Commonly Asked Questions from Parents

In September, we have a curriculum event called "All Stars Tour" which is a chance for famiies to come in and see curriculum materials. Here is the handout given for that night, that explains all things 5th grade at Aldrich. 

In IXL, students get points for correct math answers and lose points for incorrect answers. This allows them to get a targeted amount of practice on the skill. Students who need more practice receive more problems and instant feedback on errors and correct answers. 

Sometimes this skill ties directly to what we learned in class that week. Other times it will be "throw back" skills from earlier in the year to ensure they are retaining the math skills needed.

Every skills has videos that accompany the skill, so students can see instruction to remind them how to complete the skill. Also encourage them to look at the work examples when they get a problem incorrect, to find their error. 

Students have typically the entire week to complete the math homework. Some students benefit from a little bit of practice each day while others prefer to complete the whole assignment in one setting. I encourage you not to have you child work for more than 20 minutes at a time and take a break if they are feeling frustration. Sometimes time away for the skill to process will be beneifical for them. 

IXL is a subscription based online learning platform that provides practice in both Language Arts and Math.

Your child accesses IXL through their clever app on their school ipad. (They can also sign into clever on a home device!) It is important your child signs into his/her account so they get credit for their work!

We will use ixl in a variety of ways:

• homework practice where students get instant feedback on their work

• guided practice during class time following a lesson on a skill

• Individualized skill plan based on their MAP scores to help them grow in Language Arts and Math at their own pace. 

Our rule of thumb for practice is a smart score of 80 or above. IXL homework will be worth 10 points. The points will be determined by the smart score. I will always have the smart score needed for a specific grade next to the assignments in the homework tab. 

If your child is scoring proficiently on class work, really no extra work is needed at home! But, if you would like some educational practice here are a few activities that are beneficial:

• Practice multiplication facts. I can send home flash cards if you wish, but there are also many online games and apps that you can use! You can "gamify" your practice with flash cards by adding the cards to your favorite family board game. Your child can answer a fact before they can move.

• Read books together at home. Your child should be doing daily reading at school, but extra reading at home is always beneficial. If your child is reluctant to read independently, try reading a chapter book together. Ask them questions about the story and explain important vocabulary they might not know!

• IXL individualized skill practice. The IXL platform your child has access to has a skill plan that is directly aligned to their MAP scores. It gives questions that give immediate feedback and lessons to teach skills they may have not learned yet.