Novemeber 28, 2010   Parents of Grade 5 and 6 Math students.... We have less than a month left until the Christmas holidays and for the most part students are working tiredlessly to do their best.  Grade 6 had a busy week with project presentations and finishing up the unit on Integers.  Test was completed this week.   Grade 5 had theirs returned on Friday.  Grade 6 will get their test back tomorrow.  All tests are to be corrected and signed.  I was very pleased with the results, especially the Grade 6 test on integers and order of operations.  Students are encouraged to revisit strands taught on a regular basis and to visit web sites to help reinforce strategies.  Grade 6 has started their new unit on multiplying on decimals and were given strategies to help when dropping in the decimal.  Use of base ten helps when modeling.  We have looked at estimation and the strategies of front end, compatibles and compensating.  Grade 5 will be working on multiplying with two digit x 2 digit and will look at strategies such as modeling with base ten, left to right and right to left.  All students are encouraged to study the meanings of factors, product, quotient, multiples... You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved