Math Is Everywhere!

Math does seem to be everywhere.  We encounter math constantly in our lives: calculating how much paint we will need for a room, figuring out if we have enough money to buy that shirt on sale, and the list goes on.

In our classroom, we've been working with extra diligence on math, and in particular real-world problems.  We will continue this week as we prepare for a math test on Chapter 2 on Friday.  But how can you study "math"?  Practice, practice, and some more practice.  Tell your student about situations that you come across everyday that required using math, and talk with them about how you solved it.  How might they have solved the same problem?

Remember, too, that our math text book is available on line.  Students can visit www-k6.thinkcentral.com to view the book and work through some of the guided practice problems that we did in class.  Please email me if you need additional information on how to sign in to the website.  Also, math help is available every Tuesday morning with Mrs. Steinberg.  I will also be having extra help sessions on Friday mornings (this is a change from my last post because of scheduling conflicts).  I also encourage you to attend the Math in Focus presentation scheduled for this evening in Middleton.

Have a math kind of day!

Let's Keep Moving Forward

After the shortened schedule last week, we are looking forward to a full week of good work.

Our science unit on color and light kicked off last week with a quick experiment proving that light travels in straight lines (through air) using flashlights and index cards.  It was a simple experiment, but powerfully demonstrated that light cannot curve around objects in a room.  We'll be looking at reflection and refraction more this week to further understand how light travels.

In writing, we worked on polishing our persuasive essays on whether or not students should be required to volunteer.  I've read some thought provoking arguments on both sides of the issue.  Students have been working diligently to learn how to construct this kind of writing.  It requires lots of careful thinking of your reasons and explanation of those reasons. 

We are continuing with reading mysteries and discussing them in small groups.  I am impressed with the inferences being made and the pieces of support being used in discussions in all three book groups.  If you have any old Nancy Drew or Hardy Boy mystery books around the house, encourage your child to read them and find the elements of mystery in them.

Math continues with multiplication and division of multi-digit numbers.  I will be starting an extra help session on Thursdays this week so that we can reinforce skills that we've learned in this chapter. 

 

Enjoy the Long Weekend!

I hope that everyone is enjoying this long weekend.

When we get back to school on Wednesday, we'll have lots to do. 

• We will be finishing up our topographical map project started last week in CLIC.  I'm excited to see the painted finishes to these salt dough maps of imaginary islands.  
• We'll begin to delve deeper into the science of light and color. 
• Math will continue with simplifying numeric expressions after which our class will move on to real world problems (i.e. word problems).  If anyone asks why learning all this multiplication and division is important, you can tell them about a recent study that shows that it pays to know math.  The study concludes that in "an Amazonian tribe that has limited contact with civilization and limited use of numbers in their culture", knowing how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide is associated with acquiring goods, wealth, and health in their foraging and farming community (from "Quants rule, even in the jungle" in the Uncommon Knowledge feature by Kevin Lewis -- Boston Globe, 10/13/13). 
• Groups are continuing to read mysteries, as well.  We've begun to discuss the books, looking for the elements of mystery and considering various types of comprehension questions in our conversations.  Please keep the reading up at home, too.  I've seen some thoughtful responses to at-home reading come in on Fridays.
• Having completed our first chapter in social studies on the geography of the United States, we'll continue with a brief overview of the Native American tribes present on the continent at the time of the New World settlements.

So take advantage of this weekend to refresh yourselves, appreciate the beautiful New England fall days, and come back to school ready to learn.

Practice, Practice, Practice

In math, we've been working on dividing with a one-digit divisor.  This week we will delve even deeper into division, using two-digit divisors.  In order to be successful at this, students need to have a firm grasp of their multiplication facts.  I encourage you to work with your child to practice these facts, switching back and forth between multiplication and division problems in order to develop fact fluency.  Just as with reading, the greater a student's fluency with these basic facts, the greater their comprehension of mathematics will become. 

Practice also relates to other content areas.  Later this week, our class will be having a social studies test.  Study skills take practice.  In class, we will talk about how we can study and what strategies can be used.  Discuss with your child what works best for them.  As a child, I used to pretend to "teach class" when I studied.  What creative, and effective, ways can you and your child develop to help them learn?

Practice isn't just for sports.  Learning takes practice too.