Relating Word Problems to Your Life!

 Tonight's homework was to rewrite a word problem you solved in class and understood.  You had to rewrite it so it related to your life.   Here is what my original problem looked like.

I then rewrote the problem to relate to my own life using the same numbers, but different content. Mrs. Cummings, Mrs. Wiles-Stasko, and Mrs. Sordillo have 243 glue sticks in all.  Mrs. Cummings give 16 glue sticks to Mrs. Wiles-Stasko and 24 glue sticks to Mrs. Sordillo.  Mrs. Cummings then has 3 times as many glue sticks as Mrs. Wiles-Stasko and Mrs. Wiles-Stasko has twice as many glue sticks as Mrs. Sordillo.  How many glue sticks did Mrs. Cummings have at first?

In class on Friday and Tuesday we will be using the "Explain Everything" app.  We will be able to create our own step-by-step videos to help solve a word problem.  Many of us found the videos I put on the previous post helpful, so I thought it would be fun for you to make your own.   It will look something like this:

I hope you enjoy doing this on Friday and Tuesday!

Persevering Through Word Problems

Word Problems got you down? Feeling Stuck? Overwhelmed?  

The key to unlocking the mystery of word problems is to slow down and work on it step by step!  Often times we panic and throw our hands up and give up too quickly.  I find it helpful to go through mental checklists, similar to this one we pasted into our notebook the other day. 

Step-by-Step Videos

I have included some videos below that go through a few word problems we have done in class, step by step with explanation.  This is a great reminder of what we did in class.  The videos I found follow the strategies we do in class, very closely. 

The video below follows two examples I showed in class today on the Smart Board.

One example was Mandy and Nacha's age comparison using a table.  The other example is figuring out the price of a washer when knowing the total of refrigerator, washer, and dryer.

Organized Chart and Bar Model Comparison example

                              (click link above)

The two videos below break apart lesson 7 into the two parts, also like we will in class.

Part 1 goes over different types of word problems such as, using remainders in quotient, increasing quotient, and multi-step problems. They too show the importance of finding meaning in each step and labeling.

Part 2 goes over comparing models and finding the unit amount, as well as using organized charts to solve problems.

Part 1 of Lesson 2.7 (Practice 7)                                      Part 2 of Lesson 2.7 (Practice 8)

             (click link above)                                                                                            (click link above)

Lastly, this last video is more for parents.  Hi Parents! Hopefully you're reading this post.  Comment below and let me know if this video helps.  It compares the basic standard way you and I probably would have solved a problem when we were in school.  It then compares the same problem to how our Math In Focus (Singapore Math) program will approach it.  I know sometimes it feels as though as this math program is a foreign language.  Sometimes it is!  However, I found it helpful to see the connection between the two methods.

Comparing "Old Math" to "New Math"

                    (click link above)

Common Core Standards:

5.NBT.5 Fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.

5.NBT.6 Find whole-number quotients of whole numbers with up to four-digit dividends and two-digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, the properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models

Was this helpful??
Comment below and let me know if these videos helped you with your homework or studying.
I look forward to hearing from you :)

Enjoy!

Week One is Done!

       

   
This week flew by!  I hope you guys had as much fun as I did. This week we spent some time to build our classroom community.  It is important to get to know each other and establish some familiarity in the start of the school year.  I love learning new things about everyone.  One activity we did was complete a maze.  We had to walk around the classroom and ask questions to our new classmates in order to 'unlock a door' in the maze.  In this activity we learned about who has older and younger siblings, who is an only child, who has a funny uncle, who plays soccer, who has traveled to another country, and other fun facts.

We also got started in our first chapter of math as well as a brief introduction to science.  We created 'Lab Coats' filled with academic and life goals and learned we are all scientists.  They are hanging up outside our classroom, and look great. 

  I'm excited to see what next week will bring!

What was your favorite part of the first week of school?  

Comment below and let me know! 

(Don't forget to leave your name)

Welcome to 5th Grade!

Welcome to 5th Grade!

I hope you have enjoyed your summer and are getting ready for the new school year. I can’t believe it is already almost September! I will be your homeroom, Math, and Science teacher. Your switch teacher, Mrs. Wiles-Stasko, will be teaching you Reading/ELA and Social Studies. 

I am thrilled for the 2016-2017 school year to begin!

Math is a lot of fun!  We will be doing 'Math Workshop' this year.  There will be some whole group instruction, small group, and independent work.  It is centered-based and gives you a chance to get some direct one-one teacher instruction.   Each center has a different M.A.T.H. aspect (Math facts, At your seat, Teacher time, Hands on).  Math fact center helps you practice your math facts so we can be fluent!  At your seat is where you work with a group on some MathInFocus activties.  Teacher time is where you work with me on some concepts in a small group or one-one.  Hands on is a center where you can play some games based upon the concept we are learning.  

In Science, we like to do a lot of experiments. In addition to our own fun, the entire fifth grade will be welcoming 'Science from Scientists' into our classrooms. Twice a month a real scientists will come in the class a teach a lesson based upon what we are learning in class. How cool is that? You can read more about this exciting project at sciencefromscientists.org.

Also, in both Math and Science this year we will be utilizing an ‘interactive notebook’. Its almost as if we create our own mini-text book for all the new concepts we learn without all the confusing information.  It serves as a great reference tool... for you AND your parents :)  With that being said, we paste a lot of materials into our notebooks, so glue sticks and colored pencils are number one on your supply list. I probably buy glue sticks monthly! 

I'm looking forward to a wonderful school year!! 

Please refer to the tabs above to access important information.
 The Homework tab we will use DAILY! :)

School Supplies for 5th Grade:

-One 3-ring VIEW binder – 1 1/2 inch (We will be personalizing these so you will need the clear pocket on the front)   

-3 one-subject notebooks (make sure they have holes to fit into binder)

-Dividers- Avery (11902) “Big Tab Pocket Insertable Plastic Dividers” (5 tabs)  

-Number 2 wooden pencils (no mechanical pencils)        

-Two correcting pens of any color   

-Zippered pencil pouch (cloth is more durable)   

-Colored pencils

-Glue sticks (we use glue sticks a lot!)     

-Dry erase markers

Classroom Wish List: tissues, disinfectant wipes, colored copy paper, glue sticks, colored pencils