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Connecting the work your child does all year to

summer reading and math

Branchville School

May 2018

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Common questions for us to explore together today

�MATH: What is this “new math”? What is a number bond and bar model?

Why are they so important?

READING: Why does it matter what level my child is reading? My child can read all the words, can s/he read harder books?

WRITING: How can I support my child with his/her writing at home?

What should my child do in the summer to continue their learning?

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Common threads throughout our teaching

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What is this “new math”?

It’s still the same math we learned! We just teach more than one way to think and create a path to a solution.

We know kids think differently and this approach promotes flexibility and creativity.

The ultimate goal to teach kids how to be an “efficient” problem solver selecting the strategy that works best for that particular task.

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Let’s try a problem together...

We value the process just as much as we value the answer.

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Here is how our students think...

How does their method compare to the method that you chose? Is one way more efficient than another?

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Number Bonds

Represent a part-whole relationship between numbers
Number bonds are a tool to do well at mental arithmetic
Part-whole concept forms the basis of addition and subtraction strategies
How a number is broken up of its’ components
https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_2578408791&feature=iv&src_vid=9HP-8RfOju4&v=D1hwopQLeCU

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Number Bonds

Specific strategies are taught using the visual of a number bond.
Addition strategies:

Add by making 10
Add by grouping 10 into 10 and ones
Add using doubles facts

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Let’s try another problem together...

After spending ¼ of his allowance on a book and ⅓ of the remainder on stationary. John has $18 left. Find the cost of the book.

Solve this problem any way you’d like.

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Solving this using a bar model which encourages visualization and algebraic thinking.

Solving it algebraically when you miss the word “remainder.”

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Bar Models

Introduced in Grade 2 and used through middle school
Provides a pictorial way to represent parts of a whole when the numbers are too large to represent with concrete materials
Builds on proportional reasoning and algebraic thinking
Works for part-whole relationships in Grade 2 as it does for fraction operations in Grade 5

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Bar Models-students learn the “why” behind the math

Students decide on a strategy they can use to solve a problem.

Draw a model
Make a table
Guess and check

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Summer ideas to support math thinking

www.youcubed.org

Find “Ideas and Tasks” and click on- scroll down and click on “tasks”.
There are thought-provoking tasks that are labeled by concept and grade level.
Work with your child on finding tasks that interest them and that will reinforce and build number sense all summer long!

There is also a student online course on this site that geared towards grade 4 and higher. How to Learn Math is a free class for learners of all levels of mathematics. It combines really important information on the brain and learning with new evidence on the best ways to approach and learn math effectively.

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Summer ideas to support math thinking

-Playing number games or board games

-Shopping at the store

-Planning a day trip and figuring out all of the costs and time needed for the activities

-Cooking or creating your own recipe

-Building a garden

-Websites: https://www.youcubed.org/resource/apps-games/, www.gregtang.com

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Think about a time when you

read something …

too easy (beach read, children’s book, etc.)
too hard (medical article, research, new learning, etc.)
just right (book club choice, newspaper article, etc.)

What strategies were you using primarily? How did it feel?

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What is a JUST RIGHT book and why are they important?

High levels of accuracy, fluency, and comprehension
Allows students to practice the strategies that they are taught
Supports confidence, success, engagement and independence
Each level has individual characteristics and challenges - text levels and text bands guide teachers as they prepare students for upcoming challenges

**JRBs are NOT the only books a child should read

(we give students time for interest books daily too)**

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What do you notice about Levels A, B and C? What challenges might these texts present to a reader?

Level A	Level B	Level C
Use cover, title, preview/picture walk Reads from left to right One to one pointing Clear pattern using sight words Use pictures to identify changing word	Use cover, title, preview/picture walk Reads from L to R One to one pointing Clear (longer) pattern using sight words BUT pattern changes at the end Uses pictures Text wraps	Use some of the letters in a word (first then final) Return sweep on more than one line of print Does it look right, sound right, make sense? Retell at the end

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What do you notice about this text? What challenges might this text present to a reader?

JKLM

One clear, central problem AND solution
Characters are one-sided

Dominant traits
Feelings change

2-3 syllable words and irregular spelling patterns
Picture support
More uncommon vocabulary but can be figured out with context
Carry a story across more pages

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What do you notice about this text? What challenges might this text present to a reader?

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What do you notice about this text? What challenges might this text present to a reader?

RST

Multiple problems
Problems not always solved

More about the character’s journey toward solving the problem

Character are gray (complicated/complex)

traits are not explicit
internal/external conflicts
Minor characters have influence
Reader may know more about character

Tricky chapters, not just words

Hard on purpose,
Expect this and seek clarification

Setting acts as a character and evolves
Content knowledge

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In school, students...	During the summer, ...
read daily during set blocks of time (reading workshop, extension block, quiet time	carve out reading time daily as a family
teacher models during mini-lesson, conference and small groups	families can discuss their reading lives
choose a reading spot	choose a summer reading spot or change it up daily
log their reading for reflection and celebration	keep a calendar, log, journal or other methods to celebrate volume
grow ideas and jot to keep track of their thoughts	children can jot what they are thinking and share

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In school, students...	During the summer, ...
listen to their teacher read daily	children can listen or read to/with siblings, parents, cousins, friends, grandparents, etc.
engage in word study and vocabulary games and activities	play games with a literacy connection
meet daily with a partner or club to discuss strategies, ideas, important story elements, etc.	friends can partner read or start a book club with a book of interest
utilize technology to enhance learning	do the same (with parental permission)
weekly visit to school library	visit the Ridgefield Library or a local bookstore