Month: November 2024

Speed Stacks

Division 5 has just started learning speed stacking, and last week we participated in the Stack Up! annual event. This event aims to set the world record for the most stackers at the same time in different parts of the world. The goal this year was 775 000!

Speed Stacking is a relatively new sport that is based on… that’s right… stacking cups!

Sport stacking, also known as cup stacking or speed stacking, is an individual and team sport that involves stacking 9 or 12 (usually 12) specially designed cups in pre-determined sequences as fast as possible. The cups are specially designed to allow for speedier times, so the sport doesn’t work so well with regular cups. People of all ages and from all over the world compete in sport stacking.

Just as with any sport, there are particular rules that guide speed stacking. Division 5 is just beginning developing some basic skills around how we handle the cups, and some of the stacking fundamentals needed to be successful with this sport. Developing muscle memory is a big part of learning any new physical skill, and we are learning that we must start slow in order to achieve this. One of the rules of cup stacking is that the player must use alternating hands in order to set up each cycle of cups–this action of alternating hands actually strengthen the right and left brain connection.  There are also competition events such as partner stacking where each person performs the actions of either the right or the left hand. It’s important to start with the fundamentals of a sport before adding in speed and power.

If you want to learn more, check out these official speed stacking YouTube videos.

Families have the opportunity to buy their own set of stacks from Speed Stacks Canada. Just click on the  “Group Order” image to go to the ordering site. Purchasing a set through this link helps us get more speed stacking supplies for our school.

Ordering closes on November 30.

Happy stacking!

Math Practice – Boddle & XtraMath

As students progress through the intermediate grades, math instruction focuses on increasingly complex processes and clarity of communication. A foundational skill for students navigating intermediate math is knowing their facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. While it is not a “requirement” to memorize math facts, as per the curriculum, it is very useful to be able to recall facts quickly and accurately when working through multi-step problems.

Division 5 is going to have access to a couple of different programs to support math learning. Ms. Sam is working with students to learn how to access Boddle, and I have set the students up with access to XtraMath.

XtraMath focuses on learning math facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The idea is that they have about ten to fifteen minutes of “skill and drill” practice each day at whatever level is appropriate for them. Students can work on their skills at home and at school, and parents and teachers can have access to their progress. Students will bring home a form today explaining how to access this practice at home.

Here is a video explaining more about XtraMath.

Investigating Properties

Division 5 has been learning about properties as one part of computational thinking in Applied Design Skills and Technologies (ADST). A couple of weeks ago, Ms. Gammon took us over to SFU to identify and compare some local plants and learn how they were/are used by Coast Salish people. Students had to examine the properties of the plants in order to identify them.

As part of our morning provocation discussions, we have been using a game called “Figure It Out” to practice identifying properties and giving evidence to back up our thinking. The great thing about this game is that there is no ONE right answer!

Check out these slides below for a fun discussion at home.

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