SOLs Covered: SOL 8.14 Simplifying & Evaluating Algebraic Expressions
Math Unit: 05 Order of Operations; 06 Simplifying Expressions & Properties Review
Daily Agenda: October 17-21, 2022
Upcoming Assessments: Take-Home Quiz 1.03 Order of Operations, Properties, & Algebraic Expressions (A-Wed. 10/26; B-Thurs. 10/27); Unit 2 Test (SOL 8.14a&b)
Happy Friday, folks! It's been a crazy long week for me with the additional after school work sessions with students this week, so I'm going to do what I always say I'm going to do and keep this update on the short-and-sweet side so I can hopefully get out of here before it's dark at least one day this week! In reference to the additional work sessions, I've been working with students who failed the first test to review the areas they struggled with and then give them the chance to improve with a retake. I sent emails at the end of last week to all their grownups (a.k.a. parents/guardians) about the sessions. I will try making calls next week as well to those I haven't heard back from, but this week I just wasn't able to find the time to get to the phone, so if you see that your child received an F on the test, please check your spam/junk folders. I'll be holding another session next week on Wednesday and Thursday until 4PM, so any student who failed the first time is more than welcome to stay, but I'll need either an email or note from their grownups stating they have permission to stay.
Students who didn't fail the test still have a chance to improve as everyone can complete test corrections (the form is located on Canvas) to earn back half credit for their missed items. Additionally, everyone has an extra credit opportunity available through IXL, which can be accessed through the Class Link portal. Once logged into IXL, students need to click on the "Learning" tab then on "Quizzes," which should have the "Term 1 Extra Credit" listed there (see this screenshot for details).
In regards to the new work we've been doing this week, I have to brag on these kids a little. I feel like my talks (which I'm sure they see as lectures) have finally gotten through to them (or maybe their first test scores did) as almost every kid has been doing outstandingly well with writing out all of their work and putting extra attention into all the details I've been fusing at them for since school started. We officially started the first bit of our algebra work for the year and to hear kids exclaim "oh, this is easy" while we've been working has truly warmed my teacher heart to its very core! We've still got a few kids still being stubborn about it, but I'm hopeful they'll get on board either of their own free will or once they realize all their classmates are benefiting while their missing out.
Well, this hasn't gotten too crazy out of control, but it was definitely longer than I set out to write (shocking, I'm sure), so I'll close things out here so I can got make next week's copies and then head out for the weekend. I hope everyone has an amazing weekend of your own!