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Highland Middle School |
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5th Grade Advanced Math |
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Parent Information |
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September 2007
Dear Parents,
During the next several months, your child will be learning and practicing mathematical problem-solving skills through a program called Journey to the Other Side. This unit teaches problem-solving skills in the context of an adventure story accompanied by songs and sets of problems.
Your child will be asked to do a few problems at home each night. Some are fairly easy and some are very challenging. Don’t expect your child to complete every problem. Just try to see that he or she makes a reasonable effort. If your child is stumped on a given problem, have him or her work on it for a short time and then set it aside. Have your child record his or her work on paper and return it to school the next day, even if it is incomplete. There is often more to be learned from grappling with a difficult problem unsuccessfully than from completing a number of easy problems with 100% accuracy.
It is all right for your child to use a calculator on most of the problems, if you have one available, but a few problems ask that he or she do some estimation or pencil-and-paper computation before using the calculator to check their work.
Some of the problems require a good deal of reading. If your child has difficulty reading the words and understanding a problem, please read it aloud and explain it to your child in your own words as best you can.
I hope you will enjoy working some of the problems with your child, but don’t let him or her rely on you too much. Use your judgment, and don’t let the problems become a source of anxiety.
If you have any questions or concerns about the unit, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Sheryl A. King Gifted and Talented Specialist
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Contact Information: |
