Dear Parents,
Challenge Math (aka Sunshine Math) is an optional program designed to enhance your child’s journey through mathematics. The objective of this program is to expand a student’s interest in independent thinking, to teach responsibility, and to develop critical thinking skills. Challenge Math is done at home and is completely voluntary.
Worksheets will be given to every student the first 2 weeks. If a worksheet is not completed and turned in by the 3rd week, I’ll assume they don’t want to participate this year. But if they change their mind, let your teacher or me know.
Your role in Challenge Math is to encourage and facilitate problem solving. You may need to read the problem to your child, explaining any new words encountered. Feel free to suggest a strategy for solving the problem, offer manipulatives (i.e., coins, dice, blocks), or listen as your child shares his or her thinking, but please DO NOT GIVE THE ANSWERS. In order for this program to be effective, the students must do the thinking.
It is normal for a child to NOT be able to complete every problem on a worksheet. The process of reading, understanding, and approaching the problems is a valuable step in solving many types of problems. Remind your child that he or she is not expected to know the answers to every problem. They should SHOW their work – partial credit is given for trying a problem.
As a participant in Challenge Math, your child will receive a new worksheet each week (not starting until January for Kindergarten). On this worksheet, the problems are ranked according to the level of difficulty. The more stars you see beside a problem, the higher the level of difficulty. The worksheet needs to be turned in to your child’s teacher when completed (preferably the following Friday), but students can hand in completed sheets at anytime during the school year– and in ‘batches.’
Your child will earn rewards for 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 stars. This year the prizes are:
- Red (50-99 stars) – Space-themed sticker
- Orange (100-149 stars) – Space-themed Spin top toy
- Yellow (150-199 stars) – Space-themed Pencil
- Green (200-249 stars) – Stretchy flyer rocket and FREE personalized pizza and drink from Lovettsville Pizza and Subs
- Blue (250-299 stars) – Shuttle Pen and EXTRA Art time with Mrs. Suitor (new prize this year!)
- Purple (300 start and up) – Challenge Math Star Trophy
Volunteers are needed (at least one from each class), to grade papers at home. Please sign up to help make this program successful. Thank you for allowing your child the chance to embark on this mathematical adventure!
Sincerely,
Michelle Honcharik
Challenge Math Coordinator
757-897-5764 cell
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