Math in Focus – www.thinkcentral.com

http://www.thinkcentral.com   -   Math in Focus

If you did not get the user and password from your child, please email me: david.mato@fayette.kyschools.us

Math in Focus

Math In Focus ONLINE TEXT

(Accounts will be sent home soon)

What is Math in Focus?

•  A new district wide math program for students in grades K-5.

•  A world class math curriculum.

•  Research based using model drawing.

What is Model drawing?

•  Model drawing helps children solve simple and complex word problems.

•  Model drawing helps see the part-whole structure of the problems.

•  Students learn to SEE math to form mental images of mathematical ideas/concepts.

•  No reading skills are necessary to learn the math.

Why start a new math program?

•  District schools did not have a consistent math program before.

•  District math scores showed a need for improved teaching/learning.

•  This program has shown to have positive results on MAP.

Why is this program better than other programs?

•  The program uses models to solve real-world problems that are relevant to students.

•  It broadens thinking skills and builds math success and confidence.

•  Homework consists of practice problems to reinforce the math skills learned in the  classroom.

•  There are fewer topics so knowledge is built thoroughly. Skills are mastered.

 

How will Math in Focus help my child?

•  Students will experience various learning techniques including hands-on, small groups, pairs, use of technology

   and group and independent practice.

•  There is multiple resources to help English Language Learner students, struggling students, on-level students,

   and advanced students.

•  Communication skills will be built through math talk, in which students discuss their thinking and reflect on what

   they are learning.

How will I be able to help my child with his/her math?

•  Practice newly acquired skills with your child at home to help build math confidence.

•  Letters will be sent home throughout the year that will help you understand what your child learned in school.

   These letters contain activities you can do at home with everyday items.

Wish List

1. Strong magnets
2. Educational Games
3. Little incentives for our class treasure chest
4. Electric sharpener

Suggested Snack List

Here is a list of suggested snacks. Teachers will only check snacks to ensure they do not contain nuts of any kind.

Fruits  & Veggies Any fresh fruit (apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, pears, plums, clementines, strawberries, melons, berries, etc.) Applesauce cups (and assorted variety fruit flavored applesauce) Raisins, Craisins, and other dried fruits Fruit cups (peaches, pears, oranges, pineapple, fruit cocktail, fruit blends, etc.) Fresh vegetables (baby carrots, celery sticks, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, broccoli, pepper strips, etc.) Vegetable dips

Dairy Yogurt in individual cups or tubes  Pudding in individual cups, cans, or tubes String cheese or other cheeses Drinkable yogurt or smoothies Cottage cheese Kraft Handi-snacks with cheese (with red sticks) **Be careful with any other type of pre-packaged cheese & cracker sandwiches, most contain nuts/traces of nuts

Crackers  Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Vegetable Thins (all flavors) Ritz crackers/dinosaurs/sticks (NOT Ritz bits or sandwiches) Town House, Club, Toasteds crackers Cheez-Its, Cheese Nips, Better Cheddars Saltines, Oyster crackers Wheatables, Air Crisps, Munch’ems, Keebler Snack Stix Kashi Tasty Little Crackers (TLC) Breton/Dare brand crackers Goldfish crackers (not pretzel) Graham crackers, Graham cracker sticks Teddy Grahams or Teddy Graham character brands Bug Bites crackers Animal crackers (Austin Zoo, Barnum) Vanilla wafers

Cereals Cheerios (NOT Honey Nut or Frosted) Chex (Rice, Corn, Wheat) Cinnamon Toast Crunch Corn Flakes  Crispix Frosted Mini-Wheats Kashi (Go Lean Crunch, Good Friends, Cinnamon Raisin Crunch, Heart to Heart) cereals Kix Life (NOT Vanilla Yogurt Crunch) Wheaties Other unsweetened cereal without nuts

Other Snacks Small bagels (Lenders or Thomas brand) with cream cheese (no nut type) Popcorn Pretzels (most all brands, but some Snyder’s products not peanut/nut free) Nutrigrain cereal bars / yogurt bars Special K Bars (NOT Honey Nut) Special K Snack Bites Fig Newtons (all flavors) Rice cakes (NOT Quaker brand, not nut free) Quaker Quakes (mini rice cakes) / Mini Delights (all flavors safe) Potato Soy Crisps Cheez-It Party Mix / Munchie Party Mix **Chex Mix is NOT safe

*Birthday and/or other celebration treats are still okay, but they cannot contain nuts, tree nuts, or nut oils.  They must be purchased from a grocery store or bakery and sent in the original packaging.

CAKES/CUPCAKES

• Hostess cupcakes
• Hostess Twinkies, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs
• Some bakeries (check labels)

COOKIES

• Kellogg’s brand Rice Krispie Treats (original)
• Oreos (regular, Golden, or Minis)
• Keebler Fudge Stripes, Fudge Grahams, Grasshopper Fudge Mint, E.L. Fudge sandwich cookies (original and double stuffed)
• Gripz Chips Ahoy
• Any Dare Brand cookies

DONUTS/MUFFINS

• Krispy Kreme donuts/donut holes
• Mini Donuts/Donut holes – Kroger brand (powdered sugar, glazed, plain, cinnamon sugar)
• Hostess brand (powder, frosted)
• Muffins – mini or regular – Hostess and Kroger brands (any kind but banana nut)

¡Bienvenidos!

Welcome to my 2011/2012 home page! You can use the links above to navigate to the major areas of our site. I will use this space to keep parents informed of what is happening in our classroom. I hope you find it helpful.