Monday: No school or homework
Tuesday: No. Corner pages 60-62
Wednesday: Practice for Math Olympics
Thursday: Bridges Student Workbook: pp. 44-45
Choose one of the problem solving activities on page 44, circle the letter.
On page 45, write the letter of the problem you are solving and why. Then, solve the
problem. You do not need base ten paper. You can draw your sketch and labels on the
room provided on page 45.
Showing posts with label Problem Solving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Problem Solving. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Sunday, October 18, 2009
New Homework Expectations
Dear Parents,
I have just spent several hours correcting last week's homework and there are several things I have noticed. Every year I find myself overloaded with homework. We have tried sending home different homework packets and scoring them in different ways, but I always spend more time scoring then the students spend actually doing the work. My husband gets very lonely on the weekends. =)
First, homework is important to your child's academic growth. The homework we provide helps them practice the skills we are learning in class and it gives me a chance to see who understands the concepts and who need more instruction. For this reason, I want to honor the time the students put into the work and review everything they do. Unfortunately, with 25 students and 4 double-sided homework sheets it can be a very time consuming job. So, in order to make the homework worth the students' time, and mine, I am going to implement a new Homework Policy:
READING:
1. It is of the utmost importance that students read at least 30 minutes an night for at least 5 nights a week.
2. The books should be at their "just right" level. The students have taken a STAR reading test that gives them an A.R. reading level. They should be reading books in the A.R. range. As I've state before, reading just right books is the best way to improve their reading skills.
3. The reading logs must be filled in correctly. One of the targets we have in fourth grade is to write the titles of books correctly. This means, the each word in the title is capitalized (except for small words such as: a, an, is...) and the title is underlined. The title needs to be written out each day. The students need to write the page number for the page they start their reading on and the page number of the page they stop on. They need to write the correct amount of time they spent reading. I see a lot of 41,41,41,41...it makes me wonder sometimes.The reading log should be signed and dated by a parent or guardian.
4. They should take at least one A.R. test a week. These tests help me track how much they are reading, what level they are reading, and whether they comprehend what they read. It is a good way for me to check on their progress.
5. This week, I will be showing the students different "reading response" activities that they will need to complete once a month. They will be able to choose their own project, book, and when they do it.
6. I am working on a web site that will post reading activities they can do at home or at school. I will let you know when their first assignments are available online.
The reading log rubric and scoring will remain the same and the due date will be every Monday.
MATH:
I have really noticed a lot of students are not writing the math, or how they solved the problems, on their homework. I need to see the work to understand how they are completing the work. This is important whether they get the answer or not. It let's me know if they understand the concepts or where they are misunderstanding. Also, students are not labeling their work. This is very important at the fourth grade level. Money needs to have the $ sign in front of it, if the answer is 6 muffins then the word "muffin" must be written after the number otherwise it is a "naked" number and I will not know what the 6 stands for. For these reasons, my non-negotiable math expectations are as follows:
1. Students must do the math work on the homework sheets to "prove" how they found their answer.
2. All answers must and most work, must be labeled or it is incorrect.
IN GENERAL:
1. All homework must have a name on it or it will go into the "red box" and will not be graded. After Winter Break it will go into the "recycle box."
2. All writing, including math and reading responses, must have all the convention non-negotiable completed correctly. Each child has a copy in his or her homework folder, silent reading spiral, and in their composition book.
3 out of the 4 nights students will receive one of the following scores:
0=The homework was not turned in or very little was completed
1=More then half was completed but some was left undone or had many errors
2=The work was complete and all expectations were met.
1 day out of the 4 students will receive one of the following scores (according to the homework rubric in their homework folder:
A score of 1,2,3, or 4,for Accuracy
A score of 1,2,3, or 4 for Neatness
A score of 1,2,3, or 4 for Completeness
I hope the new homework policy helps me and the students do our best on the homework.
Thanks you for your understanding with the changes.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Jagla
I have just spent several hours correcting last week's homework and there are several things I have noticed. Every year I find myself overloaded with homework. We have tried sending home different homework packets and scoring them in different ways, but I always spend more time scoring then the students spend actually doing the work. My husband gets very lonely on the weekends. =)
First, homework is important to your child's academic growth. The homework we provide helps them practice the skills we are learning in class and it gives me a chance to see who understands the concepts and who need more instruction. For this reason, I want to honor the time the students put into the work and review everything they do. Unfortunately, with 25 students and 4 double-sided homework sheets it can be a very time consuming job. So, in order to make the homework worth the students' time, and mine, I am going to implement a new Homework Policy:
READING:
1. It is of the utmost importance that students read at least 30 minutes an night for at least 5 nights a week.
2. The books should be at their "just right" level. The students have taken a STAR reading test that gives them an A.R. reading level. They should be reading books in the A.R. range. As I've state before, reading just right books is the best way to improve their reading skills.
3. The reading logs must be filled in correctly. One of the targets we have in fourth grade is to write the titles of books correctly. This means, the each word in the title is capitalized (except for small words such as: a, an, is...) and the title is underlined. The title needs to be written out each day. The students need to write the page number for the page they start their reading on and the page number of the page they stop on. They need to write the correct amount of time they spent reading. I see a lot of 41,41,41,41...it makes me wonder sometimes.The reading log should be signed and dated by a parent or guardian.
4. They should take at least one A.R. test a week. These tests help me track how much they are reading, what level they are reading, and whether they comprehend what they read. It is a good way for me to check on their progress.
5. This week, I will be showing the students different "reading response" activities that they will need to complete once a month. They will be able to choose their own project, book, and when they do it.
6. I am working on a web site that will post reading activities they can do at home or at school. I will let you know when their first assignments are available online.
The reading log rubric and scoring will remain the same and the due date will be every Monday.
MATH:
I have really noticed a lot of students are not writing the math, or how they solved the problems, on their homework. I need to see the work to understand how they are completing the work. This is important whether they get the answer or not. It let's me know if they understand the concepts or where they are misunderstanding. Also, students are not labeling their work. This is very important at the fourth grade level. Money needs to have the $ sign in front of it, if the answer is 6 muffins then the word "muffin" must be written after the number otherwise it is a "naked" number and I will not know what the 6 stands for. For these reasons, my non-negotiable math expectations are as follows:
1. Students must do the math work on the homework sheets to "prove" how they found their answer.
2. All answers must and most work, must be labeled or it is incorrect.
IN GENERAL:
1. All homework must have a name on it or it will go into the "red box" and will not be graded. After Winter Break it will go into the "recycle box."
2. All writing, including math and reading responses, must have all the convention non-negotiable completed correctly. Each child has a copy in his or her homework folder, silent reading spiral, and in their composition book.
3 out of the 4 nights students will receive one of the following scores:
0=The homework was not turned in or very little was completed
1=More then half was completed but some was left undone or had many errors
2=The work was complete and all expectations were met.
1 day out of the 4 students will receive one of the following scores (according to the homework rubric in their homework folder:
A score of 1,2,3, or 4,for Accuracy
A score of 1,2,3, or 4 for Neatness
A score of 1,2,3, or 4 for Completeness
I hope the new homework policy helps me and the students do our best on the homework.
Thanks you for your understanding with the changes.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Jagla
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Math during Conference Week
In math this week, we will begin focusing a lot of our attention on multiplication facts and fluency (the rate facts are recalled and answered correctly). Knowing multiplicaion is so important at this level. Students must know their facts to complete word problems with proficiency. Students can be distracted from completing multi-step story problems (problem-solving activities) when they have to stop to figure out basic math facts.
I want this to be fun, not arduous and defeating, so I have recently purchase an activity book that includes music about multiplication (and they aren't too "corny" to listen too). On Monday, students will start a "multiplication journal" that they will keep in their homework folders. It will include lyrics to songs we are listening to or learning, as a way to learn basic facts, it will also include worksheets they complete in class, and a graph that they can keep track of their progress.
Here are the lyrics to the first song they will hear
(from Words and Music by Kim Mitzo Thompson, Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand, Hal Wright. © Twin Sisters IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved.)
1. You Need a Strategy
When you learn how to play in a soccer game–
when you learn how to multiply–it’s all the same.
There’s one thing–most coaches will agree:
you are going to need a strategy.
Dribble down the field toward the soccer goal.
Think about the rules and what you’ve been told.
Heading or passing or kicking, you will see,
are fine if it’s part of your strategy.
You need a strategy–a plan to help you succeed
in sports or school. Make it routine
to have a strategy, to have a strategy.
Learn all the rules when you multiply.
Practice each day, and I’ll tell you why:
the facts you soon will memorize, because it’s
smart to study and strategize.
If you corner-kick the ball and a point is scored,
or if you get an “A,” what a great reward!
But you can’t deny nor disagree, no,
it’s all because you had a strategy!
(Chorus)
To have a strategy!
To have a strategy!
I want this to be fun, not arduous and defeating, so I have recently purchase an activity book that includes music about multiplication (and they aren't too "corny" to listen too). On Monday, students will start a "multiplication journal" that they will keep in their homework folders. It will include lyrics to songs we are listening to or learning, as a way to learn basic facts, it will also include worksheets they complete in class, and a graph that they can keep track of their progress.
Here are the lyrics to the first song they will hear
(from Words and Music by Kim Mitzo Thompson, Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand, Hal Wright. © Twin Sisters IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved.)
1. You Need a Strategy
When you learn how to play in a soccer game–
when you learn how to multiply–it’s all the same.
There’s one thing–most coaches will agree:
you are going to need a strategy.
Dribble down the field toward the soccer goal.
Think about the rules and what you’ve been told.
Heading or passing or kicking, you will see,
are fine if it’s part of your strategy.
You need a strategy–a plan to help you succeed
in sports or school. Make it routine
to have a strategy, to have a strategy.
Learn all the rules when you multiply.
Practice each day, and I’ll tell you why:
the facts you soon will memorize, because it’s
smart to study and strategize.
If you corner-kick the ball and a point is scored,
or if you get an “A,” what a great reward!
But you can’t deny nor disagree, no,
it’s all because you had a strategy!
(Chorus)
To have a strategy!
To have a strategy!
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