ISAT testing is over!

This week has been a long one for both the students and teachers. Students have done an outstanding job taking ISATs and deserve a relaxing weekend before starting a new trimester.

Monday starts the third and final trimester for the eighth graders. I am looking forward teaching the students in math during this time. It is a time where most of the math they are learning is new to them and it makes my job really fun!

In math we will be starting our study of linear functions. This is a huge stepping stone to Algebra 1. Success with this chapter will definitely get the students a step ahead in high school.

In Algebra we will be continuing our study of quadratic functions.

All of my classes will be using the new interactive whiteboard all next week in my classroom. (YEA!) I do not have one permanently, but one of the great features of this whiteboard is that it is portable.

ISATS!

This week all students will be taking ISAT tests. It is important that students get a good night sleep and eat a good breakfast each morning. Math homework will be kept to a minimum. This would be a great time to reflect on the past two trimesters and set goals for the third and final trimester of the school year.

Interactive Whiteboard

This week was an exciting week in math. The IMC installed an interactive whiteboard called a Mimio board. Our math classes were the first classes to use this board during class. It does a great job of helping students visualize the three dimensional shapes and their surface area and volume. I am looking forward to using this board with all of my classes soon!

Class Update 2/13/09

This week in Algebra we continuted to factor polynomials. We will finish Chapter 9 early next week and will take a test on it on Wednesday.

In math we finished Pythagorean Theorem and have started learning about three dimensional solids. Next week we will be finding the surface area and volume of those shapes.

It is like a sport!

How is math like a sport? If you don't practice well, you won't play well. Many students are often surprised, or at least act it, when they don't do well on a test or quiz. They will say something like "I understood what you did in class." Unfortunately, many of them have not spent enough time practicing "doing" problems on their own and therefore, do not do well as they could on their tests.

There are several place to find these problems to do for practice.
1. The odd problems in any section. (Answers are in the back.)
2. Online quizzes and tests for each section. www.classzone.com
3. Any quiz that has been returned. Especially missed problems. It doesn't hurt to do the same problem more than once.
4. Any worksheet or homework assignment that has already been reviewed in class.

Parents, if your child is struggling in math, please encourage them to practice problems from any of the sources to review for quizzes and tests.

Don't they clean up well?

On Friday we had our annual 8th grade ballroom dance. All of the students dressed up for this event and I do have to say that it was nice to look out into a classroom of well dressed students. As always the students impressed a crowd of teachers and parents with their dancing skills.

Below is a picture of my homebase dressed up for the days. (Some of the girls were smart and wore comfortable shoes for the day so their feet would not hurt before the dance!)

Start of the 2009!

Welcome back! Hopefully everyone had a restful and pleasant winter break. I want to take a few minutes to remind everyone of a few ways to keep the rest of the school year going as well as the first half did.

*Make sure to keep up with homework. It is easy to get behind and hard to catch up!
*Stay healthy! It is hard to make up work when you have to miss school. If you do have to stay home sick, make sure to see your teachers as soon as you get back to get what you missed.
*Ask questions when you have them. Your teachers are available before school and during study hall to answer any question you have.

In Algebra we will be finishing Chapter 8 next week.

In Math we will be starting our study of Geometry next week.