Summer Message from our Math Specialist, Dawn Wheatley

Summer is upon us, and we encourage you to keep math active in the lives of your children. There are lots of ways to do this. While there are always workbooks and websites that you can find for drill and practice, we recommend that you engage with meaningful math concepts and interactive games with your children this summer. Real life provides a variety of opportunities for this. Read on for practical suggestions.

Young children can never have too much practice counting. As your children count the steps in your building or the pennies in your pocket, be sure they are counting with one to one correspondence, meaning that they say one number for each item. They can also begin to estimate, or make a “smart guess” as to how many items there are before they begin counting. Another fun activity is “Which One Doesn’t Belong?” Gather two or three items that are similar in some way and another item that does not share that attribute. Have them guess which one doesn’t belong and explain why. You will be amazed at how good they are at this, not to mention the fact that they will often see a different similarity than you did. Be on the lookout for shapes around your house and in your neighborhood. Talk about what makes a square a square and look at how some shapes have other shapes within them. For example, a hexagon can be divided into six triangles. Mazes and dot to dots are fun activities for young children and can be found at most bookstores. For more activities, check out Games for Math, by Peggy Kaye.

For older children, a favorite car game is “I’m Thinking of a Number.” Think of a number within a certain range (such as 1-100) and have your child ask you questions that can only be answered with at yes or a no. Talk about what makes a smart question (one that eliminates a lot of numbers at once) and try to keep your child from guessing specific numbers until they have really narrowed it down. At the grocery store, estimate how much you will owe and how much change you will get back when you pay. Look at an analog clock or watch and determine what time is, what time it was twenty minutes ago, and what time it will be in one and one half hours. When cooking, figure out how to double or halve a recipe. This can get very tricky when it involves fractions.

Some fun puzzles and projects can be found in Math for Smarty Pants and I Hate Mathematics, both by Marilyn Burns. Favorite commercial games that reinforce concepts include Chess, Checkers, Parchesi, Blink, Set, Uno, 24 (single dot versions), Make 7, Mastermind, Sum Swamp, Izzi, Blokus, and Racko. Most of these games are available at www.etacuisenaire.com or www.eNasco.com. Families who prefer for more structured work may want to check out the websites www.aplusmath.com and www.funbrain.com. If you are looking specifically for a workbook, try Spectrum Math.

Wishing you a happy, healthy summer, which will include some enjoyable math experiences for you and your child.

Sincerely,Dawn WheatleyLower School Math Specialist

 

 

 

 

 

LOWER SCHOOL NOTES & ATTACHMENTS

(click on the links below to view and print information from teachers and specialists.)

  • All grades: To view photo galleries from all divisions of the school, click here.

UPCOMING PARENT MEETINGS & EVENTS

  • For the most up-to-date, searchable all school calendar, please visitwww.lrei.org/calendar. Click here for the 2009-10 school calendar.
  • Friday, May 29, 8:15AM – Memorial event for Owen Gerson
  • Tuesday, June 2, 5:30pm – Afterschool Piano and Voice Recital
  • Tuesday, June 2, 6:30pm – Afterschool Instrumental Concert
  • Thursday, June 4, 8:15am – Goodbye Breakfast for Pippa, Samantha & Sandra
  • Friday, June 5 – School closes early. Dismissal at 12noon (Fours – 1st grade at 11:45am)

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What to Expect: Please join us on the following mornings for discussions about moving on to the next grade level. All meetings will be held in the Bleecker street cafeteria.

  • What to expect in first grade – May 4 at 8:45am
  • What to expect in second grade – May 7 at 8:45am
  • What to expect in third grade – May 14 at 8:45am
  • What to expect in fourth grade – May 15 at 8:45am
  • What to expect in fifth grade – Updated! June 5 at 8:45am

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LS class picnic schedule: All class picnics start at 6pm. Please contact your classroom parent representative to confirm the time, date and location for your class.

  • Wed, May 6 – Alison’s 3rd Grade Picnic
  • Tue, May 12 – Dina’s 4th Grade Picnic
  • Wed, May 13 – Dot’s 3rd Grade Picnic
  • Mon, May 18 – Rebecca’s 1st Grade Picnic
  • Wed, May 20 – Gina’s 1st Grade Picnic
  • Tue, May 26 – Colleen’s 2nd Grade Picnic
  • Wed, May 27 – Jamie’s 1st Picnic
  • Thu, May 28 – Tasha’s 2nd Grade picnic
  • Mon, Jun 1 – Luise’s K’s Grade Picnic
  • Wed, Jun 3 – Crystal’s K Picnic
  • Mon, Jun 8 – Diane’s EK Picnic
  • Tue, Jun 9 – Fours Picnic
  • Wed, Jun 10 – Kate’s 4th Picnic

 

 

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Goodbye Breakfast: As the school year draws to a close, the time is upon us when we must wish a fond farewell to a few dedicated members of the LREI community. I invite you to join me in thanking Pippa Gerard, our Director of Development, Samantha Caruth, Director of Admissions, and Sandra Song, Annual Fund Manager for all that each has done during her time at LREI. We will miss them each dearly. Please join in our celebration of their accomplishments. Thursday, June 4th, 8:15AM-9:15AM in the Sixth Avenue Library

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The library will be closed to circulation the first week of June. Books may come into the library, but may no longer be checked out of the library. The librarians need to get all material back on the shelves in order to take inventory of the collection. The library space will be open to families and students as usual. If you have any questions, please stop by to speak with Jesse, Jen or Stacy. Thanks so much!

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A reminder: Please be sure to check the lost and found. We will be donating lost items at the close of school.

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PA Election Poll: Each year the Parents Association asks its members to vote on a slate of officers and representatives for the following school year. Click here for the ballot for the 2009-2010 school year. All parents/guardians of LREI students are members of the association and are encouraged to vote. There is no election for class parent representatives. If you would like to volunteer to be a parent rep, please speak to your divisional coordinator or the current year’s parent reps. Once completed, please return your ballot to the receptionist in either building. Ballots can also be mailed to the school, please address them to Parents Association Elections.

 

 

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