One of the bonuses of our new math curriculum is that it includes a whole section on Financial Literacy. This is NEW! So far, students have learned about debt, credit and taxes in Canada. We have discussed and explored budgets, and brainstormed what can happen if a budget is not balanced. We've also learned how to calculate sales tax (HST). This has given us a great review of percents, fractions and decimals. 13% = 13/100 = 0.13 We have been practising calculating tax a lot this week (we've learned two different strategies to do this, and students can choose to use the one they like the best). Want to help at home? Review rounding decimals to the closest hundredth! Ex. $45.3763 = $45.38
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This week we rotated through some engaging Lego Fraction Stations to review what we have been learning. Students compared, ordered, created equivalent fractions and converted fractions from improper fractions to mixed numbers, all while having fun! When they completed a station, they recorded their learning on an exit ticket. We've also practised ordering sets of fractions using different strategies:
As we learn about comparing and ordering fractions, we are having FUN! Students used smarties this week to create fractions, find equivalent fractions and determine fractions of a new number (Ex. "What is 5/8 of 24?"). We have learned SEVERAL strategies for comparing fractions. Myth buster: there is no "old math" versus "new math"... there's just MATH! All children learn differently, so as long as their strategy makes mathematical sense and arrives at a correct answer, then it WORKS!
This week we worked through some Fraction Centers to practise the skill of converting between improper fractions and mixed numbers. This is HARD, so please review it with your child. An extra practise worksheet (with answers) is HERE if your child wants some homework on this topic! Photos of our center work are below for additional support: We also reviewed a math task from last week together and discovered many strategies that students actually used to answer questions. Math has MANY 'correct' ways to answer questions (example: students used three different strategies to answer the question below).
As well as reviewing equivalent fractions, this week we've also learned about proper fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers. We've also learned how to place mixed numbers on a number line. Check out our interactive math notebooks about the different types of fractions (and examples!) Want some extra review? *Visualize fractions using this interactive math site. *Watch this 'Finding Equivalent Fractions' video *Review this document (basic explanations) *Equivalent fractions extra practise worksheet Does your child want more challenging work? There is a "Math Extensions" tab up in Google Classroom with harder challenges that they can tackle! It's been a short week, but both the Gr 5s and Gr 6s have done some valuable practise on simplifying fractions and creating equivalent fractions. This included an activity with double dice (FUN!), a simplifying fractions partner activity, and some task cards (still online in Google Classroom). The Gr 5s also completed an escape room on equivalent fractions. All had fun and did well problem solving the answers. Students also enjoyed our Mondrian Art activity, where we explored fractions as parts of a whole when the whole *changes* (ex - what is a third worth when the denominator is 6? 9? 12?). How can you show equivalent fractions in this activity?
Students who do not have their times tables memorized are finding it significantly harder to 'recognize' which multiplication table numbers are part of (when simplifying fractions) . Ex. 36/81 To simplify this fraction, students need to recognize that both the numerator and the denominator are divisible by 9. Those who know their nine times tables can 'see' this quickly, and reduce the fraction to 4/9 easily. Those who don't know their times tables sit at their desks staring at a multiplication chart for a while.... Click HERE to find strategies to help your child memorize their times tables! Next week we are working on equivalent fractions, which will set us up well when we start mixed numbers and improper fractions.
TO REVIEW: *What is a WHOLE? The number ONE used to be an easy concept, but not so much anymore! Which fraction of a whole is bigger: 1 or 99/100? *What is the difference between 8/10 or 8/100? Which fraction is bigger? Why? *Benchmark fractions/decimals/percents (half, quarters and thirds - these conversions should be done mentally) This week, we've started a basic overview of fractions: what they are, terminology, using standard notation/models/number lines, benchmark fractions and relating fractions to our knowledge of decimals/percents. I've noticed that students have some gaps/misconceptions in this number sense area (I'm sure due to previous school closures!) so we are going back to the beginning and reteaching the basics. Next week, we will convert between fractions/decimals/percents and begin to simplify fractions and create equivalent fractions. From there, we'll explore improper fractions and mixed numbers, and start to compare/order sets of fractions. We will continue our fraction learning until March Break, so it's really important that we have the basics understood well. Feel free to ask your child about the following images:
This week, we finished up transformations with a fun review (ask your child about Plickers!), a transformation performance task and a mini quiz. Students did really well and learned a lot! Please ask your child to see their quiz - it went home in their backpacks today (Friday). We also did some coding, and learned a lot about sequencing, loops and conditional statements. Ask your child what character and game they coded. Students also explored how to code using a Micro Bit too! We even made a "Coding Help Desk" where students could ask 'expert coders' their questions!
This week we practised plotting points in the coordinate grid (Gr 5 in the first quadrant and Gr 6 in all four quadrants) and reviewed translations & reflections. We also tackled rotations, which are traditionally a harder part of the math curriculum for students. We really focussed on growth mindset and being kind to ourselves: for MANY students, rotations are quite difficult to see. So, we'll keep that in mind, try our best, and know that if we're struggling with this topic, we're not alone! Students enjoyed a three day rotation, which included 1) Transformation Battleship, 2) an online review activity (found in Google Classroom) and 3) transformation task cards. See below for photos of the fun! Below are some photos of our rotation learning: If your child would like more practise on transformations, reflections and rotations, feel free to review this video and try these tasks below:
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Mrs JorgensenI love math and think math jokes are funny. Not all of them though - just sum. Archives
March 2021
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