Math
The month of October passed swiftly as the fourth/fifth/sixth graders conducted investigations, interpreted data, thought critically while doing logic, geometry, and number problems, and cooperated in the planning of the Haunted Willows.
October began with the Harvest Festival and the with it the traditional Apple Investigation. Students each chose an apple from the orchard, made predictions about its circumference, weight, and ounces of juice and then figured the actuals. The students recorded their data on a class chart allowing them to make observations and to figure the summary statistics of our data with mean (average), median, and mode.
Throughout most of October, counting and recording the Drive for Schools’ money became a daily ritual. The students became experts at counting by 5s into the hundreds. It was fun to watch as we drew closer to our goals and the level of excitement increased.
The Haunted Willows took over a number of our math classes as our annual Halloween party approached. From inception to completion, the process provided numerous opportunities for learning as the students navigated their vision into a reality. It took creativity, cooperation, team work, and perseverance.
Towards the end of October, the fourth/fifth/sixth graders practiced their measurement skills with the Pumpkin Caper. A pair of students investigated a pumpkin by making predictions and figuring the weight, circumference, number of lines and seeds, and whether or not their pumpkin would sink or float. Measurements were taken to the nearest quarter inch and recorded in decimal form. The data collected was recorded in their math activity books and on a class chart. Once again, the class then figured the summary statistics of our data: mean (average), median, mode, and range. The students studied the data looking for correlations such as the greater the circumference, the greater the weight. In addition, the students cooperated on carving the shared pumpkin, creating the jack-o-lanterns for our Halloween party!
Continued work in all the strands during our quiet time and mental math activities allowed the kids to explore logic, geometry, algebra, place value, and more. Independent work in geometry books and on the Balance Out task cards peppered the curriculum.
Everyone is working on mastery with the multiplication and division facts. Our formal weekly facts quiz begins next week. It’s imperative for the students to practice these facts at home in order to increase and maintain fluency. Check with your child to see which facts they have down and which they need to practice. Each of the students has made a set of at least 5 or 6 triangle flash cards for practice.
The students absolutely love Preferred Activity Time (P.A.T.) where they have 10-15 minutes each week to explore their own mathematical interests. Their choices reflect a delightful array of interests from creativity with pattern blocks, to intense concentration with origami paper folding, to fanciful explorations with liquid measurements, to independent work in their geometry book, and much more!
