Hello! Here are some updates from EY!

Wrap up Q 3 Science Olympiad-Many of your children attended the Science Olympaid last week at the CCC. The event was a great success, and I am happy that so many of our students choose to participate. There were science challenges for all levels of students, and the hands on activities kept the students engaged throughout the day. The sessions were run by guest scientists, WHS science club members, and ESU # 3 staff. The team events were Pasta Bridge, Catapults, Estamania, Sink or Float, Metric, Mystery Boxes,  and Write It Do It.

Click here for pictures and videos from the event.

Q 4 Topic and Theme-The umbrella concept for Q4 is CONNECTIONS. We will study connections within social studies/history. The grade 5 an 6 students will study a historical event and then create Peabody and Sherman skit to alter history in some way. The students will format the scripts using Mensa for Kids as a guide.  Our grade 4 students will choose a historical event to research and create “Was it Possible” keynotes to share with the grade 4 classes.

Wordly Wise-We will continue Wordly Wise each week. I have been encouraging the students to use complete sentences when doing the response questions. These questions are sometime quite difficult, and I appreciate the extra time and effort from the students. If your child is having difficulty with the passage, please ask him/her to take the time to reread. This second reading will often make a huge difference.

Math Olympiad-Our 5th Math Olympiad contest is wrapping up. The contest is timed and the students only have 30 min to complete the problems.  After the contest, we spend quite a bit of time going over solutions and strategies for each problem. Some groups worked on solving the problems last week and some will do that this week. This time is valuable. After I provide a few hits, or strategies, they are able to work through problems that they perceive as “IMPOSSIBLE” and the kids are often quite proud.

Often the contest will start with a problem that most of the children can do by drawing a picture or making a table:

SAMPLE PROBLEM: How many combinations of pennies, nickels and/or dimes are there with a total value of 25 cents? 

The problems progress in difficulty.

SAMPLE PROBLEM: A four-digit perfect square integer is created by placing two positive two-digit perfect square integers next to each other. What is the four-digit square integer?

Try the above problems with your child at home! I’ll put the answers at the end of the post.

Math Contest-Grade 5 and 6-Brownell Talbot hosts a math contest for grade 5 and 6 math students each spring. We can only take 3 teams of 5 students. The combined scores on the Math Olympiad Contests will be used determine the 15 participants. The Brownell Contest will take place on Thursday, May 1 after school. I will send home permission slips before spring break.

Grade 4 Math-Grade 4 students will continue working on Khan through the end of April. Please remind your son/daughter to spend time at home working through the lessons, videos, and practice problems. I have taught all of the grade 5 skills, with the exception of decimal division. We will spend the next few weeks doing mini lessons over this.

Answers to math problems are below so stop scrolling if you want to try them!

SAMPLE PROBLEM: How many combinations of pennies, nickels and/or dimes are there with a total value of 25 cents? (answer: 12 combinations)

SAMPLE PROBLEM: A four-digit perfect square integer is created by placing two positive two-digit perfect square integers next to each other. What is the four-digit square integer? (answer: 1681)