5th grade math
In addition to playing chess, 5th graders will participate in a variety of problem solving activities. Some of these will be extensions of the math lessons done in their classrooms. Like 4th grades, the regular math lessons will focus on Common Core standards.
5th graders will begin the year learning about equations and order of operations in their regular math lessons. In AE we will make patterns using centimeter cubes and determine the next pattern in a sequence and how many cubes will be needed to build it. We will display the pattern numerically in a T chart and then attempt to write an equation so that the number of cubes needed to make the 10th or 100th pattern in the sequence can be calculated.
During the second quarter students will use their knowledge of place value to work with bases other than base ten. This will culminate in students creating their own unique number systems. Things they have to consider are: what base to use (not base 10!), what their symbols should look like, whether they need a zero symbol, what direction their place value chart will go and what each the place is worth. They will make posters to teach their systems to their classmates.
Scientific notation will also be introduced this year. This is an 8th grade standard, but with all the place value work done, they will be ready. They will match different objects with their decimal and scientific notation size and make size comparisons between objects. For example, how many ants would it take to weigh as much as an elephant?