Probability

This week we wrap up geometry with a review of area and perimeter. We learned about volume of rectangular prisms and the formula LxWxH. Students also learned to estimate circumference.

Next week we will spend a few days reviewing fractions and working more deeply with mixed numbers and improper fractions.

We'll spend a few days exploring probability through various activies including pulling a colored cube from a bag, rolling dice and spinning two spinners. Students will explain possible outcomes through fractions and learn the language of probability.

Four Fours

After a week of testing, this Friday I will present a little math challenge called the Four Fours. (SHHHH, don't tell your kids). Using four fours, subtraction, addition, multiplication, division, exponents and square roots try to create each number between 1 and 25.
Example: 44-44=0

I'll post results in the hallway!

New Math WEbsites

Math Zapper is a nice flash based website to review fractions, decimals and percents. Very clear with step by step instructions.



Time for Time resource for teaching kids about time.

Geometry and Fractions

Our units are flying by! In our Daily Math time I'm introducing geometry terms including parts of a circle, types of polygons, types of lines, and angles. The kids are taking it all in while we continue on working with fractions.

We've learned parts of a whole, parts of a set, comparing fractions and ordering fractions. I showed the students how to think of fractions in relationship to 0, 1/2, or a whole. We learned the smaller the denominator the larger the part or group. We successfully reduced fractions and added and subtracted fractions with like denominators! All this in just three days as Alice Jr. at the middle school and our trip to the Alliance Theater prevented us from meeting on Wednesday and Thursday.

Next week more on Geometry including finding area and perimeter!

fractions!

The class is loving learning about fractions! A great first few days were spent on parts of a whole, parts of a group, equivalent fractions and reducing fractions. This is a breeze! I'll start introducing geometry terms and concepts over the next two weeks.

A lot of you have asked for ideas to support your children's math skills. I'll try to post more links over the next few weeks.

The Armor Games website has a number of great games including:

Light Bot - move the robot and turn on the lights using functions.

Liquid Measure - move the capacity takes and fill them with a given about - don't waste a drop! Great for spacial reasoning.

Demolition City - place dynamite to blow up a building below a certain level. Great for logic, spacial reasoning and cause and effect. I like this one.

Enjoy!

Measurement

Over the next few weeks we are switching gears again and will focus on customary and metric measurement. We will continue to review operations and graphing skills as we proceed. I'm excited to apply our multiplication skills with converting units of measurement. I think the class will welcome the shift.

The Epic Division Test

This week in math has certainly been a challenge! Long division is more of a marathon than a sprint, and we finally crossed the finish line! I'm pleased with your students' hard work and their determination - after much encouragement - to thoroughly check their work. With the holiday Monday and a field trip Thursday we didn't have a very fluid week to finish our test. Come Friday we were ready to have some fun! A new DynaMath plus a data collection activity and a 100th Day of School Challenge was a great way to end the week.

Next week we will begin data collection and analysis. Through a number of different examples including rolling dice and flipping coins, we will examine probability. We will create surveys and present our data through different visual charts including pictograms, bar graphs and tally charts.

I think we are all ready for something different, but division won't be left behind! We will review through mini-quizzes each week.

Happy New Year!

My math resolution is to keep this paper better updated. This month is division and statistics. We will continue to practice division daily while working on data collection, data reading, finding the mean, median, mode and range. Should be a good change for 2010.

Multiplication and Division

It seems like the whole month of November has been all about multiplication!

Students are making good work of the different steps involved with multiplying 2 and 3 digit numbers by 2 digit numbers.

The month of December will be all about division. Students will first learn to estimate answers, how to look for a close answer and then all the steps in the algorithm of long division. I'll teach the mnemonic of Does Mcdonnalds Serve Cheese Burgers Regularly to remind them to:

Divide
Multiply
Subtract
Compare
Bring down
Remainder.

We will continue problem solving with charts, pictographs, bar graphs. We will learn to find the mean, mode, and range of a set of data. We will comparasion shop and find unit prices. To help with this we could really use some cans and jars (spreads, jelly, beans, etc) that still have a label with the number of ounces on them. If you remember the price, you can write that in sharpie or I'll make it up! These will be used December 16-18.

Taking multiplication to the next level

Over the next few weeks we will begin multiplying larger number (3 and 4 digit numbers) by one and two digit numbers. Our problem solving will include looking for patterns, multi step problems and making graphs. Students will explore functions and create function charts, graph functions and write expressions to represent their function charts. Welcome to Algebra!

I'm still working on making math groups work for the kids so they can work at their own level and have success.

Multiplication and Division

For the second quarter we will focus on multiplication and division through problem solving, enrichment, games and other activities. We will extend multiplication to multiplying larger numbers by one and two digit numbers. We will learn long division and dividing by two digit numbers. The class has varying skills at this level. I will accelerate the students who are ready to move on and remediate those students who need support. To make this happen I will group the children by their needs and "color code" them for ease of reference. Homework listed on the blog will also be color coded to help distinguish between the groups.

On to multiplication

After an awesome job on their subtraction tests (including a few short answer and a math "essay" question) I quickly assessed the class on their multiplication. Most children have a firm grasp of their facts so my focus will be on problem solving and vocabulary. We will quickly move to multiplication of 2 and 3 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers and then on to division!

Subtraction week...

We finished chapter 4 on subtraction, but it won't go away for long! We always review in daily math and we will continue to see subtraction problems in problem solving. Students are becoming better "estimators" with rounding to the same and different digits.
We worked through a number of choice assignments to apply our operations skills, including 24 Game, math crosswords and puzzles, and problem solving activites.
Please encourage your child to check for errors in their work so they are doing their best.

Grocery Store flyers needed

If you get the Sunday paper, please send in the grocery store flyers. We will use them for an activity on Friday.

I'm working on figuring out why you can't comment. Please choose your name to show up as anonymous and sign your name. Then you will be able to leave a comment. Thanks!

L'Shanah Tova!

Subtraction

We had a very interesting discussion in class today about when to trade (borrow) in subtraction, why we do it, how we write it. The class conversations really get everyone analyzing math routines. I LOVE IT!

End of the Week

We are moving right along in math from addition to subtraction and soon multiplication and division. Our next unit of study on subtraction will involve review of estimation strategies, building a clear foundation of subtraction steps and small group work.

All students took a pre-test on this unit. I'll be working in groups over the next 5-8 lessons teaching the groups at their levels.

I'm made some adjustments to this site - please let me know if you have an easier time commenting. If not, please send me an e-mail and I'll keep working on it!
Shabbat Shalom and enjoy the weekend!

Great Job!

I'm really proud of your hard work on your tests today! You will be so excited to see your awesome scores! Enjoy the night off from homework.
Smiles!

Mental Math Strategies

One of my goals for this year is to help the students take apart numbers and put them back together. We will practice mental math strategies throughout the year including two they already use but may not have had a name for: partial sums or products and compensation.

Partial sums and partial products gives a process to adding and multiplying mentally. With partial sums, students add digits together in the same place value spot then add those values together. No need to carry, borrow, etc.

For example: Students can think of 639 + 478 as

600 + 400= 1,000;
30+70 = 100
9+8 = 17
Then easily add to find the sum of 1,117

Partial products works much the same way:
73 x 4 =
70 x 4 = 280 + 3 x 4 = 12

Then add 280 +12 = 292

With compensation students can take from one number and give to another to make a problem easier to solve.
For example: 592 + 416 =

Students think, "I only need 8 to make 600. I'll take it from the 416."
592 + 416 =
+ 8 -8

600 + 408 = 1008

Incredible Equations

Welcome! This blog is designed to keep you informed of upcoming dates, assignments and other important information from out math class. I hope you find this useful!

From the beginning of school we develop number sense through number sentences connected to the number of days we've been in school. 20 days in school - make sentences that equal 20.

It's called Incredible Equations and it's a great way to take apart numbers.
Kids play with strings of numbers -
1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+10

Kids expand their understanding of order of operations -
5+ (3x5) - 5

Kids learn to factor numbers -
1x20
2x10
4x5

...and develop a deeper knowledge about prime and composite numbers, square numbers, square roots and exponents.

Most importantly, they love it. If I don't have time to call on everyone I get heavy sighs from the class.
Sometimes I just have to teach a lesson.