Unit 6: Fraction, Positive/Negative #'s, Algebra, and Inequalities

Dear 5V Math Families,

How are you? I hope you are well. I wanted to give you an update on our next unit of study. We will be moving into unit 6 upon our return to school on  April 1st. The unit will span from the 1st to the 16th. Standards of study include relevance to algebra, negative and positive numbers, fractions, and inequalities.

For more specifics please refer to the standards and skill acquisition below:

Standards

 

CC.6.NS.1 Interpret and compute quotients of fractions, and solve word problems involving division of fractions by fractions, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem. For example, create a story context for (2/3) ÷ (3/4) and use a visual fraction model to show the quotient; use the relationship between multiplication and division to explain that (2/3) ÷ (3/4) = 8/9 because 3/4 of 8/9 is 2/3. (In general, (a/b) ÷ (c/d) = ad/bc.) How much chocolate will each person get if 3 people share 1/2 lb of chocolate equally? How many 3/4-cup servings are in 2/3 of a cup of yogurt? How wide is a rectangular strip of land with length 3/4 mi and area 1/2 square mi?

CC.6.NS.3 Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.

CC.6.NS.5 Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe quantities having opposite directions or values (e.g., temperature above/below zero, elevation above/below sea level, debits/credits, positive/negative electric charge); use positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real-world contexts, explaining the meaning of 0 in each situation.

CC.6.NS.6 Understand a rational number as a point on the number line. Extend number line diagrams and coordinate axes familiar from previous grades to represent points on the line and in the plane with negative number coordinates.

CC.6.NS.6a Recognize opposite signs of numbers as indicating locations on opposite sides of 0 on the number line; recognize that the opposite of the opposite of a number is the number itself, e.g., –(–3) = 3, and that 0 is its own opposite.

CC.6.NS.7 Understand ordering and absolute value of rational numbers.

CC.6.NS.7a Interpret statements of inequality as statements about the relative position of two numbers on a number line diagram. For example, interpret –3 > –7 as a statement that –3 is located to the right of –7 on a number line oriented from left to right.

CC.6.NS.7b Write, interpret, and explain statements of order for rational numbers in real-world contexts. For example, write –3°C > –7°C to express the fact that –3°C is warmer than –7°C.

CC.6.NS.7c Understand the absolute value of a rational number as its distance from 0 on the number line; interpret absolute value as magnitude for a positive or negative quantity in a real-world situation. For example, for an account balance of –30 dollars, write |–30| = 30 to describe the size of the debt in dollars.

CC.6.NS.7d Distinguish comparisons of absolute value from statements about order. For example, recognize that an account balance less than –30 dollars represents a debt greater than 30 dollars.

CC.6.EE.1 Write and evaluate numerical expressions involving whole-number exponents.

CC.6.EE.2 Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers.

CC.6.EE.2b Identify parts of an expression using mathematical terms (sum, term, product, factor, quotient, coefficient); view one or more parts of an expression as a single entity. For example, describe the expression 2(8 + 7) as a product of two factors; view (8 + 7) as both a single entity and a sum of two terms.

CC.6.EE.2c Evaluate expressions at specific values for their variables. Include expressions that arise from formulas in real-world problems. Perform arithmetic operations, including those involving whole-number exponents, in the conventional order when there are no parentheses to specify a particular order (Order of Operations). For example, use the formulas V = s^3 and A = 6 s^2 to find the volume and surface area of a cube with sides of length s = 1/2.

CC.6.EE.5 Understand solving an equation or inequality as a process of answering a question: which values from a specified set, if any, make the equation or inequality true? Use substitution to determine whether a given number in a specified set makes an equation or inequality true.

CC.6.EE.6 Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.

CC.6.EE.7 Solve real-world and mathematical problems by writing and solving equations of the form x + p = q and px = q for cases in which p, q and x are all nonnegative rational numbers.

CC.6.EE.8 Write an inequality of the form x > c or x < c to represent a constraint or condition in a real-world or mathematical problem. Recognize that inequalities of the form x > c or x < c have infinitely many solutions; represent solutions of such inequalities on number line diagrams. ACQUISITION (Students will know):   • Vocabulary: absolute value, algebraic expression, coefficient, constant term, equation, evaluate, exponents, inequality, integers, inverse operations, open sentence, opposite of a number, order of operations, rational numbers, reciprocal, relation symbol, solution, solution set, solve, variable, variable term • Reciprocal fractions will have a product of one. • That (a/b)(c/d) is equal to ac/bd (algorithm). • To divide by any non-zero number (whole numbers or fractions) you can multiply by its reciprocal, including fraction. • The standard algorithm for addition, subtraction, multiplication (traditional) and division (long division) with multi-digit decimals. • Positive and negative numbers can be applied to real world examples. • Positive and negative numbers have a relationship with zero. • How integers fit on a number line or coordinate plane. • The opposite of the opposite of an integer is itself . • Inequalities are statements about positions on the number line. • That absolute value is the distance between any number and zero. • Exponents represent repeated multiplication of a given base. • Each part of an expression has a name and a purpose. • A given value for a variable can be used to solve a variable expression or formula. • An equation or an inequality can have an answer or set of answers that make the equation or inequality true. • A variable expression or equation can represent a real-world situation (word problem). • A variable can represent a real-world situation (word problem). • A variable is used to represent numbers and write expressions. • An inequality can represent a real-life situation. • Inequalities have an infinite number of solutions. • Inequalities can be graphed on a number line.

Unit 5 Begins!

Hello 5V Math Accel Families,

How are you? We are starting unit 5 on Monday, March 11th. I wanted to share with you the common core standards we are covering, the acquisition of knowledge, the learning the kids are doing, and the transfer of that learning: Please see the information below:

Math Accel. Grade 5

Vocabulary: absolute value, axis, coordinate, coordinate plane, midpoint, ordered (number) pair, origin, parallel, perpendicular, polygon, parallelogram, quadrant, quadrilateral, reflection, right angle, right triangle, sector, skewed, trapezoid, triangle, vertex/vertices.

·  CC.6.RP.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations.

·  CC.6.RP.3c Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems involving finding the whole given a part and the percent.

·  CC.6.NS.6 Understand a rational number as a point on the number line. Extend number line diagrams and coordinate axes familiar from previous grades to represent points on the line and in the plane with negative number coordinates.

·  CC.6.NS.6b Understand signs of numbers in ordered pairs as indicating locations in quadrants of the coordinate plane; recognize that when two ordered pairs differ only by signs, the locations of the points are related by reflections across one or both axes.

·  CC.6.NS.6c Find and position integers and other rational numbers on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational numbers on a coordinate plane.

·  CC.6.NS.7 Understand ordering and absolute value of rational numbers.

·  CC.6.NS.7b Write, interpret, and explain statements of order for rational numbers in real-world contexts. For example, write –3°C > –7°C to express the fact that –3°C is warmer than –7°C.

·  CC.6.NS.8 Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinates and absolute value to find distances between points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate.

·  CC.6.G.3 Draw polygons in the coordinate plane given coordinates for the vertices; use coordinates to find the length of a side joining points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate. Apply these techniques in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.

ACQUISITION (Students will KNOW):

• Ratios can be represented as a percentage.
• How integers fit on a number line or coordinate plane.
• The opposite of the opposite of an integer is itself.
• That an ordered pair is the location of a point on a coordinate grid and how it is related to the x and y axis .
• That reflections across one or both axes are created by changing the signs of the x and/or y coordinate in an ordered pair.
• Positive and negative numbers have a relationship with zero .
• Positive and negative numbers can be applied to real world examples.
• How integers fit on a number line or coordinate plane.
• Students will understand there is a relationship among integers.
• That absolute value is the distance between any number and zero.
• Points on the coordinate plane can represent the vertices of a polygon.

ACQUISITION (Students will be able to):

• Determining a missing value in a percent proportion.
• Finding the opposite of a given number.
• Plotting rational numbers on a number line.
• Plotting ordered pairs on a coordinate plane.
• Graphing the reflection of a given ordered pair on a number line.
• Interpreting absolute value.
• Graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane.
• Using coordinates and absolute value to find distances between points with the same first coordinates or the same second coordinates.
• Determining the distance between two points on the coordinate plane given that the points have the same x or y value.
• Solving real-world problems using distances on the coordinate plane.

 

  

Math Update: Week of 2/11-2/15

Hi 5V Math Families,

How are you? We are journeying through the middle of Unit 4 this week. Last week we studied what factors are, prime factorization, how to find the greatest common factor, how to convert between fractions, decimals, & percents, how to find the part of a whole number by understanding that a percent is just that, and finally we ended the week by trying to learn what a down payment on a home represents and how the percent of a whole is a significant factor in buying a home.

For this week here is what we have on tap:

Monday: Study strategies for how to add fractions with unlike denominators.

Tuesday: There is no math because of an assembly.

Wednesday: Understanding percent and parts in authentic problems: Part 1

Thursday: Understanding percent and parts in authentic problems: Part 2

Friday: Analyzing the relationship between down payment, loan, and mortgage

 Please refer to the Common Core Math Standards Guide I emailed at the beginning of the unit for more specific information on the standards we are covering and studying this unit and for this week!

Finishing up Unit 3: Update 1/21-1/25

Hi 5V Families,

How are you? It's been a great unit 3. And now we are just about finished. We have studied and learned quite a bit at a high level. Some of that learning includes:

* Learning what expressions are.
* Learning how to write expressions.
* Learning what rate is.
* Learning how to calculate rate.
* Learning how to calculate distance, rate, and speed using formulas.
* Learning what unit rate is and how to find it.
* Learning what ratios are.
* Learning how to calculate ratios
* Learning how to solve rate and ratio story problems.
* Learning how to plot coordinate pairs on a coordinate plane.
* Learning what linear relationships are.
* Learning how to graph linear relationships.
* Learning how to interpret linear relationships.

The last thing that we will study formally as part of this unit includes:

* Learning how to solve for equations. (We've studied this in units 1 and 2 as well)
* Standard: 6.EE.6 Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.

Learning how to solve equations is a standard that we see a few times this year in math and we will wrap up unit 3 with this standard!

Discovery Learning: Update 1/7-1/11

I titled this blog post "discovery learning". I talked to the chief (Mr. LeCrone) and we had an enlightening conversation about giving students more opportunities to at least begin their learning through a process of discovery. This doesn't mean we leave them to their own devices. It means that when we begin studying a skill (writing ratios), strategy (making proportions), content (taxation), or concept (sales tax) we give the students more time to discuss what they already know, more time to experiment with methods, more time to talk to each other about how they would solve a problem, more time for the kids to experiment with multiple options, and demonstrate their understanding in varied and multiple ways. It also means that I step in and model possible or correct methods afterwards, and assess for learning. 

Ratio of orange to grey is 3:1

Discover

Model

Assess

We tried this out on the Friday before winter break and it was quite meaningful and it allowed the children to demonstrate their understanding in their varied ways and multiple ways. The way I envision our math class utilizing this model of instruction is as follows: (Below is just a scenario) 

Monday in class: Discover before actual instruction. Kids will discuss what they already know, answer entry level questions about what they're trying to learn, use manipulatives to try demonstrate their understanding in varied or multiple methods, try to rationalize their work, and inquire about what they want to further learn. 

Monday night: Kids watch instructional video that will model how a strategy is used to solve a problem or how to use a strategy to become more adept at a skill. The modeling can also include the transmitting of simple information such as vocabulary or content knowledge. *If there is no video lesson kids will receive modeling the next day in class. 

Tuesday in class: Students will have more opportunity to demonstrate their understanding using their own methods or the testing of methods I have introduced. They will work together, or sometimes independently to demonstrate their understanding and I will assess their work or have a conference to assess them. Kids will also assess the success of the group and themselves.  


This week's standards focus:

6.RP.1
6.RP.2
6.RP.3 

• Defining and writing ratios
• Understanding equivalent ratios
• Using ratios to solve real world mathematical problems via reasoning. 
• Examining golden ratios 

MATH NIGHT Monday 12/3 6:30pm to 8pm

Come to the May Watts Math Night!!
It is still not too late!

When: Monday, December 3rd 6:30-8:00pm (grades 3, 4, and 5)

Where: May Watts

What: Lots of sports and game themed MATH activities. Lots for you to participate in.

Who: May Watts families. Registration as walk-ins at the door is welcome. OR...just bring back the form your child brought home last week.

Why: To experience the fun in math!

Video Lesson and Quiz Ready 11/22

Hi 5V Accel Math Families,

How are you? I hope your Thanksgiving was a good one and that the kids are relaxing and having fun. We all deserve it.

The video lesson titled: "REVIEW of discounts and operational thinking" has been uploaded to Edline. Please tell your child and kindly request from my side that they watch the video prior to class on Monday. If your family is busy and can not, I understand.

Please also remind your child that there is a mini 4 question survey/quiz to take. About half the class has taken the quiz already.  As a reminder, here is how to access the video and the survey/quiz:

After logging onto Edline and going to Mr. Vaid's class:

Video: Right side of screen is the content section: math lessons and resources>Unit 2>Video Lessons>REVIEW of discounts and operational thinking

Survey/Quiz: Right side of screen is the content section: math lessons and resources>Unit 2>Assessment for Learning>Math Operations Check


Thanks so much. We are on the cutting edge here and beginning to make learning more personal and meaningful for our students.

Mr. Vaid

Flipped Instruction Going Well; Will Continue: Update 11/26-11/30

Nearly all students this week participated in flipped instruction! 

Before I detail the week ahead, I wanted to let you know that the flipped instruction model in our math class is going very well. In a few moments I will elaborate on flipped instruction so you have a little more knowledge about it. I'll speak in simple terms and avoid teacher jargon. Anyway, I plan to increase the use of this model because the students are responding well to it.

A few things about flipped instruction:

What it is: 

• The nature of the name implies that what is typically done at home (homework and studying) can be done at school, and what is typically done at school (formal lesson and assessment) can be done at home. 

• Flipped instruction model allows for each student to work at a pace that is more conducive to his/her learning approach, style, and ability. 

• Flipped instruction allows for students to pre-learn or build background on a concept prior to coming to class and either beginning work or having the teacher re-teach the concept. 

• Flipped instruction provides more opportunities for a teacher to assess a student on an ongoing basis, and it allows a student to receive the proper type of instruction for that day's content; this could be re-teaching, enrichment, more one-on-one instruction, and small group instruction. 

• At its heart, when done well, flipped instruction promotes ongoing assessment and personalized instruction for each child, thus giving him/her the best context for learning, reflecting upon learning, and having opportunities for higher level enrichment. 

What is is NOT: 

• Flipped instruction is not "go home, watch a lesson, come to school the next day, and do work." It appears that on a very basic level this is what flipped instruction is, but trust me, being a teacher, there is a whole lot more to it; at its heart: ongoing assessment and personalized instruction. 

• Students learning solely on their own. While flipped instruction has a student watch an online video/tutorial or webcast initially at home, this is really what I like to call level one instruction. The next day in class, I make it a point to visit with each student and do follow up work and re-teaching. Sometimes that re-teaching is extensive (for a child whose assessment the nigh before shows me he/she really doesn't get it, and sometimes that re-teaching is a follow up with questioning. Sometimes the re-teaching really is enriching your child and posing more challenges, aka as enrichment. 

What are we Learning or re-learning this week before Friday's Test? 

• Skills and strategies for computation. 
• Context for computation (balancing our checkbooks)
• Higher level computation (calculating sales tax and discounts) 
• Exponential notation 
• Context for applying operations in word problems (Problem solving work) 
• How to better evaluate our math strengths and weaknesses (reflection) 

Okay, so maybe the test will be the following Monday or Tuesday. I will keep you posted. There is one standard left for us to introduce and that is: 

Standards:

5.NB.T2: Explain patterns in the number of zeroes of the product when multiplying by powers of 10. 

6.EE.1 Write and evaluate numerical expressions involving whole-number exponents. 

Buying a Car and Buying a House. Update: 11/12-11/16

We rely on strategy as opposed to guesswork. 

Greetings 5V Math Families!

Buying a car involves every basic computational component: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Last week, the kids began the purchase process and quickly found that after calculating sales tax and interest, buying a car is not as easy and simple as it appears.

Recap of standards addressed last week: 

-Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation. (6.NS.3)

-Fluently divid multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. (6.NS.2)

-Interpret and compute quotients of fractions and solve word problems. (6.NS.1)


This week's standards focus: 

-Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation. (6.NS.3)

-Fluently divid multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. (6.NS.2)

-Explain patterns in the numbers of zeros of the product when multiplying a number by owes of 10, and explain patterns in the placement of the decimal point when a decimal is multiplied or divided by a power of 10. use whole-number exponents to denote powers of 10. (5.NBT.2)

Transfer of Knowledge: 

-Continue process of buying a car.

-Calculating sales tax

-Calculating interest

-Determining monthly payment

-Debiting amounts from checkbook

-Crediting checking account

-Debiting and crediting savings account

-Begin purchase inquiry into a home

-Space exploration and distance

Review of Mathematical Practices: 

We try to incorporate each of these practices during the math week. 

Let's go Shopping! Update: 10/29-11/2

Risk taking can pay off...in time. 

I'm sure by now the kids have told you about their careers and their yearly income. Did they tell you about their net salary and how their tax bracket taxed 10-15-25% of portions of their income? We had a great time in math last week and through our authentic context and theme we are able to apply many of the content that the standards for unit 2 call for students to learn. Please refer to the standards sheet I emailed last week.

Last week we:

* Started our careers and found out our annual income.
* Found percentages of whole numbers to calculate our income tax.
* Divided to determine our monthly pay as well as payday amount.
* Went out to eat to practice addition and multiplying by decimals to calculate sales tax.
* Balanced our checkbooks to make debits and practice subtraction.

This week the standards call for more application of content including:

* Addition of numbers with decimals
* Subtraction of numbers with decimals.
* Multiplication of numbers with decimals
* Division
* Understanding place value.
* Estimating

Some activities we will do to apply the content from the standards:

* Grocery shopping
* General shopping
* Calculating sales tax
* Balancing our checkbooks

On Halloween, the 5th grade kids will stay in their homerooms to do a fun estimation activity inspired from our read aloud Because of Mr. Terupt and they will try to determine how many blades of grass our soccer field has!

Taxes, Budgets, and Bills Oh My! Update: 10/22-10/26

Good afternoon 5V Math families. The students are beginning unit 2 (Computation of whole numbers and decimals) this Monday. With that said, we are weaving an ambitious theme as part of the context that will carry the lessons.

"Ambition is the last refuge of the failure"-Oscar Wilde (Ironic Twist?)

When we study the concepts from the common core standards and use our math practices, we will apply the skills in a meaningful context of finance. Each child will be given an occupation and with that a corresponding yearly income. They will be responsible for calculating tax on income, sales tax on imaginary grocery shopping they do, and use their earning to manage a monthly budget that will account for utilities and other purchases.

Within the process I plan to give them some background on how to buy a home and a car. I'm no financial expert, let's get that straight, and I know the tax bracket workings can be complicated, but my goal is for the student to get practice applying the computation skills with relevance to everyday life. We won't (nor can/should we) get into specifics, but I think the kids will enjoy the practice of balancing a checkbook register (or something in that form), learning about down payments, calculating sales tax, and car shopping among others.

Like I said, the skills will be weaved through this context. Assessments will be made on executing the skill itself as well as application of the skill in the age appropriate format. In other words, no one will be penalized if they can't balance their checkbook. But I will look for meaningful ways to assess their ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and use exponents. Please refer to the email about the standards and learning outcomes I sent on Friday!

Here is a tentative schedule for this week's skill practice:

Monday: Understanding percents,  multiplying decimals, and subtracting (decimals too)
Tuesday: Understanding percents,  multiplying decimals, subtracting, and  dividing (decimals)
Wednesday: adding, subtracting, dividing (with decimals too)
Thursday: Small groups 
Friday: TBD

Winding Down Unit 1: Update 10/8-10/12

Problem Solved? 

Hi 5V Math Families,

How are you? We are ending Unit 1 this week and our class will take its first test (The Unit 1 test) sometime next week on Tuesday. I am hoping by the end of the week, I can have some resources on the Edline Learning Portal for your students to study. We are going to use this Friday and the following Monday to study together. I am going to teach the students an effective way or two to study for math tests in general.

I will also be attempting to get your email addresses this week. A lot of students are in my homeroom and thus I have their contacts, but some are not so I will make that attempt, or I will simply look up your information on the student services system we have in place. I will be in touch with you soon.

Here is what we are up to this week:

Monday 10/8: No School: Columbus Day 

Tuesday 10/9: We will learn how to collect data by learning to make a visual organizer for the data. We are going to eventually make circle/pie graphs on Wednesday with data we collect about the kinds of cars May Watts' staff drives. 

Wednesday 10/10: Today we will create circle graphs and visually represent the data we collected about the kinds of cars (colors, American, non-American, Sedan, non-Sedan) cars May Watts' staff drives. Kids will learn how to use the percent circle and construct circle graphs. Kids will also try to interpret the data and ask themselves what conclusions they can draw from it. I will attempt to meet with small groups to reinforce and re-teach previously taught concepts. 

Thursday 10/11: Problem Solving and Small Group Day: The kids will be posed with a challenging math problem to solve. We will study a 5 step strategy when attacking challenging word/story problems. We always study strategies when we problem solve. Students will be asked to show how they solved the problem and why they took the steps they did. I will meet with small groups to reinforce and re-teach a variety of concepts. 

Friday 9/28: Today we will go to the computer lab and I will help the kids learn to better navigate the Edline learning portal. At the same time, we will study a strategy for studying for math tests. Students will create a mock test to anticipate problems and practice concepts. 

Get Ready to Exercise!: Update 9/24-9-28

Maybe we will incorporate a study of football with math this year!

Hi 5V Math Families!

We've been busy counting marbles, making ice tea, standing on one foot, and now we're going to do some exercise. Our class loves to use authentic data to visually represent and then analyze. The kids are improving their scientist capabilities by interpreting data in a more mature fashion.

Here is what we are up to this week:

Monday 9/24: W will finish constructing box and whisker plots for school wide marble data and we will analyze the data by making interpretations. 

Tuesday 9/25: Ice Tea Day: We are going to use problem solving decision making strategies based on studying rate and needs analysis to purchase the amount of supplies at varying costs for the ice tea business. The kids will also establish a price for the drink based on the cost to produce. Eventually, we are going to visually represent the data as per our standards this unit! 

Wednesday 9/26: Line Graphs! We are going to study the relationship between rest time and pulse rate! So, let's see if those heart rates rise with less and less rest between exercise. 

Thursday 9/27: Small Group Day: I have some friends to see. Based on the quizzes, I am going to help our math friends with long division, long multiplication, and mean absolute deviation! The kids made awesome histograms by the way! 

Friday 9/28: Small Group Day 2 and finish Ice Tea Day work from Tuesday! 

Please ask your child about the Edline learning portal. We are going to do online learning through it. There are resources there for your child to use in order to learn and study. I will also post some HW this week on Edline. Kids will also have math discussions this week on Edline. 

Visual Representations and Ice Tea: Update 9/17-9/21

Hey 5V Math Families,

Here is what we are up to in math class this week:

Everyone is so excited to get to math class! 

Monday: We will study what histograms really reveal, how to read data from a histogram and we will learn how to create our own histograms with data we have collected. We have information about how many marbles each May Watts classroom has earned thus far.

Tuesday: We will have a day of small group lessons. I will use information to enrich and/or re-teach lessons and concepts to select children. The students will continue to finish their histograms and learning of why we use histograms.

Wednesday: We will learn how data is viewed and revealed through a box plot. We will begin learning what lower quartile and upper quartile means in a set of data. There is an image resource for the box plot HW on Edline. 

Thursday: We will learn how to construct our own box plots. We will use data collected from the "May Watts Classroom Marble Count" to reveal data in our box plots.

Friday: Ice Tea Day! The students will study rates and determine the most economic price to buy their ice tea supplies at. In addition, the students will set a sales price for the sale of their ice tea, once they calculate the production price for making it.

Data, Statistics, and Plots: Update 9/10-9/14

Last week's math classes were great! The kids studied measures of center, measures of variability, how to represent data on a dot plot and they spent time problem solving.

Alert: Please tell your child not to go forth with the mean absolute deviation homework I assigned.  If they already have that's fine but I am going to give them some slightly different work. 

Here's what's on tap for this week:

Monday: The kids are going to get an introduction to Blackboard. This is an online learning portal in which students will watch video lessons at home or in school. They have usernames and passwords and will be expected to watch lessons at home prior to arriving at school for the day's work. The kids will review finding median with an even numbered data set and they will also review finding mean absolute deviation. I will meet with kids in small groups.

Tuesday: There's no formal math acceleration course today because of CBM testing, BUT that doesn't mean the math will stop. The kids in 5V will study math in the context of the 2012 Election. We'll be looking at our country elects its President by beginning a study of the Electoral Map.

Wednesday: We will begin our first Ice Tea Day. These Ice Tea Days are meant to apply the standards we are learning through an imaginary ice tea business. The kids will create an ice tea recipe, study how many ingredients they'd have to purchase and at what rates. They'll collect information/data about their purchasing, creation, and other ice tea businesses and plot the data. The kids will study rates, data collection, analysis, representation, and visualization through out the process.

Thursday: The kids will study histograms and differentiate them between bar graphs. They'll eventually represent authentic data from the ice tea data on histograms.

Friday: The kids will study steam and leaf plots and understand how to plot data on the steam and leaf plots. 

Welcome to the 5V Math BLOG: Update 9/5-9/7

Watch very carefully...keep watching...

Greetings 5V Math Family Students. My name is Mr. Vaid and I will be your child's math teacher this year. Math begins at 9:30am and ends at 10:30am each day, M-F of the school week. At our curriculum night, next Thursday, 9/13 (more times forthcoming) you will learn more about the Common Core Math Curriculum our School district and many other school districts across the nation are putting into place this year.

Anyway, here is a brief update on what we'll be studying this week:

Wednesday 9/5: We will learn what statistical questions are and we will differentiate between them and other types of questions. Students will also write statistical questions and interpret them.

Thursday 9/6: The students will learn how to create what's called a dot plot and they will also see the benefits of creating dot plots. In addition, we will study measures of center including mean, median, and mode, and we will study outliers. 

Friday 9/7: We will wrap up the week by studying measures of variability including range and mean absolute deviation.

For the following week, we will continue to practice problem solving strategies such as guess and check, work backwards, and draw a table. We'll study these with specific problems. In addition, we will begin our thematic ice tea project.

Math Update 4/16-4/20

HEY 5V Math Families! Here is what we're up to in math this week: 

Regular Math: The kids are going to study coefficients in algebra, how to balance equations, how to write algebraic expressions, and finally calculate for rate while making line graphs to represent data. We will incorporate a real life math activity on Friday with either rates, fuel economy again, or unit percents and shopping math. We have been working on a pizza party problem solving activity. Ask your child about it! Maybe you should take a stab at it. :)

Accel Math: The kids are going to study more proportions, ratios, and rates, but with more mental strategies and practical application. We'll try to apply what we are doing to sports, driving, and/or food. Speaking of food, we have been studying the pizza part problem solving problem. Go ahead...ask your child for the work and see if you can solve it!

Real Life Math: Each day we are applying what we study to math in daily contexts and our world-whether that's in examples or full scale activities, we are emphasizing this type of thinking more and more each day!

Math Update Week of 4/2-4/6

Welcome back 5V Math Families. I hope your spring break was nice.

Here's what we'll be up to this week in 5V Math:

Regular Math:

We are finishing up unit 8 which is review unit on fractions. We'll pick up right where we left off and study briefly review strategies for multiplying fractions and deep concepts like why products are decreased when multiplying by fractions and what it means to multiply by fractions. There will be a test next Monday or Tuesday on the concepts.

Accel Math:

We kick off unit 8 with studying proportions and rates. The first two days of this will allow students to determine who the most efficient and productive running back in the NFL was this season. They'll have to use rate and proportion strategies to solve this. We have some real neat calorie and meal math studies this week as well.

Real Life Math:

Both groups of regular and accel math will be finishing the 2012 5V Math Race Tournament. We have runners competing in the final 4 this week.

In addition, both groups are going to be outside using a strategy to determine how many blades of grass our soccer field in the back has. Yes, it's possible! Teams will develop strategies to solve this.

Finally, students in regular and accel math will study more fuel economy this week and learn how to determine fuel costs per gallon and how to calculate the price of fuel based on the fuel gauge. The kids in accel have covered some of this already but we have plenty more for them!

Math: Week of 2/27-3/2

Hey 5V Math Families! Here's what we're up to this week in math:

FLIPPED LESSONS!

What does that mean? In education, a flipped lesson is a lesson that students study and learn at home or prior to class, and then in class the kids do their work related to the lesson, with the help of the teacher. The goal is for the teacher to be able to give the proper assistance to the kids who need it and proper enrichment to those who need it as well. The kids know how to watch video lessons on Blackboard. All lessons will be posted by 6pm on the day they need to watch.

When should students watch their lessons?

Regular Math:

Monday night: Watch lessons 9-1, 9-2, and 9-3 (graphing coordinates on coordinate planes) in preparation for Tuesday's work

Tuesday night: Watch lesson 9-4 (area of regular polygons) in preparation for Wednesday's work.

Accel Math:

Monday night: Watch lesson 7-1 (General probability) in preparation for Tuesday's work.

Tuesday night: Watch lesson 7-2 (Generating random #'s in probability) for Wednesday's work.

Thursday we will do some ISAT math writing and strategy practice.

Concepts:

Regular: We're studying graphing coordinate pairs on a coordinate plane, as well as transforming images, and general math box strategies.

Accel: We're studying probability. Our new unit is about different kinds of probability understandings.