The last Post of 2008!

Today, as I suspected, it was incredibly hard to stay focused. The last day of math class for 2008!  So we played our games of chance... craps and blackjack mainly. :)

Yesterday we worked through the rest of Lesson 4, focusing on Set III.

As a heads up, we'll come back from break, pick up where we left off with Chapter 8 and soon thereafter it will be test time. Also on the horizon is a planned Games of Chance Evening in January to celebrate Chapter 8.  Look for more information in the new year. :)

See you in 2009!

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Dodging the tomatoes

I dodged just a few tomatoes today while we checked over Set I... it was quite a long set!   I told them we should have hit up a smoothie bar afterwards... it took that long!

Yesterday was one of those alone-independent work days... as was last night's homework.  Tomorrow they'll be finished up Sets II & III.  Tonight, however, no homework.

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And it gets hard again...

It's about that time again... for the kiddos to feel the burn.  Today (after doing quite a bit with me over the past few weeks) they were set loose again with Lesson 4, Set I ALL... to complete in class and tonight for homework.  They had about 30 minutes in class to work on it... I'm thinking another 30 minutes?

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Moving into Lesson 4

After a warm up and checking our Midway quiz, we started (and only briefly) our Lesson 4 on Binomial Probability.  No homework, as we didn't even get to the Sets yet!

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Workday, Halfway through Ch 8

Instead of moving forward, we took some time today to reprocess the first half of Chapter 8 (just lessons 1-3).  The kids will want to finish this work for homework if they didn't complete it in class.

HW

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Shortened Day....

Because of the half day, our class got shortened a bit and we were only able to accomplish our warm up and then check our homework.  That means that tomorrow we'll hop into Lesson 4 -- Binomial Probability.

Dividing fractions ex 1

Ex 2

Parked in Lesson 3

After our plug-it-in warm up, we spent much of our time going back over Set I of Lesson 3 that the kids worked on in class and last night for homework.  Hm... which is leaving much of Set II for them to complete tonight for homework.  Moving steadily along...

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HW

Oh where, oh where has Matthew been?

You may (or may not!) have been wondering about my whereabouts considering my lack of posting on the blog. :)

Last week was an incredibly full week--just beside myself busy. You all know how that feels!

And to add to the mayhem, I was away at the North Carolina Educational Technology Conference in Greensboro on Wednesday and Thursday. I cannot express to you what an amazing conference this is... you'll have to check out their website and read some of the session descriptions. This trimester I am actually considered as part of the "admin" staff in the middle school--and my focus is technology. I am blessed with the gift of time in the afternoons to learn about and offer workshops for other middle school staff members on technology. This conference was a way for me to keep my thumb on the pulse of what's happening. The newest buzz in the educational technology world? GoogleDocs. :) You should check it out if you've got some time.

Anyways, last week your children worked in Chapter 8 on Lessons 1 & 2. The latter they actually worked on with Lisa Ray, parent of a CFS students, while I was at the conference. 

Today we moved solidly into Lesson 3, Probabilities of Successive Events.  There might just be some form of quiz/test coming next week before break... but we'll have to wait and see.

You may have noticed that Chapter 8 seems to be taking awhile... and that's normal!  This chapter on probabilities always brings up great things to discuss... and ideas for projects.  As a heads up -- we're planning on scheduling some sort of game/casino night in mid-January so that your children can show off their knowledge of probability and games of chance!  Whoohoo!!  (Thanks, Camille!!!!)

And, can't forget, they have homework tonight: finish Lesson 3, Set I. ;)

Whew! Enjoy and have a lovely evening!

HE

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Set I, Lesson 2

Big scary warm up??

Too long of a warm up...

Today's warm up, which I thought would be a challenge... but turned into a riddle!, sparked a conversation about equations today.  So, no Jacobs!  Ha!

We will pick up at Chapter 8, Lesson 1, Set II when we return on Monday.

Have a great break!

The Shell Game

Today we spent our entire time talking about the Jacobs Shell Game -- a probability problem that my Jacobs class from last year posted a video about on YouTube.  Check it out:

Welcome to Chapter 8!

Today, after our warm up, we REALLY started Chapter 8 by working through Lesson 1, Set 1 together as a class.  (If anybody was absent, they'll need to complete this by Monday!)

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Probability Definitions

Chapter 8... and Blackjack @ Elmo's

First I must apologize for not posting yesterday.  (And not just not on-time... not at all!)  So this post will cover yesterday and today.

Yesterday the kids' test corrections were due, plus their poem.  We read their poems, finished processing the test and began discussing Chapter 8, The Mathematics of Chance.

Today we met right at the beginning of fourth period and hit the road for Elmo's for lunch.  What about the math?  Well, we schlepped our Jacobs books to Elmo's and had class in the middle of the restaurant!  Covered much of the introduction to the chapter via the first set (basic definitions of probability and such).

Obviously when you think of games of chance and probability you will think of card games and dice games--and you'd be exactly right!  That's why you'll be hearing, "We played blackjack in math today!"  Rest assured, there is a mathematical reason behind all of this game playing. :)

Elmo's!!

Corrections...

Processing the Chapter 7 Test

The kids got their Chapter 7 test back today and were asked to make corrections, plus reflect on how they did on the test... in the form of an 8-lined, rhyming poem. :)  This is all they will need to do for homework.  (Except for Will and Anthony who need to work on the first Set of the Chapter 7 Review.)

Ch 7 Test Today

Today we took our Chapter 7 test!  The kids will get the final results and do corrections early next week. :)  Enjoy the weekend!

Test Tomorrow!!

Our test is tomorrow!  Today we worked through some review problems.  That's it!

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On the Chapter 7 test...

I think I may have mentioned how the Jacobs text ramps things up a bit as we go along... more of your children hitting a mental wall and such.  This could very well happen on this next test on Chapter 7.  For the first time, they'll be given a test filled with problems where they have to figure out what tool to use (permutations, combinations, or the fundamental counting principle) to solve each problem.  So... you can see where the train can easily come off the tracks.  They might be able to solve these three types of problems swimmingly when they're explicitly told what kind they are.  Not so for this test.

Just a quick heads up so you know what's coming.  The questions we'll talk about to use during the test revolve around, "Does the order in which things come make a difference?"  "How many CHOICES do we have?"  "Does one CHOICE make a difference with a subsequent choice??"  Fun stuff!!!! ;)

The Crash Course

Today was all about getting ready for the Chapter 7 test on Wednesday.

Tomorrow will be review.  Today was a crash course in everything we've done in the past 2-3 weeks.

I'll post more later on prepping for this test...

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Ch 7 Crash Course

Set II, Combinations

After checking Set I, we moved into Set II together today... working all the way up until the last four or five problems.  Their job is to get those last 4-5 done before 11:20AM on Monday. :)

An aside, the kids have really got to nail down the relationship between (1) The Fundamental Counting Principle, (2) Permutations, and (3) Combinations.

In particular, today it was revealed that some folks don't remember what nPr and nCr mean (permutations and combinations, respectively).  I'll try to explain here.

nPr = n -- the number of total "things" taken r at a time

So, 9P2 (pretend the 9 and 2 are subscripts) = 9 * 8 (start at 9, go down two, multiply) = 72

Well, nCr = nPr/r!

So, 9C2 = (9*8)/2!

Remember that "!" in math does not mean what it does in the English language. :)  ! means factorial, or take this example:

5! = 5 * 4 * 3 * 2 * 1

Whew.  Make sense???  Ha!

Try this out

After a day of math...

Combinations

We're moving steadily towards the end of Chapter 7 in Lesson 4 on Combinations.  The kids and I worked together on Set I during class.  If they need to finish, they should do it at home.  Tomorrow will be Set II... test early next weekish???

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Man, we worked hard...

Today was full, full, full of Jacobs.  We checked ALL of our work from the past few days and moved ahead into the final lesson on Combinations from Chapter 7.

We'll be looking towards our next test soon!

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Notes on combinations

Still working...

The kids are to continue working to finish Set 1 and 2 of Lesson 3 (and 1 and 2 of Lesson 2) BY WEDNESDAY (no class tomorrow because of block schedule). :)

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Well, I'm typing this post from the eighth floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Denver, Colorado where I'm busy preparing for two presentations that I will be leading with Toni at the National Middle School Association's Annual Conference. And, as you can imagine, it took quite a bit to pull everything together to leave this morning!

So, for the last few days, you've seen tons of pictures pop up on here without any explanation as to what we've been doing! Ha!

Well, overall, the kids and I have been engaged in a conversation about fundamental counting principle and permutations--in fact, that's what they'll be working on while I'm gone. When I return, obviously, expect much more detailed blogs updating you on all I've learned and what's on the horizon for Jacobs.

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On Permutations

Welcome back!

From our LONG break!  (only for the children, of course!)

Today after an interesting warm up, the children worked to finish Set II of Lesson I on the Fundamental Counting Principle.  Tomorrow?  Permutations!

(And if they didn't finish, they will need to do so tonight for homework. ;))

Working on Set II

Today the kids worked independently on Set II of Lesson 1. :)

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FCP!

Today was again all about the fundamental counting principle as we steadily work through Lesson 1 of Chapter 7.  We started class today talking about some real life examples, including license plates. :) 

And, what can be best described as "synchronized transitional programming" -- ask your kids. :)

No homework!

A reminder warmup

Work from Set 1

Chapter 7 or bust!

We began working on Chapter 7, Methods of Counting today with Lesson 1: The Fundamental Counting Principle.

The kids worked through #s 1-13 of Set I and finished during class, no homework over the weekend.

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Ch 7

Getting back our tests

Today the kids got back their Chapter 4 tests and we talked about the nature of feedback and how that plays into their learning.  Their homework is to complete their test corrections, plus answer some questions about how THEY perceive how they did on the test...

Tomorrow, we'll be off and running with Chapter 7.

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How I did on my test...

Test Day!

I'm blogging to you right now as your children are taking their Chapter 4 Test!

So, there's not much more to report other than they are working hard and I have high expectations for their work on this assessment! :)

Test Tomorrow!

No new news for today because of block scheduling, but tomorrow is their Chapter 4 test. :)

BR Trip A Success!

We gathered everyone up right on time and hit the road today for Baskin Robbins -- and believe it or not -- we actually did math!  Their test on Chapter 4 will be on Wednesday (no class tomorrow because of block scheduling) -- and they got their review work today. :)

Gettin' Ready for the Test

We checked Set II of Lesson 5 today, which has primed us for our test.  Afterwards, I gave the kids a review sheet (two pages) that breaks the chapter down into each of the five lessons with questions that relate to each lesson.  They started their work on this today, but will continue working on it tomorrow in class.  No homework.

HW chart 1

HW chart 2

Moving through Set II

After checking Set I, we started work today on Set II, the last Lesson in Chapter 4 for us.  They'll need to finish this Set for homework.

The biggest news is that next Monday, Jacobs will be moving to Baskin Robbins for fourth period and lunch!  (Don't get me wrong, this is a slightly fun trip -- but our books and notebooks and calculators WILL be traveling with us.  There will be work done and there will be homework.)  See the note that your children should have brought home.

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Post from William...

Today we have a new blog person!  Me.  You know, the one who screwed up the warm up (William).  So today we had a relatively easy warm up and heard about falling down pants. (Long story) Now we're doing Set I, Lesson 5.

It was pretty easy and fun but  few people got stuck.  Matthew quickly worked through it with them.  And now we will finish it for homework.

This class rocked.

(Written by William, typed by Matthew)

Workday on Lesson 5

Today was a workday -- after our warm up the kids spent time working through Set I of Lesson 5.

Whatever they didn't finish?  Homework.

As an aside, we are rapidly headed towards our Chapter 4 test.  I'm thinking end of the week!

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Blog!

As always we started with the warm up.  Sigh... Our Right Hand Man kind of lost it today.  We tried to do the warm up, but he gave us the wrong answer.  That's okay, because he has the 1-9 logarithms memorized!

Then we went over homework like normal, nothing too great.  

GUESS WHAT?

There are 80,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

ways to shuffle a deck of cards!  

Oh!  Happy Days!, Matthew just got a ginormous new white board!  Check it out below!

Following our homework check, we did a review of Chapter 4.  Scientifico notationo... big honkin' numbers... logs... (2*10^4)(4*10^3) = 8*10^7 ... 7.90... whatever the big honkin' number is... That is all of Chapter 4!

Now on to Lesson 5.

All done.

No homework!

Look at my awesome new board!

An overview of Ch 4

Wednesday Blog!

Hey there people, how are you?  Today seems like a promising day!

First - great thing: UCLA students find 13 million digit prime number!  We talked about this first.

Second - (greatish thing): we had to finish Set II of Lesson 4 in class, and will need to finish tonight if we don't finish.

Sorry this is so short, but have a good Wednesday!

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From homework...

Jacobs... in "Parts" ;)

Part One of our Math Journey (for today only, sorry people) - We did the warm up.  Happy days.

Oh!  I was just informed that we have NO homework!  YAY!  But we have a test next week.  NOOOO!

Part 2: Homework review, LOGS LOGS LOGS.  Everyone out there!  Third years (7th graders) are doing logarithms!  That's all I have to say, so thank you for listening.

Part 3: We work, and talk about going out for ice cream, hear that?  I-C-E C-R-E-A-M!

PArt 4: We leave and another successful day of Jacobs is completed.

Some answers from HW

First few problems from Set 2

Written Proudly 4 You by Madeline

Hello, my fellow earthlings!

I will be blogging for your this week.  Thank you for appreciating my writing.

So the warm up... It was hard and if we can't do it then the next 2 chapters will be a stretch for us.  So NOW we're doing (and get ready for this) LOGARITHMS!!

Now we're trying to do Set I of Decimal Logs... Matthew is being hard on us and won't answer our questions... Set I for homework today!

I hope you enjoy the rest of the week!

[ typed by Matthew, written by Madeline ]

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Work from weekend homework

Moving along...

Easy warm up (see below) and checked our homework, followed by a large number pop quiz... a conversation about blogging (Madeline will be blogging for the first time on Monday) and then they started working on Set II on Lesson 3... that they WILL need to finish for HOMEWORK. :)

Yes, over the weekend. :)

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