Math Update Unit 9

We have started Unit 9 which has four main areas of focus: 
                                                      
          * To multiply and divide with multiples of 10, 100 and 1,000
          * To use mental math to multiply
          * To share money, and
          * To find the products of 2-digit numbers


The students will be working with two strategies to solve multiplication problems with 2-digit numbers.  The strategies are known as partial products algorithm and the lattice method.  These methods may appear confusing at first but the students will achieve a level of success with each of them.  They will be able to choose to work with the method they are more comfortable with after exposure to both.  I need your help in getting your child to understand both of these strategies. As such I am reposting the link to EDM to help you help your child with questions on these strategies.  To help with computation:

http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/educators/computation/
http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/index.shtml

Literacy Update

For the next two weeks we will be focusing on the genre of biographies.  In our anthology we are reading The Many Lives of Benjamin Franklin by Aliki.  To enhance this study each student has chosen a biography from the Who was... ? or Who is...? series to read independently.  The students will use class time next week to create a poster showcasing the person or people thay have read about.  In class, the students will write a brief report, sharing interesting facts from their book.  The poster will also include a time-line of the person's life, a decorated cut out of the person, a stamp or coin designed by the student honoring their person and a blue ribbon award commenting on this person's contribution to the world. The students have already shown a great deal of enthusiasm for the biography/person that they chose, sharing facts they have already learned. This poster will require a great deal of effort from the students but the finished product will be well worth it. I'm hoping to have student's share what they've learned with parents and family members after their Recorder Concert on May 25th. 

Literacy Update

We are finishing up Stone Fox, if you still have a copy of the book at your house, I ask that you please send it back to school. The students enjoyed the story of a ten year old Wyoming boy, who enters a dog sled race to save his grandfather's farm.

For our next book we will be back in our anthology reading Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z Guiberson. This story follows the life of a saguaro cactus from seed to death as it becomes home to birds, bats, insects, and many other animals that need shelter from their harsh desert surroundings.

   If you'd like to extend your child's understanding of any of our anthology stories you can visit the following website provided by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill:

www.mhschool.com/reading

Math Update

We are finishing up Unit 8 on Fractions in math this week. We will be having our Unit Test on Wednesday, April 13th. Look for the review packet to be coming home on Monday.

I've attached two excellent links to help with any questions you may have about our Everyday Math curriculum. I encourage you to review our upcoming Unit 9 Multiplication and Division. We will be focusing on partial-products algorithm for multiplying 1 and 2 digit numbers, as well as developing readiness skills for division. If you are unfamiliar with partial products algorithm, including lattice multiplication, I encourage you to visit these sights:
http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/educators/computation/
http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/index.shtml