5th Grade ASPIRE Math
December 7, 2017
This Week
Math Olympiad
(Math Olympiad consists of five tests taken by students around the world. Each test has 5 problems, and the students are given 30 minutes to complete them. The problems range from easy to difficult, and can be solved with many different methods. While the students have not necessarily learned all of the math they need to know to solve every problem, they greatly benefit from the rigorous problem solving process. We are always excited to see how the students grow from this experience over the course of a year, and as they progress through the different grade levels in ASPIRE. We hope you enjoy looking over the tests with your child when they are returned to them.)
Next Week
End of the 9-Weeks!
Conceptual Learning
Have you ever wondered why we place so much emphasis on models, patterns, and other connections before we even teach a traditional algorithm? Here is a great quote about decimal computation from elementary mathematics expert, John Van de Walle.
It is very exciting for us to see students build a solid foundation before we introduce traditional rules and procedures. In fact, most of the time students are able to discover the algorithm for themselves after developing a conceptual understanding of a given topic. As students make progress toward higher level mathematics courses in middle school and beyond, it is our belief that the foundation they receive in elementary school will improve their chances to experience success.