Download Parent Newsletter Math News Grade 5

Parent Newsletter
Math News
Grade 5 - Unit 6
Geometry
Math Makes
Sense
Dear Parent or Adults at Home …
Your child’s class is starting a mathematics unit on geometry. Geometric
shapes are in the world all around us, and mathematics can help your child
recognize important features of geometry. Recognizing geometric features and
understanding geometric form are key steps in developing a higher level of
mathematical thinking.
In this unit, your child will:
 Build, represent, and describe geometric objects and shapes
 Identify and sort quadrilaterals (that is, shapes with 4 sides)
Ways Parents Can Help
1. Ask your child to
show you what
he/she is learning in
math.
2. Help your child to
learn the words to
know in this unit.
Geometric shapes and objects can be found outside the classroom. Encourage
your child to look for geometric shapes and objects around the home and
neighbourhood, and talk about them.
Here are some suggestions for activities that you can do at home:

Look for geometric shapes in buildings and street signs. For example,
a stop sign has the shape of an octagon, and a yield sign has the
shape of a triangle.

Find objects around the house that have different shapes. For
example, a tissue box or a cereal box has the shape of a rectangular
prism. Ask your child to tell you the differences between the objects.
3. Invite/encourage use
of the vocabulary and
concepts to real
world situations.
4. Take a look at the
Unit Review.
Sample Problem
Answer each riddle.
a) I have two pairs of parallel sides.
All my sides are equal.
All my angles are right angles.
What am I?
Math Links and
Resources
b) I have 4 sides.
I have only 1 pair of parallel sides.
What am I?
http://www.hzsd.ca/Learningc
enter/library/Math%20Resour
ces/Grade%205%20Math%20
Websites
c) I have 2 pairs of equal sides.
I have no parallel sides.
What am I?
Sask Ministry of Education Outcomes
SK SS5.5
Describe and provide examples of edges and faces of 3-D objects, and sides of
2-D shapes that are:
 parallel
 intersecting
 perpendicular
 vertical
 horizontal. [C, CN, R, T, V]
SK SS5.6
Identify and sort quadrilaterals, including:
 rectangles
 squares
 trapezoids
 parallelograms
 rhombuses according to their attributes. [C, R, V]
Words to Know:
Attribute:
A characteristic, e.g., shape, size or colour.
Parallel:
Two lines that are always the same distance apart are parallel.
Intersect:
For shapes, when 2 sides meet, they intersect in a point called the vertex.
For objects, when 3 or more edges meet, they intersect in an edge.
Vertex:
The point where 2 sides of a shape meet.
The point where 3 or more edges of an object meet.
Horizontal:
A line that is parallel to the horizon.
Vertical:
A line that is perpendicular to the horizon.
Perpendicular:
Two lines that intersect at a right angle are perpendicular.
Right angle:
Two lines that are perpendicular make a right angle.
Diagonal:
A line segment that joins opposite vertices of a shape.
Rhombus:
A quadrilateral with all sides equal and 2 pairs of opposite sides parallel.
Parallelogram:
A quadrilateral with 2 pairs of opposite sides parallel.
Trapezoid:
A quadrilateral with exactly 2 pair of sides parallel.
Kite:
A quadrilateral with 2 pairs of adjacent sides equal.