Math - Practicing Operations

In Room 209, we've been talking about how learning, especially in the subject of Math, is like building a Jenga tower.

All the new things we learn are stacked on the top of our towers, but if we have a lot of holes in the bottom part our our towers, from those skills we don't know or haven't practiced enough, our new learning will fall right off, rather than it sinking in.

In order to help everyone have a solid tower, we've been practicing a lot in class. We have been focusing on our operational sense and making sure everyone has strong skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Some holes that are in many of Room 209's towers are multiplication tables and a clear understanding of place value. A recommendation for all students is to practice these skills daily. A great way to do that is in conversation with your parents, or "Math Boot Camp", as one family calls it, or by practicing your skills on IXL. Log in and practice place value and the basic operations. Don't forget to have some scrap paper near you as you work so you can work out more complicated questions on that!

IXL Month-Long Trial

I signed our class up for a free one-month IXL trial. IXL is a Math practice and game website and we had our first chance to try it out today.

Each student got two copies of his or her username and password - one to leave at school and one to take home.

I'll be interested to see what everyone thinks and I hope that this is something helpful to practice with either at home or during Pickle time. I think that it can really help us fill up some of our holes in our Math "Jenga Towers". Please feel free to leave your comments about your time on IXL here.

One of the cool things with IXL is that, like Typing Web, I can check out how everyone is doing and see how much time students are spending practicing their skills.

Two great tips from your classmates today:
-when you're practicing addition and subtraction, there is no space on the website to carry or borrow. I am not great at mental math, so I would keep some scrap paper nearby to help me work out questions and problems
-make sure to read your instructions very carefully. The difference between digits and values, for example, are very important

Map Show What You Know Coming Up!

In Room 209, we have been practicing with the world map and Canada maps.

Next Friday, March 8th, we will have a Show What You Know. Students will get two blank maps. One with the continents and oceans (see a filled in version above), and another one with the provinces/territories and capital cities.

Sorry these maps are upside-down. Isaac was doing a head-stand! You have your own copies to practice from in your Social Studies duo-tangs!

 

Here are some study tips we brainstormed:

-take it home, practice without looking!

-practice writing out the list, check it in your book

-write all the words down, try to memorize

-look at the map for a while, try to familiarize yourself, test yourself to see if you can memorize it, practice

-work with a friend or family member

-make up tricks (mnemonic devices)

-colour code to help you remember which is which!

Don't Forget!

Hello Digital Degus,

  Three reminders:
1. Music With a Message is LATE (it was due last Thursday!)
2. Fire Safety Plans are LATE (they were due Monday!)
3. If you want to take an idea and run with it, please think of a way to help the yellow and red light mathematicians with double digit multiplication!

See you tomorrow (Tuesday!)

Shauna

Your Weekend Homework: Area and Perimeter of the Gym

 Remember when we were in the Gym on Friday? Every student measured the length and width of the Gym with a non-standard unit of measurement - his or her feet!

Don't forget that your homework for the weekend is to determine the perimeter and area of the Gym based on your measurements. Also, answer the question: why are some of the measurements so different?

Figure this out using the strategies we've been practicing in class. You may leave your responses in the comment area below or bring them in on Monday!

Good luck!

We Give Books - Your Holiday Homework!

Have you read your five wegivebooks books yet? Remember, for every book you read, the Pearson Foundation donates a book to a child in need! Enjoy five books with our username: room209 and our password: steve and let me know in the comments below.

UPDATE: When you are done a book, the website will ask you to submit an email address. You can submit my email address: shauna.pollock@ocdsb.ca

If someone doesn't have Internet access on holiday, he or she can read five books during the first few weeks back!

Also, if you're feeling particularly philanthropic and have some time in the second week of school break, why not visit freerice?

Happy New Year to you all! I'm enjoying my holiday with my HUGE family in Florida, and look forward to sharing stories with you when I see you next week!

UPDATE #2: January 10th, 2013 - So far, our class has donated 33 books! Gabby, James, Camden, Fiona, Miguel and Thomas have each donated some books and I have gotten emails to let me know! Keep it up!

Class Survey - Furnace Type

To help out the grade 5s in Science, all the Room 209 students had homework on Tuesday night. They had to check at home to find out what kind of furnace their families have.

Here are the results of the survey:

Class Survey

Furnace Type

Oil: Ethan, Lauren, Melodee,

Gas: Daniel, Hunter, Camden, Erika, Fiona, Jackson, Kaleigh, Molly, Thomas, Millie, Haydon

Electric: Reilly, Shauna, Pat

Unknown: Finley, Gabby, James, Madi,  Sophia, Vickie, Jack, Laryssa, Liam, Miguel