Math Focus in Grade 4/5

In the Number strand there is a continued focus on memorizing our multiplication facts and related division facts in both grades 4 and 5.  In grade 4, the expectation is facts up to 10 x 10 and the related division facts In grade 5, the expectation is facts up to 12 x 12 and the related division facts.  Students need to continue to practice these skills as part of their daily homework at home on their own (please see my previous post that contains lots of information about how you may support your child with this at home).  

In grade 5 we have also been learning how to use area models to solve multi-digit multiplication questions. Information was posted to the Hapara workspace which explains how to do this but by now, all grade 5 students should have brought home the worksheet that explains this strategy. We will continue to practice using this strategy at school. 

In grade 4 we have been using our mental math strategies to calculate numbers by the powers of ten (x 10, x100, x1000, x10 000).  

Last week we began a new Geometry math units in grades 4 and 5! We will be working through our current unit over the next 2-3 weeks.  

2D Shapes and 3D Figures (Grade 4): Our first lesson was all about the properties and attributes of quadrilaterals such as equal sides, parallel sides, symmetry, types of angles, number of right angles (an angle that measures exactly 90 degrees), diagonals, etc. We reviewed the names of common quadrilaterals (e.g. kite, rhombus, square, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezoid) and how we can identify and sort various quadrilaterals by their properties. In lesson two we will learn how to sort 3-D figures such as prisms and pyramids based on their faces, vertices and edges.  In lesson three we will be learning about skeleton models of 3D shapes. A skeleton of a figure is a representation that shows the figure's edges joining at the vertices but does not include the figure's faces.  In our last lesson we will be looking at net models which are flattened versions of 3D fugures. Nets are made by cutting along the edges of the figure and then unfolding and laying the figure flat. Nets are often used in everyday life to store bulky items like boxes and many nets have tabs in order to help assemble them. Examining nets makes it super easy to see exactly what faces make up a 3D figure. 

Polygons (Grade 5): In our first lesson we learned that polygons are 2D shapes with only straight sides. We looked at two classifications of polygons: regular and irregular. In regular polygons all of the inside angles and all of the side lengths are the same (e.g.square, equilateral triangle, etc.). Irregular polygons do not have side lengths and inside angles that are the same (e.g. an isosceles triangle, rectangle, etc.). We also talked about how we can classify polygons as convex or concave. In convex shapes all of the vertices point out (e.g. a rectangle). In concave shapes at least one vertex poins inward (e.g. a star shape).  In lesson two we will be learning how to construct triangles using a ruler and a protractor and also using Miras. We will learn how to use protractors to measure angles.  We will spend some time learning how to contruct triangles when provided specific side lengths or angles. In our third lesson students will learn about acute angles (and angle that measures less than 90 degrees), obtuse angles (an angle that measures greater than 90 degrees) and right angles (an angle that measrues exactly 90 degrees) and how to classify triangles based on these angle classifications. In our final lesson, we will be learning how to classsify triangles by side length relationships. Students will learn about equilateral triangles (all inside angles and side lengths are equal), isosceles triangles (two inside angles and two side lengths are equal), scalene triangles (no equal inside angles or side lengths are equal).