WEEK OF NOVEMBER 16, 2009
School-wide events:
BAT II Testing Monday (Reading) and Tuesday (Math) 9:25-12:39
Wednesday (Science 8th Grade only) 9:25-11:30 Sixth and seventh graders will remain in their second period class until 11:30 and period four will be slightly shorter.
Students will follow a shortened class schedule for the remainder of each day.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are "Even Days."
Tuesday and Thursday are "Odd Days."
Plans for this week include:
Monday, 11/16
Collect: Chapter 4 Cumulative Review, Vocabulary 4D, and Activity 28
Follow-up activity on Primes (Ms. Perry)
Worksheet: Scientific Notation I
Tuesday, 11/17
Begin Chapter 5 notes, including GCF/LCM Oriental Method
Wednesday, 11/18
Warm-Up: None (Distribute new unit materials)
Check for Completion/Review: Scientific Notation Worksheet
Notes and Do: Lesson 5-1
Thursday, 11/19
Warm-Up: Workbook 5-1 (evens)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 5-1
Notes and Do: Lesson 5-2
Friday, 11/20
Warm-Up: Workbook 5-2 (evens)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 5-2
Notes and Do: Lesson 5-3
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WEEK OF NOVEMBER 9, 2009
School-wide events: Report Cards issued Thursday, November 12
Recently, we welcomed Ms. Danielle Perry, a student intern from FAU's Good Fit program, which encourages and provides a fast track for students who already have degrees to enter the teaching field. Ms. Perry, who has a degree in Marketing, has quickly found a home in the classroom. She has a flair for teaching, provides students with real-world applications of mathematics, and relates well to them. We love having her in our classes!
Anticipated test date for Chapter 4 is Friday, November 13 (Hurricane Ida permitting).
Monday and Thursday are "Even Days."
Tuesday and Friday are "Odd Days."
Wednesday is Veteran's Day. Please take time to be appreciative of all that our veterans have done and are doing for our country.
Plans for this week are as follows:
Monday, 11/9
Warm-Up: None (Distribute quizzes from last week.)
Collect: Halloween Word Search (bonus) and Icosahedron Activity (bonus)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 4-7
Notes and Do: Lesson 4-8 (Exponents and Division)
Tuesday, 11/10
Warm-Up: Overhead problems
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 4-8
Notes and Do: Lessons Pre 4-9 (Multiplying and dividing by Powers of Ten)
and 4-9 (Scientific Notation)
Wednesday, 11/11 (no school)
Thursday, 11/12
Warm-Up: Literacy Activity
Check for Completion/Review: Lessons Pre 4-9 and 4-9
Notes and Do: Chapter Review and Vocabulary Sheet 4D
Prepare for tests tomorrow.
Friday, 11/13
Warm-Up: None
Check for Completion/Review: Chapter Review; Vocabulary 4D
Chapter 4 Test and Chapter 4 Notebook Test
Homework: Chapter 4 Cumulative Review (Quiz Score)
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WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2, 2009
School-wide Events:
Monday, 11/2: H1N1 Vaccinations
Monday-Friday: Book Fair through Language Arts classes
Wednesday, 11/4: 4:30-6:00 p.m. Evening Book Fair event for parents
GEM dates:
Thursday, 11/5: Prime Number Quiz
Friday, 11/6: Quiz Sections 4-1 through 4-3
Monday, 11/9: Bonus sheets (Icosahedron 3-D activity, Halloween Word Search) given to students on 10/30 are due
Plans for this week include:
Monday, 11/2
Warm-Up: none
Collect: Circle Design Packets
Check for Completion/Review: Workbook 4-2
Notes and Do: Lesson 4-3a (Prime Factorization)
Tuesday, 11/3
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 14 (Evaluate Expressions with Exponents)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 4-3a
Notes and Do: Lesson 4-3b (Greatest Common Factor)
Wednesday, 11/4
Warm-Up: Enrichment Worksheet 4-3 (Number of Factors)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 4-3b, AS 14
Notes and Do: Lesson 4-4 (Simplifying Fractions and Algebraic Rational Expressions)
Thursday, 11/5
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 29 (Simplify Algebraic Rational Expressions)
Check for Completion/Review: EW 4-3, Lesson 4-4
Notes and Do: Lesson 4-6 (Rational Numbers)
Prime Number Quiz
Friday, 11/6
Warm-Up: none
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 4-6, AS 29
Notes and Do: Lesson 4-7 (Exponents and Multiplication)
Quiz Lessons 4-1 through 4-3
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WEEK OF OCTOBER 26, 2009
Welcome to Term II. Students will be receiving their tests from last week on Monday, 10/26. It is important that they examine their mistakes to see which ones were careless and which ones are areas they need to review. If they have questions missed on the front of the notebook test they need to improve their checking and correcting of homework and/or their showing of work, as required. Missed questions on the back of the test indicate a need for them to study and review their notes and vocabulary more thoroughly before testing.
Quarter exam results were posted on Pinnacle last week. Our average score was 74%, which seems to be about the same as what is being reported throughout the District. I will be analyzing the data from these tests to determine which concepts need additional work throughout the year, but I am not allowed to send these "secure" tests home. If you wish, you may make an appointment to come in to view your child's test.
This week there are several school-wide activities that will make flexibility a necessary part of our plans. Tuesday there are picture make-ups and a first quarter reward activity for sixth graders in the afternoon. Wednesday is a health screening day. The entire week is "Say No to Drugs" week, and Friday is a dress down day for those who make a donation to cancer research (a project sponsored by National Junior Honor Society)...not to mention the day before Halloween! To work around these things in a way that prevents us from becoming frustrated but, at the same time, keeps us learning, I will use days that are interrupted to work on the Pascal's Triangle activities that are planned to enhance this unit.
Pascal's Triangle, which dates back to the eleventh century, is the one thing in math that connects arithmetic, algebra, probability and geometry. We will be looking at how it is developed using arithmetic, patterns formed through divisibility, and use it to see how modular arithmetic systems make difficult math easier! Later in the year we will look at the many patterns in it, including some very famous number patterns, how it relates to probability, and how it relates to geometry through a fractal, the Sierpinski Triangle.
The Circle Designs in Modular Arithmetic packets are due Monday, November 2. Students will be surprised to discover that the mathematical concept that makes the circle patterns alike is a property they learned in Chapter Two. These packets will count as a project score in the "Research" class, as will the Pascal's Triangle activities.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are "Even Days."
Tuesday and Thursday are "Odd Days."
Plans for this week include:
Monday, 10/26
Distribute tests and new units.
Collect Halloween graphing activity (bonus) and Early Release activity (period 6).
Notes and do Lesson 4-1 and Enrichment Worksheet 4-1(Divisibility and Factors)
Tuesday, 10/27
Warm-Up: Pascal's Triangle activities
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 4-1 and EW 4-1
Notes and Do: Pascal's Triangle activities or Lesson 4-2 (depending on which classes are scheduled for school-wide activities)
Wednesday, 10/28
Warm-Up: Pascal's Triangle activities
Check for Completion/Review: Yesterday's work (Pascal's Triangle activities or Lesson 4-2 )
Notes and Do: Pascal's Triangle activities or Lesson 4-2 (depending on which classes are scheduled for school-wide activities)
Thursday, 10/29
Warm-Up: Sieve of Eratosthenes (prime and composite numbers)
Check for Completion/Review: Yesterday's work (Pascal's Triangle activities or Lesson 4-2 )
Notes and Do: Lesson 4-3a (Prime Factorization)
Friday, 10/30
Warm-Up: Halloween Puzzle #2 (Order of Operations and Exponents)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 4-3a
Classwork: Icosahedron 3-D Activity (Exponents)
Bonus Activity: Halloween Word Search
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WEEK OF OCTOBER 19, 2009
Important week ahead....
Chapter 3 Tests Monday
Quarter Exam (Chapters 1-3) Tuesday
Term I ends Thursday.
Monday is an "Even Day."
Tuesday is an "Odd Day."
Wednesday is a "Flex Day."
Thursday is an "Even Early Release Day."
Friday is a Teacher Planning Day (No school for students).
Plans for this week include:
Monday, 10/19
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 3-7 and the Chapter Review
Chapter Three Test and Chapter Three Notebook Test
Homework/Classwork: Chapter Three Cumulative Review (to help review for exam)
Tuesday, 10/20
Check for Completion/Review: Chapter 3 Cumulative Review
Quarter Exam (from District)
Halloween Graphing Activity
Wednesday, 10/21
Circle Designs in Modular Math (Will be a project grade for Research class Term II)
This activity connects and applies concepts studied in the first three chapters while, at the same time, reviews multiplication and division skills. Students will multiply in modular arithmetic systems (systems with a finite number of numbers...like a clock) and connect their answers to form designs. The challenge is to discover what makes some designs identical.
Thursday, 10/22
School-wide Activity: Money Matters
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WEEK OF OCTOBER 12, 2009
Important dates to remember:
Wednesday, 10/14: Activity Sheet 4 (bonus) due
Thursday, 10/15: Chapter 3 Quiz
Monday, 10/19: Chapter 3 Test, Notebook Test
Tuesday, 10/20: First Quarter Exam (Chapters 1-3)
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are "Odd Days."
Tuesday and Thursday are "Even Days."
Plans for this week are as follows:
Monday, 10/12
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 26 Dividing Decimals
Check for Completion/Review: Lessons 3-1 and 3-2
Notes and Do: Lesson 3-3 (Mean, Median, and Mode)
Tuesday, 10/13
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 19 (Averages)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 3-3
Notes and Do: Lesson 3-4 (Using Formulas)
Wednesday, 10/14 (Bonus sheet due)
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 19 (Adding and Subtracting Negative Decimals)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 3-4
Notes and Do: Lesson 3-5 (Solving Equations by Adding and Subtracting Decimals)
Thursday, 10/15
Warm-Up: None
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson5
Notes and Do: Lesson 3-6 (Solving Equations by Multiplying and Dividing Decimals)
Quiz Lessons 3-1 through 3-4
Friday, 10/16
Warm-Up: None
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 3-6
Notes and Do: Lesson 3-7 (Metric System) and Chapter Review
Prepare for tests on Monday.
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WEEK OF OCTOBER 5, 2009
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are "Even Days."
Tuesday and Thursday are "Odd Days."
Chapter Two Tests are scheduled for Thursday, 10/8. We will continue our decimal activities for warm-up activities to help prepare us for Chapter Three. The bonus sheet distributed Friday (Enrichment Worksheet 2-3) is due Friday, 10/9. I will distribute another bonus sheet this week.
Plans for this week include:
Monday, 10/5
Warm-Up: none (Distribute quizzes and Spirolateral packets)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 2-8, Lesson 2-6 (Review)
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-9 (Solving Addition and Subtraction Inequalities)
Tuesday, 10/6
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 23 (Multiplying Decimals)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 2-9
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-10 (Solving Multiplication and Division Inequalities)
Wednesday, 10/7
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 25 (Dividing Decimals)
Check for Completion/Review: Activity Sheet 23; Lesson 2-10
Notes and Do: Chapter Review; Vocabulary Activity
Prepare for tests tomorrow.
Thursday, 10/8
Warm-Up: None
Check for Completion/Review: AS 25; Chapter Review; Vocabulary Activity
Chapter Two Test and Notebook Test
Homework/Classwork: Chapter Two Cumulative Review (Quiz Score)
Bonus sheet: Activity 4 (Solving Multiplication and Division Inequalities)
Friday, 10/9
Warm-Up: None (Distribute Chapter Three materials)
Collect: Chapter Two Cumulative Review
Notes and Do: Lessons 3-1 and 3-2 (Rounding and Estimating with Decimals)
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WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28, 2009
Tuesday and Thursday are "Even Days."
Wednesday and Friday are "Odd Days."
Projected test/quiz dates:
Friday, October 2: Quiz Sections 2-1 through 2-3
Thursday, October 8: Chapter 2 Test and Notebook Test
BAT test results are available on Virtual Counselor. After studying them, I feel it would be advantageous for students to review decimals before they attempt th concepts in chapter three. Review assignments will be built into our daily work as warm-up activities.
Students have asked if there will be bonus assignments this term. I will be distributing one later this week and perhaps more next week. Credit will be given only if work has been shown on a separate sheet of paper.
Plans for this week include:
Tuesday, 9/29
Warm-Up: Worksheet "Practice Building Skills"
Check for Completion/Review: Activity Sheets 29 and 40; Lesson 2-3
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-4 (Variables and Equations)
Wednesday, 9/30
Warm-Up: Workbook 2-3
Check for Completion/Review: Worksheet "Practice Building Skills"; Lesson 2-3
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-5 (Solving Addition and Subtraction Equations)
Thursday, 10/1
Warm-Up: Decimal Review pp. 761-762 evens only
Check for Completion/Review: Workbook 2-3; Lesson 2-5
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-6 (Solving Multiplication and Division Equations)
Friday, 10/2
Warm-Up: None
Check for Completion/Review: pp. 761-762; Lesson 2-6
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-8 (Inequalities and Their Graphs)
Quiz: Lessons 2-1 through 2-3
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Thursday, September 24th
If your child is struggling with lesson 2-3, please don't panic. It's one of the most difficult ones in the chapter. We will spend additional time on it tomorrow instead of going on to Lesson 2-4.
Also, the powerpoint presentation I had for Open House has been added as a file to the new.schoolnotes website.
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WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
I enjoyed our time together at Open House. I hope you did, too.
Monday and Wednesday are "Even Days."
Tuesday and Friday are "Odd Days."
Thursday is an "Odd Early Release Day."
Special activities this week:
Monday and Tuesday: Pictures (through Language Arts classes)
Tuesday: INTERIM REPORTS DISTRIBUTED
Thursday: Early Release Day (School-Wide Activity)
Chapter 1 tests are graded; I will put them in Pinnacle as soon as I finish with these plans. Overall, many students did very well on the Chapter Test, while others made careless mistakes that they'll want to kick themselves for. The main thing is that they understand their mistakes so they can avoid making them again. The average score on the Notebook test was about a C, as students have yet to understand all that I'm looking for on it. An 80% or above is a good first score for this test but, as they adjust to this test, students should improve greatly. I always make them a "deal." If their second notebook test is at least twenty points higher than their first, the second score will count for both tests. That way they have an incentive to get their organizational and work skills up to par. (This is a one-time only offer, though.)
Plans for this week include:
Monday, September 21
Warm-Up: (none) Distribute tests and new chapter materials.
Check for Completion/Review: Activity Sheets 21 and 25 (assigned last Thursday)
Turn in Cumulative Review if not already turned in (many finished in class Friday)
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-1 (Properties)
Tuesday, September 22
Warm-Up: Workbook Lesson 2-1 (Workbooks will be kept in the classroom, but pages may be taken out of them.)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 2-1
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-2 (The Distributive Property)
Wednesday, September 23
Warm-Up: Workbook Lesson 2-2
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 2-2, Workbook 2-1
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-3 (Simplifying Variable Expressions)
Thursday, September 24
School-wide activity
Friday, September 25
Warm-Up: Workbook Lesson 2-3
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 2-3, Workbook 2-2
Notes and Do: Lesson 2-4 (Variables and Equations)
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Week of September 14, 2009
Dates to Remember:
Wednesday, 9/16
Magazine Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Thursday, 9/17
Chapter 1 Notebook Test
OpenHouse 6:30
Friday, 9/18
Chapter 1 Test (Play any of the first four games listed below for extra practice.)
Monday, 9/21
Spirolateral Packets are due (including rubric and all drawn spirolaterals)
Pinnacle has been down for maintenance this weekend. Quizzes are graded and will be returned to students Monday.
This week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are "Odd Days."
Tuesday and Thursday are "Even Days."
Plans for this week include:
Monday, 9/14
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 4 (Evaluate Expressions)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 1-10
Notes and Do: Lesson 1-6 (Subtracting Integers)
Tuesday, 9/15
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 32 (Subtracting Integers)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 1-6, AS 4
Notes and Do: Lesson 1-9 (Multiplying and Dividing Integers)
Wednesday, 9/16
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 18 (Multiply and Divide Integers)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 1-9
Notes and Do: Chapter Review and Vocabulary Activity
Prepare for Notebook Test tomorrow. Be sure all assignments from Chapter One are in your notebook/folder, labeled, checked and corrected. Be sure you have your notes with you, as well.
Thursday, 9/17
Check for Completion/Review: Chapter Review, Vocabulary Activity, AS 18
Notebook Test
Homework/Classwork: Activity Sheet 21 (Operations with Absolute Value)
Activity Sheet 25 (Mixed Integer Operations)
Study for Chapter One Test ("Foldable" activity may
be turned in for bonus points)
Friday, 9/18
Check for Completion/Review: Activity Sheets 21 and 25
Chapter One Test
Chapter One Cumulative Review (Quiz Score)
Turn in Foldables
Spirolateral Packets are due Monday.
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Week of September 7, 2009
Tuesday and Thursday are "Odd Days."
Wednesday and Friday are "Even Days."
BAT Testing will be held Wednesday (Reading) and Thursday (Mathematics) from 9:25-12:40. The remainder of these days will be devoted to shortened classes. On Friday the eighth graders will be taking the BAT Science Test. For sixth and seventh graders, period two will be slightly longer than normal; period four will be shortened somewhat. We will be doing the lessons in this chapter out of order to maximize our instructional time this week.
Don't forget the Magazine Sale turn-in day on Thursday, 9/10.
Up-coming GEM Events:
Thursday, 9/10: Quiz Lessons 1-1 ->1-4
Thursday, 9/17: Chapter One Test (tentative)
Friday, 9/18: Chapter One Notebook Test (tentative)
Monday, 9/21: Spirolateral Packet due (tentative) Students have been given a rubric for this unit.
Parents, when you look at your child's math grades on Pinnacle, please be aware that I sometimes list an assignment before recording it for students. If your child actually has a missing assignment, I will enter a "Z," which acts as a zero. Anything reported missing by Pinnacle, which interprets empty spaces as zeros, is actually something I have not yet recorded. (I often record several assignments at one time.)
Plans for this week (may need to be flexible due to the testing schedule):
Tuesday, 9/8
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 1 (Order of Operations)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 1-4 and AS 3 (Evaluating Expressions)
Notes and Do: Lesson 1-5 (Adding Integers)
Wednesday, 9/9
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 2 (Evaluating Expressions)
Check for Completion/Review: Lesson 1-5 and AS 1 (Order of Operations)
Notes and Do: Study for Quiz 1-1 -> 1-4; work on Spirolaterals
Thursday, 9/10
Warm-Up: None
Check for Completion/Review: AS 2 (Evaluating Expressions)
Quiz Lessons 1-1 through 1-4
Continue to work on Spirolaterals
Friday, 9/11
Warm-Up: Activity Sheet 31 (Adding Integers)
Check for Completion/Review: none
Notes and Do: Lesson 1-10 (The Coordinate Plane); finish Spirolateral Packet
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