Visit these links this weekend!

Visit

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/topic_t_2.html

and scroll down to Algebra 9-12 and play with the equation, scale thing-y over the weekend.

Plus, do these problems from #102: #s 16-25

Two-Steppers 2

Today we spent our time checking our homework and practicing more two-step equations.  I printed up a sheet from another algebra text of two-step equations and they worked in class on these, and I want them to get to #15 tonight for homework.

Two-Steppers

Today was a refresher course on two-step equations.  It was a bit hard!

They need to remember that they use the same rules to solve two step equations as they used to solve one step.

Their homework tonight is Item #101, p.77 #s 6-8, 13-14.

It's Been Awhile!

So here we are post-parent conferences!

I want to take a moment now when I can breathe a little easier and tell you more about where we are at in Pre-Algebra as we look into Trimester 3.

We've finished our work in the Jacobs text.  This meant working hard in Chapter 1 and breezing through Chapter 2.  I like to hit Chapter 1 hard to give the kids the experience of using a text like Jacobs and I treat the skills in Chapter 2 much like I do other Pre-Algebra material (introduce skills, practice, assess).  Also, I know that the kids will get to experience number sequences again and again in their lives... but billiard tables?!  That's just too cool to pass up.  :)

So you should have seen that lovely blue-green Algebra text reappear at your houses.  We've jumped back into the middle of the second chapter in that book with a review on integers.  The past few days/nights of work have been on adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing integers.  I like to think of integers as the multiplication facts of Pre-Al.  You remember how everything in math got that much easier when you were able to quickly recall those math facts?  Once your kids master integers, all these stinking equations will suddenly start to make more sense!

If you look past those sections on integers you'll see a few sections on two-step equations which is where we'll spend a LARGE chunk of our time coming up.

Afterwards, we'll work on our "Properties" unit--commutative, associative, distributive, and identity.  This lets us learn about combining like terms, which is a really big deal in Pre-Al.

And finally we'll get to graphing lines on the coordinate plane.  When we get here, we may do a little dance to congratulate ourselves because we will have made it to the end of Pre-Algebra!

There will be a cumulative final exam that will last two days and will probably fall in the first or second week of May.  The kids know its coming, but I've been trying to not let them freak out about it yet.  I use it as just another tool to help me and them understand what they know and what they still haven't gelled on yet.

I hope this posting finds you all well!

Internet at CFS down

Internet down, doing this from my phone.

HW tonight is to finish Item #99 in their Algebra texts.

P 59, 1-6, 11-12, 17-18, 23-24

P 64, 1-9

More soon.

Sent from my iPhone

More Integers

Full, full day today.  We started off with a geometry warm-up and then checked homework (if you are a parent of a child who did not complete their work, you will have gotten an email).

After a quick sharing of our weekends, the kiddos got some homework to complete tonight on subtracting integers: pp. 54, #s 1-22.

Homework

Homework over the break (due next Monday) is #97 (in the old Algebra text): pp 44-45, #s 1-31.  More soon.

Whew!

Hey all!

It's been so long since I've actually sat down to write for the blog!  Writing reports just takes so much time.  I'll be making another posting about the "Skills Assessment" you'll find on your child's evaluation soon.

We've been busy wrapping up Chapter 2 of the Jacobs text on Number Sequences.  Last Thursday we took a quick quiz on a handful of number sequences and no one really did that spectacularly.  So today, one of the things we did today was retake it.  Tomorrow we'll be working on finalizing this unit so that when we get back from parent conferences we can get started on our next to last unit.

Be on the lookout for another post in the next couple days.  Enjoy the break!

Busy Writing!

I've been busy writing reports and that's why I haven't made many posts!

More later, but tonight's homework is to complete their retake quiz, plus create their own number sequence with their own rule.

YEAH!

This morning we ALL had our homework!  Yea!

We spent most of our time working on filling out our Skills Assessments -- which you will find in their Trimester 2 Evaluations in the coming weeks.

Heads up--number sequences quiz tomorrow.  They actually have a sample practice quiz on number sequences tonight for homework.

Doing Homework and the other Sequences

Class began today with a long discussion about homework and the integrity of completing it on time.  When we began today to start checking over homework, we discovered that well over a majority of kids had not completed it.  At all.

As you might guess, I let them know how unacceptable this was and we reviewed their commitment as a student and acknowledged the consequence for not completing homework.  One thing that I took away from this morning was that they have a casual relationship between me assigning homework and actually feeling a need to complete it.  As such, beginning today and until the kids will have homework every night.  I'm not talking humongous amounts of homework--but something.  We'll spend time re-evaluating this in the coming weeks.

Beyond that, we did Chapter 2: Greatest Hits today as we hit the highlights of the rest of the Chapter: the sequences of Squares and Cubes as well as the Fibonacci Sequence.

Their homework tonight is to write out the first 20 terms of the Fibonacci Sequence.

Reflections...

Today the kids and I processed where we are and how Friday went. A lot of conversations about number sequences!

The only homework they will have is to complete the work from Friday that they might not have completed during class that day. (Some problems from Set I, and #s 9-12 of Set II).

Chapter 2 Lesson 1, Set 1

Today we started out by checking our homework (Chapter 2, Lesson 1, Set 1 #s 1-14) and then I got a chance to go around and check off the test corrections that they also completed.

(NOTE: Some kiddos weren't able to complete either and will be in study hall today finishing them.)

Heads-up--I will not be in tomorrow and the kids will be working on Geometric Sequences.  Also, those kids who are still needing to makeup the Memorizing Geometry Test will do so on next Monday at lunch.

Chapter 2 Lesson 1 Slides

| View | Upload your own

Tests back, On to Chapter 2!

The kids got their tests back today and they will need to complete a few corrections.  I want them to complete these corrections on a SEPARATE sheet of paper and staple that on their tests.  This is due tomorrow.

We also got a chance to start Chapter 2 (on Number Sequences) - Lesson 1 on Arithmetic Sequences.   We'll be studying this Chapter for the next week or so.  They have Set 1 #s 1-14 for homework tonight - due tomorrow.

I'll try to get my slides up tonight... maybe! :)

Tests & Notebook Checks

The kids took their Jacobs, Chapter 1 Test today as well as got their notebooks checked.  They'll get their tests back tomorrow in class.

Jacobs, Chapter 1 Test Tomorrow!

Heads-up--Test Tomorrow