HW

MBMB and Life Happens!

Well, you may have been wondering where in the heck those MBMB answers went!  As my mentor used to say, "Life happened."  I spent the majority of break helping my family with some health issues and lo and behold, MBMB totally escaped me.

So here they are, in full:

Sat, Mar 22 -- x = -7

Sun, Mar 23 -- 6y + -18

Mon, Mar 24 -- 22

Tue, Mar 25 -- 8

Wed, Mar 26 -- (-27)

Thu, Mar 27 -- 3  11/21  (mixed number)

Fri, Mar 28 -- x = 6

Sat, Mar 29 -- x = 10

Sun, Mar 30 -- Coming soon!

MBMB and Test Corrections... and a Happy Break!

Hey all!

Today the kids got their MBMB (see previous post) -- and got their tests back.  Over the break, I'd like them to complete their test corrections on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to their test.  DO NOT EDIT THE ORIGINAL TEST.  (This of course only applies to Celeste, Hannah W., Jolene, Maria-Betania and Meg.  Will, Esten, and Erin will get their tests back on Monday after Spring Break.)

This is the last official post (I think) before break!  Onward and Happy Break!

The Math Brain Munching Bugs - MBMBs!!!

This will be a little confusing. :)

The kids will receive this tomorrow because I knew yesterday and today were the test--so I have to enroll y'all because they might not remember at noon tomorrow!

I have discovered in my years teaching math that there is a special kind of bug that attacks children over Spring Break--the Math Brain Munching Bugs. Reasonably skilled children have returned from Spring Break with sand in their flip-flops and nothing left in the math part of their brain! Ah!

So here is what I gave your students yesterday:

Dear Pre-Algebra Students & Parents—

To keep the Math Brain Munching Bugs away, one problem and one problem only must be done a day.

Think of a doctor’s orders to take a certain amount of medicine at certain times of the day. The Munching Bugs are just as severe.

Children have been known to return from Spring Break with only an empty frame of what their minds used to be!

These problems, done once a day, with their work and steps totally and completely shown and written down should significantly diminish the Munching Bugs’ effect.

So, as you can see, a problem a day is the cure! I put a link below to the sheet I gave the kids and I'll be posting answers here from time to time over the break.

The MBMB Pre-Al 1st Pd Sheet

I will also be sending some stuff home for Integer Boot Camp.  But more on that tomorrow afternoon. :)

Thanks for your continued support and have a fabulous break! light and love, matthew

Greater Clarity

The kids just worked to finish their tests that they started yesterday and after watching them work through and double-check their work, I have much greater clarity on where we need to go and what we need to do.  

First of all, no one did spectacularly on this test.  And yes, some of the mistakes had to do with combining like terms, solving equations, and distributing (not at ALL easy topics).

But most of all--it was integers!  Those blasted integers!! 

So, I haven't totally formatted it in my head yet, but we will be going to Integer Boot Camp.  Starting tomorrow... continuing through Spring Break... and until we get back. :)

Check back soon as my thoughts settle!

Test Today/Tomorrow

We started taking our test today and will have to finish tomorrow in class.  I got a bit overzealous when I was making it!  Ha!

What Matthew's Desk Looks Like on Test Days :)

Test Tomorrow!!

Reminder for first, second, and fourth period that tomorrow is a test
day!

HW, #19-20

HW, #25

HW, #26

Test Prep

Review & Test

Today we took some more notes on multi-step equations, and the next text was announced for this Wednesday.  I've pasted the review below and see the pictures in previous posts.

Combining Like Terms, Properties, & Harder Equations Test Review

On this test, you should be able to:

• Solve integer problems (adding, subtracting, multiplying & dividing)
• Solve two-step equations
• Simplify expressions by combining like terms (adding/subtracting)
• Identify the Properties of Real Numbers (commutative and associative)
• Simplify expressions using the Distributive Property
• Simplify expressions involving fractions, negatives, etc.
• Solve multi-step and harder equations
• Solve equations by combining like terms and using the Distributive Property

One-step equation example

Two-step equation example

Multi-step equation examples

Ex #1

Ex #2

Ex #3

Ex #4

HW

Warmup

Warmup answer

Prob 41

Prob 43

Seatwork

First example

More distributing with negatives

Distributing with negatives

Another easy dividing

Easy fraction distributing

Fraction distributing

Tonights homework

Keynote on Distributing

| View | Upload your own

Distributing!

Today we studied the Distributive Property.  If you are feeling a little rusty, look at the slides that we looked at today.  (Coming in the next post.)

Homework is Item #108, page 100, #s 1-12.

Back and Hard at Work!

I'm back and we are hard at work!

Yesterday was spent processing my absence and some of the work they did while I was gone.

Today we really got into some new, cool stuff.  We talked about the Commutative & Associative Properties of Addition & Multiplication -- plus combining like terms.  

Look for homework in their books: page 106, #s 1-18 on combining like terms.

Matthew's Away!

Hey all!

I'm going to be away Wednesday-Friday of this week and I wanted to let you know (1) there won't be any blog posts or phone call posts and (2) give you an idea of what your kiddos will be doing.

On Monday we learned about Fractional Two-Step Equations.  On Thursday they will be practicing in class these problems and you might see some come home that evening.  (We won't see each other on Wednesday because 2nd and 4th period blocks meet on that day.)

Friday they will be playing a game where they get to try their hands at solving bunches of equations.  And maybe get a prize!

Look for the next post on Monday!

Non-Math Day!

You had to have heard--today was our non-math day!  We tripped on over to IHOP and had pancakes during our class time.  :)  I've been working them hard--it was time for a break!

Fractional Two-Steppers!

Today we took notes on Fractional Two Steppers--quite the equation to wrap your head around. :)  No homework, though!

Tomorrow will be our non-math day!!  We'll be packing up and shipping off campus to IHOP for breakfast tomorrow in our block time.  Kiddos will need some $$$ if they want to get something to eat :)