Math Snowflake Ornament

Here are the instructions that students received . . . .

 . . . . . the provided materials . . . .

. . . . . and the questions that needed to be answered.

Students working:

December 21

Photos of activity directions, students working, and products will be posted tomorrow.  Have a good evening.

Mini-Evaluation #7

Students working on their Mini-Evaluation #7 - Combining Like Terms with Distributing and Solving One-Step Equations.

HOMEWORK: None for tonight.

Solving One-step Equations (+, -, x, ÷)

Notes for today:

HOMEWORK: Look over MTN notes from this week. Mini-Evaluation #7 is tomorrow.

More Combining Like Terms

Notes for today's class were in several parts, but all working toward a common goal.

The group activity (above table) helped students define, thus further determine like and unlike terms.

Then, partner groups worked to answering the question by bullet listing the generalizations.

HOMEWORK: More practice combining like terms. In MTN.

Polynomials / Combining Like Terms

Notes and Practice from today's class:

HOMEWORK is at the bottom of the photo.

Distributive Property at Work

To start off the class, we began with two Distributive Property videos from Kahn Academy. The first is a review of the work we had completed two weeks ago. I particularly liked the visual concept that is explained in this video to help solidify the idea before we move into something abstract. Click on the link to watch the video.

FIRST VIDEO

The students need only watch 1:30 minutes of  the second video. This "clip" does a nice job to explain how distributive property works for examples such as the following:

7(b – 3)                                 12(a + 3)                               5(2 + 3d)

-5(m + 6)                              -7(t – 4)                                 2(y – 6)  

 The students took notes as I modeled notetaking, and controlling the video with "start," "pause," and "replay" to getting the most of the given information.

 Go to these two blogs from last year for examples with algebra tile manipulatives.
BLOG 1                                                                       BLOG 2


CLASS NOTES:

Update

1. Yesterday, I mentioned to that students that reading and commenting on their evaluations will take more time than an ordinary math evaluation. I will not have them completed till Monday or Tuesday of next week. At this writing, I am impressed with the preliminary contents of students' writing.

2. Due to a strange school schedule, we (the team teachers) redesigned our core time to meet the needs of our students. The focus was on writing time for English/science writing. We also met with the team to discuss Immersion Day (first one after Winter Holiday break; Jan.4, 2016) and Fixed vs. Growth Mindset.

3. Math classes will resume tomorrow (remember we had a large chunk of time one day last week for math).

HOMEWORK: None for tonight.

Mini-Evaluation #6

Students were given the entire class period for the mini-evaluation. I recognize that this is a different style of math evaluation, but this type of questioning/prompting is becoming more prevalent in standardized testing. It is also a piece of technical writing that supports the English standards in our district. Students can only improve their problem solving skills through opportunities that incorporate similar tasks which require them to tackle in a testing situation. This was one such opportunity.

Students involved with their evaluation:

HOMEWORK: None for tonight.

Post Discussion to Activities

Exciting discussions took place about what strategies were used and how well they worked (or didn't work) for the two problems: Ticket Totals and In a Shorter Way. Students took pride in their work and sharing their ideas to attacking the problems. Well Done!

Here is a copy of the prompt that students will be given in tomorrow's class. Tonight it is suggested that they take their first draft and add notes/bullet list of ideas to include in their reflection writing. All English conventions will apply. Good luck. (CLICK onto the link to go to the document.)
Mini-Evaluation #6

HOMEWORK: Mini-Eval #6 - Final draft to reflection writing to Ticket Totals and Shorter Way will be conducted in class on Tuesday.

Ticket Totals & In a Shorter Way

Due to the "Scrooge Musical" special assembly and schedule, our team needed to rearrange how we delivered today's instructions. One part of the day was devoted to students completing their work on Ticket Totals (see yesterday's blog). Students from the Cepheus group were mixed into the present groupings and offered their strategies to the solutions. After whole group share of strategies that worked and did not work then time to re-evaluate their solution, students were then presented with a new challenge, In a Shorter Way. This gave students the opportunity to take the learned strategies and thinking from Ticket Totals and apply them to In a Shorter Way.

Finally, students were assigned the task to writing a reflection paragraph. The paragraph must include the following:

• what strategy(ies) did you use yesterday?
• what worked and what did not work?
• what strategy did you use today after the whole group share?
• how did it improve your ability to work and find a solution?
• what strategy(ies) did you use from Ticket Totals to help with Shorter Way?

HOMEWORK: Have the reflection paragraph finished for Monday's class.

Ticket Totals

First, students finished sharing their solutions for the distributive problems and results from the Plus Minus Game. Then we moved into the next problem, Ticket Totals. Partners were to devise their strategy(ies) to acquiring a solution. HOMEWORK for tonight (and due Monday, 12/7/15) is to complete the work and find a final sum, independently on Ticket Totals. Discussions will take place on Monday during class.

Take a look at this problem. It will be the next one to solve.

Using Distributive Property to Solve Problems -- part 2

We continued with reviewing the strategies and methods which students used with solving the given problems (see 11/30 post for copies of the problems). Most classes have only 1 or 2 problems left to review together, which will be done tomorrow along with review of last night's homework.

Some students did not complete last night's homework -- so they have one additional night to redeem themselves and get it done for tomorrow. Process grades were given and updates will be made on Powerschool after they demonstrate completed work.  I can't stress enough the importance of taking the responsibility to attempting given homework. The practice with manipulating numbers, solving problems, or explaining one's thinking is in each student's best interest to understanding math.

Using Distributive to Solve Problems

Here are the sheets that partners worked on together in class. After some discussions and time to struggle and find solutions, the whole group looked at possible solutions.

HOMEWORK:
Students are to complete at least 2 examples of their choice.

More Distributive Property

This is a copy of the last night's homework review. The first question has many options that help solve the problem.

We began a new set of problems that require the ability to write an expression using Distributive Property. Prior to writing the expression, student partners may utilize a variety of problem solving plans in order to assist their solutions. We were not able to finish and will finish on the Monday after Thanksgiving Break.

HOMEWORK: None

Using Distributive Property

After review the final definitions of properties, students were able to explain their thoughts on the following:

 Then we practiced using Distributive Property in order to perform mental math:

The errors represent "Agree or Disagree" discussions in class. For 7(48), the correct answer is 336.

Tonight's HOMEWORK.

Properties of Math - Part 2

Students continued working in their groups. They were required to analyze all clues from the chart and then as a group write an accurate and working definition. Tomorrow we will process all work.

Properties of Math

Students were required to using some deductive reasoning with this activity. Some people may remember this from last year, but those students will receive an elevated expectation.

First, pyramids containing clues are given to groups. Students must use the clues in order to match the components to the proper property. Tomorrow students will need to write (in own words) and definition to each property.

 

Students working:

HOMEWORK: None for tonight.

Problem/Solutions -- How to improve MTN's

After processing and discussing how to improve the "Enter with Integers" Reflection Questions and Mini-Eval #5, a discussion took place about to improve on MTN's.

Here is a copy of the notes and 2 TOC samples:

HOMEWORK: 1)Fix your MTN.    2)If you want to show me what you have learned from Mini-Eval #5 and an improved assessment grade -- see me!

Mini-Eval #5

After finishing up on "Enter with Integers" Reflection Questions, students completed a 6-question mini-eval over adding and subtracting integers.

Positive and Negative Integers

First, we finished correcting all work on integer worksheets. Then students had just a little time to try the game variations "Enter with Integers". We will finish all variations tomorrow along with answering all reflection questions in class. Here are the directions and game board copies. Photos of students engaged in the activity are below.

Review

Time was spent reviewing 1. PEMDAS and 2. started Adding with Positive and Negative Integers. Tomorrow we will be engaged in a game "Enter with Integers".

Orleans-Hanna

Today, students took part in the administration of the Orleans-Hanna Test. For 7th graders, the results are  one measure to help determine the readiness for pre-algebra/entended thinking curriculum. For 8th graders, the results are one measure to help determine high school math placement recommendations.

Tomorrow -- we will continue with positive and negative integers.

November will be spent with fractions, properties of math, and Pythagorean Theorem.

Adding Integers

Planned lesson included the following notes:

Students would have had lots of class time to complete both blue practice sheets. 

Have a safe and spooky Halloween weekend. Remember that Sunday morning at 2:00 am, Daylight Savings Time ends; turn your clocks back 1 hour (and change your smoke detector/carbon monoxide detector batteries). See you on Monday, Mrs. Warren