Reading Report Cards

Report cards are coming home!   I'd like to reflect on a few thoughts on how to read and use the information on the report card for mathematics and learning.

• Instead of a letter grade for mathematics, we have focused on highlighting the specific skills and learning strategies students are using.  These will come across a proficiencies on the separate math report card (math content and habits of learning).  Our focus for proficiencies is on growth.  
• The two major units of focus for the first trimester (rates and ratios for 6th and multiplication and division for 5th) are units we will revisit later in the year and build upon current understandings.  
• I view the mathematics and habits of learning as a continuum, an opportunity for growth.  The content for the major standards (rates and ratios or mult. and division) will arise again.  The biggest area I'm having students think about for growth are the habits of learning, as these are strategies and ideas that can be applied to any content in mathematics.  Becoming a more resilient and determined problem solver can have have huge implications for learning in mathematics, and this is an area kids are setting goals for themselves for the next trimester. 

Let me know if you have any questions.  

-Eric

Habits of Learning: Advocacy and Self Control/ Self Dicipline

The 5th grade classes have finished our unit on multiplicative thinking, and assessment scores are in students' Schoology gradebook.  This group is moving into a unit on volume, and our first problem solving task involves a problem determining the volume of a refrigerator truck.  This is a 3-day problem, and it was a great start for kids to try their approach to problem solving.  While working in the cafeteria, a FedEx truck pulled into the front circle, after which the entire class was interviewing the driver about the box part of his truck.  Over the next few weeks we will be building on students’ understandings of volume.

The 6th grade classes have been working with ratios and rates,and the focus the past week has been on working with ratios written as a part to part relationship and a part to whole relationship.  At the beginning of the week the 6th grade groups did a ratio experiment with food coloring drops and water to try to match a premixed color.  Be sure to check ask them about their color mixtures and problem solving strategies during this task.  

We have also introduced two new rubrics in the class on advocacy and self discipline and self control.  Later this week the rubric for communication will be introduced.  After each class each student is asked to give themselves a score on 2 of the 4 habits of learning (self discipline/self control, advocacy, problem solving, and communication) and write a short reflection on one of their scores.  At the end of each week students will be doing a more formal reflection on their work and habits of learning in their blog, which they can access at home through their gmail.  Below are the rubrics for advocacy and self discipline/self control.  The intent of working on these rubrics is to promote growth.  It is ok to be a ‘2,’ as long as you are working toward making yourself a ‘3.’

As always, let me know if you have any questions.  

Habits of Learning: Advocacy

4

You initiate or create challenges that move beyond the goal and attempt to solve problems using multiple strategies.

3

You actively use supports around you to understand the goal after considering your knowledge of the problem.  You are seeking to find your challenge zone.  You ask specific questions.

2

You accept help, but sometimes do not seek it yourself or ask specific questions.  You may rely on others to get to an answer not understand a problem.

1

You don't accept help.  You don't seek to challenge yourself.  You don't ask questions.

Habits of Learning: Self Discipline/Self Control

4

Does not distract self or others and you are focused and on task.  Did not need a reminder.  You use all of class to make progress toward the goal.

3

Does not distract self or others and you are focused and on task.  Did not need a reminder.  You use most of class to make progress toward the goal.

2

May distract others.  You are on task and focused for most of class, but need at least one reminder.  You used most of class to make progress toward the goal.

1

You were distracted or distracted others during class.  You needed multiple reminders.  You use very little class time to make progress toward the goal.

Problem Solving in The Classroom Rubric

One of the learning habits we have been focusing on in the classroom this week is problem solving, specifically how students approach and work through a task.  Below is the rubric from the classroom that we will have spent a lot of time reflecting on in the classroom and will continue to throughout the year.  Problem solving will appear under "Habits of Learning Proficiencies" in the gradebook in Schoology.  Below is the rubric we will be using for tracking this idea.

4

Is a 3 and also does the following:  Looks for various approaches to problems solving.  Looks to solve problems in multiple ways.  Tries to find most efficient solution.

3

Initiates a problem solving task independently.  Considers what the problem is asking, creates a plan, and identifies a strategy  OR develops questions to move forward.  Has perseverance when challenged.

2

May have difficulty initiating a problem solving task independently. Has difficulty generating questions he/she may have.  May not persevere when met with a challenge.

1

Does not try to initiate a problem solving task independently.  Does not generate any questions about the problem.

Scores that populate the gradebook will be from a combination of teacher and student input. As always, if you have any questions feel free to contact me at eeley@wwsu.org

-Eric

Problem Solving and Advocacy

The 5th grade class has been moving toward developing efficiency while solving division problems.  Our goal will be to solve problem solving tasks that include 2-digit divisors and 4 digit dividends while maintaining an efficient strategy.  Over the course of the next week we will continue to work toward this goal, but will also incorporate the use of remainders into the problem solving approach.  Students will be asked to consider the "leftovers" as part of the problem solving task.  As part of our work 

The 6th grade classes are shifting our focus to a unit on rates and ratios.  This week we will be focusing on writing rates as a unit rate with our initial explorations revolving around the amount of item each person will receive for a given situation (amount per person).  

Both groups will also be reflection over the next few weeks on perseverance while problem solving and self initiative and advocacy.  The focus for these topics will be beyond simply skills in mathematics, but instead grapple with how students initially attach a problem and work through challenges and questions as they arise.  We will be using rubrics and journal reflecting on these topics throughout they year.  Look for more on these topics throughout the year.  

Depth of knowledge for both the 5th and 6th grade in math facts is crucial to opening up the brain to explore more in depth mathematical topics.  I have pointed toward xtramath.org as a simple springboard for developing these basic skills.  If your student seems to be struggling here let me know, and we can come up with a plan for success.  As always, let me know if you have any questions at eeley@wwsu.org 

-Eric

Homework, Grades, and Back to School Night

This week the 5th grade classes will be working on deepening their understanding of multi-digit multiplication.  Each student is entering this unit at a different place, so the focus and progression for each student throughout this unit will be based on each individuals needs.

The 6th grade classes this week are wrapping up our work with LCM and GCF and exploring how prime factorization can be used to find these.  We will be moving into some work with the distributive property of multiplication and order of operations this week and next.

Homework
If you are checking your child's gradebook in Schoology (they have a password and Tom Drake will be distributing parent passwords in early October) you will see that scores are based on a 4 point scale.  Homework is meant to be either review or practice.  Below is the scoring system we will be using for homework assignments with the corresponding criteria.

1-Did not complete homework
2-Finished homework late or incomplete.  A 2 could also mean the student shows little thinking/notation.
3-Finished homework on time with clear and concise notation.
4-All of 3 and goes above and beyond what was assigned.

Homework for both 5th and 6th grades for at least the next few weeks will be on xtramath.org and is working toward multiplication fact mastery.  This will remain homework for each individual until all math facts are automatized and recalled within 3 seconds.


Grades
Grades will appear this year on a scale of 1-4 as well based on mathematical topics.  As students become more proficient with a skill or topic, their score should reflect this.  As we move through the next few weeks a category called proficiency will appear in the Schoology gradebook.  Each unit focuses on students becoming proficient with different concepts and skills.  The goal for being proficient with a concept or skill will be a 3.  As a general scale, the following will apply.
1-The student's understanding of the concept or skill is emerging.  This might include many inaccuracies, inefficiency in solving, or a fragile understanding of the topic.
2-The student is developing understanding of a concept of skill.  The concept or skill is being developed, but more work toward becoming efficient and flexible might need to be done.
3-The student's understanding of the proficiency is established.
4-The student's has a broad and deep understanding of the proficiency and has extended his/ her thinking.

There will not be a final grade in which the proficiencies are combined as a percentage.  There will be, however, separate categories for work habits and work completion.

As a math team our intention is to give students and parents more information about the specific strengths and struggles for each student, as well as help guide specific instruction for individuals based on their current level of understanding.

I am excited to be moving in this direction, as it puts more focus and emphasis on each students growth as a person and a learner, as well as empowering each child to focus on individual growth.  I will continue to post information on this topic in future posts.  As always, if you have any questions feel free to contact me at eeley@wwsu.org, and don't forget about back to school night this Thursday.

Week of September 14

September 15

Over the course of this week and next students should be coming home with homework most nights for math.  The fifth grade classes will continue work on math fact fluency, and the sixth grade will have some content homework from the book and will start fact fluency tomorrow (Wednesday).  I've added some links in the resources about the importance of fact fluency as mathematical ideas become more challenging.  You can begin checking your child's Schoology account through his/ her account. On the left side of the screen in each course is a grade book.  Missing assignments will show up not having a score of 1-4.  I'll be uploading my homework rubric later this week to Schoology so you can pair the number to performance on homework (a 3 is meeting the expectations).

This week the 6th grade classes are working with factor strings and prime factorization for numbers.  We will be building on the knowledge from last week's work with multiples and factors, but we will move toward more efficient strategies, and using a numbers prime factorization will be one of those approaches.  Students will have some choice this week as to their starting point based on their comfort with the content.

The 5th grade classes will begin working more intensively on multiplicative thinking, with a focus on flexible thinking in solving multiplication problems.  Varied approaches will be offered, though groupings and instruction in class will be facilitated by me as I continue to look at growth through classwork and each student's exit question at the end of class.

As always if you have any questions feel free to contact me by email.  eeley@wwsu.org

-Eric

Week of Sept. 8

Wizards,

Over the course the of the next week be sure to check in with your child about their Schoology account. This is a venue we will be using in class for some work, as well as a place to post assignments.  We have only used it a few times in class, but most students can get on and access their classes independently.  Both my 5th and 6th grade groups have played some factor and product games that will continue to be good review, and these are still accessible on each student's Schoology home page.  I've also posted the games in the resources link.  Upcoming assignments and late work can be viewed on each course page in the account. You can link to the Schoology site here.  Parent log in information will be sent out from the office in early October, as this will also take over the role of Powerschool for progress reporting.

The 6th grade groups are moving into the unit Prime Time and will be analyzing the relationships between factors and multiples in a variety of contexts.  These concepts will be vital in moving forward later in the year with fractions and proportional thinking.

The 5th grade group will be working with factors and multiples, and will move into their first unit later this week which focuses on properties of numbers and defining area in terms of multiplication.  We will be exploring prime, composite and square numbers.

Both groups will be starting homework this week.  The 6th grade will start with some problems from their Connected Math book, while the 5th grade will work on multiplication and division fact fluency using xtramath.org.  For the 5th grade, a sign in and parent letter will be coming home on Tuesday for this site, and daily practice will be the expectation over the next few weeks.

If your child seems to be having a difficult time at home with the passing of Mandy Drake please feel free to let myself or any of the school staff know.  I am going to offer my class as a place that maintains a consistent routine as I feel that is what some students, and myself, will need.  If you feel your child will need time or supports at school please let us know.  If you have any questions feel free to email.

-Eric Eley