Using Facts We Know

Instead of students rotely memorizing facts, we are working very diligently to build number sense. The more students talk about numbers and understand how they can be put together and taken apart, the better number sense they will develop. As they become more automatic with their facts, they will be able to use facts they know to solve other problems. Having students explain their thinking using math vocabulary is crucial as well.  For example, when solving 7+8=15 students may show their work like this: 

7 is 5 and 2. I know 8 and 2 is 10. So 10 and 5 is 15. 

It's important to use facts we already know to help solve new facts.  Fact families prove that if you know one addition fact, then you really know 4 math facts:

5+2=7 so 2+5=7 so 7-5=2 and 7-2=5

We've spent a lot of time practicing double facts, because once those are mastered, we can apply them to near doubles.  Doubles +/-1 and Doubles +/-2 are facts you can master once you know doubles.

And finally, if you know your single doubles facts facts, then you can apply that to your double digit numbers.

Since Double 2 is 4, we know Double 20 is 40.  So we can easily solve Double 22 because 20+20=40, 2+2=4, so 40+4=44.

Nonfiction Writing

We have another writing teacher in Room 207...Gail Gibbons!  We've spent the whole week reading some of her books and learning about her as a writer, illustrator and person.  We've learned that she is a curious person who wonders about everyday things, cares about nature, and draws realistic pictures.  We will continue to study her writing to help us write our own nonfiction books!

Week in Review

Happy Friday everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts this week, it's been so busy!! Here are some of the topics we covered this week:

Measurement
We wrapped up this part of our unit this week!  Student practice measuring in inches and feet.  They should be able to explain something as 15 inches and 1 foot 15 inches.  We also spent a lot of time comparing different measurement and calculating the difference. This can be done with addtition, subtraction, counting on, or counting back. 

Geography
We began our new social studies unit! There are many ways to describe our location.  We are going to learn about all the ways to describe where we are located.  The first lesson introduced absolute location (exact - like an address) and relative location (comparison - next to, in front of, behind). Now we are moving on to wider locations... See the flowchart below:

house > neighborhood > community > city > county > state > country > continent > planet

Punctuation Takes a Vacation.
Encourage your kiddos to write in complete sentences using correct punctuation or else things may get confusing...