Happy Birthday Cole!

Math
On Friday we began looking at different ways to estimate. As soon as you hear the word estimate what other math skill should pop into your head? ROUNDING!
Remember an estimate is something that should be fairly easy to do mentally. Making friendly numbers helps. Magic 10s or 100s are friendly to multiply or divide, but some are "friendlier" than others. The last thing to remember is that there is more than one estimating strategy. Some estimations will be closer to the actual product or quotient than others. Sometimes we can even use two estimates (high and low) and to predict an even closer estimate.

ESTIMATING PRODUCTS:

Estimate the cost of 8 t-shirts that cost $26 dollars each.

Strategy #1
$26 x 10 = $260 (8 t-shirts is close to 10 t-shirts)

Strategy #2
$30 x 8 = $240 ($26 is close to $30)

Strategy # 3
$26 is about half way between $20 and $30
$20 x 8 = $160 (low estimate)
$30 x 8 = $240 (high estimate)

$200 is half-way between $160 and $240 so that could be your estimate.

But you could go one step further and say $26 is one dollar more than $25 so you can add $10 more  and estimate the cost to be $210

The actual product is $208 dollars. Which estimate was the closest?

ESTIMATING QUOTIENTS:

You want to save up enough money to buy an IPad that costs $575. You want to buy it at the beginning of June (7 weeks). About how much must you save each week?

The word "about" tells you it is an estimating question. If you round $575 to $600 or $580, although they are "friendly" numbers, they are not easy to divide by 7.

Strategy #1
Think of your 7 times table. What number times 7 gives you product close to 57? 7 x 8 = 56

So instead of using the multiple of 10 that is closer to $575, use a multiple of ten that is close, but easy to divide by 7.

$560 ÷ 7 = $80

Strategy #2
$560 ÷ 7 = $80 (low estimate)  using 7 x 8 = 56
$630 ÷ 7 = $90 (high estimate) using 7 x 9 = 63

$575 is much closer to $560 ($15 away) than $630 ($55 away)

So the quotient is probably little higher than $80 so your estimate could be $82.

The actual quotient is $82.14. Which estimate was closer?

Not only do you use rounding to estimate products and quotients, but REASONING SKILLS.
I think we all agree that not knowing your multiplication facts by heart, makes these problems EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

So.......
Spend the weekend practicing your multiplication facts using your quizzes or flashcards or on-line games or the links below. Let me know if you can access these links to MathUP. Grade 5s can play the grade 4 games to practice their multiplication facts.

Take some time to play the games in your math bag, particularly the unit rate game (grade 5).

Grade 4 games:
http://mathup.ca/Games/Grade4/XMarkstheSpot
http://mathup.ca/Games/Grade4/MultiplyDivideMatch
http://mathup.ca/Games/Grade4/UChef3000
http://mathup.ca/Games/Grade4/LandingZones

Grade 5 games:
http://mathup.ca/Games/Grade5/PenguinPlunge/

Word Study
Word test on Monday. Finish your practice exercises. You will have to write three descriptive sentences using 3 of the words. This time I will ask you to circle a VERB in your sentence and underline a NOUN.

What is the verb in the sentence?

Jim has a gift for you. 

Sometimes verbs include the verbs "to have" and "to be". Think of French!

Genius Hour

We have about 6 students who have their inquiry question. DON'T PANIC! 

It's not easy.... remember to look at the ideas in your folder and the ideas from the sixth grade class.

http://www.geniushour.com/2013/03/31/genius-hour-ideas/

Share your folder with a parent. Make sure the letter is signed and complete the second page. Only students with approved questions can move to the third page. Some students are so close, their questions just need a little tweaking. I'll be chatting with students throughout the week to make sure everyone is ready for Friday. Don't choose something because you think it will be easy. Stick with what interests you so you'll love researching information for your project.

Art

We'll begin colouring next Friday with pastels. Bring an old shirt so you don't get your uniform dirty.

Reminders:

• Study multiplication facts. Quizzes with no multiplication chart start on Tuesday. 
• Ticket/ t-shirt / best wishes orders for "The Little Mermaid"
• Grandparents Day Thursday, April 26th