Test 5 Review

Today, we reviewed Test 5.  Afterwards, tests were returned and students were allowed an opportunity to check their own work and make any necessary corrections.

This abbreviated test retake/corrections takes into consideration of the upcoming vacation week and avoiding the delay for corrections till after vacation.

Warren Advisory Group

Sample Design and Reflection Sheets

Team Vista participated in a different schedule.  This allowed the time for partner groups to build their designs from the Blizzard Bag Days.

Test 5

Students completed math test 5 -- fractions, prime factorization and divisibility. MTN's were also collected and will be returned on Thursday.

Update on NEML Contest:  Correction from yesterday's blog post:  June is when students will receive recognition at our all school assembly for the 5 highest scoring 7th graders and the 5 highest scoring 8th graders (usually scoring 20+).  According to test developers, students who receive a score of at least 14 points should be commended. Five students from the Vista Team scored 14 and higher: Alex A., Korbin T., James G., James H., and Derek ME. In communicating with other math teachers in the building, all were in agreement that this year's test was much more difficult than in the past. Congratulations goes to all students in participating in this test.

Prep for Test 5

New England Mathematics League conducts a Contest every year. It is administered on two dates throughout New England (Tuesday, Feb 17 or Tuesday, Feb 24). This is to accommodate for the different vacation weeks in our states.Students are allowed scrap paper and the use of calculators. All students are given 30 minutes to complete as many questions as possible. Recognitions will take place in June after all results are examined.

Afterwards, we reviewed for Test 5. This will be substantially shorter than those in the past. The topics are computing with fractions, prime factorization, determining divisibility, and simplifying fractions.

Notes on how to use Prime Factorization to determine GCF and simplify fractions to lowest term.

More with Divisibility at Work

Here are today's notes:

Test 5 will take place on Wednesday (Add/subtract unlike fractions, and prime factorization and divisibility to simplify fractions).

FRIDAY the 13th -- February

Typically, I do not post on Fridays. However, since today is Friday the 13th, some students took part in an activity during basecamp time (some basecamps had other plans). Here is the activity. If you are not in Chimborazo and did not complete thisworksheet, challenge yourself to give it a go.  Have a safe weekend.

Divisibility at Work

We finalized writing the conditions onto the divisibility chart. Students were also handed a clean, typed copy of the coordinated student solutions to the conditions. These were taped into MTN's. See the copy below.

Then -- we began applying the work from the divisibility chart.

Some additional notes to help:

Divisibility - Day 2

Students continued working in partner groups on divisibility charts. Working on this chart required students to employ several problem solving plans (from the start of the year), such as looking for patterns, working backward, and logical deduction. Then as a whole class, we discussed possible statements for conditions/rules and other examples.

By tomorrow, ALL students will be given a clean and typed copy of the divisibility conditions to add to their own draft copies.

Homework for tonight: The two-sided worksheet on divisibility.

Divisibility Chart

Understanding divisibility makes prime factorization and working with fractions easier. It speeds up the processes in fractions allowing one to being more efficient. In partner groupings, students were given sets of tested examples showing when divisibility of a given number occurred and when it did not. From those examples, partners needed to devise their own condition or rule. Then they decided on two examples in order to apply their rule.

Below is a photo copy of the charts in students' MTN's and the first two items that were completed in class together. The remaining were worked on in partner groups and will be completed in class tomorrow. A divisibility worksheet was given; due in class on Thursday, 2/12.

Answers to Word Problems

Here are the answers to last night's word problems:

As I am out sick for today, students will be reviewing skills on prime factorization, LCD, and adding/subtracting unlike fractions (with and without word problems) on IXL: Level I: A.2, F.1, G.1 and G.2.

Adding & Subtracting Unlike Fractions

Prior to adding fractions with unlike denominators, one must make equivalent fractions. Here are today's notes:

 Here is tonight's homework: