"Adding by Place"

Traditionally we were taught to line up our numbers and add. If it equaled more than ten, you carried the one and then added up that row. This method is definitely a way to solve a problem, especially if you have a sound understanding of place value. A lot of us would just do it because if we didn't do it that way it was wrong. It was also the only way we were taught which goes back to the old saying of "you do the best with what you know how to do". Research has shown that students come to us with their own understanding of math and it is our job to tap into their little brains and find out what works best for them.
Investigations teaches multiple ways for students to solve problems. It is also important for the teacher to understand various ways, so when a child is trying to explain how they are thinking of a problem we can accurately model and help the child communicate and visualize their thinking.

So a strategy that is helping students understand place value when adding numbers, is "Adding by place".
Example:
36+23=
Tens place 1st: 30+20=50
Once place 2nd: 6+3=9
Combine the two: 50+9=59

Now, of course this takes a little more time and there is always the "quick" way which is never discouraged. Educators have noticed it is sometimes too quickly introduced though before the student has a strong understanding of why they are "carrying that one". So this is just foundation work so when students get to numbers in the hundreds of thousands there is a stronger foundation in place value.
Hope this helps...

Addition Combinations

The last few days we have worked with different addition combination strategies to help us remember our addition "facts" (as us old timers refer to them). It is important for students to have strategies to figure out problems. If a student only has their facts memorized and then later down the road forgets, how are they supposed to remember again? That is when they need to have a strategy!
Over the years we have become more comfortable with adding and subtracting numbers and therefor start learning and using strategies that work for us. So why not start getting our students to think this way, a way that took some of us until our adult years.

So addition combinations you say...
Here are the ones we worked on the last few days

These are for addition combinations up to 10+10, but later helps them when using larger numbers!

Doubles
Two numbers (addends) that are the same with an even sum.
Ex:
2+2=4
10+10=20

Near Doubles
Two addends with one addend one more (or one less depending on how you look at it) away from each other. The students uses their doubles (which they all know pretty well) to help them solve these types of combinations.
Ex:
2+2=4 (double)
2+3=5 (double +1)
or
2+1=3 (double -1)
One of the number increases or decreases by one.
You can even take this on to (doubles +/- 2)

Make 10 Combinations
This is when the two addends (numbers) sum equals 10! We love this strategy because it helps students when they start adding multiple large numbers at one time.
Ex:
1+9=10
2+8=10
3+7=10
Do you see the pattern?
A question we like to ask is:
Why is that pattern happening??

Plus 10 Combinations
Students learn these quickly but usually have a hard time explaining why. Plus Ten is when you add the number 10 to a single digit number.
10+1=11
10+2=12
A student might say that you just replace the zero with the number. So our question to them is:
Why does the number added "replace" the zero? We want them to understand that it is because of PLACE VALUE not "just because it just does" or magic! **wink**

Plus 9 Combinations
TRICKY TRICKY! is what we call this one, but it's really compensation and decomposing! Fancy words, but they will know them soon. It means taking apart a number and then giving some of it's parts to another number. This strategy is a favorite once the students get it down.
Ex:
9+6=
Well, 9 and 6 aren't the "Friendliest" of numbers. So to make this a more "Friendly" problem, it would be nice to have that 9 turn into a 10. So I'm going to decompose 6 into (5+1) and compensate (give to another number) the 1 to the 9. Now I have a new equation:
10+5=15
same as
9+ 6= 9+ (1+5) How familiar does that look???
9 + 1= 10
10 + 5 = 15


Some kids like to make it a 10 first and then subtract one after they are done with the equation. That is a great strategy, but they sometimes forget to subtract that 1 the added on after they got an answer.
Ex:
9+6
Student: 10 + 6 = 16 but I have to take away one because I added one to 9 earlier. So it's actually 15.
or
Student 9+6=15 because I took 1 away from the 6 and gave it to the 9 which made 10 and now the 6 is a 5. So 10+5=15.

OK, so that was the crash course on addition strategies for combinations up to 10+10! We hope this helps! Please let us know what we can do to help you at home with your child and our student! We are here to support you!

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Parent Orientation Slide Show!

Tonight is our parent orientation at Freeman. If for some reason you were unable to make it, please scroll to the bottom of the blog to watch our slide show presentation. There will also be a hard copy sent home with your child.
**The slide show lets you pause and move forward from slide to slide if you move your cursor towards the bottom right hand corner of the actual slide show.

REMINDER:

*Please send back school information packets. This packet had 4 forms that need to be filled out.

1. Student Handbook form (most often forgotten but it is in the actual student handbook)
2. Two Registration forms
3. Directory Information Forms

* Tomorrow is College Shirt Day!

* Fundraiser information Packet will be coming home this Wednesday!

Tigerrrrr Time!

Freeman loooooves Tiger Time!
As soon as kids get to school at 7:45 they go to the gym and get in their class lines. For 30 min. the kids get to sing, dance, and do stretching to get them warmed up and ready to go for the day! It really sets the tone for the rest of the day. As some students are still waking up, this gets their blood flowing and oxygen to the brain so they are ready to learn as soon as they get to the classroom.
Teachers also love Tiger Time because this is when we get a chance to work with students in different areas and a time we can be one-on-one or in small groups with them. Tiger Time is used for tutoring and testing so it doesn't interfere with our normal instruction time. This is why we ask your child be to on time to school, so not only do they get to participate in this event, they are also there if the teachers need to pull them for tutoring or testing.

Wednesdays are COLLEGE T-SHIRT Days!

The Mission Statement for Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD states that we will graduate every student college ready! So along those lines, and as a reminder, we encourage students to wear their favorite college t-shirt. If they don't have a favorite we try to help them learn about the different colleges out there by wearing our own or other favorites. We also listen to various college fight songs when students are coming in. You can usually find one or two teachers singing along!

So every Wednesday we encourage all students to wear a college t-shirt of choice. They need to be worn with uniform pants.

http://www.iamgoingtocollege.com/iam.html - This is a great resource for parents and students to start getting ready for college.
IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY !!!!