Mr. Connor
5th Grade Math and Reading
Extension #408
Math Notes
HOMEWORK
Student will have more homework in the future, and can expect it 2-3 times a week. Due to a few factors, like testing, we haven’t done much so far, but more review appears to be needed for many students. I also will give some “Math Minute” papers to do. If a child is “stuck” on one problem, I expect that they try the others. If a student wants to do more, please see the next section below.
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES
What I encourage for extra credit is to find math websites and review them. This will help push a grade over into the next category, like turn an “ME” into an “EE”! A one-page report on what you learned or practiced, along with the web address, are required. Here are a few websites that offer additional help with concepts. You may find additional ones on your own.
www.mathleague.com/help/help.htm (for additional help with math ideas)
http://mathforum.org/dr.math/ (for additional help with math ideas)
www.mathtv.com (try Basic Mathematics for video teaching)
www.mathplayground.com (different games and levels)
www.ixl.com (games, worksheets, etc., matched to grades)
See Mr. Connor if you have any concerns or questions!
ON MAKING MISTAKES
We all make mistakes, especially while learning. I have noticed many children seem reluctant to make a mistake, or correct one when it is pointed out to them. Most mistakes don’t really become a problem - until we refuse to correct them! The time to practice and make mistakes is in class during our daily work, so for quizzes and tests we are experienced to deal with whatever comes our way.
Even movies contain many mistakes (bloopers), some of which are quite famous. As long as these bloopers don’t detract from the movie, they are often cheaper to leave in than take out or shoot the scene over! In the movie Ben-Hur, whose setting is about 2,000 years ago, a white sports car can be seen driving in the background of the chariot race. In Signs, the Army recruitment office has a picture of a Marine, not an Army soldier, on its recruiting poster. And there are at least 3 bloopers in the movie Star Wars, which didn’t keep it from being a mega-hit (my favorite is when Luke Skywalker calls Princess Leia “Carrie”; the actress’ first name). So make those mistakes, fix them when you can, and move on to a blockbuster future!
Treasures Reading Program
The website for children to use to view the texts online is
http://connected.mcgraw-hill.com and remember to use the user names and
passwords already given to you! This will be used for homework and extra credit at times, and of course, you can use it any time to re-read a story or study for a Friday test. Parents, please contact me if you have any questions.