Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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.
Monday, September 29, 2008
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 ]
Friday, September 26, 2008
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. :)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Logarithms...
After a particularly difficult warm up with decimals :) - we had an independent work day on Lesson 3, Set I.
We've been learning more about logarithms, and honestly? The best explanation is in the Jacobs book! So, if you are wanting to help your children? Grab their books and take a look!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Back To School Night!
Reminder that Back to School Night is tomorrow (Thursday) night!
Please aim to be at the MS ready to go around 7:15 and come ready to
visit your child's morning classes, meet their advisors, and
experience some of our electives!
Please aim to be at the MS ready to go around 7:15 and come ready to
visit your child's morning classes, meet their advisors, and
experience some of our electives!
Man, that's some scary stuff!
After a quick warm up, we started checking our homework... which took longer than we all thought it would. It was a lot!
And after having our feet pretty wet with all this scientific notation stuff, we switched gears into Logarithms! Whoohoo!! (Beginning Lesson 3 of Chapter 4)
We worked independently for awhile, but since they had so much work the past two nights... told them not to worry about doing anything for homework tonight. But tomorrow night's another story ;)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Come on, come on!
Today was an intense day! We reviewed multiplying and dividing scientific notations, finished Set II, and I assigned a good deal of homework for them to complete (front and half of the back of a sheet) that is not due until Wednesday. (Due to BLOCK schedule this week.)
More later this evening...
Friday, September 19, 2008
What have you guys been up to?!
Whew! It has been an intense past two days for me! I'm not sure if I've explained how blogging works for me, but I wanted to just let you know what it looks like in terms of my reliability. My afternoon schedule allows me three chunks of time to work on planning/blogging/checking papers/etc. These are M-F at lunch (provided there are no meetings that I have to attend and that I am not on lunch duty), M/W/F during 6th period (again, barring meetings), and T/H 7th period. For emails to be sent out to you on time (they should arrive to your inbox between 3 and 5p) I have to blog what I'm going to blog for the day by 3p. So, in a case like yesterday and today when I'm on lunch duty and have afternoon meetings until 3p... sitting down to blog becomes incredibly difficult! But, I try my best to keep to a schedule, thus insuring you get your daily update as regularly as possible. :)
With that being said, we are back in the swing of things with Lesson 2 of Chapter 4... specifically? Scientific notation.
Much of the first chapter we worked on, Chapter 2 Number Sequences, was review for your children. In Pre-Algebra last year both my class and Christel's class worked through Chapters 1 and most of Chapter 2, in preparation for your children entering Jacobs this year. Thus, Chapter 2 went pretty smoothly.
And we find ourselves in Chapter 4 and the game has stepped up a bit. We had a conversation yesterday in class about what makes Jacobs so challenging. First of all, its the first time your children have had a math text (if they've spent their MS years at CFS). Second, Jacobs is very narrative based. Third, you must be able to read carefully and critically to understand what the author is trying to convey and the skills he is trying to teach. Finally, you must be able to problem solve when you have no idea what the book is talking about!
Jacobs is primarily a high school text. The concepts that we learn in Jacobs (scientific notation, logarithms, probability, methods of counting, functions and graphing) are skills that are usually introduced and taught in higher level math courses beyond Algebra. We believe that the Jacobs course has been placed in the perfect line up with our math curriculum -- and it challenges and stretches them appropriately.
I say all this to point out that your kids, if they haven't already, are going to start hitting some walls with the text. It is natural and it happens every year and right around this time. Even when I give them a heads up, it still happens. :) In some cases this is due to not reading carefully enough... and in others they just simply don't understand or can't see where the book is coming from and where it is leading them. Since the work in class is usually self or small-group driven, this often means hitting these walls or roadblocks by themselves or with their peers... and this is where the magic happens!
I get to play this excruciatingly wonderful game with them where I have to watch them struggle and fight with their reasoning to figure things out... giving them the appropriate support when needed, and letting them squirm a bit when needed. Sometimes I'm pretty good at finding this balance... other times, not so much. I tell you this, just as a heads up for you! You may find yourselves in this same position one evening while your child is completing their homework.
On the flip side, the past two days we've spent working through Set II together and we've had a marvelous time! I really appreciate these days because I get hands on, face to face time with them that in a few short moments shows ME exactly where they're at and if they are getting it. :)
Anywho, no homework over the weekend. We'll pick up where we left off on Monday!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
On to scientific notation...
Today?
Warmed up with LCMs and GCFs (harder than you think!)
Checked Set II
Taught mini-lesson on scientific notation (Lesson 2 of Chapter 4)
HOMEWORK: Set I of Lesson 2
(Isn't it nice to be the last blog I have to write?? None of that frill. :) )
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Moving on in Chapter 4
We went over Lesson 1, Set I in class today, I took up test corrections, and we moved to working on Set II during class. They'll need to finish Set II for homework.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Chapter 4, baby!
Today the kiddos got their Ch 2 tests back to do corrections on AND we started Ch 4.
Tonight's homework? Set I of Lesson 1. I don't think it will take that long... but have them let me know if it does take an exorbitant amount of time.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Chapter 2 Test Day
Not much of a post for today... it was our test day on Chapter 2 and everyone did FINE! Yea!
Next chapter (Ch. 4) begins on Monday!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Chapter 2 Test Tomorrow!
Today was all about getting ready for the test tomorrow on Chapter 2. We worked through Set II of the review, and the kids got the following to help guide them in their studying tonight:
Chapter 2 Test Review
Jacobs
For the Chapter 2 Test you should be able to:
• Identify arithmetic, geometric, square and cubic sequences
• Complete arithmetic, geometric, square and cubic sequences with missing terms
• Write a rule (or expressions) for large terms of arithmetic and geometric sequences
• Recognize the common difference for arithmetic sequences and the common ratio for geometric sequences
• Evaluate powers
• Find digital roots
• Examine a number sequence and deduce its pattern
• Understand the literal meaning of square and cube numbers (think of the pictures of dots found on clay tablets)
• List the numbers in the Fibonacci sequence
• Convert Base 10 numbers into binary, vice versa
Jacobs
For the Chapter 2 Test you should be able to:
• Identify arithmetic, geometric, square and cubic sequences
• Complete arithmetic, geometric, square and cubic sequences with missing terms
• Write a rule (or expressions) for large terms of arithmetic and geometric sequences
• Recognize the common difference for arithmetic sequences and the common ratio for geometric sequences
• Evaluate powers
• Find digital roots
• Examine a number sequence and deduce its pattern
• Understand the literal meaning of square and cube numbers (think of the pictures of dots found on clay tablets)
• List the numbers in the Fibonacci sequence
• Convert Base 10 numbers into binary, vice versa
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Gearing up for the test...
We've completed our study of number sequences and have moved into review time. After checking our homework, we did a few practice problems using the rules for finding large terms of arithmetic and geometric sequences and then I assigned Sets I & II of the Chapter 2 review to be completed by the end of class tomorrow. (They started today during a workday, will need to budget their time tonight, and finish tomorrow in class.)
The Chapter 2 Test will be THIS FRIDAY. Onward!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Workdays
This is a posting that I'm making for all of my morning class blogs:
Matthew... What the heck is a workday?
I am so glad you asked!
I call, at random, for workdays in each of my morning classes when I'm feeling like the kids are getting a bit antsy sitting in those desks day after day and/or they are tired of hearing me yap yap yap about math. A workday is exactly what it sounds like... a day of work, and nothing else. It usually begins with a brief meeting where I lay out the requirements and expectations for the day and the assignment they will be completing. Usually, they are allowed to leave my room and work anywhere in the middle school (including tutor rooms if available and sometimes outside, weather permitting). They are also allowed to work together, provided that the partnership/relationship is mutually beneficial and all parties complete and turn in their own
assignments. Finally, most work not completed during a workday is to be completed at night for homework.
I hope this helps with clarity on what a workday is! Have a great evening!
I am so glad you asked!
I call, at random, for workdays in each of my morning classes when I'm feeling like the kids are getting a bit antsy sitting in those desks day after day and/or they are tired of hearing me yap yap yap about math. A workday is exactly what it sounds like... a day of work, and nothing else. It usually begins with a brief meeting where I lay out the requirements and expectations for the day and the assignment they will be completing. Usually, they are allowed to leave my room and work anywhere in the middle school (including tutor rooms if available and sometimes outside, weather permitting). They are also allowed to work together, provided that the partnership/relationship is mutually beneficial and all parties complete and turn in their own
assignments. Finally, most work not completed during a workday is to be completed at night for homework.
I hope this helps with clarity on what a workday is! Have a great evening!
Three Sequences in One Day!
We nailed down Sequences of Squares, Cubes, and Fibonacci today in class in a marathon session.
Practice tonight is three word problems from a sheet I gave earlier.
The Chapter 2 test will be at the end of the week--either Thursday or Friday!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Binary or BUST
Today the kids got back some stuff to file away in their notebooks, warmed up with a rule for a geometric sequence, and we worked through the binary sequence.
Tonight's homework is to write the five numbers listed on the board in binary. (See earlier post.)
Friday, September 5, 2008
Follow the rules!
After checking our homework (which took most of the period! -- No worries, this is normal ;)) we talked about how to find large terms of arithmetic and geometric sequences. Those rules are posted below.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Geometric Sequences...
Checked homework, learned about geometric sequences, assigned homework. Posted below. :)
(Gotta love the few words... ha!)
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Getting our feet wet...
Today we checked our Homework/Practice from last night, took a look at our blog, and started in on Set II of Lesson 1. There is homework, see the later post... or check the Audio Updates!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Setting up notebooks & Starting Ch. 2
Hi! Today was full of organizing our notebooks and beginning Chapter 2. Tonight's homework practice is Lesson 1, Set 1, #s 1-22.
Ask your kids about our "field trip" today. ;)
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