Greetings 5th Grade Families,

REMINDER

If you're checking your child's Friday Folder, you've seen a lot of math papers come home; some blank, some partially completed, and some with feedback. I want to reiterate that this is NOT HOMEWORK. I've received feedback that having work to practice at home is preferred. Many of our students would benefit from additional support and practice at home. I do want to honor the work students put in, so IF STUDENTS BRING BACK THE 'RETEACH/ ENRICHMENT EXTENSION ACCURATE AND COMPLETE, I will adjust their grade for that lesson. I haven't had many students take advantage of this yet but it's there if they would like the opportunity to improve their grade from classwork.

WHAT ARE WE DOING IN MATH? 

We've moved on from dividing multi digit whole numbers to dividing with decimals. The only real difference is that we're not using remainders but are now using what we know about decimal place value to get a complete answer.

In this chapter, your student is learning about division of decimals. The first lesson shows patterns for dividing by powers of 10. The next lesson uses compatible numbers to estimate quotients. Using models helps students to make sense of quotients involving decimals. Your student will learn how to place the decimal point in the quotient and how to work with zeros in the dividend. Finally, your student will solve multi-step word problems to apply what he or she has learned.

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT LEARNING AT HOME

There are many situations that you can use to help your student understand division of decimals.

• Measure the length and width of a room in meters. Multiply to find the area. Give your student the area and the length of the room. Then ask, “What is the width, in meters?” Have your student first estimate the answer and then divide to find the actual answer. Ask, “Does your answer make sense, based on your estimate?”
• Use a grocery receipt as an opportunity to divide decimals when you buy apples or some other food by the pound. Say, “We spent $3.12 on apples that cost $1.98 per pound. How many pounds of apples did we buy?”
• Have your student find the unit price of an item. Say, “A 64-ounce bottle of juice costs $3.87. What is the unit price?”
• Divide money equally among people. Choose an amount of money, such as $5.73. Ask, “Can you divide the money equally among 3 people? If so, how much would each person get?”

By the end of this chapter, your student should feel confident with the learning targets and success criteria on the next page. Encourage your student to use and practice the skills of dividing decimals routinely.

Have fun dividing decimals!

Please reach out to me with any questions or feedback you have regarding your student's math progress.