Update Week Beginning 4/30/2012

In all math classes next Tuesday students will be taking the Spring MAP test.  Students have set goals with their homebase teachers and with me in math class.  I am very proud of how hard students have been working in math recently and have high hopes that their hard work will pay off for them during MAP testing.  I have offered them extra credit for meeting their goals next week with this testing.  

In Algebra we have started Chapter 12 this week.  We will be studying Rational Expressions and Functions for the next several weeks  Students in this class will take part 2 of the Proficiency test on May 22nd and 23rd.  

In math we have started studying geometry and measurement.  We will be looking at surface area next week.  I am in the need of cereal boxes for an activity coming up involving surface area.  If you finish up a box of cereal, feel free to bring it in.

Update 4/22/2012

I can not believe how quickly this trimester is going and that it is already past mid-terms.  With ISATs and Spring Break taking out days in the trimester it seems like it just began.

We are just finishing up Chapter 11 in Algebra.  Students will take a test on Wednesday (early dismissal) over this chapter before we move on to Chapter 12, Rational Functions.  Students can expect a visit from their favorite concept in the next chapter....FRACTIONS!!  We will do a lot of practice and have a few graded homework assignments.  Students can also look forward to another problem packet with this chapter.

In Math class we have been studying systems of equations.  Students have been doing a great job understanding how to solve systems both graphically and algebraically.  I am really proud of how well they are doing with this concept and their hard work has shown in their recent quiz scores.  Good Work!

Hope for Hunter

I am so proud to work in a community with such an amazing support system.  Keep fighting Hunter!!  Never, never, never, never give up!

ISAT Week

This week is ISAT week and so far students are doing a great job with the testing.  It is great to see them working hard and doing their best.

In algebra next week, we will be working on Chapter 10.  Students have a set of problems from the first three sections and will receive the rest of the chapter once we cover more of the material.  The plan is to finish up Chapter 10 before spring break.

In math we will be working with percents.  Most of our time will be spent with the applications of percents in the real world.  Hopefully students will see the advantage to having a good understanding of percents in their real lives!

Week of 2/20

This week in algebra we will begin working in Chapter 10 with graphing Quadratic Functions.  We will be talking about how quadratics apply in real life and hopefully the students will begin to make some connections between the physics they will be learning in science and the math behind it.  In Chapter 9, factoring, we applied the math in situations where an object is hit into the air or falls from a height, we will continue to to exam these applications and others.

In math we are getting ready to change our pace.  We will spend the first part of the week preparing for Thursday's trimester test.  Following that, we will be reviewing for ISATs.  I am sure that students will whip right through the review of their favorite topics, like fractions ;)

Have a great week!

What a week!

On Monday in algebra we will be taking the chapter 8 test.  We will then move into factoring!!  YEA!!!!!

In math we will take the Chapter 8 test in two parts.  Wednesday we will test over sections 8.6-8.8 and on Thursday we will test over sections 8.1-8.5.  Students will be allowed to create a note card to use on each day of the test.  (This means two note cards total, one for each day.)  

Also this week we will be participating in the Cancer Smashers fundraiser.  Ours school is in a friendly competition against Eisenhower to see who can raise the most money.  GO SPARTANS!!!!

Weekly Update

Finally the first snow is here!!! I hope that everyone has a weekend filled with activities that are enhanced by the recent snow fall.

Next week in Algebra we will be finishing up Chapter 8 on Exponential Functions.  We are finally getting into to the problem solving and practical applications in this chapter, the part that I enjoy most!  Students should also begin working on their chapter 8 project about exponential growth.

In math, we will also be wrapping up Chapter 8 on polygons.  We will finish the week by studying transformations of polygons.  Our test will be the following week.

Have a great long weekend!!

Happy New Year

I hope that everyone has had a great start to the new year!  We have hit the ground running with new chapters in both math classes this week.

In Algebra, we started chapter 8, which covers exponent operations and exponential functions.  We spent this past week making sure that students have solid skills in applying the properties of exponent operations.  Next week we will move onto the application of exponential rules in exponential functions.  zStudents will also begin our Chapter 8 problem packet.  This time it is more of an investigation than a set of word problems.  With cold and flu season in full swing, it is the perfect time to study how antibiotics work!!

In Math, we have also started Chapter 8.  This chapter deals with shapes and their properties.  Students have been putting their equation solving skills from the last chapter to use this week by finding missing angle measures.  They will continue using these skills throughout the rest of the chapter.  Next week will move onto quadrilaterals and other polygons.

Monday and Tuesday students will be taking the MAP test in their social studies classes.  Students have met with their homebase teachers to set goals for this upcoming test!