Post date: Jan 29, 2017 6:42:29 PM
Math 7H Period 1
SOLs Covered: A.2b Polynomials; 8.10 Pythagorean Theorem
Math Unit: #14 Polynomials; #15 Pythagorean Theorem
Daily Agenda: January 23-27, 2017
CCPS Student Digital Resource: Polynomials; Pythagorean Theorem
Upcoming Assessments: Pythagorean Theorem Quiz (Fri. 2/3); Angle Relationships Quiz (Fri. 2/10)
MSM2 Period 3 & 4
SOLs Covered: 7.4 & 8.3b Consumer Applications
Math Unit: #14 Consumer Math
Daily Agenda: January 23-27, 2017
CCPS Student Digital Resource: Consumer Applications
Upcoming Assessments: Pythagorean Theorem (Mon. 2/6); Angle Relationships Quiz (Fri. 2/10)
After School Help Session: Tues. 1/31, 3-4PM
We are now officially halfway through the year! It's crazy how fast this year seems to be going, but we're just as busy as ever. Before getting into the week's happenings, I would like to reach out for help with classroom supplies if anyone is so inclined. We are completely out of notebook paper, pencils, and glue sticks, so if folks are willing and able to send some in, the kids and I would greatly appreciate it! Students who bring in donated supplies will be thanked with "Lambie Points" they'll be able to use at any point during the rest of the year.
This week the 7H class covered their first strictly high school level Algebra topics, polynomials. We only cover the basics of polynomials (naming by degrees and terms) as well as adding, subtracting, and multiplying polynomials (dividing will be covered during Algebra I). The "craziest" thing to most of the kids was how to say the names. Adding and subtracting is just a continuation of the work we did with combining like terms at the beginning of the term, though I covered a couple more methods for setting the problems up. Multiplying was a little bit more difficult, but the kids all found a method they were comfortable with (FOIL, algebra tiles, or grid); they do need to be able to recognize a modeled (algebra tiles) multiplying problem, so even if they are less comfortable with the tiles, they can check their work with another method. Because this was a high school level topic, I made the quiz open notes. We ended the week with an introduction to the Pythagorean theorem, which will be covered throughout this upcoming week.
The MSM2 classes spent the week testing, first on the final unit test and then on the benchmark test, so there isn't much to cover with them. I would like to ask parents and guardians to again help by encouraging the kids to take their time with their assessments, showing their work for everything; those students who did so on these assessments found much greater success than those who did not. While the kids may think they can do just fine by only plugging everything into the calculator, the work is too complicated to not work things out on paper along with the calculator. The benchmark test did not make it into grades for the MSM2 classes as the testing system was down most of the afternoon on Friday and with some students still not finished, it's just not possible to add it. I'll still need those who didn't finish to do so upon their return as it's needed for data purposes for the county, so hopefully things will be up and running again at that time. This did give students some extra time to work on the Khan Academy extra credit instead, so things all worked out in the end.
Tomorrow is a teacher workday to wrap up grades and while students have the day off, I'd like to encourage them to organize their school stuff (for all subjects) so they can start the second semester off on the right foot. For math, I encourage students to make sure their math notebooks are fully updated with the table of contents complete and notes/worksheets glued into the correct spots, pages labeled with the section and worksheet number. If they are missing anything, they can check with me to see if there are still any paper copies left and/or find digital copies they can print in the class folders on Google Drive. I'll see everyone bright and early on Tuesday, ready to start the second half of the year!