Knowing basic math facts and being able to recall them quickly is a tremendous asset for students. Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing single and double digit numbers with ease helps students concentrate on the more complicated aspects of math problem solving rather than struggling to recall basic math facts. By grade 5, many of the math concepts are based on the assumption that students have a relative mastery of these basic facts.
I continue to see students in grade 5 and 6 take a great deal of time adding 3 or 4 to a base number (e.g. 2 3, 2 4, 6 3, etc.). As a result, we take time during each of our five weekly math periods to do timed math facts. We call these tests Mad Minutes. Students work at their own pace on a series of progressively more difficult basic fact sheets. We are currently doing addition facts. Each student starts on the 1, 2 sheet. They set a goal for the number of correct answers they feel is reasonable for them to achieve in a timed, three minute test. Once they achieve their goal, they submit a test to me so that I can record their score. They then move to the next sheet, 2, 3 and repeat the process. We have been doing these timed tests since the beginning of September. Almost all students have reached the half way point ( 4, 5). There are students that have nearly completed all the basic addition facts. Some students set goals as high as 100 out of 100, others set goals of 30 out of 100. This self-paced approach allows each student to be realistic about their abilities and move through the various sheets at their own pace.
Parents often ask me what they can do at home to help with their child's learning. I almost always say that one of the most beneficial things you can do is help your child learn their basic math facts. The math curriculum in grade 5 and 6 involves concepts such as coordinates, finding area, perimeter, and volume, transformations, decimals, integers, fractions, angles, basic algebra, etc. It can be quite daunting for children to try to learn all these new concepts when they do not have automatic recall of basic math facts.
Below is the text of the letter we sent out explaining the importance of using the Math Backpacks.
Parents: We are now starting a new program in our class. It is known as %u2019Math Backpacks%u2019 games. These cases have been put together for your child to improve their math skills. There are 40 cases so there will be lots of math concepts covered. These minutes spent playing the games can be counted towards their 10 minutes for the Home Math Minutes program. Every Monday we will allow the students to chose a new case. They sign them out and take them home on this day. They keep the case at home and play the games and count the minutes to fill in their Math Minutes sheets. On Friday they will return the cases, being sure that all contents are replaced back in the case. The cases will be checked at school to be sure that all items have been returned. It is our hope that these extra minutes spent playing math games will help your child improve their math skills. There are many different games, concepts and levels so we hope you have fun with it!! Mrs. Peddle and Mrs. Hamilton
A sample Monthly Math Minutes sheet is provided below.
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/Mathmagician/cathymath.html
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/grade_g_2.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revisewise/maths/number/10_act.shtml
http://www.mathplayground.com/index.html
http://www.multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm