ECST Mathematics Department
Newsletter
January 17-27, 2023
Newsletter
January 17-27, 2023
ACTIONABLE ITEMs
Black History Month Activity Spreadsheet
2023 ECST Math Department – Black History Month Activities
Pick one of the following lessons or activities to be included in your class instruction. Indicate your selected choice on the Google spreadsheet. I copied the spreadsheet from last year so your selections from last year will appear. If you select the same activity as last year, be mindful to change the dates.
1. Students complete an activity/activities to create a bulletin board inside the classroom.
a. 2 Truths and a Lie – using black mathematicians and scientists (from last year).
i. One of the statements (2 truths & 1 lie) must be a math related statement.
b. Facts, information & math word problems from “Bulletin Board Famous Black Americans” (see attachment 1B)
2. Students complete the 10 Algebra (& one Geometry) worksheet activities & then display on a bulletin board inside the classroom. (see attachments numbered 01 through 10)
3. Include the “March on Washington” lesson plan in your instruction. Display student work in the classroom. (see attachments beginning with 3)
4. Include the “Equality Inequalities” lesson plan in your instruction. Display student work in the classroom. (see attachment beginning with 4)
Looking for fresh ideas for Black History Month activities? Check out these sites:
• We Are Teachers: Fresh Ideas For Black History Month
• NEA: Black History Month Lesson Resources
Notes:
Instead of decorating a door, maybe they can decorate a Google slide. A focus on digital projects could be combined to create a slide presentation on Prezi or Peardeck. What about using Powtoon or TextingStory? Get creative. Share your ideas with your team members.
REMINDERS & IMPORTANT NOTES
JANUARY 17-20 - Q2 Benchmark Assessments (Mid-Term or Final)
FEBRUARY 13-20 - WINTER BREAK
WED., FEBRUARY 22 - FEBRUARY DEPARTMENT MEETING Please bring your book!
MARCH 14 & 15 - NJGPA (11th grade only)
WED., MARCH 15 - MARCH DEPARTMENT MEETING Please bring your book!
APRIL 7-14 - SPRING BREAK
WED., APRIL 19 - APRIL DEPARTMENT MEETING Please bring your book!
TUE., APRIL 25 - SAT School Day (11th grade only)
There will be a PD activity on testing strategies at the February department meeting. As we approach the standardized testing season, please use the information on the ECST website with your students to review test structure and strategies. This is for ALL GRADE LEVELS!
To access the ECST testing strategy website, click the link above OR... on the essextech.org website > "STUDENTS" dropdown menu > "Assessment Information & Strategies".
Celebrating Pi Day in 2023 presents a bit of a challenge as the NJGPA assessment will be administered to the 11th grade students on March 14 & 15. Looking for suggestions how to celebrate on an off day. Should we celebrate the week before? the week after? Be prepared to discuss at the February 22nd department meeting.
Questions to reflect upon before we discuss chapters 7-9 at the February 22nd department meeting:
Ch7: If you give homework in your classroom, why do you do it? What goal are you trying to achieve?
Ch7: Does the way you currently give homework encourage or inhibit thinking?
Ch8: Think about situations in which you give your students automony. Now compare them to situations in which you do not give autonomy. What is different about these situations, and why do some situations warrant autonomy while others do not?
Ch8: Does the way you currently give your students automomy encourage or inhibit thinking?
Ch9: Has the way in which you use hints and extensions in our teaching changed over time? If so, why - what happened that prompted the change?
Ch9: Does the way you currently use hints and extensions encourage or inhibit thinking?
January GOAL (EXTENDED)
Ms. Landis will visit every 11th grade class during the month of January and into the beginning of February to provide information on where to find the district testing strategies website and to navigate through some of the links on the site.
PROFESSIONAL/INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES WORTH SHARING
Varsity Tutors SAT Problem of the Day
Number 2 SAT Question of the Day
SAT Suite Sample Math Questions
Also..... College Board Official SAT Student Guide 2022-2023 (Please see guidance if you prefer paper copies of this student guide.)
THINKING TASKS - SUGGESTED RESOURCES
101 Questions
Dan Meyer has just launched a new site called 101 Questions on which he is sharing images and videos as prompts for developing math questions. Each image and video has a 140 character field in which you can enter your question. Questions are compiled and can be Tweeted. Take a look at the top 10 to get a feel for what you will find on 101 Questions.