Pi day or Pie day... Both

We celebrated National Pi (3.14) last week. The kids brought in their favorite type of pie to share with the class. Each child had to make a circle using a compass, measure the diameter and then use the formula for circumference (Pi times diameter) to find their circumference. Each child then made a Pi necklace or crown to wear for the day. We had over 25 pies brought in ! Needless to say our bellies were very full! Here are some pics of the fun day!

How Low Can You Go? Reducing Fractions

We had a little "Limbo" Fun on the Hundredth Day of school! I dressed up in my grass skirt and Hawaiian Lei and treated the kids to some Limbo fun! The occasion was not only fun but was a great way to teach reducing fractions. The kids have been finding the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) and dividing with it to reduce fractions. Each time we reduce, we say "How Low Can You Go?" We got all the kids into it with some Hawaiian music. Mr. McLeod, our principal, joined us and tried to Limbo... He said he thought he pulled something? :) I am posting some pics of our fun day!

Twas the Week Before Christmas...

This week we are playing a new game called First to 100. Tonight we will be doing a "Game Night" where students can spend time playing with their families. Our targeted skill is solving algebraic equations and variables. We are wrapping up this week with map scales and measuring distances then converting to real mileages.
I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and a restful break!
We'll be back in January learning about Fractions!

Division Dash

Wow! We are finally wrapping up on division unit! The kids have come soooo far. (They all insisted 3 weeks ago they never did division last year, but I know better! :)) Now they are dividing with decimals, converting remainders to decimals, dividing with zeros, etc. I just finished grading a very hard quiz and was soooo pleased with the results. We will wrap up this week and spend next week reviewing the 1st semester stuff.

I'm really happy with tutoring this year. I had about 15 kids who stayed last week. If your kid is struggling, please take advantage of the free tutoring every Thursdays until 3:15.

We have learned 2 new games this month. Division dash and the Noodle games are both very fun and can easily be played at home. If you are looking for some quality time to spend with your kiddo, ask them to teach you at home. We will have game night on Thursday of this week.

Multiplication strategies

This week we are beginning 2 and 3 digit multiplication. Most parents will feel comfortable with the traditional algorithm that they learned as a child. Don't be surprised if your child comes home trying a new way called "lattice" multiplication. I learned this method a few years ago and really grew to love it. I will expose the kids to both and ultimately let them choose. Lattice works for those kids who are neat and can draw the boxes well. Regardless of the method they choose, it is really helpful if each parent will spend a few minutes each night to review the steps. Children can get lost in the process and really need some one on one time with a teacher or parent to master this important skill. I'm asking each parent to help out, since there is not enough of me to go around. Try 2 problems a night for a week and see if you notice an improvement.
Don't forget to be studying those multiplication facts each week, too. This is the most important and useful skill in math. It can either make or break the child in the upcoming middle school years.

Great Math Web Sites for Fun

If you are looking for some fun ways to get math practice, try the following math websites:
www.aplusmath.com
www.aaamath.com
www.coolmath.com
www.funbrain.com
Also, don't forget your child has a password for www.EMgames.com
There is a video on my blog for how to log onto the website.

This is a short video on Factor Trees (Prime Factorization) and how to write a factor string. Mr. B has been doing Factor trees in music as well!