Grade 4
Tips for Helping at Home
•
Questions to ask:
What is it that you don’t understand (have
the student be specific)?
What about putting things in order?
Could you try it with simpler numbers?
Can you guess and check?
Does this make sense?
What can you do to explain your answer to
show others what you are thinking?
Does your answer seem reasonable?
•
Your child will be teaching you several games
that can be played cooperatively. Later in the
unit, your child will be asked to look for patterns
in magazines or newspapers or on pieces of fab-
ric, gift wrap, or wallpaper.
•
Students will be solving problems involving
money. It would help them to have an assortment
of coins to work with. You can also involve your
child in solving problems involving money. How
much will two items cost together? How much
change will you get for $1.00?
What is the total value of
all the coins in a purse or
pocket?
Mathematical Emphasis:
Investigation 1—How Many Hundreds?
•
Grouping things for more efficient counting
•
Recording numbers for more efficient mental arithmetic
•
Finding out how many more are needed
•
Estimating how many hundreds are in the total of a
group of three-digit numbers
•
Communicating about mathematical thinking through
written and spoken language
•
Exploring materials that will be used throughout this
curriculum through written and spoken language
Investigation 2—How many dollars?
•
Grouping coins for more efficient counting
•
Recognizing value of U.S. coins
•
Recognizing the decimal point on the calculator
Investigation 3—Using Number Patterns
•
Using known answers to find others
•
Subtracting on a 300 chart and with a calculator
•
Adding and subtracting multiples of ten
Investigation 4—Making Geometric Patterns
•
Distinguishing between geometric patterns and random
designs
•
Distinguishing between mirror symmetry and rotational
symmetry
•
Writing about designs
Websites
http://cms.everett.k12.wa.us/math
http://tiger.towson.edu/~mlackn1/mathwebsitestudent.h
tm#Geometry
http://www.funbrain.com/cashreg/index.html
Understanding Symmetry
In this Investigation, students will be asked to make
symmetrical designs and explain how they know they
are symmetrical.
Some designs will display
mirror symmetry. “My design
is symmetrical because if
you fold it, it will end up on
the same side.”
It is more difficult to create a design that has only
rotational symmetry. “My
design is rotational be-
cause you can turn it
around and see the same
thing.”
Some students will discover
that they can make designs that have both types of
symmetry.
Vocabulary
Symmetry:
showing an exact duplicate of a
shape on an opposite side of a line (mirror
symmetry) or around a central point (rotational
symmetry)
Line of symmetry
: a line that divides a shape
into two halves that are a mirror image of each
other
Expression
: one or more numbers, variables,
and/or operation symbols. Examples: 6, 6+6,
6x, 6 + 6 - 3
Equation
: a math sentence showing two parts
as equal. An equation uses an equals sign
between 2 expressions. Examples: 6 + 6 = 12,
6 + 6 - 3 = 5 + 4
Congruent
: having exactly the same shape
and size
Glossary
http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/
Hidden Coins
Materials
•
One dollar in real coins: 2 quarters, 3 dimes, 3
nickels, and 5 pennies
•
A small paper bag you can
reach
into but not
see
into. Put the coins in the bag.
Players:
2 or 3 (can also be a solitaire game)
How to Play
1. Players agree on a sum of money less than
$1.00 that one player will try to pick from the
bag. Some easy amounts require only 1 or 2
coins— for example, 10¢ or 35¢. More difficult
amounts require more cons—for example, 23¢,
47¢, 66¢, or 92¢.
2. Reach into the bag and take out one coin at a
time until you have the target amount of money.
If you take a coin that will not help you make the
target amount, put it back.
3. When all players agree that the target amount
has been picked out, return the coins to the bag.
4. Choose a different amount of money, and start
again. Take turns.
Variation:
After one player picks out the right
amount, the next player tries to make the same
amount of money with different coins.
