FLEX 4th Grade Math: Full Year of Mastery Method Math (Part 2 of 4)

*Please note: This is the second session of a FLEXIBLE SCHEDULED year-long 4th grade mastery method math course. There are NO live meetings for this class. 

Pre-recorded videos, interactive google slide presentations and links to Nearpod lessons and review games will all be posted in the Outschool Classroom, along with weekly homework assignments from the workbook, and special interactive assignments such as math scavenger hunts and create-your-own-story-problems.  Because of the small class size (8 students maximum), individual attention and individualized instruction is guaranteed!  This is a self paced class with each week's learning materials posted in the classroom at the beginning of the week. Taken as a whole, this course will offer a full year's worth of math at the general 4th grade level--focusing on gaining a deep understanding of the concept and application of division,  building mastery and fluency of the basic division facts, as well as “long” division. Basic geometry, place value, finding the average,  Money, measurement, basic geometry,  place value and their connection to multiplication will also be covered. 

In this second 8-week session, we will continue our deep dive into division and all this related to division! We will round out our division fact fluency and divisibility from Part 1 with division/divisibility by 4, 7, and 8. We will use geometry to expand our understanding of multiplication and division as learn to find the area of triangles and trapezoids. We will apply division to other real-world situations, such as converting measurements and money, finding averages, and of course fractions! (We will learn that fractions are really just division problems!) As we begin to dive into long division, we will review concepts of place value and expanded notation, as well as long multiplication as these are the key to truly understanding what's going on in long division.  Each week we will cover one topic over two days, starting with a visual, interactive introduction of the math concept using real world math connections, followed by guided, group and individual practice of the introduced math concept/skill. Review work, including previously mastered math concepts such as multi-digit addition, subtraction, and multiplication will be woven into our class routines so that understanding stays fresh and further connections can be made. (See below for the full weekly outline of topics).

This is a Mastery approach to math--each concept will be discovered, explored and practiced in a meaningful, in-depth way to achieve full understanding before moving on and connecting to the next topic. This approach is ideal both for students who love math and want to take a deep dive into each concept, as well as anxious math learners who get easily overwhelmed by jumping quickly between concepts and prefer to take their time to fully learn and understand each concept. In both cases, the mastery method can build confidence, create a positive math identity and set students on a trajectory of math success. Because of the small size of this class, I will be able to give each student the individual attention needed to ensure mastery. This course is geared towards the 4th grade student, but because the mastery method builds on previously internalized concepts and skills, specific age or assigned grade level is not as important as the prerequisite foundations of mathematical understanding, along with the maturity to handle online class and games.
**Specifically for this class, students should come with a solid number sense for whole numbers: adding, subtracting, and multiplying single and multi-digit numbers.  If you have questions about your learner’s placement level, please contact me. 

I want my students to feel fully engaged in the learning process--to find meaning, confidence (and yes, even joy!) in mathematical problem solving. To make math fun and engaging, I will be presenting lessons through interactive slides, which will include clear visual representations, virtual manipulatives, and connections to math in the real world. Additionally, I will be using applications such as Nearpod (nearpod.com) to create further opportunities for students to engage with the math material and with one another. Activities will include collaborative idea boards, typed or drawn responses, polls, matching games, quizzes and embedded games. These activities provide not only engagement and fun for students, but also give me as the teacher the opportunity for ongoing, informal assessment in order to check for mastery of each math concept.  

At the beginning of each week, I will post a video lesson of that week's topic, along with corresponding practice exercises, activities, games and homework assignments. Weekly topics are as follows:

Week 1 (Lesson 9) : Geometry: All about Triangles/Finding the Area of a Triangle 
    Additional Topics and Review: Adding columns of numbers/making 10's/Geometry review
Week 2 (Lesson 10): Division and Divisibility by 4/Fractions as Division (halves, fourths and eighths)
    Additional Topics and Review: Measurement & Money Conversions/Word Problems/Probability
Week 3 (Lesson 11): Finding the Average
    Additional Topics and Review: Comparing numbers/inequalities
Week 4 (Lesson 12): Division and Divisibility by 7 and 8/ Remainders/More Fractions
     Additional Topics and Review: Measurement conversions (ounces to pounds)/word problems 
Week 5 (Lesson 13):  Finding the Area of a Trapezoid
    Additional Topics and Review: Multiplying by multiples of 10
Week 6 (Lesson 14): Place-Value and Expanded Notation (up to billions)
     Additional Topics and Review: Geometry review/Fraction review
Week 7 (Lesson 15): Division by a single digit with remainder
     Additional Topics and Review: Adding & Subtracting 4-digit numbers/Geometry: Shapes with more than 4 sides
Week 8 (Lesson 16): More Division by a single digit with remainder
     Additional Topics and Review: Data and Graphing