VWES Learning Link - 10/26 Edition

Connecting School, Home, and Learning

Math is more than getting the right answer. Strong mathematicians understand how numbers work, can explain their thinking, and use different strategies to solve problems.

This month, we're helping families make math part of everyday life!

The goal: Spend just 10 minutes at a time talking, playing, and thinking about numbers together.

Kindergarten mathematicians are learning to recognize numbers, count accurately, compare quantities, and understand that a number represents an amount.

Try This at Home

1. Number Hunt 🔎

Look for numbers around your home, in the car, or at the store.

Ask:

• "What number do you see?"
• "Can you show me that many fingers?"
• "What number comes before it? After it?"

2. Grab & Count 🧸
Grab a small handful of cereal, blocks, coins, or toys. Have your child touch or move each object while counting it.

Then ask:

"How many are there altogether?"

Rearrange the objects and count again. Help your child discover that the amount stays the same!

3. Which Has More?
Make two groups of objects.

Ask: "Which group has more? Which has fewer? How do you know?"

⭐ October Goal

Count objects accurately and talk about numbers during everyday activities.

First graders need to understand that numbers can be composed and decomposed in different ways. This foundation is essential for addition and subtraction.

🏠 Try This at Home

1. Make 10! ✋🤚

Say a number from 0–10.

You say: "7!"

Your child responds: "3!"

Because 7 + 3 = 10.

Take turns and see how quickly you can make 10.

2. How Many Ways?

Choose a number like 8.

Ask your child to find different ways to make it:

5 + 3
6 + 2
4 + 4
10 – 2

Ask: "Can you find another way?"

3. Bigger or Smaller?

Pick two numbers.

14 and 17

Ask: "Which is greater? How do you know?"

Encourage your child to explain rather than just give the answer.

⭐ October Goal: Build flexible thinking with addition and subtraction within 20.

Second graders are developing a deeper understanding of ones, tens, and hundreds. Place value becomes the foundation for more complex math.

🏠 Try This at Home

1. What's My Number? 🔢

Say: "My number has 3 hundreds, 4 tens, and 7 ones."

Your child says:

347!

Then switch roles and let your child stump you.

2. Build It Three Ways

Give your child a number:

263

Ask them to say it three ways:

Standard Form: 263
Expanded Form: 200 + 60 + 3
Word Form: two hundred sixty-three

3. Mental Math Challenge

Ask:

"What is 10 more than 46?"
"What is 10 less?"
"What is 100 more than 246?"

Then ask the most important question:

"How did you figure that out?"

⭐ October Goal: Understand what each digit represents—not simply how to read the number.

Third grade is a BIG year for multiplication.

Before multiplication facts become automatic, students need to understand what multiplication actually means.

🏠 Try This at Home

1. Build an Array

Use cereal, coins, LEGO pieces, or other small objects.

Make:

4 rows of 6

Ask:

"What multiplication equation matches this?"

4 × 6 = 24

Then turn the array around.

6 × 4 = 24

What do you notice?

2. Skip-Count Challenge

Choose a number and count by that number while doing something active.

Try:

3, 6, 9, 12...

or

4, 8, 12, 16...

Add jumping jacks, tossing a ball, or walking up stairs.

3. Real-World Multiplication

Try:

"There are 4 people in our family. If everyone gets 3 cookies, how many cookies do we need?"

Don't immediately ask for the answer.

Ask:

"How could you figure that out?"

⭐ October Goal: Understand multiplication as equal groups while building fact fluency.

Fourth graders move into more complex multiplication and division. Strong number sense helps students understand the process rather than simply memorize steps.

🏠 Try This at Home

1. Estimate First!

Before solving:

47 × 6

Ask:

"About how much should the answer be?"

A student might reason:

"50 × 6 = 300, so my answer should be close to 300."

Then solve and determine whether the answer is reasonable.

2. Break It Apart

Try:

23 × 4

Instead of immediately using an algorithm:

20 × 4 = 80
3 × 4 = 12
80 + 12 = 92

Ask:

"Why does that strategy work?"

3. Grocery Store Math 🛒

At the store:

"These cost $4 each. About how much would 6 cost?"

"This costs $7.89. About how much is that?"

Real life is full of math problems!

⭐ October Goal: Use multiplication strategies flexibly and explain why an answer makes sense.

Fifth-grade mathematics becomes increasingly complex. Students work with larger numbers, decimals, fractions, multiplication, and division.

One of the best habits families can reinforce is:

ESTIMATE → SOLVE → CHECK

🏠 Try This at Home

1. Estimate It! 🎯

Give your child:

198 × 6

Before calculating, ask:

"About what should the answer be?"

They might reason:

200 × 6 = 1,200

Now they have a benchmark for checking their exact answer.

2. Decimal Detective 💵

Money provides great decimal practice.

Ask:

"Something costs $4.75 and another item costs $2.50. About how much will we spend?"

Then calculate the exact amount.

Ask:

"Does your exact answer make sense compared with your estimate?"

3. Which Strategy Would You Use?

Give a problem such as:

1,248 ÷ 4

Before solving, ask:

"How would you attack this problem?"

Let your child explain the strategy before doing any calculations.

There may be more than one good approach!

⭐ October Goal: Estimate, solve, and determine whether answers are reasonable.

Families don't have to know every strategy being taught at school.

Instead of saying:

"That's not how I learned to do it!"

Try asking:

"Can you show me how you were thinking?"

Then follow with:

"Why does that work?"

Having children explain their mathematical thinking strengthens understanding—and gives you a window into what they know.

Try not to make speed the goal.

Knowing math facts efficiently is important, but being a strong mathematician is about more than answering quickly.

Instead of:

"Come on—you know this!"

Try:

"What do you already know that could help you solve it?"

We want students to become confident problem solvers, not students who believe being "good at math" means being the fastest person in the room.

You don't always need a worksheet.

In the kitchen: Measure ingredients, double a recipe, compare amounts.

In the car: Estimate travel time, count by 2s/5s/10s, read large numbers.

At the store: Compare prices, estimate totals, calculate change.

At dinner: Create a "math problem of the day."

During games: Keep score, count spaces, compare points, calculate differences.

When children see adults using math naturally, they begin to understand that math isn't just something we do at school.

10 MINUTES OF MATH × 3 DAYS A WEEK

That's all we're asking!

🎲 Play a math game.
🛒 Solve a problem at the store.
🍕 Use fractions while cooking.
🚗 Practice mental math in the car.
💬 Ask your child to explain their thinking.

This month's challenge:

At least once each day, find an opportunity to ask your Stingray:

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?"

You might be surprised by how much mathematical thinking comes out of one simple question.

Small moments. Stronger mathematicians.

The VWES Website is a ONE STOP SHOP for all of your school needs. Look under the Parents/Families tab to find resources to support learning at home!