Dini Howell - Grade 3

Dear Parents,

As you know, we have been taking basic fact drills twice a week since the beginning of the school year.  We started with multiplication and now about half the class have progressed to division basic facts.  In class, we have reviewed the basic facts by studying patterns in the multiplication table, connecting the inverse operations of multiplication & division, & using manipulatives (unifix cubes) to illustrate the operations of multiplication & division.  I have encouraged the children to review their particular table every night using one or more of the following strategies:  study patterns in multiplication table, use/make flash cards, have someone at home call the tables aloud to them, &/or make & solve practice drills.  Again, about half the class have progressed to division, but some children have taken a particular multiplication table more than 3 times.  I have told the children that knowing their basic facts by memory or in "a snap of the finger" is essential in continuing their 4th grade math.  The multiplication problems, around the corner, will involve more digits & the long division will become longer.  Please help/encourage your child to review their particular table each night.  A handy study reference is their homework journal (which should come home every night).  The homework journal contains a multiplication table.  Thank you for any assistance you can give your child in learning their facts.

Ms. Howell