From: 	Ronald Brown
Sent: 	Monday, December 06, 2004 9:25 AM
To: 	Steele, Donna (home); Steele, Donna A. (work); Stier, Lise & Robert; Van Brunt, Elizabeth & Michael; William Senger (Zelnosky); Zeller, Mary & Robert; Benner, Carolyn; Berger, Diane; Hubbard, Lisa; Huschke, Cathie
Subject: 	Algebra this week (12/6)

Dear Algebra Parents:

We are finishing up our unit on "writing linear equations" (Chapter 5
 in the Larson textbook) this week. We are planning on taking the unit
 test on Thursday. To prepare for the unit test, we will work on a
 practice test with partners in class on Wednesday. I will go over the
 practice test during the extra help session after school on Wednesday.

For this test I am going to allow the students to have one page of
 notes. Here is what I am handing out in class about this:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study Sheet for Writing Equations Unit Test

For the "writing equations" (Chapter 5) unit test that we plan to take
 this Thursday, you will be allowed to have a study sheet. The sheet is
 to have notes on only one side and is to be 8 ½ by 11 in size. You may
 put whatever you like on the sheet, but the expectation is that you
 will use it for notes about the chapter. You may write as small as you
 like or type. You must turn in the sheet with the test. You should not
 expect that we will do this for every test, and you will not be
 allowed a study sheet for the mid-term.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think having the notes will help the students. But I think the act of
 organizing the notes is what will really help them in studying for the
 test and is my main motivation for trying this. We will not
 necessarily do a study sheet for future tests.

Finally, I am giving the students a progress report today (Monday). I
 am mainly doing this so that the can see what homeworks are missing.
The last day to hand in homeworks is the day of the unit test 
(Thursday). I would recommend that you ask your children to see the
 progress report and go over it with them to see how they are doing. If
 you have any questions about it, feel free to contact me.

Mr. Brown

PS:  I am adding a few email addresses every week so I am going to just
 add this postscript every week. Ignore it if you've seen it before.
 I'm sensitive to the fact that your email boxes may be overflowing, so
 if you don't want to receive this type of email in the future just let
 me know and I will remove your name from my distribution list. I am
 sending this to the email addresses I have collected so far. If you
 know parents of other Algebra I students you might suggest that they
 send me an email so I can add their address to my list.