Let’s add up what we’ve learned in math!

Our first math unit focused on place value, addition, and subtraction.  Throughout the unit, you may have noticed several tutorial videos that I posted on our class website.  I make these as a way of extending my instruction to the home setting, and to also help you to best help your fourth grader.  I’ve been posting these on our class website, but starting now, I’ll instead post them in our Google Classroom account.  This makes it easier for students to access them, and it allows me to catalog them by subject.

Today, students are bringing home their first math assessment.  I have a practice of not returning corrected assessments until all the students have completed them, and that only recently happened.  I found a wide range of student performance on the assessment.  Let me tell you a bit more:

• Question 21 was challenging for many students.  If you find your student’s grade was lower than you would like, take a look to see that problem.  It was worth 6 points, and since the whole test was worth 35 points, it had a big effect on students’ overall grades.  We’re going to review that problem type in depth on Thursday this week.
• In Targeted Instruction, students work on skills that are right for them.  Based on their performance on the math assessment, many students are reviewing place value skills in general or rounding skills in specific during the TI block.  So while you’re just now receiving these assessments, please know that students in either of these groups are entering their second week of focused, small group practice with these skills.  Your child can tell you if he or she is in one of these groups.
• We’ll continue to improve students’ understanding of place value throughout the year as we progress through other units.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.  We’re wrapping up the second math unit this week, and I expect to be giving the unit 2 assessment either on Friday or early next week.

Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss