Since the math MCAS is coming soon (May 8 and 10) I wanted to make videos on any math procedures that you wanted to practice on your own.  The most requested topic was (no surprise) long division.

Here is the first of two long division videos.  This video covers level 1 and 2 long division problems (remember, click the link, not the picture). In the second video, I will go over levels 3 and 4 problems.

Level 1 problems have all evenly divisible numbers in the dividend.  It's almost not even long division!

Level 2 problems are long division problems that start out with you dividing the hundreds digit by the divisor.  You'll find a multiple, divide, subtract, and repeat.  You'll see the "wallets" we practiced using in class.

Level 3 problems will be long division problems that don't have any hundreds in your answer.  You'll need to think of the problem in terms of having lots of tens instead of focusing on the small number of hundreds that can't be divided.  You'll find a multiple, divide, subtract, and repeat.  You'll see the "wallets" we practiced using in class.

Level 4 problems will have a zero in the answer.  Paying attention to place value is important in every problem, but it's absolutely necessary in order to get the correct answer to this type of long division question.  You'll find a multiple, divide, subtract, and repeat.  You'll see the "wallets" we practiced using in class.

Did you find these videos helpful?  Please answer in the comments below.

To help you review what you've learned in math this year, we got together with Mr. Earls' class to play math games and do math activities. 

It was fun seeing some different activities that the other class taught us, and it was also great to be able to teach them some new ones too.  The activities included:

1.  Long Division
2.  Multiplication
3.  Fractions
4.  Least Common Multiple
5.  Prime and Composite Numbers

The day was a success and I can't wait to do it again next Friday!

What skills do you want to practice before the MCAS?  What activities do you think we should do next week?  Answer in the comments below.

Congratulations to everyone who worked really hard this month and improved on their fraction test! 

Not only have you learned how to find equivalent fractions, fraction of a set, simplest form, and how to change back and forth from improper fractions to mixed numbers when adding and subtracting fractions.  You also learned how important it is to go back and reread the questions to make sure you did what it was asking.  Well done, everybody! 

Although he wasn't the same person who came to our school earlier this year, we had fun watching a "new guy" draw a map of the United States.

This time the learning focus was on the states and capitals. Most of the icons he drew weren't explained, but each was important to that state. Not only that, but there was a really catchy song that went with it! If you'd like to watch this video, you can visit the Marbles the Brain Store website. Clicking the link will bring you to a shopping site (the map is for sale) but if you scroll down you can watch the video, commercial free, for free.

The Southeast Region is a popular vacation spot because it is has so many recreational areas!  Have you ever been to Florida on vacation?  Then you've had fun in the southeast region.

The tourism industry (also known as recreation) isn't all about fun and games.  It also creates a lot of jobs and tax money for the region.  

The tax money that is collected in a state is related to the economy.  When there is a good balance of people earning, saving and spending money, it's good for the economy.

Since you know the southeast region has an ocean, farms, and theme parks, what jobs do you think are available in the region?  What are some products (not groceries or clothes) from the southeast region that generate tax money for these states?  Answer in the comments below.

Here is a video that will help you learn how to change a fraction to simplest form.  You will see a model of what simplest form looks like, get 6 tips on how to decide what number to divide the top and bottom number by, and finally you'll see a sure-fire test taking strategy.  If you've ever tried to answer a multiple choice fraction test question and thought, "The right answer isn't there!" then you will love this strategy!

Was this video helpful?  Answer in the comments below.   

When you hear people talking about the economy, they are talking about money.  

The economy has to do with how much money a city, state or country has (not how much your parents have!).

Some things that are important to keeping the economy in good shape is having jobs and people to do them, having products and people to buy them, fun things that people want to spend money on, and taxes to keep public services running.  

Here is a video I created that shows you how to find the fraction of a set.  (Click the link, not the picture).  Remember that you can pause and go back over any parts that you need to rewatch to help you with your homework and to study for your tests.  

Here is a different video on fraction of a set that I found on a Singapore Math website.  I didn't make it, but it shows how to use a bar model instead of circling dots. 

Was this video helpful?  Answer in the comments below. 

I've finally done it!  Thanks to a class I went to today, I know how to create and post video tutorials for math concepts taught in class!

Here is my first video (well, the second draft of it) on how to change improper fractions to mixed numbers (Click this link; not the picture above).   You'll hear my voice explaining what to do as I write the example, step by step, on the "digital whiteboard."  You can pause and replay the video as many times as you need to.

Was this helpful?  Answer in the comments below.

Here is my second video on the same topic.  This is a different way to change improper fractions to mixed numbers (click the link; not the picture). 

Which way do you like better?  Are the videos helpful?  Answer in the comments below. 

You asked for it, and here it is.  Here is a video that will teach you how to change a mixed number to an improper fraction. 

Was this video helpful?  Please reply in the comments below.