Math Matters - Mrs. Sanders, Honors Math Teacher
 

 Fourth Grade

October 18, 2004

 Dear Fourth Grade Honors Math Parents,

 Fourth grade Honors Math Students have finished the Nig Numbers Unit.  Students can estimate and work with large numbers with ease, showing advanced number sense in this area.

 Last week, they began a unit on factors and multiples in the book Prime Time.  Through investigations, students will address the basics of number theory:  factors, multiples, prime and composite numbers, even and odd numbers, greatest common factor (GCF), and least common multiple (LCM).  Through their work in the investigations, students will discover the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic:  Every whole number can be written as the product of prime numbers in exactly one way.  That is, each whole number corresponds to a unique prime factorization.

 Fourth grade Honors Math Students will be consistently working on Honors Math Mini-math and Mental Math Skills Review.  Our district emphasizes that these aspects of the curriculum provide important assessments for learning and of learning.  These assessments provide meaningful feedback for the students and me.  The students can take responsibility for their learning and I can adjust instruction.

 In today�s Math Holder Folder, you will find your child�s mid-term grades.  Please remove and keep everything in the folder.  Your signature on the communication sheet will indicate you have reviewed the grades with your Honors Math student.

 I look forward to meeting with you, your child, and your child�s classroom teacher at conferences.  We will all meet together in your child�s classroom at your scheduled conference time.  I will be sending grades home with report cards the Monday before conferences.

Fifth Grade

October 18, 2004

 Dear Fifth Grade Honors Math Parents,

 Today the fifth grade Honors Math Class began an exciting mathematical problem solving project.  �Rescue at Boone�s Meadow� is one episode of The Adventures of Jasper Woodbury on a videodisc.  Each Jasper episode has a narrative story that ends with a challenging problem for students to solve.  �Rescue at Boone�s Meadow� provides a real-world complex trip-planning situation.  Students have been building their skills for the required distance/rate/time content area.  Be sure to ask your child about the problem!

 Students have received a point system, which sets the criteria for quality work.  They must support each other as they replay the videodisc and move through the four steps of problem solving: understand, plan, carry out, and look back.  Even though they have worked together, each student will submit his/her own write-up.  We will spend three days word-processing the explanation, first on Quick Pads, then in the computer lab.  The final write- up for �Rescue at Boone�s Meadow� will be due Friday, October 29.

 Fifth grade Honors Math Students will be consistently working on Honors Math Mini-math and Mental Math Skills Review.  Our district emphasizes that these aspects of the curriculum provide important assessments for learning and of learning.  These assessments provide meaningful feedback for the students and me.  The students can take responsibility for their learning and I can adjust instruction.

 In today�s Math Holder Folder, you will find your child�s mid-term grades.  Please remove and keep everything in the folder.  Your signature on the communication sheet will indicate you have reviewed the grades with your Honors Math student.

 I look forward to meeting with you, your child, and your child�s classroom teacher at conferences.  We will all meet together in your child�s classroom at your scheduled conference time.  I will be sending grades home with report cards the Monday before conferences.