High Ability Update

Since I was absent on Monday & Wednesday and we had eLearning on Tuesday, we had one day of HA math this week. We did not have HA language arts this week.

Reflecting back on our geometry game What Happened, we worked together to answer a Think Deeply question. Writing in math to explain our thinking is a skill we work on throughout elementary HA math.

The students worked in small groups of three or four to find a missing number in a pair of expressions. Last week, they were all capable of thinking relationally to know that 58 + 24 = 56 + ____ needs a 26 in the blank. The students know that 58 is two more than 56; therefore, the missing number needs to be two more than 24. They may be a little rusty since last week, but we are getting back to where we were. We will keep working:)

Referring to our pretend base three system, we worked together to answer a Think Deeply question. Writing in math to explain our mathematical thinking is a skill we work on repeatedly in HA math.

I introduced a strategy for solving equations. The cover-up method builds on students' understanding of working backwards and undoing operations. It develops excellent number sense and focuses on the correct order of operations, which will be critical in their further study of algebra.

Email: kapeterson@duneland.k12.in.us
Location: Jackson Elementary School, North 400 East, Valparaiso, IN, USA
Phone: 219-983-3680