Rectangular Arrays for Solving Multiplication Problems with Decimal Fraction

This week, students will be solving multiplication problems with decimal fractions. As with any skill student will learn this year, they will first work with a concrete model. They will then move on to a representational model. And finally, they will learn the more abstract model. The video below explains the models students will be exposed to this week.


Rectangular Arrays with Decimal Fractions

Why do Teachers Use Manipulatives in Math?

I wanted to share this article with you. It shows how one teacher uses manipulatives when introducing new skills in math. Lots of students feel like using manipulatives is not productive in math, but we will be using them a lot in math this year.

Why do Teachers Use Manipulatives in Math?

Partial Quotient Algorithm

Hello all,

I heard you all loud and clear at Open House. Yes, the math I am teaching your children is different from the math we all learned in school. And thank goodness! Math was hard (back then) for students who couldn't memorize the steps or who asked why at all during math class.

The focus has shifted in the past 10 years from memorization of algorithms to a better number sense, an understanding of the why behind the math, and application in a variety of problems. I will be posting videos and articles explaining the rationale behind the my teaching throughout the year, so keep checking back. And don't worry, your children will learn all of the standard algorithms in time, but they may also realize that the most efficient method is not always the standard algorithm! Click the link below to watch my first video on the partial quotient algorithm.

As always, feel free to reach out with any comments or questions. Better yet, make a plan to come in and be a "student for a day" in my math class!


Partial Quotients

Perimeter

Watch the video on Perimeter: Introduction. Once you have finished the video, get out your notebook and in the reference section, add a definition for perimeter. Remember to give an example so that you can calculate perimeter in the future. Then grab a worksheet on perimeter to practice. There is an answer key, so check your own answers. If you have trouble with this assignment, ask an adult for help!

Come and learn how your children are learning math!

Parent Math Night

What Do Our Kids Need to Know About Math?

John Tapper is returning on Thursday, October 27th to talk to MDI parents about the key math topics for each grade level K-6, how to support children when learning math facts, and to introduce strategies for developing mathematical thinking.  He will answer questions about math instruction, ways to support struggling learners, and Maine’s math standards.

Dr. Tapper is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education at the University of Hartford. In addition to 20 years of elementary classroom teaching, he has worked with teachers all over the world to improve math instruction. He is also a researcher and is the author of Solving for Why: Assessing, Teaching, and Understanding Students Who Struggle with Math. He is an alumnus of College of the Atlantic.

The session will be from 6-7:15pm in the MDI high school library. Light refreshments will be provided. Pre-registration with Karen Shields (kshields@mdirss.org) at the MDIRSS Superintendent’s Office is greatly appreciated so we can make sure we have adequate supplies. Childcare may be available -- if you need childcare for children ages 4-8, please contact Karen Shields at 207-288-5049 by Monday, October 24. School-aged students are welcome to attend with a parent/guardian.

Woodlawn Museum

Last week, 5th grade visited Woodlawn Museum. Students learned about the history of apples and how to press cider.

They learned about what makes good growing soil and helped to make a compost pile.















Students listened to George Neptune tell a creation story and share artifacts from the Abbe Museum.

They also took a tour of the Black House and got a glimpse of how people lived during the early 1800's.

5th and 6th Grade Hike on Gorham

We had the most gorgeous day for our hike this year! Here are some shots of the students at the top, reflecting on our hike so far and taking a quiet moment in nature.

Multiplying and Dividing by Powers of Ten

Last week, 5th grade math classes were using this place value chart to help them think about and find patterns.

We started by dividing by ten. Using the chart, we realized that if you have 1 group of millions it was easier to divide if you regrouped the million into 10 one hundred thousands. From there it was easy to divide by ten!

We did something similar with multiplication. Before long students were seeing a pattern.

When you move the decimal point to the right you are multiplying by a power of 10. If you move it to the right two places, you are multiplying by 2 powers of ten (or 100), etc

If you move the decimal to the left, you are dividing by a power of ten. If you move to the decimal to the left two places, you are dividing by 2 powers of ten (or 100), etc

Have a Mathematical Week!

Marshmallow Challenge

Another way we have fostered community and risk taking was through the marshmallow challenge. Students were put into groups with 20 pieces of spaghetti, a yard of tape, a yard of string and a marshmallow. The challenge was to build the tallest, free standing structure that would support a marshmallow. Below are students working working together to come up with a design.

This challenged proved very difficult for the students! Marshmallows are much heavier than you would think. Out of 12 groups, only 6 groups were able to make a structure to support the marshmallow. Here are a few of the groups who had success.

Making Squares

This week my math classes have been collaborating and solving different problems. On this day, students were put into groups and given 5 envelopes. Each envelope contained some of the pieces needed to make 5 squares, all the same size. 

For the first 5 minutes, they were not allowed to talk each other or ask in any way for a puzzle piece. Students had to offer pieces when they thought their piece might help another student. After the 5 minutes were up, the students were able to talk freely.

When we debriefed, students found that making the squares went more quickly when they all worked together, could talk out their ideas, and continually revised their ideas. These are all practices we will be working on this year during math.

Specials Schedule

The 5th grade has been divided into two groups for specials; the green group and the white group. Your child knows which group they are in and here is a look at their specials for trimester 1.

     Green                                                                  White

French and PE                                                     Art and Art

Orch/Study Hall and Health                                Orch/Study Hall and Art

Band/Study Hall and French                               Band/Study Hall and Art

PE and Guidance                                                 French and PE

Health and Health                                               PE and French

New this year, 5th grade students are required to change for PE class, so remember extra clothes on those days!

Great First Day!

Our homeroom class spent the first day of school reconnecting with old friends and meeting new students.

A New Year and A New Grade!

Hello all!

I have been busy this summer thinking and planning for 5th grade. I sent out my letters on August 12th, but thought I would post the list of school supplies here as well.

School Supply List:

__  Trapper Keeper (cloth covered 3 ring binder with zipper or 

velcro closure works best)

__  Zippered pencil pouch (if the trapper keeper doesn’t come with one)

__  Pencils and Erasers

__  6 plastic 3-hole punched pocket folders (1 per content class, homework, and specials)

__  Loose leaf lined paper 

__  Highlighter

__  Handheld pencil sharpener

__  Set of 4 expo markers to share in math class (primary colors only)

__  Earbuds to use with iPads

Optional, but helpful materials to have at home:

__  Glue sticks

__  Colored Pencils

__  Markers

__  Ruler with both metric and inch scales

__  Scissors

I am looking forward to seeing you all again....  :)