Math Integration in our Science Unit: Simple Machines and Movement

 Dear Families and Caregivers,

In our upcoming Science unit, on Simple Machines and Movement, we will be integrating mathematical concepts and literacy learning within the unit. 
Today, I want to take a few moments to share with you the mathematical focus that will be included in our unit: the Data Literacy Strand.  Data literacy means that students begin to develop the foundational skills to collect, organize, display, and interpret simple data to answer questions about their world. It's about making sense of basic information presented to them or collected by them.
Once your child has had the opportunity to create their simple machine as part of the Science Design and Engineering Process they will need to test it.  During the testing phase, your child will need to:
1) Collect data to see how much force is required to move the object using your simple machine
2) Collect data to see how much force is required to move the object without a simple machine
3) They will need to organize this data into a table

4) Using the data they collected  they will draw conclusions about how the simple machine impacts our daily lives based on their results (makes it easier or harder)

At home, if your child wants to practice collecting data they could write a survey question for the family. For example,  ‘Should we have pizza or tacos on Friday night?’ Next, they could survey the family members asking each of them their question and record the information in a tally chart. Once they have collected all their data they can come to a conclusion based on the results and share with your family.

If you have any questions about our upcoming learning, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Ms. Forster

Helping My Child with Mathematics at Home

 Dear Families and Caregivers,

I know you care deeply about your child’s learning and I often am asked, ‘How can I help my child learn mathematics at home?’ Well, there are a number of ways!  I encourage you to take a moment to watch the following video, How Parents Can Help Their Children in Math. This video outlines key ideas about how to help your child at home in mathematics.

i) Be aware of your attitude towards math - build a positive attitude and growth mindset towards it
ii) Balance Practice with Play - at times you will need to do some homework questions with your child, but playing games also benefits your child (see a list of ideas below)

iii) Be patience and non judgemental - consider how you would help a friend’s child and
iv) Be the Coach - your first job is to keep their confidence high, the teacher is there to teach the concepts, you are there to encourage them
v) Meaningful Feedback - Share that you like the strategies they used to help them, instead of saying great job, you’re so smart. Focus on the process/strategies they used to help them solve problems. Included below are the areas of focus in the Grade 2 Math Curriculum:

Strand B: Number

• Read, represent, compare numbers up to 200

• Add and Subtract up to 100

• Multiplication as repeated addition

• Division into equal groups of up to 12 items
  
  

Strand C: Algebra

• Identify, describe, create number and geometric patterns 

• Create and describe patterns up to 100

• Write and execute code, including code that involves sequential and concurrent events

Strand D: Data

• Collect data through experiments that focus on two pieces of information, and organize the data in two-way tally tables

• Display data in pictographs, line plots, and bar graphs with proper sources, titles, and labels

• Draw conclusions and make convincing arguments about the data represented 

• Describe the likelihood of complementary events happening, and use that likelihood to make predictions and informed decisions

Strand E: Spatial Sense

• Sort, identify, compose and decompose 2-Dimensional shapes

• Create and interpret simple maps of familiar places

• Draw and measure lengths using cm and m

• Use units of time (seconds, minutes, hours)

Family Activities to Support Mathematical Learning

Baking/Cooking - When you and your child are baking or cooking together try:

- comparing temperature (hot, warm, cold)

- timing how long it takes to prepare, cook or bake
- cutting a recipe in half (fractions)
- adding up all of the ingredients in the recipe
- filling measuring containers to the required amounts
- comparing measurement sizes
- determining how much food containers or measuring cups hold (capacity)

Car Trips or Walks in the Neighbourhood  - When you are out as a family, have conversations about math concepts that you see
- identifying shapes and figures in our world
- talking about seasonal changes, and temperature
- counting different objects (e.g., houses, cars, trees, stop signs, etc.)
- recognizing numbers (addresses)
- talking about the distance travelled (e.g., we drove one kilometre to get to the store)

Shopping- Here are some ways you can incorporate math when you and your child are shopping:
- comparing the prices of different foods (costs more or less)
- reading price tags
- counting or adding items as you package them in bags
- reading measurements on packages
- comparing the size of items
- packing the items in the cart or bag

Games - that you can play with your child as a family

Card Games
Can be played with different numbers of players and a deck of cards. Some games that support early math skills are "War", "I Spy with My Little Eye", "Over Under", and "In Between".
Where is the math? These games support early number recognition, counting, and developing quantity relationships.

Checkers

Checkers is a strategy board game for two players. Players move their pieces diagonally to try to capture the opponents pieces by jumping over them. The player who has all their pieces captured first loses the game.
Where is the math? This game supports the development and deepening of spatial reasoning, problem solving, as well as reasoning and proving.

Snakes and Ladders
Snakes and Ladders is a board game played with two or more players on a gridded, numbered board. The object of the game is to move a piece according to the die roll from the start to the finish.
Where is the math?  This game supports learning of counting, counting on, and one-to-one correspondence.

Grid

Grid is a fun game that can support children in learning and reinforcing multiplication facts by visually representing factors and products using grid arrays.

Encourage Mathematical Talk
- Ask questions like, why did you decide to do that? Have your child explain their reasoning to you? Why did you choose that strategy? 

Websites
TVOkids (K-Grade 6) There are several videos, games, and other activities found here that can support math learning at home.  

TVO Learn (Grades 1-8)
TVO Learn has expanded to include new adult-guided Learning Activities for Grades 1 through 8 math, language, science and technology and social studies. More are coming soon.

TVO mPower (K-Grade 6)
This Ministry funded online resource provides free online math games for students from Kindergarten to Grade 6.

Sincerely,
Ms. Forster