SOLs Covered: 6.PFA.4 Inequalities; 6.CE.2 Integer Operations
Math Unit: 03 Inequalities; 04 Integer Operations
Daily Agenda: September 23-27, 2024
Upcoming Assessments: FORM Quiz 4 Integer Operations: Addition & Subtraction (Fri. 10/4)
Happy Friday! I'm more than ready to head out for the weekend, so let's get straight into this week's math happenings. The week started with our inequalities quiz. While the kids have a decent understanding of the more straightforward questions, some are still struggling with the contextual situations, otherwise known as word problems or story problems. This is fairly common in the world of math and I'm sure some of you might have even felt a shiver go down your spine at just reading the phrase word problems, but the best remedy for this is for students to start recognizing where these things do actually pop up in the real world. We will of course continue to review this all year long, but if families can also help reinforce this at home by talking about the math that surrounds you on a daily basis, it will help kids connect more and more to the topics we cover. It doesn't have to be anything crazy, but point things out when opportunities present themselves: measurements while cooking, adjusting recipes for more or less servings, cost of items in the grocery store, sales while shopping, situations like the slideshow we covered for inequalities, building things, taking measurements, scheduled games or appointments, really anything that has a number or shape. I created a resource for families last year when I was at Enon ES and this slide has additional resources that can help families reinforce and help with math at home. Some are geared specifically for elementary (so feel free to use if you have younger children!), but others have a broader audience.
I'm in the process of reaching out to families about grades for students who are at risk of failing for the term, but if you can help by checking grades on ParentVUE, it would be greatly appreciated. Most students who are at risk have one or more missing assignments or even quizzes, but everything on those lists can be completed at home at this point and yes, they're allowed to use their notes. Most students also have another attempt left of some of the graded work. Additionally, I have set up two extra credit opportunities and will continue to set up new ones for each unit we cover; these are all being placed in their own module towards the top of the class Canvas modules page. I will hopefully have the Unit 3 extra credit opportunity added at the beginning of next week and one for Unit 4 will be ready to go towards the end of that unit.
Speaking of Unit 4, we started integer operations this week. So far we've only talked about addition after starting with some basic integer review. While we've only modeled basic questions at started talking about the more traditional algorithm at this point, they've been doing fairly well with it. Some kids have taken to using counters/chips while others feel more comfortable with the number line and a few others even prefer the algorithm. While I wish they could pick whichever method works best for them (in a perfect world they could), the SOLs require the kids not only be familiar with each, they will get questions presented in all three ways (along with some thrown into the previously mentioned dreaded word problem format), so they have to be able to do all of the methods. We've had to fuss at a few about making sure they include all the parts I showed on the board without taking shortcuts ("If I write it, you write it!"), so if you could also help reinforce this message at home, it would be appreciated. Details matter in most things in life, but this is especially true for math. To help with this, I include an "answer keys" module to accompany every unit module; I don't give them the keys to everything, but I do for the items that also count as notes or provide examples they are then expected to use to help guide them for their independent work.
Well, that should cover everything but as always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Hope everyone has a great weekend despite the rainy forecast!