Math Common Assessment

The students will take a math common assessment tomorrow, January 27. They practiced solving the problems in class on their own and as they finished I showed where they excelled or needed to make corrections. My goal was to have the students correct their own mistakes versus myself doing it for them. This way, they will "learn from their mistakes" and they can be preventative during the test. Below is a copy of the review sheet I attached to their practice problems. Thank you for all of your at-home support!

Math Common Assessment Study Guide

(Multiplication, Division, and Graphs)

Test: Thursday, January 28, 2016

We completed the study guide in class with the students. The students were given a chance to solve the problems independently and then provided guidance by their teacher based on mistakes that were made. The students were also asked to explain how they know their answer is correct. This is a challenging step, but extremely beneficial.

Listed below are some things you can review with your child and struggles we notice they have in class.

Questions you can ask:

·         Explain from start to finish the steps you used to solve this problem.

·         How do you know if this is a 1-step problem or a 2-step problem?

·         Explain the strategies you use to solve a problem with a graph.

·         How do you know if a problem is asking you to multiply or divide?

·         Show me a problem you did not solve correctly on your first try. What are some of the mistakes you made when practicing in class and how did you correct them?

·         What do you do if there is extra information given in a problem?

Reminders to give your child:

·         Make sure you re-read the question after solving a problem to make sure your answer matches what the question is asking.

·         Remember to solve the problem first before you check your answer choices.

·         Cross out extra information if there is any.

·         Make a mental note if a problem is 1-step or 2-step and remember to complete all of the steps.

·         Test each answer choice by solving, labeling T or NT (true or not true), or with check marks or crossing them out. If the first answer choice is correct, don’t stop there. You still have to check them all in case there is a better answer.

·         Take brain breaks! These problems require a lot of stamina. Just like when running in mileage club, you have to let your body rest in between laps. Your brain works the same way. Solve a few problems and then rest your mind. If you get stuck, take a break. If you feel tired, take a break.

·         Show your strategies on every problem. This way your teacher can see what you understand or where you may need help.

*On the back you can brainstorm a list of strategies your child might find helpful on the test.