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Welcome to Caroline Wenzel....Home of the Wildcats!
Attendance Line: 916-552-6995 ext. 16# 4th R: 916-433-6320
Homework HelpTHE GREAT HOMEWORK DEBATE
Every week I get a few parent calls about homework, either there is too much, or not enough, it is just busy work for my child, or it is too difficult for all of us! This is an age old problem educational problem, still seeking a solution that will please everyone! I have my own philosophy about homework from a parent and a teacher point of view, but it certainly comes from my own personal experiences. There is no doubt that children need opportunities to practice skills they have learned in school that will be useful throughout their lifetime. In addition, there is no argument that soft skills such as perseverance, organization, and time management are skills necessary for college and career success. On the other hand, there is value in family time, creativity, music lessons, sports, scouts and all the extra activities that contribute to a well-rounded childhood. The answer is somewhere in the middle of these two dicotomies. I believe they can coexist!
I would like to establish a homework investigative committee, made up of teachers, parents, and a few intermediate students. The purpose of this team would be to investigate research around homework, look at best practices, and come up with a policy that will meet the needs of the Wenzel community, promote rigor, be relevant and meaningful, support creativity and individual learning styles, and not add unnecessary stress to families. Just a small and simple task! You may have noticed fewer packets and more project based activities coming home this year. Hopefully you are finding this type of homework to be more meaningful to your child.
If you are interested in being a part of this ambitious project, please let me know. You can drop me an email at: judy-montgomery@scusd.edu or call me at 433-5432.
 The Identity Properties
The multiplicative and additive identity properties are foundational when learning to solve for a variable in algebraic expressions. The properties are as such: Additive Identity: When 0 is added to any number, the sum is the number. Adding 0 to a number, or a variable, does not change the value of that number ot variable. For example: a+0=a, 5+0=5, -5.6+0=-5.6 Multiplicative Identity: When any number is multiplied by 1, the product is that number. Multiplying any number, or variable, by 1 does not change the value of that number or variable. For example: a x 1= a, 5.5 x 1= 5.5, -7.3 x 1 = -7.3. Keep in mind that the number 1 can take many forms (in fact an infinite number of forms) and that the bar in expressions written as a/b means to divide. In simpler terms: 5/5=1, a/a=1, m+3/m+3=1, horse/horse=1. These properties become very important when solving for variables in algebraic expressions.
ORDER OF OPERATIONS
One of the most important concepts to master is the Order of Operations. This "law" tells us how we tackle solving multiple-step equations. Unlike reading, math problems are not necesarily solved left to right. The Orderof Operations is often referred to as PEMDAS which is an acronym for: Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction. Translated it means multiple-step problems are solved in this order: compute within grouping symbols (parenthesis, brackets...), compute powers (exponents), multiply and divide in order from left to right, add and subtract in order from left to right. Here are some examples: Example 1: 8 x 22 + 7 x (4 +1) 8 x 22 + 7 x 5 solve parenthesis 8 x 4 + 7 x 5 solve exponent 32 + 35 multiply 67 add EXAMPLE 2: 3 + 6 x (5 + 4) ÷ 3 - 7
EXAMPLE 3: 9 - 5 ÷ (8 - 3) x 2 + 6
The Associative Property of Addition and Multiplication
The Associative Property of Addition and Multiplication basically deals with grouping. While the commutative property deals with order, the associative addresses grouping. Parenthesis will be involved with the associative property! For example: (4+3)+10=4+(3+10) Note that the order of the numbers did not change, only the grouping, or association! The same concept works for multiplication: (4 x 3) x 5= 4 x (3 x 5) Again, the order did not change, only the grouping. For those of us that love variables this property can be represented as: (a+b)+c = a+(b+c) or (a x b) x c = a x (b x c) Like the commutative property the associative property only works with addition and multiplication! Coming next week: Order of Operations!
The Commutative Property of Addition and Multiplication
Many parents have expressed an inability to help with their child's math homework. Being a mad math geek I am willing to offer my help. This blog spot is open for all parents and students to post questions they may have about math concepts. I will try and explain a math concept each week. This weeks concept is the communtative property of addition and the communtative property of multiplication. Basically tiese terms are a big way of saying it does not matter what order you solve and/or write an addition or multiplication problem. For example 3+5=5+3. The commutative property of multiplications states that 3x5=5x3. For those of you who love variables these two laws of math can be written as a+b=b+a and axb=bxa. Please note that these two laws of math only apply to addition and multiplication NOT subtraction and division!
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NewsSURVEYS
There is a survey attached to the newsletter this week. The survey is about changing the start and end time of school since there will be no general education transportation next year. The other part of the survey has to do with the uniform policy...
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IMPORTANT SAFETY PROCEDURES
Following is some very important information concerning school safety processes and procedures. Please take some time to review the information.
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© 2011-2012 Caroline Wenzel Elementary School
6870 Greenhaven Drive,
Sacramento,
CA 95831
916-433-5432 Phone | 916-433-5285 Fax |
5735 47th Avenue,
Sacramento,
CA 95824
916-643-7400 Phone |
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