Mathematics
Once again, this year we will continue to have a major focus on mental maths and improving our automaticity. Students will take part in the 'Blitz Master' program several times per week. This is aimed at developing the automatic recall of all number facts. Students will be assigned to a level that will challenge them personally with the aim of improving speed and accuracy in order to progress to the next level. We encourage parents and students to visit the Mental Maths tab where there are activities that will support student learning.
In Term 2, all students in Grade 5 and 6 will also be involved in representing TPPS in either a Maths Olympiad or Maths Games team. There are 5 competitions throughout the year, the first beginning in May and running through to September. This competition is run by the Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) and requires students to work through worded problem solving questions in each of the 5 competition tests. Students will have a weekly problem solving maths session to train with their allocated team, with each team being allocated to one of the Grade 5/6 teachers.
Grade 5 also have the opportunity to be involved in the Maths Talent Quest this year in an individual or partner capacity. In Grade 3, when these students last competed, they entered a class project. In Grade 5 the emphasis moves to being more independent and investigating a question which requires lots of mathematics to solve. This project will be held in Terms 2 and 3.
We begin Term 2 looking at fractions and understanding that they are a part of a whole. We look at representing them in a variety of ways including as shaded areas on a model such as a section of a rectangle, as well as a part of a whole number on a number line. We also begin to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator. Recognising and creating number patterns with both whole numbers and decimals is another feature of our Maths curriculum for Term 2.
We continue to work on place value with numbers in the decimal values up to hundredths. It is also important to be able to estimate an answer to determine if our results are reasonable. We will estimate and learn to round our answers to a given number of decimal places. Worded problems involving money will be explored.
In Term 3 for our Measurement and Geometry work, we will be focusing on learning about area and perimeter, volume and capacity and comparing 3D nets with their 2D shapes. In Number and Algebra, we will continue to make reasonable estimates a high priority before we accurately calculate answers. Rounding decimal answers to a given number of places will be investigated. We will also continue to investigate the relationship between fractions and decimals by adding, subtracting and ordering them. W will also learn about the correct algorithms for multi-digit multiplication and division with remainders.
Our Term 4 focus in Mathematics begins with a STEM project. Students are acting as real scientists and mathematicians as they perform a variety of tests to determine which paper towel is 'best'. This mini project requires students to use mathematics to make price and size comparisons. They will also be measuring the absorbency of the different brand paper towels both in millilitre measurements (How many millilitres of liquid can it hold?)and millimetres (What distance does the water mark cover?). We will also be performing strength tests with weights. Projects such as these give a real life purpose to our mathematics, as we carefully rule tables to collect results, create graphs and analyse the data. Our data will finally be used to practice writing a science report. This work strongly supports our STEM program with Miss Augello, who will also be requiring students to perform experiments in the STEM room and then write up a science report back in our classroom during Writer's Workshop. The rest of the term for Mathematics will also include a revision of 12 and 24 hour time reading and conversion; learning about the GST, including how to calculate 10% of a price; and finding unknown quantities in equations, which is the beginning of algebra. We will continue to regularly practice solving equations using the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and develop our understanding of fractions, revising how to add and subtract them.
In Term 2, all students in Grade 5 and 6 will also be involved in representing TPPS in either a Maths Olympiad or Maths Games team. There are 5 competitions throughout the year, the first beginning in May and running through to September. This competition is run by the Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) and requires students to work through worded problem solving questions in each of the 5 competition tests. Students will have a weekly problem solving maths session to train with their allocated team, with each team being allocated to one of the Grade 5/6 teachers.
Grade 5 also have the opportunity to be involved in the Maths Talent Quest this year in an individual or partner capacity. In Grade 3, when these students last competed, they entered a class project. In Grade 5 the emphasis moves to being more independent and investigating a question which requires lots of mathematics to solve. This project will be held in Terms 2 and 3.
We begin Term 2 looking at fractions and understanding that they are a part of a whole. We look at representing them in a variety of ways including as shaded areas on a model such as a section of a rectangle, as well as a part of a whole number on a number line. We also begin to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator. Recognising and creating number patterns with both whole numbers and decimals is another feature of our Maths curriculum for Term 2.
We continue to work on place value with numbers in the decimal values up to hundredths. It is also important to be able to estimate an answer to determine if our results are reasonable. We will estimate and learn to round our answers to a given number of decimal places. Worded problems involving money will be explored.
In Term 3 for our Measurement and Geometry work, we will be focusing on learning about area and perimeter, volume and capacity and comparing 3D nets with their 2D shapes. In Number and Algebra, we will continue to make reasonable estimates a high priority before we accurately calculate answers. Rounding decimal answers to a given number of places will be investigated. We will also continue to investigate the relationship between fractions and decimals by adding, subtracting and ordering them. W will also learn about the correct algorithms for multi-digit multiplication and division with remainders.
Our Term 4 focus in Mathematics begins with a STEM project. Students are acting as real scientists and mathematicians as they perform a variety of tests to determine which paper towel is 'best'. This mini project requires students to use mathematics to make price and size comparisons. They will also be measuring the absorbency of the different brand paper towels both in millilitre measurements (How many millilitres of liquid can it hold?)and millimetres (What distance does the water mark cover?). We will also be performing strength tests with weights. Projects such as these give a real life purpose to our mathematics, as we carefully rule tables to collect results, create graphs and analyse the data. Our data will finally be used to practice writing a science report. This work strongly supports our STEM program with Miss Augello, who will also be requiring students to perform experiments in the STEM room and then write up a science report back in our classroom during Writer's Workshop. The rest of the term for Mathematics will also include a revision of 12 and 24 hour time reading and conversion; learning about the GST, including how to calculate 10% of a price; and finding unknown quantities in equations, which is the beginning of algebra. We will continue to regularly practice solving equations using the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and develop our understanding of fractions, revising how to add and subtract them.