Mrs. Caudill’s Classroom Connection

Today was designated as “Fun Fact Friday”.  After talking to the students some more about World Maths Day (and my goal for this year’s challenge), the students spent their math time practicing their math facts.  Some chose to practice on Tutpup, some on the IXL site, and others on multiplication games that are on this blog.

We also had a little excitement this afternoon when the fire department was called due to a light fixture in the 3rd grade catching on fire.  Wow.  We had to spend a little bit of time in the gym building, but thankfully it was nothing major and we were able to return to our classrooms.

Well, we have been back to school for a week now and the fifth graders are really getting into the groove of things on the top floor!  We have continued working on routines and expectations and this week we have been working on our math class routine.

On Monday, fifth grade students registered for an account on tutpup.  On this web site, they can practice basic math skills by competing with other students in a timed game.  Sometimes that student may be in our classroom, but often it is a student in another country!  They have been very excited about this challenge.  We will be practicing our speed in order to prepare for the World Math Day Challenge!

We also began our unit on Geometry this week.  Our focus this week is on Geometry indicators #2 and #3 (please see my  Math W.A.G. page for details).  We have been working in our Coach books, taking notes, doing some classwork assignments and have worked on the first Study Island assignment for math.

Fifth graders REALLY got into the groove today when we sang and danced in math class!  I was very impressed with all three classes as they learned a song to help them remember the difference between parallel and perpendicular lines! Great job!

I have discovered that fractions just can’t compete with World Maths Day.  Now that we’ve moved back into a regular math routine again (and adding and subtracting fractions) it’s obvious that fractions just aren’t nearly as exciting to learn (OR to teach)!  I’m glad I have such great students, though.   They are working hard and are beginning to get the hang of finding the LCD, equivalent fractions, and reducing fractions.  What can I say?  Not everything in life is fun, right? Sometimes we just gotta do what we gotta do.

The students took their 12′ test yesterday.  I am proud to say that there are many students who have mastered all of their facts:  Hannah Caudill, Justin Glasspoole, Jacob Allison, Brandon Cradlebaugh, Hannah Hopkins, Ian Lear, Kaytlynn Banks, Nash Crosby, Eric Deluse, Cierra Drummond, Kaylee McNichols, Justin Payne, Kasi Robinson, and  Heather Rutter.  Congratulations to those students.  As we have been working with fractions, I think students have begun to see how it makes math easier if you know those facts!

World Maths Day 2009 is over.  I am still amazed at how excited the students were over this event (me, too)!  I am already thinking of ways that Laurelville can improve for next year and get in the top 50 next year and stay there!

Here is a final list of how the students finished (practice and challenge questions combined):

150+ Club:  Nick Hovatter, Hadley Pritchard, Erica Hart, Destiny Pauley, Alden Wyckoff

600+ Club:  Marissa Hagerty, Clint Ashmore, Kaylee McNichols

1000+ Club:  Josh Johnson, Kaitlyn Cain, Cody Knapp, Karly Hart, Andrew Sowers, Cody Lester, Savannah Martens, Kennedy Fox, Makayla Kitchen, Madison Haupt, Alysha Parker, Jimmy Campbell

2000+ Club:  Cassie Parker, Kate Ricketts, Joey Poling, Destiny Collinsworth, Brandon Cradlebaugh,  Noah Bennington, Micah Linton, Eric Deluse, Nash Crosby, Katie Hartley, Garrett Rosenberger, Cierra Drummond, Hannah Hartzler

3000+ Club:  Darren Schwalbauch, Shawn Winland, Shaylee Payne, Kevin Senters, Tyler Bristol, Kaytlyn Banks, Heather Rutter, Branden McNichols, Kesley Hedges, Nathan Neiberline, Jacob Parker, Kasi Robinson, Bethany Kerens, Bethanie Evans

4000+ Club:  Hannah Hopkins, Dalton Phillips, Ashleigh Martin, Justin Payne

5000+ Club:  Ian Lear

7000+ Club:  Justin Glasspoole, Hannah Caudill

12000+ Club:  Jacob Allison

Well done, everyone!  You have earned your Pizza Party!                         

The world record was not only broken, but it was shattered to bits and pieces.  The goal for the World Math Day challenge was 182,445,169 in a 48 hour time period.  The new world record is now 452,681,681!  There also broke a record of 2,001,570 participants in 204 countries around the world.  WOW!  That is a lot of students doing a lot of math!

My students surpassed my expectations.  Laurelville students answered a total of 102,448 questions in those two days.  I never  imagined we would hit a number like that.  FABULOUS JOB, FIFTH GRADE!  I am very proud of you!

Have you been wondering what all of the excitement has been about in fifth grade math class lately?  Have you been caught up in all of the excitement and competition of World Maths Day?  You are not the only one!  In fact, you are one of over a MILLION students around the world caught up in the excitement.  Check out this video about World Maths Day!

The World Maths Day challenge began today and Laurelville fifth graders were on a roll!  At 2:10 this afternoon, our class broke into the top 50 middle schools competing at #47!  By 3:00, the moved up on the list to #33!   Justin Payne thinks I may need to give my students blood pressure medicine.  They were quietly concentrating on their problems when I saw our school on the Hall of Fame list!  I was so excited that I think I may have let out a little scream. How exciting! I owe them a pizza party!

Don’t give up, though.  Since school let out, we have dropped off the list.  Keep working at home if you can and we WILL get back up there tomorrow!

Get your calculator fingers ready and start working math problems!  With the different time zones, the World Maths Day challenge actually started at 6:00 this morning!  I guess New Zealand is AHEAD of us in time because it is already March 4 in New Zealand!

So start working problems.  You will be participating in an event that includes 1,575,000 students from 26,000 schools representing over 200 countries!  Good luck!

Finally, we finished with the practice Achievement tests.  Although I get aggravated with the schedule disruption, the practice Achievement tests are a valuable tool.  Not only do they give students a feel for what their tests will be like, but it also gives us (the teachers) a better picture of strengths and weaknesses with our students.  Testing will be here before we know it!

I am AMAZED at how the fifth graders have taken on the World Maths Day challenge!  They have been getting on the computer at every possible opportunity to compete.  I can’t think of a better way to work on their math fluency!  Keep practicing!  I’ll give an update on new numbers soon.

Have a great weekend.  GO BRAVES!