One of My Favorite quick activities:  Rocket Math!

Hello parents!
We started our math fact fluency program called Rocket Math a few weeks ago! I thought I would try to answer some questions you may have about Rocket Math, so hear it goes!

Q: What is Rocket Math?
A: Rocket Math is a fact fluency program with 4 levels: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Within each of those 4 levels are 26 sub-levels, called Level A-Level Z. The levels get harder as students pass into higher levels. Students get 1 minute of practice time to do the facts in their heads. Then, they have 1 minute to answer as many facts as possible.

Q: How often do you do Rocket Math?
A: We will be doing Rocket Math 2-3 times per week.

Q: What happens if my child passes the level they were on?
A: They will go onto the next level, which will be the next letter of the alphabet.

Q: What happens if my child does not pass the level?
A: If your child doesn't pass, they will stay on that level until they do pass. Please practice with your child at home if you are noticing they are not passing several times in a row.

Q: Why is my child passing but they are not completing all of the problems on the paper?
A: Your child has an individual goal based on how quickly they can write. The most they can complete is 40, but the kids have goals anywhere from 23 problems in a minute to 40 problems in a minute.

Q: What can I do to help my child at home?
A: Great question!! There are several things you can do!! First, if your child didn't pass their level, they will bring home their paper, and the top half of their paper will not have writing on it. We only write on the bottom half when we have our timings at school, so you can time your child at home using the top half of the paper. You can even send their paper back to school so I can see that they have practiced. Another great option is to have students use flashcards at home or even apps on their devices. There are some amazing apps out there that make fact practice WAY more fun!! Just go to the app store and type in "math fact practice."

Q: Why isn't my child starting at the same level that they ended their 1st grade year at?
A: I have assessed students using the Rocket Math criteria and have found the level that is appropriate for them at this time. MOST students regress in the area of fact fluency over the summer unless they practiced their math facts on a regular basis. So, it is very likely that your child is starting at a lower level than they ended their first grade year at.

Q: Why do you even do Rocket Math at all?
A: Fact fluency is something that comes in handy EVERY SINGLE DAY during math. Students need to know their facts quickly so that they can solve more difficult problems accurately and efficiently. Also, counting on your fingers might be okay when you are 7 or 8 years old, but as kids get older, that strategy is less acceptable.

I hope this helps explain a bit about Rocket Math. Do you have further questions about it? Please leave your question in the comments section below. It is likely that if you are wondering about something else that I have not addressed, there are probably others in the same boat! Soooo...ask away!! Thanks!