The Mathematical Magicians

2nd Nine Week Standards

Dear Parents:

The objectives listed below will be used to lead your child to mastery of the concepts covered in the 2^nd Quarter.

 Fractions

• Find equivalent fractions and simplify fractions
• Compare fractions and justify the comparison
• Add and subtract common fractions with unlike denominators
• Find common denominators using different models
• Use fractions and decimals interchangeably

 Multiplication and Division of Fractions

• Estimate products and quotients
• Understand division of whole numbers can be represented as fraction (a/b = a ÷ b)
• Model the multiplication and division of common fractions

• Use variables to represent unknown quantities in algebraic expressions
• Substitute of numbers for the unknown in simple  algebraic expressions

 Data

• Analyze data presented in a graph
• Compare and contrast multiple graphic representations (circle graphs, line graphs, bar graphs, line plot, Venn diagrams, pictographs) for a single set of data
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each
• Collect, organize, and display data using the most appropriate graph
• Determine the mean, mode, range and median of a set of data
• Apply percents to circle graphs

SKILLS TUTOR OUTAGE/Use of Technology in Learning

Please note that we have been in contact with the Skills Tutor techies and the outage is temporary. Please release the current assignments from the "to do" list. We greatly appreciate the children who participated prior to the deadline. We have learned a lot about the program and how to individualize it for students. We realize there was a glitch with the timing for the facts also.

I will attend further training on Nov. 2nd to help smooth the waters and we will make a second attempt to assign the class and some individuals certain tasks through Skills Tutor.

ALSO...the children will be using I Respond to test regularly in fifth grade and beyond. The Nine Week Post Test was given yesterday on paper first and then the children were to input their answers into the system by remote control. This format will be expected regularly with testing. Although the paper test is there for documentation, the children will be held accountable for using the technological piece with accuracy. It is a very simple system. When directions are followed and students are focused, this is a very successful means of pinpointing individual areas for growth.

We are looking forward to a great week of conferences. See you then!

 

 

 

 

DATE CHANGED! Post test to be given OCT. 17th!

Howdy Folks!

ITBS Week is the week of Oct. 10th - Oct. 14th.

Therefore, the NINE WEEK POST TEST WILL BE GIVEN IN CLASS ON MONDAY, OCT. 17th.

The MATH section of the ITBS will be a great practice test on the week prior to the FINAL EXAM for CLASS.

STUDYING FOR THE NINE WEEK POST TEST/Other Options

Dear Parents,

 Other than the traditional means of study such as reviewing text and classwork, I would like to offer a technological means for students to study for the post test. Skills Tutor is up and running with student logins available and assignments posted. Please remember that the FINAL fact tests in four areas(addition,subtraction,multiplication,addition) are mandatory by October 14th online.The other two assignments are basic and great study tools also! 

ALSO: MATH GAMES that support our standards are available. Please see the GM WEBLINK notebook and help your child prepare for the test by offering them technology time that is geared toward the standards for a fifth grader. Rain Forest Math and Math Playground are both excellent and child friendly. In addition to those, one of my favorite places to use for a "gaming", "edutainment" experience is:

http://www.mrnussbaum.com/mathgames.htm

It is best of course to use those games that support the standards for the test such as....

World Cup Math, Rounding Master, Place Value Pirates, Decimals of the Carribean, Hotel Decimalfornia, Death to Decimals, Estimation Valley Golf, Factorization Forest, Order Ops, Best Math Friends, Lunch Lady, Golden Path, Home Run Derby Math.

I hope this helps the adults when the children ask to use technology time for study purposes.Thank you for supporting our children in the technology age as they enter their world of education where technology will be their mainstay in their educational processes.