Seven West Math

It's Time to Move

2006-08-04T02:29:00.000-05:00

After conversing with my system's technology coordinator, I feel that Blogger will probably continue to be blocked at school. I want to be able to post assignments at school, so I have begun a new blog at Edublogs. I am still learning how to use the site, but I think I will like it once I get used to it. My new address is jsgeometry.edublogs.org. Come visit me there!

Blocked?

2006-08-01T07:58:00.000-05:00

I returned to school yesterday to begin preparing my classroom. While taking a break I sat down at the computer and tried to access the Blogger sign in page. It is now blocked. I can read blogs at school, but I cannot post to my own blog.

My principal has called the technology coordinator to ask about this, but I would be surprised if it is unblocked. So now I have a couple of quandaries. First of all, I am giving a workshop Tuesday on 21st Century Skills. The plan was to have everyone set up their own blogs. I was going to use Blogger because I like it. I have found it very easy to use. I am not as comfortable with the other blogging sites. Edublogs is not blocked, so I guess I will try it.

My second quandary is what to do about this blog. I usually post to it either during my planning period or right after school. If I wait until I get home, it is 7 or 8 o'clock, and someone will usually make a comment about needing the homework. I have a site set up on Edublogs, but I don't like it. I guess I will have to use it.

I'm not really happy about this.

School's Out for Summer!

2006-05-26T23:12:00.000-05:00

What a crazy day! There were computer difficulties with the report cards...At one point everyone in three of my classes was given a zero for a semester exam that I did not give. That really messed up some averages! I re-entered all of the grades that were affected. I hope they are right! If your grade is not what I told you it would be, please send me an email. Tell me what your report card says, and I can go up to the school and check on it for you. I think some grades might have ended up a point or two higher than I said they would be. I hope you don't mind if that happends to you because I am not going to change those! (Ha! Ha!)

We had to take a closer look at the criteria for advancing to Algebra I. A few months ago we were told to send everyone in Pre-Algebra on to Algebra I. Last week we heard that they must have an 88 average for the year to be recommended for Algebra I. I was wrapped up in dealing with students who might fail this year and really didn't take time to think about it until yesterday. The requirement of having an 88 would keep many students from advancing to Algebra I that I think are capable of handling an advanced math class. The seventh and eighth grade math teachers decided that an average of 80 for the year would be acceptable. This still leaves a few students below the cut-off. I have recommended those for Pre-Algebra again to strengthen their basic skills before moving on to Algebra I. Many students who take Algebra I in the 8th grade end up repeating it in 9th grade for the same reason.

If you (or your child) took Pre-Algebra this year and made less than an 80 for the year, you will be receiving a letter in your report card explaining this in further detail. Here is a recap of the recommendation criteria:

Yearly average = 90 or higher (A) -----------> Algebra I
Yearly average = 80-89 (B) -----------> Algebra I
Yearly average = 79 or lower (C-F)-----------> Pre-Algebra

Any parent not agreeing with the recommendation for their child is welcome to fill out a waiver form in the office. The only catch is this...If a parent chooses to place a child in a class not recommend by the teacher, the student must remain in that class until the end of the semester no matter what their grades are.

Eighth graders have the opportunity to take several advanced classes next year. A full load of advanced classes would be too much for some students to handle. Please consider carefully your child's strength, weaknesses, and interests before determining which option is best for them. The work load is exceptionally tough, and you do not need to get behind!

By the way, all 7th grade math students automatically advance to Pre-Algebra (unless they fail the year).

I hope there are no glaring typo's in this post. I am having trouble staying awake! It was great to see so many of you at the Daikin Festival tonight; but I am tired, and I need to go to sleep. Have a great summer!

One more thing....(Look, Michael, I figured out how to change colors! For some reason my tool bar was not showing this option. I don't know why I have it now.) Would anyone be interested in an online review this summer to keep your skills fresh? I would be willing to find some things to help you if anyone would like to do this. I would try to make it fun (you know I sometimes miss on that one) and informative. You don't even have to be a current student of mine to do this. What do you say? Is anyone interested? Leave me a comment if you want to try this!

Two More Days!

2006-05-23T20:32:00.000-05:00

Things at school are rapidly winding down. I am frantically trying to grade the last few makeup tests and average grades. I began taking up textbooks and giving out averages today. I will finish doing this tomorrow. Lost math books cost $52.47, and lost pre-algebra books cost $57.48. You can send check (payable to CRMS) or cash if your book has been lost.

I know that your students are concentrating on preparing for their Language Arts and Social Studies exams. I wish them the best!

Have a great summer!

One more week...

2006-05-19T13:31:00.000-05:00

I am not really ready for this school year to end, but I am ready for a break! I have enjoyed this group of students so much. I will miss you all next year!

I gave out current averages today. I will be giving a test Monday that will allow students to drop a grade. Their grade today is as low as it can get. If they score higher than their lowest test grade on Monday, then their grade will increase. They should know if they really need to study or not. The math test will be over converting measurements, and the pre-algebra test will be over surface area and volume.

Today's assignments:
1st Period: None
2nd Period: None
3rd Period: p. 576, #10-14 even, p. 581, #11-15 all
4th Period: p. 576, #10-14 even, p. 581, #11-15 all
5th Period: p. 48, #48-52, p. 280, #54-59

Awards Day

2006-05-18T14:38:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to all of the students who received awards this morning. You are to be congratulated for your hard work. I am proud to know you!

Math:
1st Period did not meet because of awards day.
2nd Period only met for half a period.
5th Period has to do p. 571, Lesson 3.6, #1-28 for homework. When you multiply two integers, if the signs are the same, the answer is positive. If the signs are different, the answer is negative.

Pre-Algebra: We found the volume of pyramids and cones today. The formula is "one-third area of the base times the height." Homework is pp. 571-572, #10-22 even, 27, 28, 32-34.

Six More Days

2006-05-17T13:18:00.000-05:00

Everything is winding down. I am frantically trying to get kids to make up tests. I believe that I am more worried about it than they are. That doesn't really make sense to me, but that's the way it is with 7th graders! Students worked in class today, and they may not have work to bring home.

Math: We worked out of the Data Around Us book to find out how much is a million. Students calculated how long it would take their heart to beat 1,000,000 times and how old in years would someone be if they were 1,000,000 hours old. This gave them practice in converting measurements. They cannot bring these books home, so there was no homework.

Pre-Algebra: We looked at volume of prisms and cylinders today. The formula is "area of the base times height." The assignment is pp. 566-567, #12-22 even, 31-36. They were given time in class to work on this, and several were able to finish in class.

2006-05-16T17:48:00.000-05:00

I took a professional day this afternoon to help some teachers at Chestnut Grove with a technology presentation. I don't know if I have mentioned on here that I am a Fellow for the 21st Century Learning Project sponsored by the Alabama Best Practices Center. Cedar Ridge and Chestnut Grove are two of twenty schools in the state that were selected to participate in this exciting program.

Math: Worksheet on converting measurements between the metric and customary systems. 5th Period also had the opportunity to do p. 579, Lesson 6-7, #1-24.

Pre-Algebra: Test over chapters 9 and 10. There was an extra credit assignment on pp. 559-561, #1, 3-7, 9-17, 19, 20, 22-25, 42, 44.

Monday Madness!

2006-05-15T13:15:00.000-05:00

It's the next-to-last Monday of school! It is so hard for me to believe this year is about to end. The students are becoming a little restless and talkative. We are not finished learning, and summer vacation has not started!

Math: We are working on converting measurements within the Metric System. Tonight's assignment is p. 566, Lesson 1-8, #1-30.

Pre-Algebra: Test tomorrow over sections 9.1, 9.2, 9.5, 9.7, 10.1, and 10.8. For extra credit, students can do pp. 483-484, #10-18 even, 25-27, 34, 35, and p. 544 #6-14 even, 31-33.The following topics will be covered: squares and square roots, the real number system (scroll down to Munchers on this link), the Pythagorean Theorem, similar triangles, line and angle relationships, and area of irregular figures. Click on the links to find resources that will help you study.

It's the next-to-last Friday!

2006-05-12T14:54:00.000-05:00

Math: Transformations Test
p. 40, #11-30

Pre-Algebra: pp. 496-497, #10-26 even, 35, 36, 44-50
Special angle pairs are also taught in aviation.

More Geometry

2006-05-10T16:02:00.000-05:00

Math: Test tomorrow over transformations. Check these links for games about translations, reflections, and rotations.

1st Period had homework on p. 269, #12-34 even, 35-44

Pre-Algebra: We looked at areas of irregular shapes today. Homework assignment is pp. 542-543, #7-15, 19, 20, 26-30. Try this link to check your work. This skill is useful for people who sell carpet, lay sod, build ponds, and work with forestry. Here is an online quiz you might find helpful.

Symmetry and Similarity

2006-05-09T13:37:00.000-05:00

Math: We looked at symmetry and reflections today. Here is the website I was telling you about that reflected half of a face. Another interesting website features the art work of Scott Kim, who make "Inversions." Homework for tonight is from the Practice Skills Workbook, pages 77 and 78.

Pre-Algebra: We found missing parts of similar figures today. Click here for some resources to help you. Assignment is pp. 474-475, #8-18 even, 21, 22, 26, 27

Geometry Fun

2006-05-08T13:47:00.000-05:00

We are doing some geometry this week in both classes. I love geometry! It is the reason I became a math teacher!

Math: We will look at transformations this week. We began by looking at translations today. Tonight's assignment is pp. 453-454, #6-12, 15, 16, 19-21, 23-26

Pre-Algebra: The Pythaogorean Theorem is such a useful thing! I pp. 463-464, #10-34 even, 39-42, 44-52 even

I'm so glad it didn't snow this winter!

2006-05-04T16:04:00.000-05:00

I am looking forward to our long weekend. I am going to be grading papers and cleaning my house. It's not very exciting, but it's great to have time to do it!

I am making a slight change in my homework policy. Many students are procrastinating about getting their homework done, and I am spending LOTS of time telling students what work they are missing. And then I am spending LOTS more time grading late work. This hurts the students as well because they are not doing the work in a timely manner. There are also many students who never make the work up because they procrastinate too long. I gave everyone who was present today the work they are missing. Monday is the last day to turn this in, and from this point forward I will NOT take any late work unless I have a note from a parent. This has been my policy for years. I tried something different this year, and it didn't work like I hoped it would.

Math: Test today over Equations
Extra Credit: p. 195, #1-20

Pre-Algebra: p. 445, #14-56 even

Extra Credit Opportunity! Who was Pythagoras?

2006-05-03T15:35:00.000-05:00

Math: p. 573, Lesson 4.4, #1-27
Test tomorrow over patterns and solving equations.

Pre-Algebra: Test today over Chapter 8
pp. 439-440, #12-34 even

Upcoming tests

2006-05-02T13:22:00.000-05:00

Math: Today we went over the computer lab activity and then had a worksheet to do in class on patterns. The assignment for tonight is p. 187, #19-36. We will review on two-step equations tomorrow and have a test on patterns and equations Thursday.

I found some websites that give you practice figuring out patterns.

Spy Guys Interactive - Summarizing/Extending Patterns - Click Skip Intro, then select Lessons, and then click on Lesson 8 (Although it says it's grade 6 stuff, we do it in grade 7 too.)

Mystery Operations - In this activity the computer makes up a mystery operation, and you have to figure out what the operation is. You give the computer two numbers to calculate, and it tells you the answer.

Number Cracker - Help Mr. Cracker obtain the secret code before the insidious Prof. Soup catches him by guessing what number comes next in a series of numbers. Start with the easy level and work your way up. The Super Brain level is really hard!

I want to thank Mr. K and Ellie for these sites!

Students had the opportunity to correct or finish the percents test from last week in class today. There are still a few students working on these.

Pre-Algebra: We reviewed sections 4,6,7, and 8 in Chapter 8 for tomorrow's test. There are still some students confused about slope and y-intercept. I have found some internet sites that might be helpful. Let me know what you think!

Math.com has a great lesson on slope and y-intercept that gives a first glance, in-depth, examples, and workout. There is also a lesson on graphing equations.

Here is a program that will help you visualize how changing the values for the slope, m, and the y-intercept, b, will affect the graph of the equation y = mx + b. At first the program will be automatically cycling through several values for m and b. If you want to use the sliders to control it yourself, just press the 'You Control' button.

This is a neat program that also allows you to explore slope and y-intercept. You can play for free for 5 minutes. You can also sign up for a free 30 day trial.

I found a mneumonic I had never seen for y = mx + b at this site. Extra credit for anyone who tells it to me!

The Math Forum has put together a cute explanation using Joan the Chameleon. It looks elementary, but it explains the concept very clearly.

The last one is an interactive tutorial for slope and y-intercept. Have fun!

I'm on a Roll!

2006-05-01T13:37:00.000-05:00

Can you believe that it is the last month of school? I am slowly catching up with grading. I have graded all but one class, and I will get it done tonight! I am also up-to-date with putting grades in the computer in 3 classes, and I plan to be caught up with those by the end of the day tomorrow. I have even managed to blog several days in a row, so things are looking up! Here's what we did today:

Math: I notified students of all work missing since progress reports. They were given the page and problem numbers, and I will accept it through the end of this week. There was one set of worksheets (Wump Hats) that some may need to get from me.

The Stretching and Shrinking test turned out to be better than I expected! The percents test wasn't too bad, but there were some people that were really confused about interest. I am going to give them another chance to answer those test questions tomorrow because I was out the day they took the test. I will go over how to work the problems at the beginning of class tomorrow.

We are working on patterns and solving equations this week. We went to the computer lab today and practiced recognizing patterns on graphs. We did not have any homework tonight.

Pre-Algebra: We are finishing up Chapter 8 this week. We worked on Line of Best Fit Today. The assignment is pp. 411-413, #7-17, 20-28. There will be a test over 8.4, 8.6, 8.7, and 8.8 on Wednesday.

Here is some helpful information about finding the line of best fit:

Lesson with illustrations on Line of Best Fit.

Online simulation using a Gizmo.

This Linear Regression Applet sounds confusing, but it is really neat. You can place up to 50 points on the graph by clicking the mouse. Then you can drag the white rectangle in the middle of the screen to move the red line of best fit. The thermometer will show how much error is in your line. When you are done, click on "Show Best Fit" to see how close you were.

This activity from Illuminations allows the user to enter a set of data, plot the data on a coordinate grid, and determine the equation for a line of best fit. This would be a great way to check some of your homework questions!

Let me know if you found any of these to be helpful!

Happy Friday!

2006-04-28T13:57:00.000-05:00

Today was very similar to yesterday...lots of technology and no homework!

1st & 2nd Periods had a discussion of slope and rate of change based on yesterday's Match the Graph activity, and then we went to the computer lab and experimented with The Geometer's Sketchpad.

3rd & 4th Periods also worked with the The Geometer's Sketchpad on slope.

5th Period did the CBR activity and follow-up discussion.

Slope and Y-intercept

2006-04-27T22:28:00.000-05:00

In pre-algebra we are getting to some pretty tough material that is challenging for many students. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't make sense the first time (or second, or third...). If it were all easy, you would not need me to guide you! We could pass out textbooks at the beginning of the year and save money by not having teachers!

I found a neat applet called Playing with Functions that helps you see the relationship between the equation of a line and its graph. Click on the yellow button to enter the site. Choose "linear" under Function f (it may already be set there). Do not select anything for Function g (you will learn about that in Algebra I next year). A pop-up box shows the equation of the graph and gives you sliders to move that will change the slope and y-intercept of a line. You could put in an equation that you had to graph for homework and check your work. You could also play around with the values for m and b to see how changing them affects the graph of the line.

You can also download a graphing calculator that works somewhat like the ones we use in class. To graph with this calculator, you click on the Graph 1 tab and then type the equation beside y1. You can graph up to 10 equations at a time. I like how the color of each line is different.

If I find other resources that I think would help you to understand this topic, I will add them to this post. Happy Graphing!

Technology Day

2006-04-27T15:52:00.000-05:00

Several students were absent today due to the band and chorus trip to St. Louis and Take Your Child to Work Day and Special Olympics. Because I have been out going to meetings for the last two days, it was a good day to take a breath and let everyone catch up! Here is what we did today.

1st & 2nd Periods: We worked with Calculator Based Rangers (CBR's) to play a game called Match the Graph. The CBR connects to a graphing calculator and uses sound waves to measure distance. Students aimed the CBR at the wall and tried to walk in a way that would duplicate the graph on their calculator screen. Tomorrow we will discuss the mathematics behind the activity and relate this to rate of change and slope.

3rd Period: Over half the class was absent, and those that were here had questions about slope and graphing equations. We spent the entire class period going over these problems.

4th & 5th Period: The computer lab ended up being available these periods, so I decided to take advantage of a rare situation and take my students to the lab. I recently purchase The Geometer's Sketchpad software, and this was a good day to show the students how to use it. They loved it! I told the students they could download a free trial of the software from the internet, but I just checked and the company does not offer this any more (I'm sure some people were trying to take advantage of this). I do have information on purchasing a student version of the software for $29.95, which is a wonderful deal. Let me know if you are interested. The other classes (and students who were absent) will get to go to the lab soon.

No one had homework to do tonight. I am still working on grading papers. I will let you know when I am caught up!

Why are good habits easier to break than bad ones?

2006-04-25T22:47:00.000-05:00

I did not realize so much time has passed since I was regularly posting on this blog! After being out of school a week for surgery and then another week for spring break, the blogging habit disappeared into thin air! I am making a goal tonight of posting at least every other day until the end of the school year. Only a month to go...this year has flown by!

Progress reports went home Monday. How do you like the new Progress Reports? It sure is easier for the teachers. However, I think the office ran the reports before I entered all of my grades. I was up-to-date on Wednesday of last week, but the progress report did not include anything I received Thursday or later. I will have that by Monday, so you are welcome to email me for an update.

I am still wanting to get my students involved in posting on my blog. Maybe I can get that information out to them next week. This will be optional, but I think the students should really enjoy it.

Stretching and Shrinking

2006-04-11T10:20:00.000-05:00

We have started a new unit called Stretching and Shrinking. This unit is provided by the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative.
In it we explore the idea of what it means for two objects to be mathematically similar. We have not had homework recently because of standardized testing. Wednesday is the last day of testing.

Spring Break is Here!

2006-03-18T19:41:00.000-06:00

This year has flown by so quickly! Just one more quarter left. Make these your best grades yet!

Speaking of grades, I hope everything went smoothly with report cards on Friday. I had already averaged grades before my medical adventure last week, so it was simply a matter of getting the information up to the school. I usually tell the students their grades before report cards come out just to make sure I haven't make a mistake. I feel badly that I didn't get the chance to do that. If there were any mistakes, I can make corrections when we return to school.

I was not capable of making lesson plans for last week, so I really appreciate Mrs. Wallace stepping in and finding activities for the students. We have a lot to do before the we take the ARMT in April, so the week after spring break will be busy. Students need to be able to find the area of triangles, trapezoids, and circles; perimeters of polygons; and circumference of circles. We will also study transformations of geometric figures such as translations, reflections, and rotations (slides, flips, and turns). They should have learned a little about these in elementary school, but this year we need to take an in-depth look at what happens when a shape is transformed. The only other objective that we have not covered in detail is determining equations from patterns, charts, and graphs. This is not really addressed in our textbook, and I plan to spend some time this week searching out some other resources that will help students learn this topic.

Thank you for all of the kind thoughts you sent my way while I was in the hospital. The surgery went well, and I am feeling stronger every day. The doctor has said that I can return to school after spring break. This all was quite unexpected! I love the cards that the students made me for me. They are all so special (the cards and the students)!

How was the aquarium?

2006-03-02T12:48:00.000-06:00

Most of the 7th grade went to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga today for a field trip. I have a meeting that I must attend before they return, so I stayed at with the students who didn't go on the trip. We have had a really good day. No homework tonight!

Here is the work from this week:

Monday, February 27
Math: ARMT Worksheet, Objective 8 - complete questions
Pre-Algebra: pp. 371-373, #12-22 even, 24-31, 34-44 even

Tuesday, Februay 28
We took the Writing Assessment today, and there was no new homework.

Wednesday, March 1
No new homework.

Assignments Feb. 21-24

2006-02-23T21:38:00.000-06:00

Monday, Feb. 20 No School

Tuesday, Feb. 21
Math: pp. 436-437, #10-24, 25, 34-50 even
Pre-Algebra - 3rd: pp. 357-359, #14-44 even, 49, 52-62 even
Pre-Algebra - 4th: See 3rd Period Friday

Wednesday, Feb. 22 Writing Assessment
1st: Didn't meet
2nd, 3rd, 5th: Learned how to make a tesselation. These are due Monday.
4th: pp. 357-359, #14-42 even

Thursday, Feb. 23
Math: p. 449, #8-13, 18-25
Pre-Algebra: pp. 360-362, #2-42 even (Extra Credit). Test tomorrow. All work due.

Friday, Feb. 24
Math: ARMT Practice Worksheet, Finish Tesselation
Pre-Algebra: Chapter 7 Test, Finish Tesselation

Experts to students: Watch what you post

2006-02-19T09:11:00.000-06:00

I recently read an interesting article in eSchool News online that gives advice to students about their online behavior. I would like to include some excerpts here.

With the rise in social networking sites such as MySpace.com, experts are warning that students need to exercise more discretion in what they post about themselves online. Besides the obvious danger of posting personally identifying information, they say, the potential exists for embarrassing information to come back to bite students later in life when they apply for college or a job.

We talked about this in some classes Friday, but I wanted to share the source to prove to the students I wasn't just making this up!

Seven Lincoln, Neb., high school students were suspended for two weeks when a school staff member found a MySpace.com posting that mentioned the students drinking alcohol.

"This is a new arena for us," said Wendy Henrichs, athletic director for Lincoln East High School, where the seven suspended students were all varsity and junior varsity basketball players. "In the '70s or '80s ... people would say those things. Today, they write them."

She added, "The difference is putting it in print, basically documented proof of what's been said. I don't know if kids understand that."

Even if you delete your page, someone else may have the page (or portions of it) saved on their site. There is a service called Furl that will do this. It is great for research, but it can hurt you if you post something in a moment of carelessness that you later decide to delete.

A recent Harris Interactive poll showed that 23 percent of people search the names of business associates or colleagues on the internet before meeting them--which probably means many employers are doing the same with job applicants, said Andrea Kay, a career consultant and author of "Interview Strategies That Will Get You the Job You Want."

"It's a wake--up call: You better be careful what you say and do, because it is your reputation. You're developing it early on," Kay said. ...

Given the relative ease of investigating someone online and the rate of technology's penetration into the college admissions process, it's conceivable that college admissions officers, too, could soon be Googling prospective students.

College admissions officers who spoke with eSchool News said it wasn't part of their typical practice yet--but if the trend of employers Googling applicants spreads to education, that could change.

I have read recently that Googling your name is the latest trend in self-absorption. However, I think it is wise for us to check from time to time to see what is out there about us (a little like checking your credit rating!).

I spent a little time on MySpace this week, and I was really surprised at some of the things I saw. Anybody can look at this. Students remember when you are posting and commenting that anyone can read it. Think ahead five years. Would you want a college scholarship committee, a prospective employer, or the "love of your life's" parents to see what you have written today?

Some may say that the dangers of blogging are reason enough to keep it out of schools. I disagree. I think that schools can be the place where students can learn to blog responsibly. I heard someone compare this to driving. Just because driving can be a dangerous activity that some students will abuse, schools offer driver education in order to teach them to drive responsibly. Teenagers are going to use the internet whether we encourage the practice in schools or not. We have the opportuntiy to guide them into safe arenas for internet use. I truly believe that a large amount of dangerous behavior on the part of teenagers is a reaction to boredom. Maybe if we offer alternatives to unsafe behavior early enough, they will choose the safe path because it is even more fulfilling than the unsafe path!

Graphing Calculator

2006-02-17T18:14:00.000-06:00

I found something really cool online tonight that I wanted to share with everyone. There is a website that will let you download a free graphing calculator! It works very much like the ones we have in class.

I would like to thank the author of the NCS-Tech blog for sharing this resource.

Friday Again!

2006-02-17T15:56:00.000-06:00

Sorry...I forgot to post yesterday. I am ready to have the students start doing this. I just haven't had time to make copies of the guidelines for them.

Yesterday the chorus was gone for part of the day. Today it was the band. That took just about everyone out of class for one of these days. In math we had a test. I will do my best to have it graded this weekend and new averages for the students. I assigned pp. 430-431, #8-26 even, 27, 28, 33, 34 on Thursday, and it is due Tuesday.

The classes are not together in pre-algebra. In 3rd Period I assigned pp. 353-354, #14-24 even, 43, 44-56 even. It is due Tuesday. Most of the class is in band, so we just worked on the upcoming math tournament.

4th Period Pre-Algebra had half the class gone yesterday, and the other half today. We did the same thing both days, so no one should be behind. The assignment is pp. 348-349, #14-46 even, 49, 50, 52-70 even.

Have a great weekend!

Math test tomorrow!

2006-02-15T15:15:00.000-06:00

Thank you for all the kind words and thoughts regarding my son. He is doing very well, and he seems to have no ill effects from the seizure. I returned to school Tuesday because my mother was able to come stay with us until he is ready to return to day care.

I don't think I ever posted Friday's assignment, and I am behind for this week as well. Here they all are...

Friday, February 10
Math: Practice Skills Workbook, Lesson 7.8
Pre-Algebra: Practice Workbook, page 48

Monday, February 13
Math: pp. 326-328, #1-10, 12-56 even
Pre-Algebra: P. 739, (Lesson 7.1), #1-20, and p. 728 (Lesson 3.2), # 7-29 odd

Tuesday, February 14
Math: p. 342, #8-24 even, 32-33, 37, 39, 40-43
Pre-Algebra: pp. 337-338, #10-40 even, 41-45, 46-50 even

Wednesday, February 15
Math: We played a review game in class to prepare for tomorrow's test. It will cover Chapter 7. For extra credit, students can complete p. 329, #1-25.
Pre-Algebra - 3rd Period: pp. 348-349, #14-46 even, 49, 50, 52-70 even
Pre-Algebra - 4th Period: p. 343, #13-22 I assigned seats in this class today because there has been too much talking. Students who have a legitimate complaint about their seat may put it in writing and I will consider it tomorrow.

Wow! It feels so good to get this done! Have a great evening! Don't forget about the online resources that accompany the textbook. The URL is on the front of the book, and students were told to write the username and password in their planners this fall.

On a personal note...

2006-02-12T16:04:00.000-06:00

I will not be at school on Monday because my youngest child is sick. He has had a runny nose for a while, and a cough and fever developed last night. This morning he had a seizure caused by a high fever. I took him to the emergency room, and after a thorough exam (the poor child was poked, swabbed, or stuck everywhere you could possibly imagine!)it was determined that he probably has a virus or possibly walking pneumonia. I'm not sure how long I will be at home with him. Many of you know that my husband is on active duty with the Army, and I'm not sure I want to leave Joel with anyone else until I am sure that he is better.

Students...be good while I am out. I will be back as soon as possible.

Catching up...

2006-02-09T16:07:00.000-06:00

I have been very busy lately, and I haven't had time to post. I will try to get caught up by Monday. Here are the assignments for this week.

Math
Monday - P. 318, #14-38 even, 39, 41-46, 49-53
Tuesday - p. 321, #10-20 even, 21-35
Wednesday - Practice Skills Workbook Lessons 7.5 - 7.7
Thursday - p. 325, #8-20 even, 21-28

Pre-Algebra
Monday - pp. 307-308, #10-24 even, 27, 29-31
Tuesday - pp. 316-318, #6-40 even, 54-62 even (extra credit)
Wednesday - Chapter 6 Test, pp. 322-323, #1-19
Thursday - pp. 332-333, #10-30 even, 35, 40-52 even

I have not graded Wednesday's test, but I will have that as soon as possible. I have graded the math test from Friday, but I have not given it back to the students yet.

TGIF!

2006-02-03T18:07:00.000-06:00

Math classes had a test today over the first part of chapter 7. I have a very busy weekend, so I know that I won't have it graded by Monday! I gave back and went over Monday's test with first period. I will go over it with the other classes on Monday. There was an assignment after the test: p. 570, Lesson 3-4. Those who didn't finish in class need to finish it by Monday.

Pre-Algebra classes just went over last night's homework. There were lots of questions that we spent time discussing, and we did not have time to begin something new.

We spent some time in homeroom today giving students their scores on the Practice ARMT tests we have been taking. Ask your child how they are doing!

Math Team will meet at 5:45 AM Saturday to travel to Birmingham for our tournament. See you then!

Pulling it all together...

2006-02-02T18:09:00.000-06:00

In math and pre-algebra we pulled together several skills that we have been working on throughout the year. It was a great review for everyone! We multiplied and divided fractions, changed fractions to decimals, changed decimals to percents and vice versa, and solved equations.

In math we prepared for tomorrow's test. It will cover sections 7.1-7.4. We did page 310 in class, and I gave them some Extra Practice problems for extra credit. These are found on pages 580 and 581. To receive an extra stamp, you should do 5 questions of your choice from 7.1 through 7.4. This is due tomorrow with the rest of the work from this chapter. The test will be pretty short, and we will go over Monday's test when everyone is finished.

Pre-algebra classes learned how to solve percent problems using an equation. If you remember that of means to multiplty and is means equals, it is very easy to set up. Tonight's homework is pp. 301-302, #12-40 even, 44, 45, 49-52, 55.

Percents

2006-02-01T13:35:00.000-06:00

In both classes we worked with percents today. In math students reviewed how to convert among fractions, decimals, and percents. We also learned how to convert percents to fractions when there were decimals and fractions involved. The math homework is p. 315, #14-38 even, 44-50 even. We will have a test Friday over the first 5 sections of chapter 7.

In pre-algebra we learned how to use proportions to solve percent problems. I gave the students the formula I learned when I was in school (is over of = percent over 100). I need to learn how to insert equations from Math Type in this! The students seemed to make sense of this new material, and they had a little time to begin their homework in class. Tomorrow I will show them how to solve percent problems using an equation. The pre-algebra homework is pp. 291-292, #10-22 even, 28-40 even.

Student Blogging

2006-01-31T13:44:00.000-06:00

I am about ready to have students become more involved in my blog. I will be sending home information soon for students and parents that will give more details. If you are interested in seeing what I am planning, I have posted a draft of my handouts on my other blog.

Proportions and Scale Drawings

2006-01-31T13:36:00.000-06:00

I have graded 3 out of 5 classes' tests, and I hope to finish the rest tonight.

In math class we looked at scale drawings today and learned how to find actual measurements using the scale given on a map or blueprint. Parents, if you have any type of scale drawings at home, share them with your child and explain how you use them in "real life." Math homework tonight is pp. 307-308, #10-16 even, 17-19, 22-25, 28, 32-38 even.

In Pre-Algebra we converted among fractions, decimals, and percents. This should be review from elementary school, but there were a few challenging problems thrown in that I thought the students should look at this year. If you need help with this, click on the link to Ellie's math blog in the sidebar, and there are some good sites on this topic. Tonight's pre-algebra homework is pp. 284-285, #16-48 even, 54, 58-70.

Monday Makeup Test

2006-01-30T16:34:00.000-06:00

Everyone took the second probability test today. I am planning to grade papers tonight, so maybe I'll have the grades tomorrow! (One can always hope!) I also took up all work since the last test. I did not make a new assignment today, but an assignment from last week is due tomorrow. I also offered extra credit. This will be due the next time I take up work.

MATH: pp. 299-300, #16-38 even, 40-43, 45, 48-52
Extra Credit: p. 572, Lesson 4-1, #1-30

Pre-Algebra: pp.279-280, #8-20 even, 24, 26-36
Extra Credit: p. 729, Lesson 3-5, #1-21

Math Team Announcement: We will not have practice Tuesday morning because of a conflict with National Junior Honor Society. We will still have the Tuesday afternoon practice, and we will practice Thursday morning. I need to know by Tuesday who is able to go to the Grissom tournament on February 25.

Friday Fun

2006-01-27T13:10:00.000-06:00

Author Ruth White spoke to the 7th grade during 3rd period today, so that class did not meet. There will be a test Monday over compound probability. We will have a short review before the test. The following homework is due Tuesday:

Math: pp. 299-300, #16-38 even, 40-43, 45, 48-52
Pre-Algebra: pp. 279-280, #8-20 even, 24, 26-36

MATH TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT!!! I need to know who is able to attend the Grissom tournament on Februay 25. Let me know on Monday.

Probability Test Retake Rescheduled

2006-01-26T15:19:00.000-06:00

We had a class meeting today, and that put me a little off schedule. Now every class is in a different place again! Congratulations to Katie G. for being chosen Student of the Month for Most School Spirit! Go West Hall!

I gave back the probability test today. We went over it in class, but I kept the papers to file them. If you would like to know your child's grade, please email me.

There were lots of wonderful grades, but there were also many grades that could have been better. We worked on probability in Reading and Review today, and I will review with them tomorrow. I decided to postpone the retake until Monday because they are taking tests in Science and Social Studies tomorrow. You can find the review I posted earlier here.

Here is tonight's homework:

1st Period: p. 149, #9-20
2nd Period: pp. 299-300, #16-38 even, 40-43, 45, 48-52
3rd Period: pp. 279-280, #8-20 even, 24, 26-36 (This is due Tuesday.)
4th Period: None (I will be assigning 3rd's work for you tomorrow.)
5th Period: None (I will be assigning 2nd's work for you tomorrow.)

Wednesday - PreAlgebra Lesson

2006-01-25T13:13:00.000-06:00

I forgot to post this before leaving school. Sorry it's so late! We learned how to solve proportions today. You can multiply the cross-products to give an equation that can be solved to find the missing number. There are some good examples in the book. Your homework was on pages 273-274, 10-30 even, 39-41, 46-55. 4th Period also needs to complete the ARMT practice worksheet.

Wednesday - Math Lesson

2006-01-25T13:04:00.000-06:00

Today in math we studied rates. We learned that a rate compares two quantities that have different measurements. We also learned how to find unit rates by dividing the numerator and denominator by the denominator. Parents can help students understand the concept of unit rate by taking them grocery shopping and talking about the prices and determining which size of a product is the better buy. I told students to look at the shelf labels to find the unit rate.

Tonight's math homework is pp. 294-295, #10-18 even, 20-23, 28, 28, 30-35, 38, 40
You may use a calculator!

Update on Probability Test

2006-01-24T22:53:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to let the parents know that I haven't finished grading last week's test. Many of you know that my husband is on active duty with the Army. He came home this weekend for the first time in a month, so I have been trying to spend time with him and our children. I also spent Saturday at a math tournament, so that put me behind as well. I plan to have them all graded by Thursday. We will go over them in class on Thursday and then have our final probability test on Fiday.

New Chapter - Ratios and Proportions

2006-01-24T14:50:00.000-06:00

We began a new chapter today on Ratios and Proportions. We defined a ratio to be a comparison of two numbers. Ratios often work like fractions. Remember to simplify all ratios. When you are simplifying a ratio that contains measurements, the units of measure must be the same. Here is the homework for tonight.

Math: pp. 290-291, #14-30 even, 40, 41
Pre-Algebra: pp. 267-268, #16-46 even, 56-60
ALL classes but 4th also had a worksheet on Probability that is due Wednesday.

Monday, January 23

2006-01-24T14:46:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I was out of school to go to a funeral. The students were given workbook pages to do in class. Anyone who was absent or who did not finish needs to complete these.

Math: Practice Skills Workbook Lesson 9.7
Pre-Algebra: Practice Workbook Lesson 12.9

Compound Probability

2006-01-20T22:24:00.000-06:00

Today we learned how to find the probability of compound events. A compound event occurs when more than one thing is happening.

Example: A number cube is rolled and a coin is tossed. What is the probability that you will roll an even number and get tails?

To work this problem, you would first find the probability of each event.
P(even number)= 3 out of 6 = 1/2
P(tails) = 1/2

Then you should multiply these probabilities to find the compound probability.
1/2 X 1/2 = 1/4

Sometimes the probability of the second event depends on the first event.

Example: There are 8 marbles in a jar. Four are orange, and three are black. What is the probability of drawing two orange marbles if the first marble is not replace?

P(first orange) = 4/8 = 1/2
P(second orange) = 3/7 (There is one less orange and one less total.)
You would still multiply the two probabilities.
P(orange, then orange) = 1/2 x 3/7 = 3/14

Tonight's homework....
Math: pp. 400-401, #6-9, 11-16, 19-21, 25-32
Pre-Algebra: pp. 653-655, #11-28, 33, 34, 50

FYI...Important things every 7th grader should know!

2006-01-19T12:05:00.000-06:00

I am finding some gaps in the knowledge of my students....

There are 26 letters in the alphabet.

Red and blue make purple.

A cat is a small furry animal with whiskers that says "meow."

Every animal is either male or female.

TV News is due every Friday!

There are ten digits in our number system: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

Can you think of anything else?

Last night's homework...

2006-01-18T18:08:00.000-06:00

Is posted under Mathematical Reflections. Send me an email if you can't find it.

ThinkLink Day

2006-01-18T14:08:00.000-06:00

What a long day this has been! We spent two and a half hours in homeroom this morning taking the ThinkLink test. This will give us some great information about what the students have learned so far this year. We will be taking the results of this test and determining who needs extra help and what topics need extra attention before we take the ARMT in April

Every class met today, but several lasted only 20 minutes. I decided to postpone the Probability test until tomorrow. Nobody seemed to mind too much! :-)

There was no homework for tonight. I did give a worksheet of ARMT practice problems to a few classes, and I asked them to look at the problems and mark the ones they did not know how to do.

Math Team Announcement!!! Information about the tournament went home today. See you Saturday!

Mathematical Reflections

2006-01-17T09:42:00.000-06:00

Tonight's homework required some note-taking ability in class. In case you weren't able to do this successfully, here are the questions again!

In this investigation, you explored games of chance. Working on the problems gave you an opportunity to review ideas about experimental probability and theoretical probability. These questions will help you summarize what you have learned:

1. a. Write a brief description of experimental probability.
1. b. Describe a strategy you have used to find experimental probabilities.

2. a. Write a brief description of theoretical probability.
2. b. Describe strategies you have used to find theoretical probabilities.

3. What does it mean for two or more events to be equally likely? Give examples of events that are equally likely.

We will have a test Wednesday. You need to be able to do the following:

-Find the probability of a simple event. Example: There are 30 students in math class. 20 are girls and 10 are boys. What is the probability that a randomly selected student will be a boy? P(boy) = 10/30 = 1/3 (Reduce!)

-Draw a tree diagram.

- Use the Fundamental Counting Principle to find the number of possible outcomes.

Probability Review

2006-01-14T07:43:00.000-06:00

We are having a test next week over probability of compound events, and I wanted to share with you some websites I found that will help you review what we have learned. Let me know which of these you found to be helpful!

Basic Probability Module This site takes you through a review of compound probability then lets you take a test. At the end of the test you are told which sections to review if you missed any question.

Lesson on Single and Compound Events Ignore the part about permutations and combinations. You will learn those terms later.

Practice Working with Single and Compound Events This page accompanies the previous link. There are practice problems for you to answer. I like the chance to click on an explanation of each problem before you answer it!

Explore Learning Gizmos This page lists each section in our textbook and a "gizmo" to go with each one. If you scroll down to Chapter 9, you will find "gizmos" to accompany probability. Try 9.1 and 9.3. You may have to download Shockwave, and for some reason my computer isn't cooperating. I haven't tried these, but they look interesting. You can use a 30-day free trial to play, and I think you can play anytime for 5 minutes. I would like to hear from anyone who was able to get this to work.

edHelper.com is another site that lets you try a little of their product for free. I found sample worksheets on the Fundamental Counting Principle, Compound Probability, and more Compound Probability. If you do any of these, print them out and bring them to me for extra credit!

Mrs. Glosser's Math Goodies has a lesson on Probability of Independent Events. This shows you how to do what we are learning Tuesday. At the bottom of the page there is a quiz.

There are online version of our textbooks(7th Math and Pre-Algebra) that have some excellent resources. I gave students the username and password to access the actual textbook earlier in the year. If you need those again, email me. (I think I shouldn't post them to the web.) However, you can access the following pages without the password: Parent and Student Study Guide, Extra Examples (Click on the chapter you want and then click on the section. The test will cover sections 9.1-9.3), and a Chapter Test (remember - we haven't covered all of chapter 9). The sidebar to these pages will also take you to some other areas. All of these links are from the 7th grade math book. There are similar activities in the Pre-Algebra site. Compound probability is on the ARMT, and the Pre-Algebra students did not study this last year.

Have fun with these! If you run across any other sites that would be helpful, email them to me and I will add them to the list.

Math Doodles

2006-01-13T22:15:00.000-06:00

I have posted a link in the sidebar and here to a website that has several games that reinforce basic math skills. I really enjoyed playing Connect Sums, Sums Stacker, and Number Jump, but I couldn't figure out how to play Polyomino Shift, Double Traits, and Hydro Maze. Can anyone figure them out and explain them to me?

Wasn't today a lovely day!

2006-01-13T16:29:00.000-06:00

The weather was dreary, but today was a great day at the Ridge!

There were lots of questions about last night's homework, so we spent all of class today going over the work. Anyone who didn't complete their work because they didn't understand can show me their completed work on Tuesday to get a stamp.

2nd Period class did not meet because we went to an assembly celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was an excellent assembly!

I offered some extra credit just in case there were some eager students who felt they needed to practice probability over the long weekend. (I don't think I mentioned this to 1st or 2nd period).

Math: p. 585, Lessons 9-2 and 9-3
Pre-Algebra: p. 754, Lesson 12-6

Attention Math Team!!! Our next tournament is Saturday, January 21. I will send home details next week. I will also be calling or emailing the parents who offered to drive.

The next test will be Wednesday or Thursday. Have a great long weekend!

Probability...It's FUNdamental! (Thurs., Jan. 12)

2006-01-13T16:16:00.000-06:00

Sorry about not posting yesterday! I tried to do it quickly between classes, but I forgot to save my post before I logged off the Internet! I didn't have time later.

Yesterday we discovered the Fundamental Counting Principal. The definition is in the textbook, but here is my version in plain English.

To determine the number of possible outcomes in a compound event (more than one action is taking place), multiply the number of possible outcomes for each action.

For example, Andy has 5 shirts, 3 pairs of pants, and 6 pairs of socks. How many different outfits can Andy choose with a shirt, pair of pants, and pair of socks?

5 x 3 x 6 = 90 different outfits

Sometimes you have to read the problem very carefully to work it correctly!

Homework from Thursday:
Math (1st, 2nd 5th): p. 376, # 15-17 and p. 380, # 9-15, 21-26
Pre-Algebra (3rd, 4th): p. 638, #14-26, 29, 30

Counting Trees

2006-01-11T18:24:00.000-06:00

Today we learned how to make counting trees to determine the number of possible outcomes when working with two or more events. Tonight's homework is from the textbook.

Math (1st, 2nd, 5th): Section 9.2, problems 7-12

Pre-Algebra (3rd, 4th): Page 638, problems 10-13. 4th Period also has Worksheet 1.3 ACE. (These problems may be quite challenging. To earn a stamp, I must see evidence that you tried the problems!)

If you would like to explore probability a little further, you can find a coin-toss simulator here, and a spinner here.
These are from the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives, which is a great site to explore! The site requires Java, which is a free download.

Tuesday, January 10

2006-01-10T16:35:00.000-06:00

I gave a worksheet for homework (except 4th period) that may be a bit of a challenge. I will check to see evidence of trying, and we will discuss it further tomorrow!

Challenge to Math Team: Calculate the number of license plates possible in Alabama!

Monday, January 9

2006-01-09T22:50:00.000-06:00

We are continuing to work on probability this week. Each class seems to be at a different place right now due to various interuptions beyond our control! Tonight's homework was to complete worksheet 1.2 ACE. (Third period did this over the weekend and had no homework tonight!)

On Tuesday we will once again be taking a practice ARMT test. Only three months left until the real thing! There will be a reward for improving your score throughout the year. More details coming soon! We want EVERYONE to be working at grade level or above grade level.

Next week we will spend some time looking at how to construct responses for the open-ended questions on the ARMT. In these questions students are not given answer choices. Instead, they are given a blank page, a multi-part question, and they are asked to explain their reasoning. Seventh graders have four open-ended questions, and one will be about probability. These questions are worth 3 points each, and the other questions are only worth one point. To receive the full 3 points, students must answer the question correctly and explain their reasoning. A correct answer without explanation will only earn 1 point, and correct reasoning with minor careless errors can score higher to earn a 2. This takes some adjustment in thinking for the students, and I want to be sure they feel comfortable with this type question.

Ellie's (Grade 7) Math Blog: Let's Begin!

2006-01-08T21:35:00.000-06:00

I found another blog by Mr. K that is for seventh graders! Check out some of the great links he posted! They have covered some of the same things we studied last semester. The link below will take you to the first post. Clicking on "Home" at the bottom of the page will allow you to see all of the posts. Let me know if you find this to be helpful.

Ellie's (Grade 7) Math Blog: Let's Begin!

Pre-Cal 20S: Cubeoban Sunday

2006-01-07T15:42:00.000-06:00

Pre-Cal 20S: Cubeoban Sunday

Here is the original post by Mr. K. I am not sure what copyright issues I need to be concerned about.

Brainteaser

2006-01-07T15:32:00.000-06:00

Cubeoban is a fun game that is played by pushing and pulling blocks until they are in their designated place. Click here to play.

I found this game on another teacher's blog. His name is Darren Kuropatwa, and he is doing some amazing things with his students. You can check out one of his blogs here.

I've made it to level 28 so far. Can anyone beat me?

Happy New Year!

2006-01-06T22:48:00.000-06:00

Welcome back to school! We have a busy semester ahead of us. We will be preparing to take the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test in April and making sure that everyone is ready for eighth grade!

We are beginning this semester by studying probability. We will be working out of a supplemental unit called What Do You Expect? Students will be working with a partner as they play different games that will help them discover how to find the probability of compound events. The following is an example of a compound event: "A jar contains 3 red marbles and 2 black marbles. All the marbles are the same size and there are no other marbles in the jar. On the first selection, a marble is chosen at random and not replaced. Then a second marble is chosen at random. What is the probability that the marbles chosen at random will be a black marble and a red marble?"

Here is what I assigned for homework this week:

Wednesday: Worksheet, "Homework 1.1"

Thursday: Worksheet, "9-1: Simple Events" (7th grade math students had this sheet in their Practice:Skills workbook)

Friday: Worksheet, "1.2 ACE" (3rd period needs to complete this by Monday. All other classes have until Tuesday to finish.)

If your child had their work when I checked it, I stamped it. The next test will be Friday, and I will take up work on that day.