12/17/08 Minute Math Only

The only homework tonight is Minute Math.

12/15/08 Addition with Regrouping

Part 1 (Daily Reading Homework): your child needs to read at least 20 minutes every night. Record what they read, how long they read for and then initial it. Thanks!

Part 2 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday.

Part 3 (Addition with Regrouping): We have been working on adding two digit numbers recently. Please work with your child and have them solve the addition problems on the back of the homework sheet. Do they understand the process? Can they explain to you why they are doing what they are doing? Please let me know how it goes.

12/11/08 Get Ready for Tomorrow's Tests

Part 1 (Daily Reading Homework): your child needs to read at least 20 minutes every night. Record what they read, how long they read for and then initial it. Thanks!

Part 2 (Spelling): We have a Spelling Test tomorrow. Are you ready?

Part 3 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday.

12/10/08 Reading Comprehension

Part 1 (Daily Reading Homework): your child needs to read at least 20 minutes every night. Please record what they read, how long they read for and then initial it. Thanks!

Part 2 (Reading Comprehension): Have your student read the very short article, “Animal Travelers.” After reading it they are to answer the 6 questions about the story. They are to use implicit and explicit knowledge to answer the questions. Please check your student’s understanding. Can they tell you why they answer the way they do? Can they make connections from the story to real life experiences? Are they able to read the story fluently? Please let me know how it goes below.

Part 3 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday.

Part 1 (Daily Reading Homework): your child needs to read at least 20 minutes every night. Please record what they read, how long they read for and then initial it. Thanks!

Part 2 (Adjectives): We have worked on adjectives and the kids know that adjectives are describing words. I’d like your student to complete the Adjective Homework. Please make sure they can tell you why they are answering the way they are.
Color adjectives: blue, green, red, pale...
Size adjectives: huge, little, tiny...
Number adjective: six, two, many, few, nine...

Part 3 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday.

Part 4 (Estimating Sums): Math Mat 8-2 goes right along with what we did yesterday (rounding to the nearest 10). Please work with your student to make sure they understand the concept. First your student should figure out how much the tens place adds up to and then how much the ones places add up to and then how much they add up to together. 29+25 goes like this: 2 dimes plus 2 dimes equals 40 cents. 9 cents plus 5 cents equals 14 cents. 40+14=54 cents. Two quarters wouldn’t cover that cost.

12/8/08 Finding the Nearest Ten

Part 1 (Daily Reading Homework): your child needs to read at least 20 minutes every night. Please record what they read, how long they read for and then initial it. Thanks!

Part 2 (Finding the Closest Ten): We are starting our math unit on adding two-digit numbers with regrouping. Wow! I need a lot of help from you, the families, with this one! Some students find this skill particularly difficult but I know all will be well if we all pull together! The first lesson of this unit is called “Finding the Closest Ten.” We are looking at number lines and deciding which increment of ten a number is closest to (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, etc.). The number 36 would be closer to 40 than 30 so we say that it is about 40. The number 32 is closer to 30 than 40 so we say about 30. I’ve taught the children that if the number has a 5 in the ones place to go up to the next ten (35 is about 40).  Please have your student finish the unfinished problems on Mathmat #8-1. For problem #13 they need to decide if 44. 47, 51, or 55 is about 50 (the answer is 51). Problem 17 is a journal problem and the kids need to use their own words to say which ten 63 is closest to. For example:
63 is about 60. I know it is because it is closer to 6o than to 70.

The key is having your child understand that they can round numbers to the nearest ten. Anything ending in 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 is rounded down to the ten below it and anything ending in 5,6,7,8, or 9 rounds up to the next ten.

I am also sending home a math mat called Adding Two Digit Numbers that does not have to be returned. On one side is a game that I highly recommend you play with your child, the other has vocabulary words, home activities, and mental math on it. Please go over it with your student and let me know how it goes.

Part 3 (Math): Drops in the Bucket Math: we are reviewing many of the math facts that we have learned to date: comparing numbers, patterns, adding and subtracting, how many in all, money, place value, time, and shapes.
When working on Drops in the Bucket with your student please constantly ask them to explain themselves to you. Say things like: “How do you know that?” and “Tell me why.” when they give you answers. On problem #3 the students are asked to do some double digit addition and subtraction. Check to see if your student starts in the ones place. There is regrouping in the first problem. Problem #9 deals with telling time. Many of the children don’t know how to tell time on a clock with a face yet. If this is still hard for your child read the face to them, “8:00” and then have them write the time on the digital clock. Please work with your child on telling time! Please let me know if you are starting to work with your child on telling time on an analog (face) clock and how it is going. Problem #8 involves adding 24 to 24... the 24 on the left is pretty straightforward but the 24 on the right is tricky: there are 14 cubes in the ones place there and 10 of them should be regrouped into the tens place.

Part 4 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday.

12/4/08 Please be Ready for Tomorrow's Tests

Part 1 (Daily Reading Homework): your child needs to read at least 20 minutes every night. Record what they read, how long they read for and then initial it. Thanks!
What was read? Time spent reading parent’s initials

Part 2 (Spelling): We have a Spelling Test tomorrow. Are you ready?

Part 3 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday.

One more thing: Do you have any questions or concerns? Is there anything you’d like to discuss regarding your child’s education? Any comments on the class, work load, pacing, or anything else? How about the Minute Math? I know that some students were struggling with the subtraction problems. Please write me a note, e-mail me at kcopeland@newbraunfels.txed.net, or call me at 627-6622. I know what a bullet-train of a year this has been! I am very proud of this class and feel that they are coming along nicely. I want to make it clear to everyone that I am here for you and want to do everything I can to educate your children to the best of my ability. Next week we are starting to work on addition with re-grouping so I will need a LOT of help from all of you. Thanks and have a great evening! KJC

12/3/08 Plural Nouns

Part 1 (Daily Reading Homework): your child needs to read at least 20 minutes every night. Please record what they read, how long they read for and then initial it.

Part 2 (Plural Nouns): The kids are learning how to turn singular nouns into plural nouns. Obviously, most words simply require an “s” to added to the end to make them singular. There are some exceptions: words that end in x, sh, ch, or s all get “es” added instead of just an “s.”

Thus: 1 dish, 2 dishes
1 fox, 2 foxes
1 sandwich, 2 sandwiches
1 coat, 2 coats
1 goat, 2 goats
1 mess, 2 messes

Have your student complete the practice worksheet and check their understanding.

Part 3 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday.

12/1/08

Part 1 (Daily Reading Homework): your child needs to read at least 20 minutes every night. Please record what they read, how long they read for and then initial it. Thanks!

Part 2 (Mental Math): We are in a unit called Mental Math and the children are figuring out ways to quickly subtract numbers in their heads. Please have them finish today’s math mat. Please have your child come up with their own Journal problem for #15. They need a story that subtracts 20 from 42. For example:
I have 42 cookies. I eat 20 of them. To figure out 42 minus 20 I take two tens away from the tens place... 40... 30... 20. 40 minus two tens leaves 20. I don’t do anything to the ones place so 42-20=22!

The key is having your child understand that they can manipulate the tens place easily without having to make any changes to the ones place if the number being subtracted is a multiple of ten (10,20,30,40, etc.).

Part 3 (Math): Drops in the Bucket Math: we are reviewing many of the math facts that we have learned to date: comparing numbers, patterns, adding and subtracting, how many in all, money, place value, time, and shapes.
When working on Drops in the Bucket with your student please constantly ask them to explain themselves to you. Say things like: “How do you know that?” and “Tell me why.” when they give you answers. On problem #3 the students are asked to do some double digit addition and subtraction. Check to see if your student starts in the ones place. Problem #9 deals with telling time. Many of the children don’t know how to tell time on a clock with a face yet. If this is still hard for your child read the face to them, “12:05” and then have them write the time on the digital clock. Please work with your child on telling time! Please let me know if you are starting to work with your child on telling time on an analog (face) clock and how it is going. Problem #8 involves adding 44 to 44... the 44 on the left is pretty straightforward but the 44 on the right is tricky: there are 14 cubes in the ones place there and 10 of them should be regrouped into the tens place.

Part 4 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday.