March 1

Happy March 1!

Today we had a special guest join our room to talk a little bit about movement and the brain.  Our school Physiotherapist visited several classes in our school and introduced how we can use small movement breaks to allow us to learn more efficiently.  This fit in really well with our visit from Erin Novak last week.

He showed us that we can do some basic activities like jumping jacks for small amounts of time from 30 seconds to 1 minute at full effort.  This is a simple way to activate our brain and use our muscles. He then showed us how we can adjust these basic activities to make them a little more challenging for our brain, causing our brain to work a little harder.  For example, changing a regular jumping jack to a microjack or a "dab and jack".  By the end of the 40 minutes, we were all sweaty and breathing hard.  We can't wait to implement a few of these moves through the day tomorrow (don't worry class... we won't do these all at once again!)

In math today, we also started the carrying method of addition.  Due to all the work we have done with place value and our other strategies, they grasped this concept really well. We still need some practice with it but over the next few days it will be really clear for most students.  We reviewed why it is so important to start with the ones when adding this way and also about what that little "1" means when we put it with the tens.  It is important for students to understand that this little "1" that they move represents the group of ten that was created when adding the ones.  Allowing students to have these different strategies gives them a bank of ways to solve an equation when they get stuck on one.

Next we will do our last strategy which is using friendly numbers.
Ex: 56+26 =
50 +26 = 76
76+6 = 82







Coming Up:

• Mrs. Jordan away Friday morning
• Field Trip to the bird sanctuary Tuesday. Dress warmly!

Feb. 15

We are well on our way with addition, using a variety of strategies.  We are currently working on two digit addition with and without regrouping.  I have attached an explanation of the two strategies that we have been working on.  These are only a few of the many strategies that there are for adding. I am introducing these strategies but there will be students who have their own strategies that work too.  The purpose of introducing a variety of strategies is to give students different options if they get stuck.
Here is the expanded form method of adding. This is a great strategy as it allows students to do this mentally as they become more proficient.

Here is the number line method of adding. This strategy is a good visual reminder for students and allows students to break the numbers up into smaller, more manageable numbers.

So far we have been only adding horizontally. Next week, we will be moving into vertical expanded form and "old fashioned" way.  Yes... this means the way we were taught!  I will post more information next week about where we are at.  You are welcome to practice these strategies at home using any addition number up to 100.  In class, we usually do one question and then check to ensure our answer is right using the other strategy. 

You can have your child practice on IXL using both G.4 and G.5

Just a reminder that we have no school until Tuesday. I hope you all have a restful break :)

Coming up:

• No School until Tuesday

Jan. 17

You know it is a good math lesson when the teachers announces it is snack time and the students go "awwwwww, I don't want to stop math!"

Yes, you read that right.

This is what happened this afternoon. This is every teacher's dream....

Today we applied some of our mental math strategies to an open ended math problem.  We have been working on strategies: counting on, doubles, doubles +1/-1, and most recently making tens.  Today we used the strategy of making ten to help us solve this problem:

Sam scored 10 points in 2 games.  What might his scores be at the end of each game?

We talked about different strategies to help us solve this problem such as using manipulatives and using a chart to help us organize our solutions.  Although it was difficult starting this problem, students did get into it and by the end of the math lesson they were sad to clean up.  This would go well with IXL E.2 - Ways to Make Ten

Here are a few examples of their work from today:

 

Tomorrow as promised, I will give them time to finish this problem!  

Coming up:

• Popcorn day tomorrow
• Early dismissal Friday