Last week was an exciting week in 5th Grade Math as students were making nice number connections. They are beginning to see how different strategies like doubling and halving can be an easy way to solve more difficult equations. Ask your child to show you how it works.
This past week students worked on volume and surface area of rectangular prisms and were given a quick checkpoint assessment to show their understanding and areas of need for instruction. As a teacher, I am so pleased with students' attentiveness in class and the way students are absorbing the concepts being taught. That said, completing homework for some seems to be challenging. I understand it is soccer season, but I also expect students to complete their work. Homework in math is given about 2 times per week, so it's not a heavy deluge of work. Students have been given both my home and cell phone numbers if they are struggling with any aspect of their homework. I encourage calls (preferably before 8 p.m.).
We have also begun work with factors and multiples. 5th Grade math introduces many skills that will be used throughout the middle school years. Any and all practice of multiplication tables will greatly increase students' abilities to work efficiently and effectively in seeing number relationships. Knowing one's multiplication tables will improve overall math fluency. YouTube has great tutorials to assist in this learning using music and movement to aid in the memorization of facts.
I look forward to another great week of learning in Fifth Grade Math!
