Feedback on Review 1 (Term 2)

Dear Parents,


Please take note.


Q1 The pupils were asked to write the answer in the box provided. The answer is 8. There are pupils who wrote 8×4. It is accepted too. However, strictly speaking, the answer 8×4 can cause ambiguity because it could mean that the child is trying to say:


4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 is the same as 8×4 × 4 which is wrong.


Hence, it is more accurate to write just 8 as the answer.


Q3 Some pupils circled more than 2 answers. No marks are awarded even if one of them includes the correct answer.




Q6

Many children made a mistake for this question. There are 2 ways of solving this. [1] Pupils can do mental calculation 28 ÷ 7 = 4. [2] Pupils can draw 7 circles to represent 7 groups and draw a stick to represent 1 star in every group until he/ she counted 28 sticks. That will mean 4 sticks in each group and pupil will circle 7 groups of 4 stars.


Q9 For this question, it is insufficient if your child can circle (divide) the correct number of spiders into groups but unable to produce a correct multiplication sentence and answers. Marks are only awarded to the correct method/ answer. The pictures are meant to guide them.


Please see this post about M1A1.


Thank you for reading.

Class activity: Length



We should use identical units for measuring an object. It is wrong to mix different units (tongue depressors and base-ten cubes.)

Please refer to my previous post about non-standard units.

Length

Dear Parents,

It has been a fun beginning to the topic where we got to compare the recumbent length and height of some children in 2 Thinker.

Nonstandard units: The children were given ice-cream sticks, paper clips and base-ten cubes as nonstandard units to measure some objects. They are encouraged to experiment with the appropriate unit that has the same attribute as that to be measured. For example, we would not want to measure the thickness of a page with an eraser or the length of a classroom with a paper clip.

Another important concept is the actual measurement using nonstandard units is always approximate. Look at the picture below, the length of the pen is closer to 4 paper clips than 5 paper clips long. We say that the length of the pen is about 4 paper clips long.

Below are some common mistakes to avoid when placing nonstandard units:

When two children accurately use the same unit to measure a particular object, both should get the same number. However, if they use different units, two different answers can be correct. Let's see...

It is helpful to discuss this idea when using body parts as arbitrary units. An example is the measuring of the width of the classroom in shoe lengths. Once the children understand what unit means, they can appreciate the problems associated with trying to communicate such measures outside their class or school. They will come to see that it is difficult to communicate measurements done with nonstandard units to other people. So, there comes standard units.

We read the book 'How Big is a Foot?' in class.

Your child needs to know:

• metre (m) - unit of measure for length
• estimate and measure 1m
• name objects that are more than 1m long and objects that are less than 1m long
• estimate and measure the lengths of objects in metres

Concepts in green were covered in Primary One.

Comparing two or more objects

Comparison of Height (Measuring from the top to the bottom) 

1. taller than (comparison of two items; with 2 letters 'e r' to remind us about this property)
2. tallest (comparison of three or more items; with 3 letters 'e s t' to remind us about this property)
3. shorter than
4. shortest
5. as short as
6. as tall as

For points 5 and 6, some children are still misled by the word 'short' or 'tall'. Please reinforce that these words wants us to identify the two items that have the same height.


 Comparison of Length (Measuring from the left to the right) 

1. longer than (comparison of two items; with 2 letters 'e r' to remind us about this property)
2. longest (comparison of three or more items; with 3 letters 'e s t' to remind us about this property)
3. shorter than
4. shortest
5. as short as
6. as long as

For terms 5 and 6, some children are still misled by the word 'short' or 'long'. Please reinforce that these terms wants us to identify the two items that have the same length.

Write a story for children

Dear Parents

Have you got a story to share? Here's your chance! Log on to http://www.aps.sg/stories/ for more information.

Deadline: 31 May 2012

More on Using Models: Multiplication & Division

To ensure that the children understand the different variables in a word problem, a checklist can be done as shown in this child's work. I used these 3 examples on page 53 of the workbook to explain to the children.

Using the above checklist, the children can identify 2 out of the 3 variables. There will definitely be one unknown (box not checked). As stated in this post, the children have to know the following- using question (b) as an example:

• number of groups (4 plates)
• things (20 chicken wings)
• number of things in each group (unknown)

When the children translate these information into the bar models, they need to know that the number of groups mean the number of bars they need to draw. That is 4 bars in this example. Next, they need to state another information given- 20. They will draw the braces { } and write '20' under the whole bar model. Finally, the unknown is represented by a question mark (?).
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Math textbook page 136

We will replace bar models with dotted lines when:

1. the number of groups is not given (if that is what we need to find)
2. there are too many groups to be represented (e.g. 45 groups) 

Hope this helps!

Using Models: Multiplication & Division

This week, the children played a game to close the topic Multiplication Table of 4, 5 & 10. It is similar to a popular game Twister. For simplicity, the children only need to use their hands and/ or feet to touch the answer to the mathematical sentence. The shower curtains are bought from Daiso.

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Cuisenaire rods will be used to show the 'group and item' concept in multiplication for model drawing. Each coloured rod has a specific length. For example, the white rod stands for 1 unit and the red rod stands for 2 units and so on.

Let me use an example from the workbook to illustrate how we relate it to their work:



Page 49 of the Math workbook

First, we need to understand the question. Not all questions will always be telling you the 'groups' specifically. For example, there are 5 groups. Each group has 2 children. How many children are there altogether? We need to identify the 'number of groups' in this question as '3 baskets'.

We can use 1 white rod to represent 1 mango. Start by showing the 3 groups of 5 mangoes using only the white rods. Next, we look for another coloured rod that has the same length as the 5 white rods. We choose the light green one. How many light green rods do you think we will need for all the 15 white rods? Right, it is 3. So, we end up arranging 3 light green rods from end to end.

Finally, I showed the pupils how the model drawing will look if drew the conventional way (picture below). Most children are able to tell me the purpose of model drawing for Multiplication. Why drawing the conventional way for Multiplication is not recommended? Find out from your child.

Japan Airlines Haiku Contest




Photo taken by Mr Shaun Png

 We are proud to announce that Dillon Pek from our class won the Haiku contest! :D

Homework & feedback

Thank you parents for reading the class blog regularly. Your prompt response in acknowledging forms and other administrative task really helped Ms Nuzul and I to work more efficiently. There will be occasions when some parents experience irregular working hours and hardly interact with the child. Many children suggested that they can leave anything that requires your attention on the table first before they go to bed. Ashley even said that she will leave a pen with the document that requires acknowledgement for her parents' convenience!


Homework
Pupils would have received an A5-sized worksheet as an enrichment. There is no homework given today. The pupils can keep their Math files at home for revision until further notice.


Feedback on pupils' work
Please refer to Math workbook page 48, question 10(a) and (b).

Organising answers to a Math word problem is an important skill. Below are photographs of pupils' well-organised work.



Should be: There are 6 children.



Long division working is not necessary for P2.

Homework on 12 April

Today's homework:

• English LS pg 5 and 6
• Math Continual Assessment 1 (CA1) worksheets

Pupils who have completed and handed in the CA1 worksheets are:

1. Fion
2. Chunyi
3. Rane
4. Javier
5. David
6. Andrew
7. Brice

Thank you for your attention.

Feedback on Math Performance Task 1

Dear Parents

The children were given the results of their performance task today. Many children made a mistake for Task 5. They need to differentiate between "10 groups" and "groups of 10". Click HERE to read about it in my previous post.

Please acknowledge the paper and return tomorrow.


Thank you!


Note: Pupils are assessed either through topical test or performance task for a topic. Since performance task was given for "Multiplication Tables of 2 and 3", there won't be a topical test for it.

Homework on 5 April

Today's homework:

• Ultimate Guide to Comprehension pg 4 to 6
• Acknowledgement field trip form
• Math WB pg 37 to 42
• Bring Math file

Dear parents

You might occasionally see stamps on pupils' school organiser (see photo below).

Group leaders do a spot check on pupils' school organisers on a random basis. Organisers with a stamp will indicate that the to-do list for the day is written.

Cyberwellness: Parents' Homework

Dear Parents

The pupils learnt about Cyberwellness today. They have brought home a booklet containing information about Cyberwellness. Do write your comments about this booklet found on the last page. I will collect these booklets tomorrow. Thank you!