October 31 - November 4

Happy Halloween!!

It's hard to believe that we've already been in school for two months. We continue to be very busy in all our math classes.

Grade 4:

• Students just finished a short unit on adding and subtracting with estimating.
• Students rounded off numbers to the nearest hundred and thousand.
• Students also learned how to do front-end estimation.

Grade 5:

• The students also completed a unit on estimation:
• Students learned how to estimate using three different strategies:
• front-end 
• compensation
• compatible numbers
• Students used their addition and subtraction skills when estimating

Multiplication Fluency

• Once again, I strongly recommend that you spend some time with your son or daughter and practice his or her multiplication facts. 
• We continue to practice in class, but more home study is necessary for students to memorize their facts.

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October 14

Hello everyone.

• In our short week last week, students started a unit on estimation. Here are the outcomes that students need to be able to demonstrate by the end of this unit:

Grade 4:
a) Describe a situation in which an estimate rather than an exact answer is sufficient.
b) Estimate sums and differences using different strategies (e.g., front-end estimation and compensation).

Grade 5:
Develop and apply personal strategies for estimation and computation including: 

• front-end rounding
• compensation
• compatible numbers.

• This week, we will learn the above concepts. Students will have a quiz next Monday.
• A review sheet will go home with the students on Thursday.

Multiplication Facts:

• Please review with your child his or her multiplication facts.
• Throughout the year, students will be tested on their facts. By the end of the year, it is hoped that each student will know his or her facts by heart.
• We will practice in class, but it is very important to spend time at home to practice as well (I only have a limited number of classes to teach math).
• We have already gone through the zeros, ones and twos. 
• This week, we will practice the five times table.
• There are many online resources to use to help your child learn his or her facts.

Have a great week!!

First Post

Hi everyone. If you are reading this, then you have located the place where you will find information about what's happening in your child's math class. Check back often for updates. Also, check your child's agenda.

It's hard to believe that we've been in school for one month already. In that time, your child has done a lot of math. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Students wrote math assessments at the beginning of the year. Results from these tests have helped me plan instruction for the needs of the students.
2. Because this is a split class, we are going to look at the same math concepts with some differences between the grade 4 and 5 outcomes.
3. The outcomes we studied last month include:
1. Grade 4: N4.1 - Demonstrate an understanding of whole numbers to 10 000 (pictorially, physically, orally, in writing, and symbolically)
2. Grade 5: N5.1 - Represent, compare, and describe whole numbers to 1 000 000 within the contexts of place value and the base ten system, and quantity.
4. Students completed a review sheet on Friday. They should have taken this sheet home.
5. Students will have a quiz on Tuesday (if we have an assembly, the quiz will be on Wednesday). Students will write this information in their agenda.

Homework:

Students will get some homework throughout the year. Most homework will be work your child did not finish in class. 

Multiplication Facts:

Once again, one of our goals for our school is math fluency. We want students to become proficient in their multiplication facts. Please help your child at home to learn these facts. I will be sending home some information to show what facts your child needs to work on.

There are a lot of online sites that students can use to practice their facts. As well, old fashion flash cards still do the trick.

Reminder:

Math test on Wednesday, October 5

If you have any questions, please contact me at the school or through email at ron.cronan@htcsd.ca.

I look forward to working with your child this year.

Mr. Cronan