E-8, The Great!: Sunday Morning Edition (March 19, 2017)

Hi Folks!

A few learning points we got down with this past week:

Research-To-Write

We've been getting some practice skills that are necessary when penning a research report/informational guidebook. One skill is finding appropriate resources. When looking for a book or text to use as a source, we made sure that the book was a "good fit" book that we can read mostly on our own, with little support needed. Another research skill was to utilize the keyword strategy, where we read a text, and utilize keywords (words that help trigger information) to take notes in our own words.

We've also been practicing using text features, which we'll definitely need to use in our guidebooks. Why? Well, text features help clarify the information that we are sharing to our audience! One text feature we've been using is a text box. We've been using text boxes as a Words To Know box or for a Did You Know box, again, to clarify or give more info!

We've also been using the nifty text feature, sketches and labels, again to clarify the info that we are giving to the audience!

In the upcoming week, we're going to practice using an anecdote in our non-fiction/informative writing, know how show and use a list of steps in a variety of ways, as well as using a sketch (or photo) and caption to give or clarify info for our audience! Booyah!

Math

We've been using the build-up strategy to practice our 6s multiplication facts!

"What's 6 x14? Well, I know 5 x14 is 70, so I would just need to add (build up) a row of 14 onto 70. That would equal 84, so 6 x 14 must be 84! Booyah!"

Here's an equation to represent what I just said: 6 x 14 = (5 x 14) + 14. By the way, you can use the build up strategy for any multiplication fact. Trying to figure out 3 x 16? Try 2 x 16 and then add a row of 16 to get the product of 3 x 16!

We've also begun to practice setting up and using a blank multiplication chart. I suggested to the students that they can use this tool during assessments, but it'll only work if they have the right products in the chart and if they can see patterns running throughout the chart! When setting up a multiplication chart, writing down the products of the remembered facts first is advised (you know, like your 0s, 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s), and then fill in the remaining products using the strategies practiced in class and at home! This takes practice, and it'd be awesome if you do this with your child at home, so that he/she may be more proficient in it! You'll only need grid paper and a pencil to practice!

We're going to continue to explore multiplication patterns and strategies this week, focusing in on the associative property, as well as square numbers.

That'll do it folks! Cheers, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!