Translations

** Any student in need of retaking Skills Check #9 can do so during math class time or another time of the school day if arranged with me ahead of time. My suggestion is to take care of the retake within the next two weeks.

Today we dove into our next segment of math with learning about transformations. We began with translations (moving points in the same direction and distance). See the notes below:

Reflecting over an axis will be tomorrow's lesson.  Students should read over the information tonight.

Welcome Back!

Yesterday was a great day -- Immersion Day! I find that it is always a pleasure to observe students immerse themselves in a topic and learn from their discoveries.

As you may be aware, Smarter Balance testing began today. Though we need to allow time in the morning for the testing, core and exploratory classes are still held -- approximately 35-40 minutes per class period.

Today's class time was spent with reviewing the Skills Check #9 (geometry). Beginning tomorrow we will begin a segment on Transformations and Translations.

Skills and Concepts Check

Students working on their assessments:

Have a restful, safe and fun vacation.

Return ready to complete the rest of the school year to the best of you abilities.

Spring Trip in 47 calendar days (as of 4/24/15)!

Yippee!

Volume Formulas

Here is a photo of the notes that I wanted to accomplish today: 

More time than I had planned was needed to review the strategies and solutions to last night's homework. Very few students had completed the homework, which slows down the pace and the delivery of the next lesson. We were only able to complete the formula for prisms.

Due to tomorrow's schedule (Spirit Day), we will be having regular classes on Friday. It will be just enough time to finish the notes and go over the strategies and solutions from the homework assignment.

 Homework for tonight is to complete item numbers 1,2, and 4:

Area Formulas

Here is a photo of today's notes:

Homework: Choose any 3 to complete. Items #3 and #6 are challenging! Give them a go!

Pythagorean Theorem

Pythagorean Theorem has a wide range of uses: finding the perimeter of a triangle when a missing length exists, find the leg/side or hypotenuse of a triangle, how far away from a wall should the bottom of the latter be placed or how high up the wall will the latter reach with a given latter, etc.

Below is a picture of today's notes in students' MTN's and some discussion examples.

 

Tonight's homework:

Triangle Sum & Exterior Angles

Students had the opportunity for more practice with solving the missing angle using the triangle sum theorem (and practice with solving 2-step equations). Two of the challenge problems relied upon students using the exterior angle in order to solve the unknown angle(s) and more practice with 2-step equations.

Problems and possible solutions

Tomorrow -- We will be investigating how to solve given problems and the real world the uses of Pythagorean Theorem. This page is in students' MTN's and we will begin taking notes in class on Tuesday.

Triangle Sum Theorem

After reviewing last night's homework, a disappointing half of the Vista student body did not complete the homework, students worked in partner groups to find the missing angle measure (see below).  Encourage your son or daughter to show their MTN to you to see their work and solutions.

Students were given another set of triangle problems for which we will find the solutions on Monday. No homework and have a safe weekend.

Pairs of Angles AND Transversal

Throughout the year, core classes on Vista rely on utilizing the Word Origin Packet in order to define words. Our language system has strong foundations from the Latin and Greek languages. Becoming familiar with the word parts helps us acquire meaning to unfamiliar words. As we progress through the geometry section of math, it is easy to observe how the vocabulary that reflects from the ancient mathematicians.

This week, the students have been exposed to much terminology, which will all be used to solve some fun and challenging problems soon!

Here are today's notes:

Practice items in class

Transversal Definition and HOMEWORK for tonight:

Complementary - Supplementary

First, a discussion took place surrounding the note taking from last night's link. It was disappointing how few students attempted last night's homework. Reviewing notes is an integral part of learning and internalizing concepts.

Then we moved onto complementary and supplementary notes, practiced observation skills with just the figures, defining both terms, and looking at mnemonic methods to remembering how to differentiate between the two. Students then practiced answering questions with the notes.

We began angle pairs, but were unable to finish. Will complete tomorrow.

Angles 2

After taking notes from the video, students practiced drawing and measuring angles.

Homework for tonight is to review notes on how to use a protractor. View a second video (see link below) and highlight and/or add information to existing notes, located in MTN.

Using a Protractor (length -- 5:20)

Today's notes:

Angles 1

First we wrapped up and completed yesterday's plans. The second sheet from yesterday's blog is also homework and due on Monday. Should only take approximately 5 - 10 minutes.

Then we moved over to and intro to classifying angles and connections with other geometric or environmental shapes. We began, but did not go in depth with notetaking from a video about how to use a protractor. We will finish up on Monday.

Here is the link for any one to view before the next class:

YouTube: How to use a protractor (length -- 5:37)

Basic Geometric Figures -- Day 2

I am at a math workshop in Manchester today. The plans left with the substitute is practice work from yesterday's notes. Here are the class work copies.

 

Basic Geometric Figures

After putting the finishing touches on using slope equations, we have now moved on to geometry. Today's notes focused on basics (see notes) as students volunteers and placed examples on the board.

Question of the day: How is a line segment similar to a ray? How are they different?

Quarter 4

Retakes for skills check #8 took place today. Afterward, students signed onto IXL and worked on Level I, Skill set "O" and worked on O.5 through O.17. Since this is a good review of graphing, students are more than welcome to practice these skills at home.

Skills Check #8 Update

Students were excited with their results from yesterday's assessment. The errors that were made indicated how close the students were to meeting the standard. The retake will take place on Monday and still be a  part of Quarter 3 grades.

Have a good weekend.

Skills Check -- Graphing and Equations

After a quick review, students completed a skills check. This will appear as Skills Check #8 on PowerSchool. On the back side of the skills check, was a question with a bit of fun. Do you know the answer(s)?

Function Tables

Here are the notes from today's class:

For homework tonight, study your notes and graphs from last week for a skills check. This will be our last assessment for this quarter.

Solve for Y

First, we went over the answers from last week's graphs and questions. Then students took notes as we solved equations with two variables. This leads to solving for y and writing a y-intercept equation to graph. Students have two problems to solve for tomorrow along with one "out of the box" word problem for tonight's homework.

Notes for 3/30/15

Homework 3/30/15

Exploring Linear Data - Day 4

Today was a wrap-up day. Students finished the second graph, determined both slopes (the table consisted of x-values and two y-values), and answered questions. I will review the work over the weekend for "Demonstrates Responsibility" process grade. If students remained focused, they have had ample time to complete both graphs and answer the questions.

Since quarter 3 ends next Friday, 4/3/15, I highly suggest that students turn in any missing assignments and retake any assessment (there have been 3 thus far this quarter). I have double checked and triple checked PowerSchool entries against my own handwritten grade sheets. There is always a chance for error, so please contact me if you believe there is a discrepancy. 

No homework, happy hiking, and have a safe weekend.

Exploring Linear Data - Day 3

First -- enjoy some photos of students working on their graphs:

 

The students were given a table containing data for bike weights and jump height. The activity is designed to help students (via graphing) determine what, if any, relationship there may be between the weight of the bike and the height of the jump. Once students have set up their graph (much work), entered their coordinates, and drawn the best fit line -- then they must determine the rate of change (slope) and the y-intercept in order to write the equation of their line on the graph. LOTS to consider, decision making, and sometimes judgement calls. Hopefully we'll have a few completed graphs to share on tomorrow's blog.

All work is done in class. There is no homework for tonight.

Exploring Linear Data - Day 2

Today, we continued with split class. Students in need of more practice with coordinates and determining the y-intercept equation, continued with the given work. Students who have met the standard, continued with the constructing graphs with given data tables.

Much work is going into how to set up graphs. Hopefully by tomorrow, I will have some samples ready to share.

All work is done in class soooooo there is no homework.

Exploring Linear Data

After reviewing the skills check from last Thursday, some students indicated that they were still struggling with coordinates and y-intercept. Today, students who were still struggling engaged in additional practice with Ms. Doiron. Meanwhile, students who demonstrated meeting the standard explored linear data on a best fit line. We first began with examining the correlation with the number of oil changes per year and cost of engine repairs. We also discussed that their are many variables that affect the cost of engine repairs, but their "appears to be a relation between the number of oil changes and the money spent on engine repairs. Discussions about x-axis (independent variable), y-axis (dependent variable), and how to determine a y-intercept equation from such a graph. More guidance will occur tomorrow.

This week, students will be graphing bike weights and jump heights on one graph, and weight of individuals to the dosage amounts of prescriptions.This group of lessons is from Illuminations (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).

No homework tonight AND pictures/graphs will appear in tomorrow's post.

Review Slope

After reviewing yesterday's notes and last night's homework assignment, students completed and "Skills Check -- y-Intercept.  Students worked on this independently and it will be used as an assessment.  Again, any student can retake an assessment to indicate improved learning.

Key to last night's homework:

Investigating Slope of a Line

Review of last night's homework started today's class.

As we continue to investigate slope, today's notes focused on determining slope by using two sets of coordinate points. The notes below shows how the students were taken through the steps to determine slope. Students also had 3 questions to answer.

 

Homework for tonight deals with y-intercept (slope) formula:

More Notes on Linear Graphs

Prior to going over the answers for last night's homework assignment, I shared with the students that from this point on, math will integrate many skills together. Last night's homework is a small example. Students were directed to pick out words that should "ring a bell" from question #3. Students were quick to pick out "rate of change" and "commission". Using their MTN's, students went back to December to rediscover what a commission is and what it meant. After reviewing percent of a number, students recognized 1-step equations ( a few weeks back). Then we used the graph from the assignment and answered the questions.

The first photo is a copy of the notes that we worked on together in class.

After reviewing the assignment, I gave additional notes about linear graphs.

Tonight's homework involves a review of last night and furthering students' knowledge of reading graphs.

Linear Graphs

Notes for today included drawing slopes from a given formula. Throughout the class, questions such as:
Where do we start? Using your words, where is the y-intercept? What comes next? What is the "rise over run" in this example? What type of slope is this? (positive or negative)  Using your words, how can you tell?

Students were also reminded to make sure their "ruler straight" lines extend through the x-axis and y-axis, arrows at both ends of the lines, and any notes that I have written on the write board.  Notes should resemble the following:

 

This is tonight's homework. Not the same thing that we did in class, but apply knowledge to answer these three questions.

Graphing Linear Equations

Last night's homework results should look similar to this sample:

A review was conducted to the requirements of linear graphs. Then more practice as how to take information from a given table and plot the coordinates on a graph.

There were many titles entered in students' Table of Contents in their MTN's this week. Here is a photo to check on TOC's.

On Monday, we will continue with graphing of linear equations.

Graphing Baby Data

In class, I will shared linear graphs for the three babies in Table A from the Baby Data worksheet (in MTN). We had a healthy discussion about what consists of proper linear graphs. For homework tonight, students must construct a linear graph for Baby Michael (directions and requirements are at the bottom of this post).

Below the graph, are a copy of my notes for Cardesian Coordinates. Students were given a skeleton copy in their MTN's and instructed to copy the written portions.

 

HOMEWORK: Construct a linear graph for Baby Michael's data, include at least 5 points, a straight line connecting the points that also go beyond the two end points, arrows on both sides of the line, the slope formula, and a title. (Clean graph paper was provided for this task.)

Baby Data 2

Today's class consisted of continuing with completing tables and answering questions with our given baby data. The purpose of these exercises is to take input/output and construct a formula, then using the formula to acquire the "unknown".  This allows for further practice with solving 2-step equations (and determining when to apply PEMDAS or the "undoing" procedures). It also demonstrates how to "plug-in" known information and replace a variable as well as how formulas are flexible depending on your "knowns" and "unknowns".  This exercise, I hope, helps students' thinking to become flexible thinkers and critical readers.

By the end of tomorrow's class, I will have shared linear graphs for the three babies in Table A from the Baby Data worksheet (in MTN), students will construct a graph for Baby Michael, and informational notes will be given about graphs.

Below are the answers for the tables and my notes for the solutions.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  The skills check-up (quiz) was returned to students yesterday. Any student who would like to show that he/she now understands how to solve 2-step equations can retake the quiz any time. Students were told to come see me any morning before advisory.

Baby Data

Here is a copy of the work that students completed in class. This is related to the work that we completed from last week. Now students are working with a formula, but applying their knowledge from solving 2-step equations.

HOMEWORK:  Make sure that the table in part A is complete for class time tomorrow.

(In class, I shared a photo of my grand-nephew, Michael, but will not be sharing his photo online.)

2-Step Problem Answers & Quiz

Answers for last night's homework:

Then during the last 10-15 minutes, students worked independently and silently on the following sheet to allow me to assess each student's ability to solve 2-step equations.