Post date: Nov 8, 2019 8:53:57 PM
MSM2 Periods 1 & 4
SOLs Covered: 8.14&17 Combining Like Terms, Distributive Property, & Multi-Step Equations
Math Unit: 11 Multi-Step Equations
Daily Agenda: Nov. 4-8, 2019
Upcoming Assessments: 2.01 Multi-Step Equations Quiz (Wed. 11/13)
Math 7H Period 3
SOLs Covered: 8.14&17 Combining Like Terms, Distributive Property, & Multi-Step Equations
Math Unit: 12 Multi-Step Equations
Daily Agenda: Nov. 4-8, 2019
Upcoming Assessments: 2.01 Multi-Step Equations Quiz (Wed. 11/13)
Howdy! After giving the kids one last chance to knock out assignments for the first term on Monday, we started this week with our "Sweet Algebra!" activity. The kids absolutely loved it and hearing their excitement (one even saying it was the best activity ever!) just left me with so much joy at the end of the day! Thank you to all the folks who helped with the supplies!
The rest of the week was jam-packed with various other events outside of math class that have required modifying my plans for the unit. Between Wednesday (with an alternate bell schedule for the Beautiful Tomorrow Assembly along with hearing/vision testing disrupting the classes at various times) and Thursday (which saw us having a grade level assembly and fire drill), we lost some of our regular class time. Additionally, I decided to drastically slow our pace while introducing multi-step equations to ensure they fully understand the concept and all the variations they could be getting at this stage of the game. This has all resulted in me pushing the due date for the unit and the quiz day to next Wednesday (Nov. 13). Right now I'm feeling pretty confident that the kids have a strong understanding of the work (I think it's in part due to the "drama" of dealing with our friend poor SAD MEG and her X; SAD MEG is GEMDAS backwards in case you were wondering) and we should hopefully be able to stick with the current plans, but I'll definitely adjust as needed if they come back next week needing any extra time.
Next week is the county's annual "College & Career Week" and along with various things taking place throughout the week, the guidance department has also planned a spirit week; details can be found here in this Instagram post. If I'm able to find the time between raking leaves and (apparently) defrosting from the cold this weekend, I'll try to set up nightly reminders to go on my class Instagram to help kids plan their outfits each day. In math class, we might also get far enough in our work next week that we'll get to my next food activity. This one involves Oreos and pretzel sticks and I would again be eternally grateful to anyone willing and able to help with the supplies for that but just like the last one, it is by no means a requirement for the kids to take part. I'll send another letter home for that one once I nail down the plans for it.
Finally, next week parents/guardians should be getting information regarding how to sign up and become an observer of their children on the new Canvas LMS. I'm still navigating through and trying to figure out all the ins-and-outs of it myself, but please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about it. While I might not have the answers myself, I can definitely help get those answers and pass them along. Hearing from you about what you need/want to see will also help me understand how to make the most of the system so that it can be as useful as possible. I'll continue running my class website as well, so you'll always be able to find information for my class there as well.
That should about cover everything but as always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I'm off to check out the last bits of the 6th grade dance and then running "Auntie's Taxi Service" to drive my niece and whichever friends home, so wish me luck! Hope everyone has an amazing (though apparently frigid) weekend!!!