December 11 - December 15
Learning Outcomes
Math
-Solve problems using addition and subtraction
-Solve problems using multiplication and division of natural numbers
What Did Students Do?
Students were given open ended problems to solve. These were problems that had many right answers. In solving these problems we were looking for effective strategies that could be used to come up with a logical answer. There was no one correct answer for these problems.
Students were able to work together to solve the problem, "How many words do you say in one day?" Students used many different strategies to solve this problem such as counting the amount of words they say in a minute and multiplying by 60 and then by the amount of hours they are awake. Other students estimated how many words they said during different times of the day and then added them all together. It was amazing to see them work through this problem together.
Another problem students did independently was "About how many times does a Canadian student use an internet browser?" Students were required to work on this problem independently and were asked to explain the strategy they used to come up with their answer. Strategies ranged from estimating the amount of times they use a browser in a day and multiplying by calendar days, to estimating out an entire month and multiplying by 10 school months, subtracting days they do sports and adding to days they spend more time online.
Learning to solve open ended problems that have many correct answers is a skill that students will continue to work on throughout the year.
Ask your child:
-How did you go about solving these two problems?
-How do you feel when you are asked to solve problems without a correct answer?
-What helped you to find success in your problem solving?
-Do you think you are getting better at using strategies to solve problems such as these?
Upcoming Events:
December 18 - 22 Spirit Week
Monday - Festive Hat and Hair Day
Tuesday - Elf Day
Wednesday - Silly Sweater Day
Thursday - Grinch Day
Friday - PJ Day
December 19th & 20th - Winter Concerts
December 22 - Fun Snack
December 22 - Last day of classes before Winter Break
January 8th - First day of classes after the break
