Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wrapping up some notes on integers
We took a bit of a side street today to talk about some off the way concepts and ideas about working with integers... multiplying and dividing as well as adding and subtracting. You can check them out below.
I've recommended that the kids continue to practice their M/D for a (not-so) pop quiz on Monday -- which they could possibly use as their mastery quiz!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Mastery and Multiplying and Division
We got our mastery quizzes back (make sure to connect with your children!) today and then practiced more multiplying & dividing integers. Tonight I suggested that the kids continue to practice these new skills...
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Mastery!
Today the kids got to take their first IBC Mastery Quiz on Adding & Subtracting Integers. For these mastery quizzes, the kids must answer at least 90% correct to demonstrate mastery. They'll get them back tomorrow -- and if they didn't reach mastery, they will take it again until they do reach mastery. :)
Afterwards we read about the Fibonacci numbers in the Sixth Night in The Number Devil. :)
Homework tonight is to complete the first multiplying integers sheet in their integers packet from a few weeks ago.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Nothing New Today
No new news for today, but the kids will want to remember both parts of their homework (if they didn't finish their practice mastery quiz in class yesterday).
Explain, in as many words as you need, how to solve the following integer problem and why your answer is correct. (Think of the rules for adding and subtracting.)
4 + (-5) =
The one thing I did forget to blog about yesterday was their writing assignment! They were to...
Explain, in as many words as you need, how to solve the following integer problem and why your answer is correct. (Think of the rules for adding and subtracting.)
4 + (-5) =
More tomorrow!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Getting Ready for our first quiz...
After our warm up, we took some quick notes on absolute value and then proceeded on to a practice quiz on adding and subtracting integers. We'll try our hand at our first Mastery Quiz on WEDNESDAY (because of block scheduling). Those kids who need to finish their quiz need to do so at home.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Subtracting Integers
Today we checked our adding integers homework (if we had any) and then moved quickly to subtracting integers. Subtracting isn't all that hard when you remember that after you add the opposite, you just follow the adding rules!
The most exciting part of the day? BALLOON HOMEWORK. You guessed it! The kids homework is INSIDE a balloon that they are not allowed to pop until 3:15. If it gets popped before hand? Triple the homework! Mwhaha! Just another component of Integer Boot Camp!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Let's Add some integers
After an OOO warm up, all we did today was add integers. :) That's it! Just adding some integers!
Things to be aware of... we found out that some folks are confused about the "rules" -- if the signs are the same, do the problem and keep the same sign.... AND.... if the signs are different subtract the smaller from the larger and keep the sign of the larger.
There may be a few straggling problems for homework...
Monday, October 6, 2008
What's this about your pants?
You may be asking yourself this question this evening when your children share about Pre-Algebra today!
We really jumped into integers today by talking through a numberline, describing the relationships between positive and negative numbers, and developed the rules for adding integers. All this you'll see below. :)
However, the most memorable moment came in the middle of one of those teaching "flow" moments... I had set the children up for a suspense... then reveal by saying, "Alright now, hold on to your pants because this just might knock your socks off..." -- or something like that! -- and after the reveal I heard Owen's voice from the back of the room: "Oh my gosh, my pants fell off!" The entire room burst into laughter! I guarantee they'll never forget that moment. How to add integers? Hm... But pants falling off? (Metaphorically!) Ha! :)
(No pants were actually knocked off during the class period!)
Homework (that some finished in class) is to complete a sheet that describes and investigates the relationship between integers.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
After our warm up...
After our warm up... there wasn't much more of class because of picture day!
When everyone DID get a chance to regroup, we checked our homework and then it was time to go!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Hua! Integer Boot Camp!
What the heck are those kids doing with face paint on? And Matthew? What's going on here??
Today began Integer Boot Camp!! I've found the best way to review signed numbers is with a little pretending. :)
I'll post on the wiki the sheet I gave the kids today describing IBC--you'll definitely want to check it out! http://cfsmatthew.wikispaces.com/classdocs
Homework tonight is to complete the first page of the packet on integers: adding integers. I told them to work on it, not worry about getting everyone of them right, because we're really going to work on it tomorrow. :)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Number Devil Consumes...
The Number Devil... at least the fourth night, consumed a large part of our day! Ha!
After our warm up, we read, and the kids got an assignment to complete tonight... a writing assignment. :)
They are to imagine that they have stumbled upon the gates of a town called Integerville (signed numbers) and write about what they see, hear, feel, talk to... the sky's the limit! How much to write? Eh... I've never been one for minimums or maximums. ;) They should write as much as they need to write.
Can you tell our next review-unit? :)
Monday, September 29, 2008
So what is a test?
Today your children got back their OOOE Tests, after a decent sized conversation about what tests are, what they mean, why there are no "scores" and what they'll need to do with the ones that they've missed. This is the "test" posting that I've yet to make that I have to swear to you I will post this afternoon. :) But, I did want to let you know that they got their tests back today, homework is to complete test corrections, and we moved into the Fourth Night of the Number Devil... so that this gets in your inbox. ;)
Friday, September 26, 2008
TEST DAY!
The kids completed their test on OOO & E Today! They'll get feedback on their tests... on Monday. :)
The other piece that was completed today was their notebook checks. Many kids did great; their notebooks were in order, nothing was missing, good to go. A few others... are going to need to spend some time giving some TLC to their notebooks over the weekend. I'll want to see them on Monday.
No other work over the weekend.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Answers from Packet...
More Order of Operations
1. 34
2. 17
3. 20
4. 22
5. 80
6. 11
7. 227
8. 15
9. 38
10. 81
11. 13
12. 32
13. 30
14. 87
PRACTICE: Order of Operations
1. 17
2. 16
3. 10
4. 3
5. 10
6. 0
7. 6
8. 19
9. 7
10. 10
11. 12
12. 7
13. 18
14. 2
15. 38
16. 12
17. 2
18. 8
19. (3+2)
20. (14-6)
21. (8+12) then (4*5)
22. (3*2)^2
23. (2+3)^2
24. (3-2)
25.(16-4) then (2+1)
26. (5-2)
27. (2 / 2)
28. (40+10)-(2*9) = 32
29. (4+6)^2 / (50-30) = 5
Order of Operations Test (not for real!)
1. 35
2. 18
3. 2
4. 6
5. 2
6. 38
7. 13
8. 32
9. 30
10. 87
11. 29
12. 17
13. 76
14. 5
15. 17
16. 39
Review, review, review!
After a speedy warm up, we checked our homework and went our separate ways to get ready for our TEST TOMORROW on Order of Operations and Exponents. The kids got a packet of more OOO problems that they can work on (I'm going to post answers to these tonight on the blog) and they can do always practice on their exponents. :)
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Back To School Night!
Reminder that Back to School Night is tomorrow (Thursday) night!
Please aim to be at the MS ready to go around 7:15 and come ready to
visit your child's morning classes, meet their advisors, and
experience some of our electives!
Please aim to be at the MS ready to go around 7:15 and come ready to
visit your child's morning classes, meet their advisors, and
experience some of our electives!
Here comes the test!
There are times when we have these longer block periods where I try to plan special activities that would really be that much better with having the extra time... but today was not one of those days. :) My lessons tend to grow to fill a period... and as I suspected, this is what happened with today's 75 minute block.
After our warm up, we finished up the Third Night of the Number Devil and started creating a list of what will be on our first test on Order of Operations & Exponents... which will be on Friday. (See earlier post)
And then, of course, some more practice. :) I'd like them to get to #20 this evening... All in preparation for Friday!
Look soon for a posting on how tests fit into my math classes...
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Okay, who changed the time on the clock??
Today started with our warm up... and then we checked up on our memorizing... STARTED to read the Third Night of The Number Devil... and then poof! We were out of time only halfway through the chapter! I swear, someone snuck up and turn the clock!
So, WEDNESDAY, we'll pick it up where we left up! (Because of the block schedule. :))
Friday, September 19, 2008
What have you guys been up to?!
Whew! It has been an intense past two days for me! I'm not sure if I've explained how blogging works for me, but I wanted to just let you know what it looks like in terms of my reliability. My afternoon schedule allows me three chunks of time to work on planning/blogging/checking papers/etc. These are M-F at lunch (provided there are no meetings that I have to attend and that I am not on lunch duty), M/W/F during 6th period (again, barring meetings), and T/H 7th period. For emails to be sent out to you on time (they should arrive to your inbox between 3 and 5p) I have to blog what I'm going to blog for the day by 3p. So, in a case like yesterday and today when I'm on lunch duty and have afternoon meetings until 3p... sitting down to blog becomes incredibly difficult! But, I try my best to keep to a schedule, thus insuring you get your daily update as regularly as possible. :)
With that being said, we've been busy moving forward towards completing our first unit on Order of Operations and Exponents. That's meant spending some time yesterday and today engaged in working through order of operations problems and spending time working on memorizing our exponents/powers. When we test on these two topics (which will fall at the end of next week), they will be tested together. I have great expectations for their success! :)
We've also in the past two days started reading "The Number Devil" which Yael and her family have graciously let me borrow because my own personal copy is on loan to another middle school teacher. :) Yesterday we read through the first "chapter" or night (ask your kids!) and today we read about the second night of Robert's adventure. If you've never heard or read the book, I recommend checking it out the next time you are in a bookstore. I've posted a picture of the book below. :)
Over the weekend the kids can be working on memorizing their exponents. If they wanted to work on some order of operations problems... they are more than welcome to google "order of operations" -- there's some neat stuff out there. :) Onward!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Short Post
More on the specifics later, but homework is to finish the Order of OPerations, front and back... see the picture posted below.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Back to Exponents...
Today, after checking our homework and viewing his WAY COOL word cloud that Yael and her parents found and cread for us.... :) We worked some more on exponents, writing them and solving them.
Most everyone got pretty close to finishing this, but some may have a few more.
They can always be working on their memorizing!! :)
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