. We will review how to add, subtract and multiply decimals. I will teach students how to divide large numbers using the U.S. Traditional method. We will then move into operations with percents!

December 20th

Hello Families! 

Happy Holidays! Over the holidays I am offering students an ST Math Challenge. I have sent home instructions for how to use ST Math at home. During the holidays I prefer that students are doing a lot of other enriching activities over the break from spending time with families and friends to playing out in the snow.  However, if there is going to be screen time or the weather isn't great, a bit of puzzling over STMath is a good use of time. If students finish both levels of the ST math challenge then they will be able to decide what their grade does for one whole I.S. center. 

Lately in.....

5th grade: 

We have started unit 3 off with discussing how fractions and division are related. For example the fraction 3/4 is the same as saying 3 divided by 4. 

Example of a word problem and how students would use a visual to solve the problem

"Julia can home from school to find that her mom has made 3 sandwiches. She had 3 friends with her. The 4 of them decided to share the 3 sandwiches equally. How much did each friend get?"

5th grade students then started to see the pattern between the dividend and the numerator of the quotient and the divisor and the denominator or the quotient. So they could then answer the word problems without having to draw a diagram. The following is an example of a problem that they solved using the pattern they noticed.

We then began to review fractions on a number line. After the break we will move into adding and subtraction fractions using only estimation and benchmarks, renaming fractions and mixed numbers, and we will begin to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers using common denominators. 

6th Grade:

In 6th grade students have been very focused on ratios and specifically rates. They were given a ratio scavenger hunt in which they were asked to find certain ratios and unit rates in coupons. They were also given the following problem in which they have spend a few days on and we will finish up after the holiday break. 

6th grade students were taught how to use Google Spreadsheets to organize their Giant ratios. They will have to create a life size model of one of the other body parts of the Giant that they calculated.

After this activity, students will have their end of the unit assessment. 

6W also met with their Kindergarten buddies to create ornaments for the holidays! Pictures below!