Anyone with 5th graders?

[mommytotwo]

My stepson, my husband, and I were talking about what sort of things he learned in his second school and he said that he was learning three digit multiplication. This really surprised me cause when he was here with us for the first two semesters of his fifth grade year, he was on decimals and fractions. Just wondering what everyone else's children were learning.

 

[N.Bailey]

My children just completed 6th grade, but they were on decimals and fractions in 5th grade. They learned more about both in 6th grade though.

6th grade really concentrated on decimals, fractions, equations of all kinds, multi-digit multiplication/division(Up to 10 or more digits), percentages, some pre algebra, exponents, dealing with diameter, radius - that sort of thing, shapes and sides, trapezoids and perpendicular - that type thing. They also learned how to figure angles. They also did ratio's and wayyyyyyyyyyyyy more estimating than I found appropriate. They did this in 4th and 5th too. I hate estimating!! It's why I love math, it's right or wrong and estimating takes that away!!! LOL I just thought it was a bam, bam, bam kind of thing in 6th grade. If you missed a day, you could really get behind. I didn't just feel that pertained to math though either. It seems like most subjects were really pushed through fast!

In my final parent teacher conference with my kid's teacher in 5th grade, I was told 6th grade would probably be the hardest on the kids. Both with homework and trying to keep up with the change. This teacher didn't mean the work would be the most difficult, just that going from elementary to middle school and just adjusting in general, plus the overwhelming amount of homework, that it was just a really difficult year to adjust to. Going through it, I have to agree! I know that wasn't your question, but I think you've got a 6th grader on your hands now.

 

[mommytotwo]

Thank you for the input N.Bailey. We kept telling my stepson to do his best cause when he enters the 6th grade, things will be different also cause he will be in middle school. We also told him that if he needs help to ask the teachers cause they are there for you and willing to help you. I am surprised at what he learned at his second school.

 

[phamton]

Estimating is mostly to find "reasonable answers." I used it quite a bit with my 3rd graders because often they would make a simple mistake in math and think it was correct so we would estimate first and then do the computation. Just an example, say the child is adding 197 and 289, we would estimate 200 plus 300 and say it is about 500 or a little less. So then, if he added and got 300 something because he forgot to "carry" (regroup), then he would realize he made a mistake.

Estimating is also good when they start shopping or balancing a checkbook.

 

[N.Bailey]

Just tell him to do his HOMEWORK! That's our school's motto. I'm not joking when I say I sat with my kids (I'm lucky, they're both in the same grade and have the same classes) and did homework with them and there were times it literally took 4-5 hours per night. Math usually took the longest, but not always. I don't think there were many nights that were under 2 hours.

If he's not going to have someone around to help him at home(I assume he lives with his mother?), make sure he's comfortable enough to ask for help when he needs it. My son had no problem asking for it, but my daughter? She'd leave the class and not know a thing and would NEVER ask. I think I had to personally teach her every math lesson for the entire year. What's she going to do when she gets to calculus and I am clueless? LOL

At the end of 6th grade, they sent home a letter for parents to state if they wanted the kids to learn their next lessons in math over 7th and 8th grade, or did we want them to learn one thing in 7th and go on to more advanced math's in 8th. I don't remember the exact terminology that was used, but I feel it was basically asking if you wanted your child to go the basic route, or to go the more academic route. I chose the more academic route because my kids both managed A's every marking period. If it gets to be too much, I might change that in the future. I might add, neither of them were happy with my decision! TOO BAD! LOL

I felt it was an extremely tough year, but we made it through it and I'm sure your stepson will too! Good Luck to him.

 

[N.Bailey]

Originally posted by phamton
Estimating is mostly to find "reasonable answers." I used it quite a bit with my 3rd graders because often they would make a simple mistake in math and think it was correct so we would estimate first and then do the computation. Just an example, say the child is adding 197 and 289, we would estimate 200 plus 300 and say it is about 500 or a little less. So then, if he added and got 300 something because he forgot to "carry" (regroup), then he would realize he made a mistake.

Estimating is also good when they start shopping or balancing a checkbook.

I do realize why it's done. As a parent though, I do HATE it. LOL You should have heard my husband with my daughter trying to argue with her that he was right. She was the one that was right! LOL It was pretty funny. In the younger grades, I really didn't have as much of a problem with it as I do now. I figure by 6th grade, they should be doing it less and less, but we didn't see that happening. They really push it today, saying kids actually need it more than they need to be able to figure to the exact number. I have less of a problem with it when it specifically says where it's to be rounded to. I have to admit to getting them a few of those problems wrong though! hahahaha

I had a really good relationship with all my kid's teachers and in elementary school, the teachers would tell me exactly what you just did. That explanation still did nothing for my husband.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by N.Bailey
Just tell him to do his HOMEWORK! That's our school's motto. I'm not joking when I say I sat with my kids (I'm lucky, they're both in the same grade and have the same classes) and did homework with them and there were times it literally took 4-5 hours per night.

That is ridiculous! That's like practically having a double school day! Whatever happened to homework being reinforcement, a REVIEW of what's learned! Kids need to be kids, not study six hours in school and four to five hours at home. That's overload!!

DS did triple digit multiplication this year in 5th grade...along with a bunch of other things.

 

[N.Bailey]

Originally posted by Pin Wizard
That is ridiculous! That's like practically having a double school day! Whatever happened to homework being reinforcement, a REVIEW of what's learned! Kids need to be kids, not study six hours in school and four to five hours at home. That's overload!!

DS did triple digit multiplication this year in 5th grade...along with a bunch of other things.

I agree! I don't know how many nights I'd be so worn out then have to spend that much time with the kids, plus trying to get dinner ready, get them to practices that they'd need to be at. I was soooooooo thankful when this school year was over. I did hear it's the toughest year for homework though, so I am hopeful in the years to come it won't be nearly as bad. The 5th grade teacher I had the conference with, told me his 12th grade child didn't even have the homework she had when she was in 6th. I was warned!! and he was right!!

 

[mommytotwo]

When he used to live here with us, I would help him with his homework, check it and such. He also had extra help from his regular teacher and a different teacher that was there to help him with any homework that he needed help with.
Yes, he lives with his mom, and after school is over, he gets the help for just his homework, and after that at home, he doesn't read, or do anything school related. It's play, eat, watch t.v. and play games. That is different then my house and especially cause I know he needs that extra help.
We tell him to ask for help, but he usually doesn't, unless I question him and tell him to ask for that help that he really needs when he was here with us.
I don't expect him to study all the time, but realize that he needs that extra help and that his school is behind what is usually expected from that grade level.

 

[BedKnobbery2]

My son just completed 4th grade, and as a math challenge, they were working on some simple 3 digit multiplication. So my guess is, it is expected that they'll be doing it in 5th grade.