Our 5th graders are currently in Unit 5 of Illustrative Math, which focuses on place value patterns and decimal operations. The 5th grade students have been tuning in to the excitement of the Winter Olympic Games and putting their math skills to the test! While watching a variety of events, students carefully examined athletes’ times and scores, paying close attention to the digits in the tenths and hundredths places. They practiced identifying place value and comparing decimals to determine which athlete had the faster time or higher score. From analyzing race times decided by just a few hundredths of a second to comparing judges’ scores in precision events, students were fascinated by how such small decimal differences could make a big impact. Their enthusiasm grew as they realized that understanding decimals helped them truly appreciate how close and competitive the Olympic events really are.
