February 20th, 2011   Math facts, strategies, rules, math language, terminology, concepts, outcomes, charts, graphs, manips, explore, connect!!!!!??? no end to what one can do with numbers..  Math is all of this and much more!! The students are very busy finding out the connections that bind the strands of math together and what is necessary in order to make sense of these strands!! This week the Grade 6 struggled with the term, preservation of equality....making sure both sides of an equation are balanced.  This concept can be further explored on website   www.learnalberta.ca/content.  This will be extended this week with adding variables and using a variety of approaches.  We spent time on value charts and graphs.  In addition, we reintroduced area and perimeter.  It is hoped that this week we will be able to do work on the Shape and Space outcomes.  We will begin with angles, such as identifying, classifying, estimating, drawing and labelling, angles.  Students will need a protractor, for this unit. Grade 5 will continue work on fraction, mixed numbers, equivalent fractions, as well, we will work on decimals.  Students looked at reading decimal numbers into the thousandths.. Students are encouraged to compare decimal numbers, as well as understanding decimals to the tenths, hundredths and thousandths place. Like fractions, decimals have multiple names and students must become proficient at naming and identifying equivalent decimals.  Kids will also represent thousandths, using length measurements.  1 mm=0.001.  Students will be using thousandths grids to model decimals.  All these grids are easily accessed on www.blackline masters. The National Flag Day celebration was very successful and a write- up has been posted on Blackville Talon.  This week, February 23rd, we celebrate 100th Day of school.  Kids are encouraged to dress for the ocassion and to create something of 100.  They are asked to bring in 100 piece puzzles, if possible.  It is hoped that we continue in our quest of learning and continue to see Math in our daily routines.  Have a good week.. Mrs. Turcotte.