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Sunday, June 14, 2015

Math Help (Algebra)

This past week I received several notes with concerns about algebra. Like I told the students, we have been doing algebra for over a month as part of other strands. For example, when we were focussing on area and perimeter, I would give students the area of a figure and the length and then I would ask "What is the width?" This is algebra but I have just recently given it a name :) 

A worksheet that I sent home as homework this past week had some challenging questions on it. I told students when I handed it out that some questions on the sheet were ABOVE grade level and that they should give them a try. I did not expect them to be able to solve all of those ones but this is how we can work towards a level 4 (which is above expectations).

If you would like to do more algebra practice at home, here are some links that you may find useful. As well, before school ends, I will be updating this blog with games and links (to worksheets, etc.) which will be available over the summer. I will not be taking the blog down so if you wish to play some educational games over the summer you can still access them if you wish.

New Game:
Equation Maze

Websites to get worksheets:
**Please note that there is no way to choose on these websites if there are negative numbers or not. At the Grade 5 level, we do not deal with negative numbers but it is an awesome challenge for students who have already grasped this concept.

*We have also reviewed that some worksheets may write things differently. 
For example if the equation wants you to multiply they may write it in 2 different ways.
  1. 2a = 6 (a = 3)
  2. 2 x a = 6 (a = 3)
We have talked about the fact that #1 is the better way to write it since this will help to limit confusion especially if we use the letter x instead of a.

If the equation wants you to divide, they may also write it in 2 different ways.
  1. (as a fraction) b/5 = 4 (b = 20)
  2. b ÷ 5 = 4 (b = 20)
We have talked about the fact that #1 is the same as saying "b divided by 5 equals 4" just like #2 but it's another way of writing it.


Please check back later today to see if we will be doing our Golf Trip tomorrow or on Wednesday! Mrs. Haime and I will be making the decision at some point this afternoon or early evening.

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