Statement from Mr. Harrow and Mr. Kreiter:
Welcome to the third of three units which Mr. Harrow and Mr. Kreiter have designed and will be teaching simultaneously. Just as with the other two units, the main purpose of the paired classrooms is to give students the best possible teaching, two teachers planning together is always better then one. In fact, unlike the other units there is not interaction between the two classes for this unit. Instead each class will work through the unit at their own pace and in their own time. This unit focuses on not just the skills students will need later on in life (and unfortunately on standardized tests) but it focuses on making the topic relevant to kids lives. There is more game playing in this unit than most students and parents might be used to, but it is all part of the learning process. Fun should always be at the heart of the learning process. Please check out the Family Battleship Game below which you can play at home with your kids, but beware... they have been practicing and their skills with coordinates might surprise you. Have fun and good luck playing.
Rational: Coordinates and area skills are necessary for success not only later on in a student’s math career but also in the near future as it applies to state testing. Students need to understand the basics of graphing and calculating shapes before they move into more complex algebra and geometry concepts. More immediate is the implications for students in the upcoming months when these topics will be covered on the state MSP tests which our 4th graders will be taking. Coordinate skills might not be as useful as they once were during a time before computers and gps, but understanding how to read maps, even those on Google maps, takes an understanding of coordinates. Through this unit students will learn to appreciate the usefulness of coordinate skills though games and lessons designed to bridge the gap between student’s experiences and the curriculum in chapter 9 of Math Expressions. Area is important for students to understand not just how to calculate it, but students must also have a conceptual understanding of area to succeed in the real world. Whether buying a house or running down a football field area and our human pursuit to cover it influence student’s lives. As a result of the sometimes abstract nature of coordinates and area, it is important that this unit helps students understand why these subjects are relevant to them. It is key for students to not only understand these concepts but also to appreciate them and what understanding them can do to enrich a person’s life.
Math Unit: Coordinates and Area 2012
Statement from Mr. Harrow and Mr. Kreiter:
Welcome to the third of three units which Mr. Harrow and Mr. Kreiter have designed and will be teaching simultaneously. Just as with the other two units, the main purpose of the paired classrooms is to give students the best possible teaching, two teachers planning together is always better then one. In fact, unlike the other units there is not interaction between the two classes for this unit. Instead each class will work through the unit at their own pace and in their own time. This unit focuses on not just the skills students will need later on in life (and unfortunately on standardized tests) but it focuses on making the topic relevant to kids lives. There is more game playing in this unit than most students and parents might be used to, but it is all part of the learning process. Fun should always be at the heart of the learning process. Please check out the Family Battleship Game below which you can play at home with your kids, but beware... they have been practicing and their skills with coordinates might surprise you. Have fun and good luck playing.
Rational:
Coordinates and area skills are necessary for success not only later on in a student’s math career but also in the near future as it applies to state testing. Students need to understand the basics of graphing and calculating shapes before they move into more complex algebra and geometry concepts. More immediate is the implications for students in the upcoming months when these topics will be covered on the state MSP tests which our 4th graders will be taking. Coordinate skills might not be as useful as they once were during a time before computers and gps, but understanding how to read maps, even those on Google maps, takes an understanding of coordinates. Through this unit students will learn to appreciate the usefulness of coordinate skills though games and lessons designed to bridge the gap between student’s experiences and the curriculum in chapter 9 of Math Expressions. Area is important for students to understand not just how to calculate it, but students must also have a conceptual understanding of area to succeed in the real world. Whether buying a house or running down a football field area and our human pursuit to cover it influence student’s lives. As a result of the sometimes abstract nature of coordinates and area, it is important that this unit helps students understand why these subjects are relevant to them. It is key for students to not only understand these concepts but also to appreciate them and what understanding them can do to enrich a person’s life.
Family Battleship Game
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