Class Activities & Homework Assignments 8th Grade!  

Friday, June 11, 2010

Class: Make box-and-whisker plots for Problem 1.3/1.4 and write conclusions. Assemble packets with math reflection. Finished students today will work on a bonus activity... analysis of ages of male and female winners of the Best Actor and Best Actress Academy Awards.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Class: Students had a final day to have graphing calculator support for their statistics work on Problem 1.3/1.4 (see Tuesday). Many students began making their four box-and-whisker plot displays, each one containing two features of peanut butter (creamy v chunky as an example). Finished students completed their packet, due by Tuesday of next week.

Homework: finish any statistics related to Problem 1.4 by "hand"

Wednesday, June 9, 2010    

Class: Students took the MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) test today during class. Students were given their final packet cover... due on Tuesday, June 15! (No late packets accepted)

Homework: No new homework... bring data ready to complete statistics and start box-and-whisker plots.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Class: Students continued their work on getting the statistics for their box-and-whisker plots. Most students should be nearly done with the "number crunching" and should begin the hand drawing of the box-and-whisker plots when complete. Class was cut short when an assembly ran over-time.

Homework: finish preparing for data collection and data displays for Problem 1.3 and 1.4

Monday, June 7, 2010    

Class: Students learned to use the graphing calculator to do the statistics for their box-and-whisker plots. Students used the natural and regular peanut butter quality ratings to "test" their skills with following the directions for using the TI-84 for "number crunching." With a little time left in class, students began entering the data for their second comparison... creamy vs. chunky quality ratings.

Homework: organize the data for unsalted vs salted and store vs brand name; finish packet and turn in on Tuesday

Tuesday, June 1 through Friday June, 4, 2010

Students are on Vancouver Island for the end of the year field trip

Friday, May 28, 2010    

Class: Students completed most work for Problem 1.3, learning about outliers and the inter-quartile range (IQR). These concepts work together to adjust a box-and-whisker plot to show data points that really "stand out." Class ended with students creating a five-number summary for creamy vs. chunky peanut butter quality ratings.

Homework: Packet cover handed out; due on Tuesday, June 8 (after Sooke trip)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Class: Students continued their work on Problem 1.2. This involved turning the quality rating histograms into relative frequency histograms (term is explained in Problem 1.2). As students finished making the two comparison graphs (one for natural and one for regular peanut butters), they were asked to determine which, according to their graphs, appeared to have the better quality ratings.

Homework: Complete Getting Ready plus A1 and A2 for Problem 1.3

Wednesday, May 26, 2010    

Class: Students corrected and turned in a complete homework assignment ("Finger Painting" and "Biology Teacher/Physics Teacher"). Students began work on Problem 1.2 and should have been able to work at least one of the histograms (interval of 10) for natural peanut butters.

Homework: Complete histograms for parts A and B of Problem 1.2, along with associated questions

Tuesday, May 25, 2010    

Class: Students completed Problem 1.1 in class today. Time was given to start homework... "What Kind of People Most Enjoy Finger Painting?" (histograms from frequency tables) and "Why Didn't the Physics Teacher Marry the Biology Teacher?" (box-and-whisker plots)

Homework: No Homework... eat a great dinner, a great breakfast, and get plenty of rest for tomorrow's MSP in Math

Monday, May 24, 2010    

Class: Students corrected and turned in their last test preparation packet... NAEP Practice Test. Students were introduced to the Samples and Populations unit and began the first Problem 1.1. We only completed the Getting Ready and took some notes about measures of center and measures of variability.

Homework: complete box-&-whisker plots for "Who Scored Better: Boys or Girls?" (there should be three... boys only, girls only, and full class with 5-number summaries)

Friday, May 21, 2010    

Class: Students took notes on "Correlation and Scatter Plots." Students completed several scatter plots; one with positive correlation, one with negative correlation and one with no correlation were discussed in terms of line of best fit and how strong the correlation would be. Students were given the new textbook, Samples and Populations, that will be used as the school year closes.

Homework: NAEP Practice Test due Monday (assigned Thursday)

Thursday, May 20, 2010    

Class: Students made corrections on Practice Test 3 and turned it in. Students continued working on the comparison of test data, making box and whisker plots for girls, boys, and the entire class. Students should complete the five number summary and the plots before considering themselves finished! Finished students began working with the directions for making box-and-whisker plot on the graphing calculator, checking their "hand-drawn" plots and 5-number summaries.

Homework: complete any incomplete work within one week deadline for late work

Wednesday, May 19, 2010    

Class: Students made corrections on Practice Test 2 and turned it in. Students continued working on the comparison of test data, making box and whisker plots for girls, boys, and the entire class. Students should complete the five number summary and the plots before considering themselves finished!

Homework: SAT 10 Practice Test, Set 3 (due Thursday)

Tuesday, May 18, 2010    

Class: Students corrected the first SAT 10 practice questions, turned in for homework credit. Students worked with the task, "Who Scored Better: Boys or Girls?" This has students create the 5-number summary for the entire data set and for the boys and girls separately. These should be displayed on a box-and-whisker plot after completing the summary and checking the data carefully against the original data table.

Homework: SAT 10 Practice Test, set 2

Monday, May 17, 2010    

Class: Students completed the "Who's Taller?" activities... build an organized stem-and-leaf plot, complete a frequency table with a smaller range, complete all statistics (mean, median, mode, range), learn (and complete) the five-number summary, create our first box-and-whisker plot, and build a stacked-bar histogram. From this collection of statistics and data displays we should conclude... who is taller? As students finished, they did a data collection of personal measures and began the SAT 10 Practice.

Homework: complete the SAT 10 Practice Test questions 1-25

Friday, May 14, 2010    

Class: Students corrected Thursday's homework and turned in. The remainder of the class period was spent learning about the five-number summary and creating their first box-and-whisker plots for the girl and boy height data. It's a process, but we did it!

Homework: complete unfinished work from the week

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Class: Students continued working on "Who is Taller?" Most students have completed their stem-and-leaf plot (organized), run the statistics (mean, median, mode, and range) separated by gender, and have completed a frequency table... heading toward the stacked bar histogram. Students will start class tomorrow with the histogram and learn the mechanics of the box-and-whisker plot.

Homework: complete "Ghostly Inequalities" and "Noises in the Night" (review of graphing and writing inequalities)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010    

Class: Students graded their first set of Venn diagram activities and turned in for homework and classwork credit. Students began work on a major data display and statistical analysis activity called "Who is Taller?" Today students should have been able to create an organized back-to-back stem-&-leaf plot from the data given. Work will continue on Thursday.

Homework: Venn diagrams packet #2 (starts with "Label the Rings")

Note: Some students missed class on Monday or Tuesday completing a marine field experience. All math classes back to "normal" on Wednesday.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010    

Class: Students continued working on the Venn diagram packet. When finished, students began a second (and final) set of activities using Venn diagrams. This will be finished as homework this week.

Homework: finish Monday's work if incomplete

 Monday, May 10, 2010    

Class: Students worked with a substitute. The work was related to understanding and reading Venn diagrams. For "How Many Are There?" students were expected to read a descriptor and enter the data properly into two or three regions of the diagram. "Venn Diagrams" asks students to determine where numbers belong based on three descriptors; same with "Choose the Region,"  and "Number Sort." In "Attributes" shapes are being classified. "Circular Reasoning" has you match description of circles with visual images provided.

Homework: none assigned

Friday, May 7, 2010    

Class: Quiz on Transformations and packet assembly

Homework: make up work from the week... packet for Transformations due on Monday

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Class: Students corrected "Rotations" and "Reflect on This!" from last night's homework. Students proceeded to complete all materials in the Transformations packet (see Wednesday's list of topics).

Homework: quiz on Friday... prepare; all work from Transformations packet should be completed

Wednesday, May 5, 2010    

Class: Students began the final set of activities for the transformations mini-unit. These activities are entitled... "Reflect on This!" (reflections across horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines), "Slides, Flips and Turns," (designs inside a square... slide it, flip it, and turn it), "Symmetry," (reflection across x-axis and y-axis), "It's Your Turn" (rotations... don't use tracing paper!), "Reflect on the Square Dot Grid... Geo-board Style," and "Kaleidoscope Design" (reflections across 5 lines).

Homework: "Rotations" (both pages), "Reflect on This!" and design your "Kaleidoscope Design"

Tuesday, May 4, 2010    

Class: Students began work on the rules for rotating geometric figures on the coordinate plane. First we learned that to rotate 180 degrees, we multiply each coordinate by negative one. Then, a bit more challenging... to rotate 90 degrees CW, we switch the coordinates and multiply the y-value by negative one. To rotate 90 degrees CCW, we again switch the coordinates, and multiply the x-value by negative one. Continue by working on "Rotations" (this handout is on 8.5 by 14 paper).

Homework: finish class work called "Rotations" (on 8.5 by 14 paper) and begin working on the design page called "Rotations" (rotate a geometric design into four quadrants

Monday, May 3, 2010    

Class: Students had class time to work on two activities.... In one activity, students are practicing their skills with reflections and rotations on the coordinate plane. In the other, students are working with similar figures or dilations. These figures are scaling up or down using numerical values only. Be sure to set up and solve proportions when all else fails!

Homework: Finish the both sides of the handout "Monster Mysteries" (show all work) and "What Happened When One Famous Composer Hit Another Famous Composer?"

Friday, April 30, 2010    

Class: Students made corrections for Wednesday's homework and prepared their Wheel of Theodorus project for turning in. Students then continued working with transformations of plane figures using the activity "What Happened When One Famous Composer Hit Another Famous Composer?" This practice is on reflections over axes and rotations around the origin. Students are also expected to label the images properly and identify the coordinates of pre-image and image.

Homework: make up work from the week--packet was due one week ago today and students have had three homework assignments since Monday

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Class: Students visited several interactive websites on the topic of transformations. They were to summarize their findings before moving on to the next websites.

Here's the list...

http://enlvm.usu.edu/ma/nav/toc.jsp?sid=__shared&cid=emready@transformations

http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/transformations.html

http://www.mathsnet.net/transform/index.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/maths/shape_space/transformations1/revise1.shtml

http://www.misterteacher.com/abc.html

http://www.misterteacher.com/transformationsquiz.html

http://www.jcoffman.com/Algebra2/ch4_4.htm

http://math.pppst.com/transformations.html

The last one was not on our list, but is another place to visit!

Homework: 30 more minutes more on websites related to transformations (handout in class today)

Wednesday, April 28, 2010    

Class: Students completed notes for transformations, quizzed ourselves on the the three moving transformations (slides, flips, and turns) and ended the period with transferring our homework to a sheet of grid paper to turn in.

Homework: Turn, Turn, Turn and Slides, Flips & Turns (two 2-sided pages)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010    

Class: Introduction to Transformations--students took notes and learned about three of the four transformations. Definitions and examples of translations (slides), reflections (flips), and rotations (turns) were given in class today. Dilations tomorrow plus examples for rotations.

Homework: Create two plane figures on two separate coordinate grids. For one, create a translation of your own. Give the direction of the slide and be sure to label the pre-image and image. For the second, create a reflection. Give the direction for the flip and be sure to label the pre-image and image.

Monday, April 26, 2010    

Class: Students had several choices for today. (1) complete Unit Test; (2) work on their Theodorus project; (3) complete and turn in Investigation Four packet... was due on Friday.

Homework: Project due on Friday

Friday, April 23, 2010    

Class: Students continued their "Theodorus" project. One more partial class for working... on Monday.

Homework: catch up on ANY missing assignments from Looking for Pythagoras

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Class: Students continued to work on Wheel of Theodorus project. Students were expected to envision something real or imaginary with their spiral. As they finish the spiral, students move to the artistic aspect of the project. Review the directions to be sure you are meeting the requirements.

Homework: Investigation Four packet due on Friday

Wednesday, April 21, 2010    

Class: Students began their "Wheel of Theodorus Art Project." Students were expected to demonstrate their ability to create the wheel by completing a practice wheel. Once shown to the substitute, students were given their "final draft" paper and began their final project. Will continue to work on Thursday.

Homework: Investigation Four packet due on Friday

Tuesday, April 20, 2010    

Class: UNIT TEST!

Homework: finish all Pythagorean work, review the "Wheel of Theodorus Art Project" handout, and prepare Investigation Four packet to turn in on Friday

Monday, April 19, 2010    

Class: UNIT TEST! Continues on Tuesday

Homework: 30 minutes on reviewing vocabulary for the test, as well as completing any unfinished work

Friday, April 16, 2010    

Class: Students corrected and turned in two major assignments... ACE for Investigation Four and the Pythagorean Packet. These two are worth 6 days of homework!! Class continued with a Test Preparation activity... Given Triangle PQR, find its area and perimeter, and find a point a given distance away from a given point on a grid (like, find a point that is the square root of 32 away from Point T). This page continued with some final Pythagorean problems (on the back).

Homework: "Pythagorean Threesome" and completion of other activities... Test Preparation, for example

Thursday, April 15, 2010    TAX DAY!

Class: Students made corrections on Wednesday's homework. Class began with a Test Preparation activity... Given Triangle ABC, find its area and perimeter, and find a point a given distance away from a given point on a grid. When finished, students returned to the ACE questions from Wednesday and to completing the "Pythagorean Packet."

Homework: finish the Pythagorean Packet... ready for final corrections on Friday. Start reviewing for Monday's Unit Test!!

 Wednesday, April 14, 2010    

Class: Packets for Investigation 3 were due today. Students made corrections in the Pythagorean packet (did not turn in yet). Ms. LoBue gave information about the "Wheel of Theodorus Art Project" (due date has not been assigned yet). The remainder of the class time was spent on ACE Questions for Investigation Four... 1-8, 13-34, 36-46.

Homework: "Occupied Restroom" (from the Pythagorean packet) and any ACE Question work that did not get completed yesterday.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010    

Class: Students worked today with Problem 3.2 "Stopping Sneaky Sally," where students used diagrams and the Pythagorean Theorem to determine distances on a baseball diamond. When completed students began some ACE questions, which will be continued in class tomorrow.

Homework: "What Relation is a Doorstep to a Doormat?" (in the Pythagorean packet)... solving for the leg and the hypotenuse. Also, ACE Questions 1-5 from Investigation Four.

Monday, April 12, 2010    

Class: Students worked with the Wheel of Theodorus in Problem 4.1. Students should review and understand the terms... terminating decimal, repeating decimal, rational number, irrational number, and real numbers (found under the "Did you Know?" heading after Problem 4.1.

Homework: packet organization and math reflection; complete "How Would You Describe a Dead Skunk?" (in the Pythagorean packet). Test announced for Monday, April 19.

Friday, April 2, 2010    

Class: Students took a few minutes to review square roots before taking a quiz. This quiz had 5 Pythagorean Theorem problems and several square root questions. Nice Work for a Friday before vacation.

Homework: the usual Friday directions... get caught up on any missing work from an absence or unexcused late work

Thursday, April 1, 2010    

Class: Students were given a chance to ask questions about the assigned work and to complete unfinished portions. Additionally, a collection of pages were given to review three topics... proving if three side lengths meet the conditions of  the Pythagorean Theorem ("Population Expert"), ideas about square roots as irrational numbers, and solving for a leg given a leg and a hypotenuse of a right triangle.

Homework: finish previously assigned ACE and "How does Jack Frost Get Around?" (show the formula and all steps). Quiz likely on square roots and Pythagorean Theorem

Wednesday, March 31, 2010    

Class: Students were on a school field trip. Enjoy

Tuesday, March 30, 2010    

Class: Students spent 15 minutes in a meeting about Wednesday's field trip. When we returned to class, students began working on Problem 3.4. This problem focuses on insuring that students can prove and disprove the Pythagorean Theorem when given a set of three side lengths of a triangle. Students worked on these problems during class and followed up as homework.

Homework: complete the ACE questions assigned on Monday, the additional questions from today, and finish Problem 3.4 if incomplete.

Monday, March 29, 2010    

Class: Students made corrections on two pages of Pythagorean Theorem work, solving only for the hypotenuse (turned in for homework credit). Then Problem 3.3 was introduced with four problems on a page called "Modeling Math: Using the Pythagorean Theorem." After completing the introductory problems together, students worked on the remaining aspect of Problem 3.3 "Finding Distances." Since most students finished early, they began ACE for 3.3

Homework: finish ACE for 3.3, questions 18-22, 23-24, 27-35, due on Thursday. Be sure to bring any questions to class on Tuesday before completing the assignment for Thursday!

Friday, March 26, 2010    

Class: Class did not meet due to student-led conference schedule

Thursday, March 25, 2010    

Class: Students scored, and turned in, "The Root of the Problem," and did an analysis of the Puzzle Pieces for Set A. We concluded that the pieces proved that a² + b² = c². The students then used Puzzle Pieces for Set B and proceeded through the same analysis on their own [in the table groups]. Work continued by answering the remaining questions from Problem 3.2. This gave students the set-up for solving problems using the Pythagorean Theorem. Right now we're only solving for the hypotenuse given the length of the two legs.

Homework: Complete "Why Do Adults Complain?" and "How to Give a Space Party" (due Monday) This is a two-sided self checking handout... solving for the hypotenuse given the length of the two legs

Wednesday, March 24, 2010    

Class: Class did not meet due to student-led conference schedule

Tuesday, March 23, 2010    

Class: Students graded and turned in ACE questions for 3.1. Also graded, but not turned in, was Problem 3.1. Students then began their work on Problem 3.2, using squares and triangles arranged into puzzle grids. The pieces will be analyzed on Thursday to show their proof of the Pythagorean Theorem

Homework: Finish Puzzle Pieces for Set A, homework handout "The Root of the Problem," and a math reflection and packet for Investigation Two

Monday, March 22, 2010    

Class: Students were introduced to Problem 3.1 with a sample problem from page 31. The terms hypotenuse and leg (of a right triangle) were introduced as we prepare to learn about the power of the Pythagorean Theorem. Students made squares on the legs and hypotenuse of right triangles, finding the area of those squares in search of patterns!

Homework: finish Problem 3.1 if incomplete, ACE for 3.1 (questions 1-6, 8-12, using the dot paper and the map of Euclid provided. Square roots packet from last week should also be complete before class on Tuesday.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Class: Students continued to work on square roots packet after going over some details... like how to find square roots when the root is not a whole number.

Homework: complete Square Roots packet by class on Tuesday

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Class: Students corrected Problem 2.3 (did not turn in) and ACE for 2.3 (only turned in if completely finished!). Students had the remaining class time to ask questions and complete ACE or Problem 2.3 before starting a "square roots" packet. Do the entire packet without the use of the square root key, starting to memorize all perfect squares and their roots through 16 squared.

Homework: no less 30 minutes on the square root packet, but be sure the 2.3 assignments are also finished

Wednesday, March 17, 2010   

Class: Students met in the commons for the first step in registering for high school classes. Students should complete the two-day homework before coming to class on Thursday!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Class: Students corrected ACE for 2.2 (turned in) and Problem 2.2 (hold for the next packet). Students then began working on Ms. LoBue's version of Problem 2.3. This involved a handout that had all the line segments that can be drawn on a 5dot by 5dot grid. Students were to measure with a ruler. If the segment is not a whole number length, they were to draw the line segment of cm dot paper, completing the square. They then find the area of the square (write it inside the figure) and then return to the 2.3 handout and write the side length in two ways... as the square root of the area and as a decimal approximation, rounded to one decimal place.

Homework: Finish Problem 2.3 as given on the provided handout (don't use the book directions) and ACE for 2.3, questions 35-53

Monday, March 15, 2010    

Class: Students worked with Problem 2.2. In this problem students are working with ideas of area of squares and their side lengths. This leads us to be able to work efficiently with square numbers and their square roots, both whole number square roots and the approximations of numbers like the square root of 8.

Homework: finish Problem 2.2 and ACE for 2.2, questions 1-34 (read directions carefully..., don't use the square root key on questions 7-34), but you may use the calculator in other useful ways!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Class: Students saw further information about Descartes method for finding area on the coordinate plane (Plot and Swat was the assignment). Students turned in this and Pick's Theorem homework (originally due on Thursday). The class took considerable time working with the upright and tilted squares assigned Thursday as homework. Most students were able to have a complete set of squares designed on a geo-board up to 7dot by 7dot arrays. We introduced Problem 2.2, only getting as far as the first question of the "Getting Ready." We will continue on Monday!

Homework: complete any incomplete homework... several students did not turn in Investigation One packet (due Wednesday)

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Class: Students made corrections for "Plot and Swat" and the reverse side of the "Pick's Theorem" handout. Problem 2.1 was introduced to the class. Students will be creating upright and tilted squares (like those from Problem 1.2A) and finding their area. Practice first on the practice paper (marking it up to find the area) and put a final drawing on the page with the Problem 2.1 heading (drawn with a ruler!). From this point on, many students set aside the class work and needed to take or complete the Quiz from Wednesday. Otherwise, students worked on Problem 2.1 till class closed.

Homework: finish Problem 2.1, using the two handout from class.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010   

Class: Students should have turned in packet today. Quiz on area of polygons drawn on geo-boards. Anyone in the "leadership conference" will make this up on Thursday.

Homework: make sure "Plot and Swat" (both sides) is done

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Class: Students corrected "Area of Polygons" mini-packet, carefully writing the correct answer for any missed problems. Students then learned about "Pick's Theorem" which is an (easy) alternative to finding the area of figures plotted on a lattice or geo-board. They were to use Pick's theorem to recalculate the areas of missed problems before handing in the first page of the mini-packet for homework credit. Students continued to work with the theorem and another procedure developed by Rene Descartes, found on the reverse side of "Plot & Swat."

Homework: Complete "Plot & Swat" (both sides), "Pick's Theorem" (side 2) and assemble their packet for Investigation One     QUIZ ON WEDNESDAY!

Monday, March 8, 2010    

Class: Students made corrections for the ACE questions (1.3) from Thursday. This assignment was turned in. Students then began their additional work for finding areas of irregular figures. All figures will have a total area of either a whole number or a half a square unit (no smaller pieces!).

Homework: finish "Area of Polygons" packet, remembering to estimate when asked, and drawing your name on square dot paper--find the area for your name. Be sure your Investigation One work is in class tomorrow to make a packet!

Friday, March 5 NO SCHOOL Professional Development Day

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Class: Students corrected and turned in ACE for 1.2. Class discussion about the relationship of slope to parallel and perpendicular lines. Students began (and for the most part completed) Problem 1.3, Finding Areas.

Homework: Students should complete Lab Sheet ACE 1.3, questions 15-25 and "Finding Areas on Geo-boards" (two sides of a provided handout)

Wednesday, March 3, 2010   

Class: Students made corrections, but did not turn in, Problem 1.1. Students then worked on Problem 1.2, making specific polygons on the coordinate plane. Packet (Angle Patterns) due on Thursday.

Homework: finish Problem 1.2 if incomplete and ACE for 1.2, questions 1-14, 26-28, starting on page 12. Use grid paper for questions 8-14

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Class: Students had a great discussion of terminology for review and new vocabulary for Looking for Pythagoras. Students were given the next unit and asked to read the introduction to the unit (pages 2-4), the introduction to the investigation (pages 5-6) and to complete the first Problem (1.1) by doing the Getting Ready and the Problem. Students need a centimeter ruler to measure on the coordinate grid.

Homework: Getting Ready and Problem 1.1 in Looking for Pythagoras, pages 5-9.

Monday, March 1, 2010    

Class: Students continued their work on the "Angle Patterns" Quiz. As students finished they received a packet cover (packet due on Thursday), late passes, and a Vocabulary handout for the next unit.

Homework: Create a three-column table using the vocabulary sheet... (1) words I know [can define, draw pictures, create examples for], words I've heard but are not "secure" in understanding, and words I don't know from a mathematical perspective

Friday, February 26, 2010

Class: Students corrected but did not turn in Thursday homework. This assignment will go in the packet (due next Thursday). Students spent the remainder of the period taking a Quiz.

Homework: complete any work incomplete from the week (or beyond)!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Class: After correcting and turning in two assignments, students began working on the final set of activities related to angle properties. The titles of the four pages are... "...50 People on a Wooden Dock," "Have an Ice Day!," "What is the Most Confusing Thing at College," and "Where Do Aliens Leave their Spaceships?"

\Homework: finish "50 People on a Wooden Dock" mini-packet (class time was given to get significant work done!)

Wednesday, February 24, 2010   

Class: Students corrected and turned in homework. We began class with a discussion of finding the angle measures of various polygons when the angle measures are given in variable terms (like this angle is "x" and this angle is "x+2") and students were given time to work on "What Do You Call a Boomerang that Doesn't Come Back?"

Homework: finish activities in the "Why is a Party Like Pouring Oil in a Car" mini-packet (ready to grade when arriving in class tomorrow).

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Class: Students used their notes from previous days to makes sense of angle patterns. Top priority in class was to finish "Why Do Bulldogs Have Flat Noses?" using the provided angle measuring tools (angle ruler or protractor). Then, students began working with the following titles... "Why is a Party Like Pouring Oil into a Car?" (complementary and supplementary angles), "How Did the Judge Find out about the Rotten Milk?" (related angles), "Why is a Leaky Faucet Like a Race Horse?" (vocabulary focus), "What Do you Get When...?" (two parallel lines with a transversal), and "What is Unusual About the New Surgeon Doll?" (parallel lines with transversal)

Homework: No less than 30 minutes of work on the "Angle Patterns" activities

Monday, February 22, 2010    

Class: Students were in various stages of working on work originally assigned on Friday (several students had an excused absence based on the Golden Ticket Award field trip). Before closing the period today, students worked with me to summarize the activity "Measuring Angles of Irregular Polygons." We concluded that both irregular and regular polygons have the same angle sums!

Homework: 30 minutes work on "What do you call a successful farmer?," "The Square Team," "What Did Mrs. Claus Say during the Thunderstorm?," and "How Do Bulldogs get Flat Noses? and the reverse side of the "Generalizations" handout... "What Do You Call a Boomerang that Doesn't Come Back?"

Friday, February 12, 2010

Class: Students corrected Thursday's homework (turned in) and continued yesterday's class activity... Measuring Angles of Irregular Polygons. When students finished, they began "What do you call a successful farmer?," "The Square Team," "What Did Mrs. Claus Say during the Thunderstorm?," and "How Do Bulldogs get Flat Noses?"

Homework: some students did not turn in their Investigation Four packet and need to have it in on Monday, February 22.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Class: After correcting and turning in "Angle Pairs," students worked on "Measuring Interior Angles of Irregular Polygons." Packet for Investigation Four due today.

Homework: "Problem of Miners" (working with parallel and perpendicular lines) and "Swimming Elephants" (angle patterns, especially the concept of two parallel lines cut by a transversal)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010   

Class: Students corrected "Generalizations about Regular Polygons" but did not turn in because of another assignment on the reverse side. The class then took notes, made measurements, and learned about "Angle Patterns." We specifically talked about complementary and supplementary angles, vertical angles, and angle patterns related to two parallel lines cut with a transversal. The Angle Pairs assignment was handed out without much time to get started.

Homework: complete both sides of "Angle Pairs" and prepare Investigation Four packet for turning in (Math Reflection should be done!)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Class: Students began geometry with "Patterns of Regular Polygons." In this assignment students both measured and calculated the angle sum and single angle measure for regular polygons. Each category was summarized by writing expressions for the "n-gon." These were necessary to work the homework assignment.

Homework: "Generalizations about Interior Angles of Regular Polygons" Be sure to show work in the space provided.... Use the expressions at the bottom of your class work handout!

Monday, February 8, 2010    

Class: Students completed the Unit Test and began assembling their final packet for Moving Straight Ahead

Homework: finish assembling packet and writing math reflection

Friday, February 5, 2010

Class: UNIT TEST "Moving Straight Ahead"

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Class: UNIT TEST "Moving Straight Ahead"

Homework: review notes and other preparatory materials to be ready for Part 2 of the Unit Test

Wednesday, February 3, 2010   

Class: Problem 4.4 "Putting it all Together."

Homework: Prepare for Unit Test

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Class: Students continued their work with Test Preparation, with today's focus on graphing from an equation and creating an equation from a graph!

Homework: work 30 minutes minimum on existing work

Monday, February 1, 2010    

Class: Students continued their test preparation, focused on creating graphs from equations (creating their own table of values). Other key unit ideas are emphasized, including two-step equations.

Homework: continue working 30 minutes as homework; UNIT TEST ON THURSDAY!!!

Friday, January 29, 2010

Class: No class Friday because of half-day schedule

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Class: Students made corrections for the "What's My Line?" packet. Class time was devoted to starting test preparation, while Ms. LoBue met with students to review their "areas of concern" before next week's test.

Homework: 45 minutes on Test Preparation before class meets on Monday

Wednesday, January 27, 2010   

Class: Homework was corrected--but not turned in. Students began working on "What's My Line?," "Up and Down," "Define the Line," and "Graph Match." The focus is relating linear graphs to the equation for the line.

Homework: Work for at least 30 minutes on the "What's My Line?" packet. Students are practicing slope, y-intercept, and equation writing.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Class: Students made corrections from yesterday's work and completed a checklist of skills needed to be ready for the unit test. Students were given time to start the remaining problems in a slope packet... (see homework)

Homework: questions 1-15 on "Slopes and Intercepts," "10-Ton Truck," (slopes from two points on a coordinate plane), and "Big Brass Band Instruments" (slopes on a graph and from two given points)

Monday, January 25, 2010    

Class: Students continue to work on determining slope when... given two points, given a table of values, when graphed, when written as a equation. They worked on ACE questions for 4.3 (listed below) which should be finished tonight as homework.

Homework: finish ACE for 4.3, questions 16-26, 30- 32-35 plus "Scout Fixes Lady's Horn?" (finding slope for a pair of points plotted on the coordinate plane)

Friday, January 22, 2010

Class: Due Date for called "Follow-up Equation Work." Students corrected and turned in ACE for 4.2, yesterday's class and home work assignment. Students began another day of "in-class" ACE questions. ACE for 4.3 starts on page 80 with questions 16-26, 30, 32-35. If you have made considerable progress..., finish the questions on Monday in class!

Homework: Monday is the last day I will accept late assignments from excused absences. Grade book closes Monday for 1st semester!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Class: Students made corrections for ACE for 4.1 and began working ACE for 4.2 (questions 2-15, and 39, starting on page 78) in class. Students were cautioned to read each problem carefully before deciding what to do. Sometimes the directions are the most challenging part of the question!

Homework: finish ACE questions from class today and organize activities for "Follow-up Equation Work" packet (packet due Friday)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010   

Class: Students worked on Problem 4.2, "Finding the Slope of a Line" from a table, a graph, and an equation. Work began with a careful reading of the introduction and the completion of the "Getting Ready" questions.

Homework: finish Problem 4.2 as homework and complete ACE questions from Tuesday (students asked for more time for completion)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Class: Students worked with the terms "rise" and "run" as they apply to stairs in working Problem 4.1. Students should complete this during class

Homework: ACE for 4.1, questions 1, 37-38, and 41-44, starting on page 78

Friday, January 15, 2010

Class: Students continued the work of writing symbolic equations from written explanations. The remaining two pages from Thursday were the source of the problems. This should be finished before Tuesday.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Class: Students were assigned some "self-directed" problems related to writing equations from a word description, then solving those equations. This allowed students that needed additional time on their quizzes to have that time. The problems are found on the following handouts: "Electrician... Fixing a Light Bulb...?," "Mudsucker Swamp," "Smokey the Bear & Alexander the Great," and "Yo-Yo at 5A.M."

Homework: Finish equation work (at least front and back of first page)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010   

Class: Students had additional time on the Quiz (not enough for everyone to finish).

Homework: No new assignment... finish any work that is incomplete from the past week and a half

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Class: QUIZ for Investigations Two and Three!

Homework: Review Problems and ACE for Investigation Two and Three as the quiz continues tomorrow 5th and 6th periods!

Monday, January 11, 2010    

Class: Students continued quiz preparation using "Skill: Linear Relationships" and "Additional Practice"

Homework: Prepare for Quiz by reviewing quiz prep handouts and packet for Investigation Three. Quiz is scheduled now for Tuesday.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Class: Quiz Preparation, focused on writing equations from a graph

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Class: Students completed "What is Green & Famous..." and "What is Heavy Forward but Not Backward?" The remaining time was spent reviewing for Friday's quiz on topics in Investigation Two and Three.

Homework: Packet is due for Investigation Three AND prepare for Friday's quiz.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010   

Class: Students finished "Driving... Snakes," and began working on the final equations handout "What is Green and Famous..." plus "What is Heavy Forward but Not Backward?"

Homework: Organize your packet for Investigation Three and work 30 minutes on today's class work.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Class: Students worked on more complex equations on the handout "Driving... Snakes." We will finish this work in class tomorrow. Quiz announced for Friday--start reviewing to be prepared.

Homework: Math Reflection and packet assembly for Investigation Two due on Wednesday (walk in with it finished!!!)

Monday, January 4, 2010     Happy New Year!

Class: Students worked with complex equations involving variables on both sides of the equation and distributive property. All work is shown in steps and all work is checked on a separate sheet of paper!

Homework: Finish "What is the Title of This Picture?" and organize all materials for Investigations Two (2.1 with 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) and Three (3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5)

Friday, December 18, 2009

Class: Students fell one day behind while I was away, so the assignments listed below were given for the week of 12-14 to 12-18

Have a great winter break!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Class: Students will work with all manner of two step equations today. Their handout is called "Books Never Written" and "Did You Hear About..." Students should use the self checking to determine if EVERY answer is correct.

Homework: finish as homework

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Class: Students will work in handouts not in the textbook. The emphasis today is on one-step equations. They will work with a two-sided sheet with the titles...“What do Opticians, Optometrists, and Ophthalmologists Have in Common?”and “Why Did the Outfielder Join the Orchestra?”

Homework: "What Can You Say about a Really Terrible Mummy Joke?"

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Class: Students  will work on the last of the ACE for this Investigation. ACE questions for class are ACE for 3.5, questions 24-27, 42, 46 starting on page 62. If students have not completed last night's homework ACE (see Monday) they should finish it before moving on to the ACE for 3.5. Also, if students have not finished Problem 3.4 from Friday, finish it today as well.

Homework: ACE for 3.5 as assigned above

Monday, December 14, 2009

Class: Students worked with Problem 3.5 including the Getting Ready

Homework: ACE for 3.4, questions 15-23 starting on page 59 (work at least 30 minutes)

Friday, December 11, 2009

Class: Students worked with me on Problem 3.4. We made good progress, but did not finish! Get it done next week!

Homework: lots of absent students have fallen behind... use the weekend to catch up!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Class: Students worked in full class mode, working through Problem 3.3, Solving Two-step Equations (modeling after pouches and coins)

Homework: ACE for 3.3, questions 10-14 starting on page 58

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Class: Students worked their first lesson on solving equations involving one variable and two or more steps. They used the concept of pouches (the variable) and coins to begin to make sense of maintaining equality at all times as your solve the equations. They almost completed Problem 3.2, which will be finished as homework.

Homework: finish question 5 for Problem 3.2 then complete ACE 5-8 (found on page 58)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Class: Students will work on ACE questions for 2.4, starting today with #17 and continuing through 28.

Homework: finish any ACE 38, 39, and 42 (starts on page 42) and read introduction to Investigation Three (pages 46-47)

Monday, December 7, 2009

Class: Students had class time to work on ACE for 2.4. We were able to finish ACE 11-16 (starting on page 37) and will continue tomorrow.

Homework: Pattern graFUN and "How do you make Varnish Disappear?"

Friday, December 4, 2009

Class: Students worked with Problem 2.4 during class today... taking off from where they left off after working it as homework last night. This took much of the period for many students, but...

Homework: Problem 2.4 needs to be finished

Get caught up if you have been sick or fallen behind!!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Class: Students corrected ACE questions 5-10 and turned in for homework credit. We began class with a discussion of the Getting Ready for Problem 2.4, alerting students that the process of "substitute and solve" works when given an ordered pair an equation to test it in. To begin Problem 2.4 we discussed the three pledge plans (all new to us) and what the equation meant in terms of a pledge for a walkathon. Students had about ten minutes of independent work time before the end of class, so...

Homework: work 30 minutes on Problem 2.4

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Class: Students corrected and turned in ACE for 2.1 (assigned on Monday). We resumed our work on Problem 2.3 after reminders about how to move from an equation to a table using the graphing calculator. This allowed us to examine a table without building it "by hand." Students should finish Problem 2.3 today in class or as homework.

Homework: ACE 5-10, just a reminder that 5-8 should have been started Tuesday night

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Class: Students discussed key terms for Investigation Two: y-intercept and coefficient before working with the terms in Problem 2.3. This problem will be finished in class tomorrow... due to a desire to learn some new work that we can do with the graphing calculator.

Homework: finish any ACE from Monday, and add on ACE for 2.2 questions 5-8

Monday, November 30, 2009

Class: Students worked part A only for Problem 2.1 and continued the walking race with Problem 2.2. Students set up a table counting by 2 seconds... up to 40 seconds for the two brothers, made a graph of the data and answered other response questions. May need to finish as homework.

Homework: ACE 1-4, 29, 32, 34-37

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 or Wednesday, November 25

Class: Quiz over Investigation One. Make up quizzes before or after school Monday through Thursday!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Class: Students had time to work on ACE questions related to Problem 1.4... ACE 10-14, 27-30, 32-33

Homework: finish unfinished ACE questions from Friday or Monday WHILE STUDYING FOR TOMORROW'S QUIZ

Friday, November 20, 2009

Class: Students discussed and made corrections for Problem 1.4, especially those concerning the writing of equations involving subtraction or negative slope. The remainder of the period was spent working on Investigation One ACE questions.... ACE 6-9, ACE 23-26, and ACE 31

Replenish your supplies! Get caught up if you have been sick or fallen behind!!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Class: Students discussed and made corrections for Problem 1.3, with most students needing to return to part C and make a graph. Class work today focused on Problem 1.4, with an equation that involves subtraction and a graph that shows a decrease in y as x increases.

Homework: finish Problem 1.4 and continue ACE for 1.3 by doing questions 7 & 8

QUIZ SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, NOV. 24

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Class: Students corrected and turned in ACE for 1.2. Problem 1.3 was the focus of today's work, creating a table and graph with y-intercepts other than zero. We worked with three pledge plans for a walkathon.

Homework: finish Problem 1.3 and begin ACE for 1.3 with question 6

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Class: corrections for ACE for 1.1 and graphing calculator introduction applied to Problem 1.2

Homework: ACE for 1.2, questions 15-18, 20, starting on page 17

Monday, November 16, 2009

Class: Students finished up work from Problem 1.2 from class on Friday; students worked with their own or my walking rate to answer questions in Problem 1.1

Homework: ACE for 1.1  questions 1-5, starts on page 12... be sure to include the biking rates for all five bikers (from question 3-5) in one table and one graph

Friday, November 13, 2009

Class: Students worked on Problem 1.2 "Walking Rates & Linear Relationships," after reviewing the Qualities of a Great Graph (handout). Students were asked to build a 4 column table of data and to graph three student walking rates on the same coordinate grid. We wrote equations for each student's walking rate.

Replenish your supplies--1/4 inch grid paper and color pencils! Get caught up if you have been sick or fallen behind!!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Class: Students learned about patterns with subtraction, using the "inverted T," presented by Ms. LoBue. We continued with student presenters... Devan, Noe, Vinny, London, Ricardo, and Kendall presented today.

Homework: read pages 2-5 carefully; compute meters per second rate from today's walking of the track

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Class: Students scored themselves on the "Big A" and then we had student presenters of their homework from last night. Thank you to Toby, Nate, Amer, and TJ for sharing their design. Dusty will finish on Thursday.

Homework: finish Dusty's pattern from class and design a second pattern of your own on large grid paper, create a table of values for steps 0-5 and step 10, build the graph, and write the expression to represent the design

Monday, November 9, 2009

Class: Students worked on Problem 2.2, finding the income generated when a certain number of customers are willing to pay a certain price to go on the Ocean Bike Tour.

Homework: finish the big "A" pattern from class and design a pattern of your own on large grid paper, create a table of values for steps 0-5 and step 10, build the graph, and write the expression to represent the design

Friday, November 6, 2009

Class: Students discussed Thursday night homework, especially how to write expressions to represent graphical patterns. Students continued a second day on pattern recognition.... Most now understand how to determine the "coefficient" (a term not yet mastered) and are beginning to understand how to determine the "y-intercept" (another term not yet understood). Next week will build nicely on these two days!

Replenish your supplies! Get caught up if you have been sick or fallen behind!!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Class: Students examined patterns displayed graphically, continued the pattern on their paper, making counts and describing the patterns in words or expressions. Called "Exploring Patterns," we got through about 8 patterns!

Homework: Homework 1 "Exploring Patterns"

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Class: Short class period because of Late Start. Students will have time to complete the math reflection.... They are asked to make up three problems with a given amount of information (like "Bolda Cola cost $3 for 5 bottles") and to solve the problem they have created. They are to choose from 4 possible scenarios.

Homework: all late work brought up to date (like ACE for 4.3??)

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 (Ms. LoBue's birthday :)

Class: Students continued work on UNIT TEST (about half the class is completely finished!)

Homework: packet completion... with math reflection

Monday, November 2, 2009

Class: UNIT TEST Comparing and Scaling

Homework: assemble packet for Investigation 4 (handout out Monday... due on Wednesday, November 4

Friday, October 30, 2009

Class: Students prepared for the unit test by doing a proportions white-board review. Be sure to put your points on the next packet cover!

Study for UNIT TEST on Monday!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Class: Students made corrections on Bargain Hunting and "Is Bigger Always Better?" The remaining class time was spent working on four additional pages in a review packet... "If..., Then... Proportions" and "Did You Hear About..." plus "What is a Termite's Favorite Breakfast?" and "What Should You Say when you Meet an Angel?"

Homework: all proportion work named above is due on Friday... walk it in the door finished!

UNIT TEST HAS BEEN MOVED TO MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Class: Students made corrections on Tuesday homework, which should have been done using the cross-products method for solving proportions. Students were asked to then work on... finishing Problem 4.3 (if incomplete), ACE for 4.3 (see Tuesday), and begin working on the review packet for the UNIT TEST.

Homework: "Bargain Hunting" and "Is Bigger Always Better?" (from the review packet)

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Class: Students continued their work on Problem 4.3. When finished, began their final set of ACE questions for the unit... ACE for 4.3 questions 6-14 (page 56). Show your work for the multiple choice problem (practice on delegates, just like the part C of Problem 4.3)

Homework: solve using cross products... "What Happened When the Rabbit Caught His Head in a Fan?" plus "Books Never Written." Repeating the directions... solve using cross-products!!!!!!!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Class: Students finished one remaining question for Problem 4.2 (E) and proceeded to Problem 4.3. Before beginning, we reviewed the many methods for solving proportions on a handout called "Solving Proportions using Multiple Methods." (absent students should ask for one!) We began Problem 4.3 and worked until the end of the period. Do not finish as homework, but in class on Tuesday. Do ACE questions as homework.

Homework: ACE for 4.2 questions 3-5 (pages 55-56) and 18-20 (pages 57-58)

Friday, October 23, 2009

Class: Students continued work in Investigation 4 with Problem 4.2, focused on the practical application of proportion. Students almost finished the problem, but class came to an end before finishing the last question (E).

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Class: No class because of conference schedule

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Class: Students were introduced to Investigation Four: Making Sense of Proportion. We analyzed four problems, looking at ways students would solve them with current knowledge. Problem 4.1 introduces the new term, proportion, and four methods for setting up problems are discussed. We began our independent work (parts A-D on page 50-51) and finished, if necessary, as part of homework.

Homework: Continue Problem 4.1 if incomplete, then ACE for 4.1, question 1&2 (page 55), questions 15-17 (page 57), and questions 22-23 (pages 58-59). Due on Friday (no class on Thursday)

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Class: Students prepare for student-led conferences by organizing returned work and completing their conference discussion form

Homework: "Policeman to Shirt" (solve rates on lined paper, and build graphs on provided grids); complete work on side one only

Monday, October 19, 2009

Class: Students finished quizzes and began preparations for student-led conferences by putting together their Investigation 3 (Rates & Unit Rates) packet and writing their math reflection.

Homework: "Cryptic Quiz" and "Proportion Proverb"

Friday, October 16, 2009

Class: Quiz Investigation Three (Rates & Unit Rates)

Period 6 will take quiz on Monday

Homework: any incomplete activities from this week, especially Problems 3.1-3.4 that go into a packet on Monday

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Class: Students made corrections and reviewed Investigation 3 for tomorrow's quiz. Remainder of the period was spent on the white board review problems--focus on unit rates and simplifying ratios. Nice work, everyone!

Homework: "Ridiculously Random Rates & Ratio Problems" (no less than 30 minutes)

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Class: Students today worked with a variety of ACE questions (for 3.4). The assigned ACE were #12 on page 42, 23-31 on pages 43-45, and 33-34 on page 46.

Homework: Continue working on ACE to completion

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Class: Students worked with Ms. LoBue on Problem 3.4: What Does Dividing Tell You? Students were asked to develop unit rates in two ways, one which seems natural or common, the other more challenging. We used the "Getting Ready" as the starting point, and then continued into the problem.

Homework: finish Problem 3.4, "Introduction to Unit Rates," and "At Your Service" (calculating tip)

QUIZ ON FRIDAY... over INVESTIGATION 3

Monday, October 12, 2009

Class: Students worked with Ms. LoBue's substitute teacher, Ms. Harold, on finishing Problem 3.3: Unit Rates and Equations. Students were using unit rates to determine the best price for CDs and writing equations that express the relationship between the number of CDs and their price (including tax). Students should have continued by working on ACE question for 4.3 (4, 5, 9b, 10b&d, 11, 19-23). This should be accomplished during today's class period.

Homework: none was assigned, however, any student with incomplete work on Problem 3.3 or the assigned ACE should have continued to work at home to completion

Assignments prior to this date can be checked against the student homework log, the student packet for multiplication, and the online gradebook.