Mathematics
In this newsletter we spotlight Mathematics in our junior levels. We were lucky enough to spend time teaching and learning with each of our Foundation, Level 1 and Level 2 classes. Students engaged in various Maths Talks (to be showcased in next newsletter) before launching into an open-ended rich Mathematics task where they were able to showcase their Mathematical thinking. They learned about ‘The Learning Pit’ and the importance of the ‘struggle’ and being at the ‘bottom of the pit’. Students were excited to learn that being at the bottom of the pit was normal, and it meant that they were learning. With a little help from their teacher or their peers, they could climb that ladder and achieve success! Please ask them to share what they know about the ‘pit’ 😊
Spotlight on Maths in F-2 @ Rangeview
In Foundation, our youngest students were tasked with ‘Just Make It!’. They were provided with a two-digit number (27 or 16) and asked to demonstrate as many different ways they could ‘show’ what this looked like using manipulatives. The choice was theirs…. dominoes, cards, blocks, Unifix, counters and more. They were very excited to articulate what they had created. The photos below highlight some of their discoveries. Focusing on student-centred learning and incorporating ‘student choice’ in how they made their number, we can see early multiplicative thinking by way of repeated addition and grouping.
In Levels 1 and 2, students engaged with a task called ‘Animal Legs’. Employing a structured inquiry approach to learning Mathematics, students were asked to draw/ model animals that were ‘hiding’ behind the fence. They were then required to write a number sentence that matched the number of legs in order of how they were drawn. This led to rich discussions about other ways to write their number sentences. Conversations and learnings naturally progressed to early multiplicative thinking and making connections between multiplication and repeated addition. Photos below show some of the amazing work completed by our Level 1 and 2 students.
Family Problem Solving Time!
The below problem-solving activities are from NRICH (University of Cambridge, Faculty of Mathematics). To explore more problem-solving tasks and games please visit https://nrich.maths.org/.
Levels 1-2: Making Sticks
Levels 3-4: Zios and Zepts
Levels 4-6: Fifteen Cards
Brain teaser: For parents and middle-senior students
In our last newsletter we posed the following: ‘Can you find 5 consecutive (counting upwards) numbers that add up to 80?’ Please see below solutions on how to find the answer.
To start with, we can divide 80 by 5 to get 16. This reveals 5 equal numbers that add to 80: 16 + 16 + 16 + 16 + 16 = 80
To make them consecutive, we’ll need to subtract from some numbers and add to others. To keep the total the same, be sure to add and subtract the same amount.
To start with, try adding and subtracting 1. To fit the remaining numbers into the sequence, add and subtract 2: (16 – 2) + (16 – 1) + 16 + (16 + 1) + (16 + 2) = 80 14 + 15 + 16 + 17 + 18 = 80
If you used a different method to solve this brainteaser, please share them with us via the office!
In our next newsletter we will reintroduce Maths Talks and delve into what these are. We will discuss how Maths Talks are used at Rangeview to launch Mathematics lessons and engage our students, and how they support the practice of identifying the Mathematics Proficiencies.
If there is anything specific you would like more information on, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the office or email us via Compass directly.
Go Maths!
Vicki Tzimos and Lee Giddings (34V)