June 8, 2006 Dear West Woodland Families, Summer is almost here. School will be out soon, but learning doesn’t stop. West Woodland students will continue to get smarter over the summer! The attached math activities will help! PLUS, if you complete the activities you will be entered into a drawing to win GREAT MATH PRIZES. Students going into 1^st through 5^th grade are eligible. First, make a math journal by stapling together some pages or buying a notebook. You’ll need at least 12 pages. Second, Decorate the cover. Third, each week label a page in your journal with the name of the problem. (You could cut the problem out and paste one on each page.) Choose problems that are at an appropriate challenge level. (Parent guidance is important.) Solve them and show your thinking with words and pictures in your journal. Working with your family or friends is encouraged. Fourth, there are computation problems for each week also. Don’t forget to work on those. You could also challenge yourself or your family with additional computation. Here are the expectations for mastery at each grade level: Kindergarten: addition and subtraction of numbers 1-10. First: addition and subtraction of using numbers 1-20. Second: addition and subtraction of numbers 1-500 with regrouping (borrowing) Third: multiplication facts and multiplying and dividing double-digit numbers by single digits. Fourth: Multiplication and division with more than one digit Adding and subtracting decimals Fifth: multiplication/division with decimals addition and subtraction of fractions (Remember, most concepts are introduced two years before mastery is expected.) Parents and siblings can join in on the math fun. Bring you journal back the first week of school!!! Have fun this summer. Your West Woodland teachers

Color the square when journal is complete.	Make a summer math journal by folding papers and stapling them. Design a colorful cover. In your summer math journal record your math thinking and solution for each activity below. There is one for every week. Include the title of the activity or cut out and past the problem on your page. Have FUN with MATH this summer!!.
4^th week in June	Number sense – Counting money Ask an adult for a handful of change. Record the number of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, dollars. Record the total amount of money. Look in the newspaper and decide what food you could buy with this money. If you were given this amount every day for a week how much money would you have? Challenge: How much would you have if you received this amount weekly, for a year?
1^st week in July	Probability – Batting Average Have someone pitch to you several times “at Bat” – that is, until you either strike out (miss three pitches) or get to base by hitting the ball. Keep track of the number of times at bat. (Your first time at bat, for example, you might miss the first pitch and then hit the ball into left field, getting to first base. This would count as one time at bat even though you received two pitches. Your second time at bat, you might hit a foul ball and then strike out. All four pitches would be your second time at bat.) Add up the times you earned a base by successfully hitting the ball. Fouls don’t count, and neither do walks because the base wasn’t earned by hitting the ball.) Divide the number of successful times at bat (when you earned a base by hitting the ball) by the number of times at bat; then move the decimal point three places to the right. (Say you came up with .600 , you would say, “my average is six hundred or I bat six hundred.) Times you hit the ball: 3 Divided by times at bat: 5 3¸5=.600 Your baseball average is 600 So slightly more than half the time you step up to bat, you get a hit. Record your batting average on 3 different days. Challenge: Record the batting averages for your 5 favorite baseball players in order from highest average to lowest.
2^nd week in July	Number sense – Estimating and graphing Find a package of something (fruit snacks) or measure a cup of something (Cheerios). Estimate how many are in the package of cup. Write down your estimate. Count them. Record the number. Make a graph of both numbers. Repeat the above steps for 2 more items. What does your graph show?
3^rd week in July	Measurement - Around the Block Record how many steps it takes to go around a block in your neighborhood. Challenge: measure how far it is around the block using yards, feet, or miles. Record the time it takes to walk, to run or to bike around a block in your neighborhood. Make a bar graph of the results of your timing. Challenge: What is the perimeter of the block? Challenge: What is the area of the block?
4^th week in July	Number Sense – Reading to Learn about Math. Find a book about math in the library. Here are some suggestions: Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Viorst Anno’s Hat Tricks and Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Mitsumasa, The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins, Eight Hands Round by Ann Whitford Paul Write 4 sentences about what you learned. Challenge: Write a math book on your own, or make one like a book that you have read.
1^st week in August	Geometry – Designs and Symmetry Find objects and designs that are symmetrical. Some have line symmetry: you can draw a line down the center and both halves will be the same like a peace sign. Some have turn symmetry: you can turn the design four ways and it looks the same like a square checkered tablecloth.. Some have both kinds of symmetry. Make a list or draw pictures of some of these objects. Challenge: draw a picture that is symmetrical in five ways. Challenge: Fold a square or circle paper twice. Make cuts in it that will be symmetrical. Unfold it and mount it on a contrasting color.
2^nd week in August	Measurement – Cooking with a Recipe Find a recipe for cookies, cake, a pie, a salad or something that needs you to measure ingredients. Write the recipe in your journal. Make the recipe. Write the recipe that you would need if you had to double it for a large group of people. Challenge: How much would each person get if you had 16 people? 100 people?
3^rd week in August	Probability: Rock, Paper, Scissors Sit side by side on the bottom step of a staircase. On the count of three, both players bring one hand forward in the symbol of a rock (a fist), paper (4 fingers held straight out), or scissors (two fingers forming a V). The player with the winning symbol (paper covers rock, rock breaks scissors, and scissors cut paper) moves up one step. Keep playing until someone reaches the top step to win the game. Record the winner. Play the game 10 times and record each winner. What is the probability of winning the game? Is it 50-50?
4^th week in August	Geometry – Around your house Draw the front of your house. Identify all of the shapes that you see? How many do you see of each shape? (squares, rectangles, circles, triangles, trapezoids, hexagons) Draw a floor plan of your room or of your whole house. Challenge: Find perimeters and areas of each room.
5^th week in August	Number Sense – Play Compare (See back of letter for instructions.) Play card games or other games involving math with your friends or family.

Compare: A Math Card Game

Materials: Deck of cards (face cards removed)

Players: 2

Object: Decide which of two totals is greater.

How to Play:

1. Shuffle cards. Deal cards evenly to each player. Place your stack of cards facedown in front of you.

2. At the same time, both of you turn over the top two cards in your stack. Look at your two numbers and find the sum.

Then find the total of the other player’s numbers.

If your total is more than the other player’s, say “Me!” If the two totals are the same turn over two more cards.

3. Keep turning over two cards. Say “Me!” each time your total is more.

4. The game is over when both players have turned over all cards in the stack.

Variations:

a. If your total is less, say “Me!”.

b. For younger students, turn over only one card at a time and decide which number is greater.

c. Add the wild cards to the deck. A wild card can be any number.

d. Play “Triple Compare”. Turn over the top 3 cards and find the sum.

e. Play “Product Compare”. Multiply the two numbers and compare.

f. Play “Fraction Compare”. Use the two numbers to make a fraction. Which fraction is larger?

g. Add the face cards to the deck. Jack=11, Queen=12, King=13