November 25, 2014

If you were absent on Monday and/or Tuesday of this week:
 I will review Test 3 with you after the Thanksgiving break and give you an opportunity to retake the test (if necessary). Make sure you have copied notes from Monday -- 2 sets: "Ways to Improve/Maintain MTN" and "Percentage Change -- Increase and Decrease."  The "Percentage Change -- Increase and Decrease" MUST be copied in BOTH your MTN (math journal) and ISN (science journal)!

Wishing you and your family a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday!

November 24, 2014

Ways to Improve/Maintain MTN AND Percentage Change

Review of Test 3 was conducted today along with "Ways to Improve/Maintain MTN."   I encourage students to use their notes for taking a test. However, when notes are incomplete or difficult to read/follow, using notes often times becomes a moot point. After reviewing the correct methods and answers for the recent test, we reviewed how to have a usable MTN.

The retake for Test 3 is tomorrow, Tuesday, 11/25/14.

These notes must be written in your MTN.
Make sure your TOC is up -to-date. Also check to be sure that you have copied the EXAMPLES and DEFINITION to Multiplicative Property of Zero on the Chart for "Other Properties" in your MTN.


Homework for Tonight:

PERCENTAGE CHANGE -- INCREASE OR DECREASE
 Notes were given for a science connection (Eggsperiment), which students copied in both MTN and ISN.

INCREASE:
1. Work out the difference (increase) between the 2 numbers you are comparing.
     New # - Original #   =   Increase
2. Divide the Increase # by the Original # and multiply the answer by 100.
3. If your answer is a negative number, then this is a percentage decrease.

DECREASE:
1. Work out the difference (decrease) between the 2 numbers you are comparing.
     Orginal # - New #   =   Decrease
2. Divide the Decrease # by the Original # and multiply the answer by 100.
3. If your answer is a negative number, then this is a percentage increase.

November 20, 2014

Test 3 and Table of Contents

MTN's were collected after students were finished with Test 3. Both MTN's and Test 3 will be returned to students on Monday, November 24. Here is this week's Table of Contents, which had been posted on the class white board all this week:

November 19, 2014

Working with Percents and Fractions

REMINDER: Test 3 is tomorrow, Thurs., 11/20/14

Today, we continued our work with solving problems that deal with sales tax, service tips, and discounts. After reviewing last night's homework with partners, students completed more problems on their own (without guidance). Meanwhile, we continued our building concepts to understanding the value of percents, decimals, and fractions to each other on a number line.
Answers to Guided Practice. Make sure
you have this work in your MTN.
Answers to Independent Practice. After you
are finishes with your work -- check your answers here.
TEST is tomorrow.
Number Line Work:

November 18, 2014

Working with Percents

We continued with our work with percents for calculating the sales tax, service tip, and discounts. Using the inverse percents to eliminate subtraction step for discounts, and including one (as the whole) to eliminate the adding step (for tax and tips); when appropriate.  These are the word problem sheets in student MTN's:


The notes from today's class.
 


Homework for tonight: Read notes for Thursday test AND complete items
on Guided Practice sheet in MTN.

November 17, 2014

Distributive Property Review and OTHER PROPERTIES

Answers:  1. I;  2. B
You're getting better at using Distributive Property. Let's take a look at your thinking when you have to decide whether or not the model and expression match:
SAMPLE:

PRACTICE ITEMS WITH YOUR PARTNER:


Other Properties Charts were "distributed" to students. This represents properties that will be learned and practiced throughout the remainder of the year. The charts were given out today. All properties and definitions will easy to find in their TOC since their location is in the same area of students' MTN's .

We also filled in the Examples and Definition for Multiplicative Property of Zero:
EXAMPLES:  2 x 0 = 0
                       1/2 x 0 = 0
                       -352 x 0 = 0
                        a x 0 = 0
DEFINITION: The product of any number and zero is zero.

We have also moved to Working with Percents: sales tax, service tips, and discounts. More info on tomorrow's blog.


November 13, 2014

Distributive Property 2


 Let's take a look at the models and expressions and discuss how the two match:



Now, let's practice with writing EXPRESSIONS and SIMPLIFY by multiplying:

The Answers:
1. 4 (1x + 2) = 4x + 8
2. 3 (3x - 1) = 9x - 3
Due Monday, 11/17/14
Be sure to update your TOC:





November 12, 2014

Distributive Property 1

Over the next two days, we will be examining the different models to distributive property. After going over the short weekend assignment, we engaged in more practice.  Here are today's notes and copy of tonight's homework assignment due tomorrow.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Test 3 (Integers, Properties & Operations with Fractions) Thurs., 11/20; with a Retake on Tues., 11/25.

We can use Distributive Property with variable expressions.

Check out the photos for a visual example of:

3 (2x + 5)                                      =                            6x + 15

Now try these:                  
                              Classroom work

a. 4 (2x – 3)                                 b. 3 (x + 4)                          c. (3x + 1) 2


Homework for tonight: 

November 6, 2014

Properties of Math

 Here are the mathematical definitions for our first seven properties:

NAME
HINTS
EXAMPLES
ETYMOLOGY
DEFINITION
Additive Identity
          
It stays the same or is balanced

9 + 0 = 9
Additive identity is 0.
Latin: Identitatem
sameness; oneness
The sum of any number and zero is the original number; zero preserves the identity of a number.
Multiplicative Identity
 
It stays the same or is balanced

9 x 1 = 9
Multiplicative identity is 1.
Latin: Identitatem
sameness; oneness
The product of any number and one is that number; one preserves the identity of a number.
Additive Inverse
You undo or go backwards/reverse

9 + (-9) = 0
Additive Inverse is -n
Latin: Invertere
turn upside down; turn about     
The additive inverse of a number is to reverse the sign in order to acquire zero.
Associative (Addition or Multiplication)
You connect with different “groups”.

(5 + 15) + 4 = 5 + (15 + 4)
OR
(2 x 3) x 4 = 2 x (3 x 4)

Latin: associare
allied, connected, paired, gathering, grouping
The sum or product are the same regardless the order in which addends or factors are grouped.
Commutative (Addition or Multiplication)
You can organize
or “order” in any way
and get the same answer.

5 + 4 + 3 = 4 + 3 + 5
OR
15 x 2 x 1 = 1 x 15 x 2
Latin: commutare
to change together,
to order
The sum or product are the same regardless the order in which addends or factors are arranged.
Distributive (Addition or Multiplication)
You can deal
out or share some-
thing with friends.

5 x (7 + 8) = 5 x 7 + 5 x 8
Latin: Distributes
to deal out; apportion; separate; share
The operations of multiplica-tion and addition or multipli-cation and subtraction; multi-plying each term inside the parentheses with the term outside of the parentheses
Multiplicative Inverse

You undo or go backwards/reverse
8 x '/₈ = 1
Multiplicative Inverse is '/n  
Latin: Invertere
turn upside down; turn about
The multiplicative inverse of a number is 1/n or to reverse the sign in order to acquire one.

Homework for over the loooooong weekend is to read over this page from a math book. I have instructed the students to take a look at two examples as to how to use the Distributive Property. Then they are to TRY the three examples under the first example and solve the one problem under the second example.
Have a great weekend and Happy Conferencing!

November 5, 2014

Apollo 13

One of the most recognizable quotes of our time is, "Houston, we've had a problem." Today the team watched the 1995 version of Apollo 13. The story behind the movie is also connected to the Blizzard Bag activity that we will be explaining and distributing to students next week.

Definitions to the seven math properties is due tomorrow. Be prepared to share your individual definitions in class.











November 4, 2014

Properties of Math



Today students worked in pairs to determine which Property Pyramid criteria matched the math property name.  Pyramids were distributed among tables. Pairs then chose one pyramid, and read the Hint, Etymology, and Example faces of the pyramid.  From the clues, pairs decided upon which property name on the chart it belonged and copied all the information onto the chart in their MTN. After all properties are established, individuals must write his/her own definition to the property (tonight's homework and due on Thursday). At the next class meeting, the six property definitions will be discussed and one "Mathematical Definition" will be written. (More math properties will be introduced this year.)

Property Chart Answers



ACTION PHOTOS IN ONE OF TODAY'S CLASS




November 3, 2014

Multiplying with Integers

First, background notes were given for multiplying a positive integer with a negative integer. The answer is always negative because of repeated addition:
 (EX. 3 x -2 = -2 + -2 + -2 = -6).


Here is a review video clip from Kahn Academy (not shown in class, but shared as to where to find).

Background -- Positive Integer times Negative Integer

More practice with taking notes from a video source (stop - review - start - etc.) took place. The topic was why multiplying two negatives is always positive. As children, we learned that was the "trick". Math today involves the "why" behind the what we do. This video begins to deal with more abstract thinking and proving how the numbers work.  Here is the link to today's note taking video:

Why multiplying two negatives is always positive.

HW: Gold Sheet in MTN: Multiplying integers