Family Updates

Algebra Class Information for Students and Families

Greetings Students & Families!

Here you will find weekly updates on what is going on in math class. We will try our best not to overwhelm you in your e-mail inbox and will refrain from emailing you directly unless needed. So please bookmark this page and check back frequently. We also encourage your student to share their portfolio with you so you can stay up to date on their progress. Here is a quick link to all 8th grade teachers: https://8thgradenichols.weebly.com/

🎉Happy End of School Year to all 8th Graders! 🎉

Class of 2022 Proud of you!!!

Greetings scholars & families! What a year it has been! We are so proud of all of the hard work our scholars have put in math this year. Here is some evidence from our end of the year reflection as many scholars shared their honesty in reflecting their effort and growth this year as well as sharing advice to their former selves and future 8th grade students.

Ms. Howe and Ms. Dao will really miss you all, Class of 2022! We appreciate all of our scholars persevering this year and doing their best. You all have done school remotely over the past few years due to a pandemic and you have transitioned so well to in-person learning and learning how to self-advocate. We have seen so much growth in each and every one of you!

Best wishes!!!

-Ms. Howe & Ms. Dao

🎨Wheel of Theodorus Project🎨

❄️December-January UpDates ❄️

As we wrapped up Unit 4 before winter break, students have persevered through solving Multi-Step linear equations and linear systems by elimination, substitution, or graphing. Students demonstrated understanding of solving equations in their project. Shout out to the scholars who did a phenomenal job creating artifacts that teaches others how to solve linear equations.

Right before the holidays, some students explored fractals in math class and math club and created Sierpinski Cards!

Unit 5 takes it to the next level: exploring Functions & Volume. This week and last week, we explored what determines a function and connected it to real world situations.

🍁November Updates

Algebra scholars wrapped up Unit 3 on 11/12/21 with the Unit Test.

Their final project for this unit was the Slope Art Project, where they applied their knowledge of the four types of slope: zero, undefined, positive and negative as well as linear equations in y=mx+b form.

Before Thanksgiving, we started Unit 4: Solving Linear Equations. Students are continuing to practice solving multistep Linear Equations in class and for WIN Time. We are transitioning from visual hanger diagrams to more abstract thinking where students are learning to solve for a variable and learning how to balance it by doing inverse operations.

First Quiz of the Unit will be on Tuesday 12/7.

📌October Updates

Greetings Algebra Scholars and Families! We have completed Unit 2: Dilations, Similarity, and Introduction to Slope. As their final project after their Unit Test, to help balance out some grades, students applied their math skills from Unit 2 to represent dilations in artistic ways. Our new unit (Unit 3) is all about Proportional & Linear Relationships.

Before Halloween, students graphed pumpkins on desmos applying their knowledge of coordinates to make their pumpkin challenges.

Some incredible Dilation Projects that students created to wrap up Unit 2: Dilations, Similarity, & Introducing Slope.

📌September Updates

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month:

Ms. Phillipe, our amazing librarian shared this with us: In honor of the second half of Latinx Heritage Month I wanted to share a list of books that I put together. Feel free to share this link with students and parents.

On their choice boards after WIN time, students have the opportunity to explore Hispanic STEM Experts created by Dr. Kristopher Childs: http://kristopherchilds.com/hispanic-stem-experts

Greetings Algebra Scholars and Families!

Last week, students completed their first Unit 1 Test: Rigid Transformations & Congruence. Ms. Howe & I are so proud of everyone as all students scored a 75 or higher on their first unit test! Their hard work has paid off!

Students reflected that some of them will work harder to advocate for themselves and utilize WIN (What I Need time) more during class.

This week, students finished Fall Math MAP to get their baseline score. Many of students' strongest strand has been Geometry since we focused on that this first unit.

When students finished MAP test, they worked on their Tessellation Project connecting rigid transformations to art. We are so proud of their strong efforts and creativity!

📌9/17/2021 UPdates

Greetings Algebra Scholars and Families!

This week students dived deeper with Rigid Transformations & Congruence. We completed Lessons 8, 9, 10 and wrapped up the week with a quiz Friday.

Students have been utilizing Desmos and paper resources to help solidify their understanding of how Rigid Transformations help determine Congruence of shapes. Ms. Howe & Ms. Dao are so so proud of our Algebra scholars as everyone scored an 85 or higher on Quiz 2--everyone's hard work is paying off!

Below is some sample student work, and shout out to 8th grader Caroline for her own spin on notes and color coding. We are so proud of students utilizing WIN (What I Need) Time during class and advocating for help when needed.

📆Upcoming Test Dates:

9/24 Unit 1 Test
9/28 & 9/29 Math MAP testing

9/25 Enrichment Opportunity!

mathcircle-sep21.pdf

📌9/10/2021 UPdates

Greetings Algebra Scholars and Families!

We have completed our first quiz of the year on our unit of Rigid Transformations & Congruence ! Students received feedback on Desmos as well as a grade posted on google classroom (rubric) & points on Powerschool.

Each week, students will receive a weekly classwork grade out of 10 points that includes WIN time work. Students know that if they do not complete the practice problems in class that they are required to finish them for Homework to best prepare for a future assessment.

At the end of each class period, students reflect on their personal responsibility and participation, self-assessing their class performance,& providing evidence of their work in a daily exit ticket via google form.

We are so proud of the strong effort students are putting forth and many are learning the importance of self-advocating during class when they feel stuck on a problem.