It has been a long year and we have all been working hard. Just a reminder to all students and family members, All late assignments and reproofs are due no later than Thursday, June 15th.
We are going to begin our last section in Chapter 2 tomorrow. We have already taken many different assessments on various learning targets for Chapter 2. As we finish up the last section in Chapter 2, we will have time for students to retake assessments as needed. With this will come a couple days of reteaching and practice in class for the students who need it. However, many students are very eager to retake these assessments before then. If a student would like to retake any assessment, they must provide me with proof that they have practiced the skill and are ready to retake the assessment. All students have the option on completing problems from their book. They my redo problems that have already been assigned, or ask for new problems. They may chose to do test corrections on the assessment that they would like to retake. They may also complete practice on any of the numerous websites that offer videos and practice problems available online. I have posted in previous posts websites that students may use to practice solving equations, solving absolute value equations, and rewriting literal equations. Please review previous Algebra 1 posts to find these. Below you will find additional resources for solving inequalities, solving compound inequalities, and solving absolute value inequalities.
For review on solving inequalities check out Solving Inequalities.
For review on solving compound inequalities check out the following two websites.
http://www.coolmath.com/algebra/07-solving-inequalities/06-compound-inequalities-01
http://www.coolmath.com/crunchers/algebra-problems-solving-inequalities-3
To work ahead on solving absolute value inequalities check out https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra-home/alg-absolute-value/alg-absolute-value-inequalities/v/absolute-value-inequalities.
Happy practicing!
Today we began Lesson 5 in Math 8. Lesson 5 is challenging, but the students are working hard to try to grasp the concepts. In this lesson, the students are learning to perform operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) on number in scientific notation. We began working on addition today and will practice more tomorrow before moving to subtraction. To help your student with this learning target, please visit the website below. It contains videos and practice problems.
Three day weekend!
With all of the fun activities planned this weekend, don’t forget your homework.
Math 8 – Complete pages 33-34 from the Lesson 4 HW packet. If you have not yet completed pages 31-32 please do so. Parents, please read the parent letter at the front of the packet. It is yours to keep.
For a review on Scientific Notation check out https://www.khanacademy.org/math/pre-algebra/pre-algebra-exponents-radicals/pre-algebra-scientific-notation/v/scientific-notation.
Algebra 1 – You were given a packet to practice your skills from Chapter 1. You are NOT responsible for completing the entire packet. You should do at least 10 problems from each section that you need to reproof on. Do more if you feel that you need more practice. I will list the problems that match the assessments. Remember the answer key is attached to the packet.
- Solving Equations Quiz 1 and Solving Equations Procedural: #38-86 and #95-110
- Solving Equations Application: #111-113
- Literal Equations Procedural: #117-125
For a review on Solving Equations check out http://www.coolmath.com/prealgebra/16-intro-to-solving-equations.
For a review on Absolute Value Equations Check out http://www.coolmath.com/algebra/18-absolute-value-equations-inequalities/02-solving-absolute-value-equations-01.
For a review on Literal Equations check out https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra-home/alg-basic-eq-ineq/alg-old-school-equations/v/solving-for-a-variable.
As we get closer to Interim Progress Reports, many students and parents are concerned about the current grades. In Math 8, we have had 2 assessments so far and a 3rd one on Tuesday. Please review your child’s grades with them and help them determine what they can do to improve them. I am more than will to allow any student to retake assessments as needed. The only requirement for retaking an assessment is that they have to show me proof that they have been working on the skill either on their own or with me. As I have mentioned, 6th period flex time is limited to 23 minutes a day, 4 days a week and is shared among 4 academic classes that I teach. I encourage all students to try to use as many resources as possible for additional help such as homework club and additional help from me after school on Tuesdays. We will be practicing the learning targets continually and students will have time to retake assessments during class or flex. Below are the learning targets that we are focusing on as well as a couple of websites that may help provide additional help or practice. I hope this helps.
- I can use properties of exponents.
- http://www.coolmath.com/algebra/01-exponents
- https://www.ixl.com/math/geometry/properties-of-exponents
- I can use square root and cube root symbols.
- http://www.coolmath.com/prealgebra/04-exponents/02-exponents-important-common-01
- https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-8/cube-roots-of-perfect-cubes
As we get closer to Interim Progress Reports, many students and parents are concerned about the current grades. In Algebra 1, we have had 5 assessments so far and a 6th one on Monday. Please review your child’s grades with them and help them determine what they can do to improve them. I am more than will to allow any student to retake assessments as needed. The only requirement for retaking an assessment is that they have to show me proof that they have been working on the skill either on their own or with me. As I have mentioned, 6th period flex time is limited to 23 minutes a day, 4 days a week and is shared among 4 academic classes that I teach. I encourage all students to try to use as many resources as possible for additional help such as homework club, additional help from me after school on Tuesdays, and the Big Ideas Math Solutions app. Below I will list assignments that your student can work on if they need to reproof a particular assessment. Please help them match the needed assessment with the necessary assignment.
- Solving Equations Quiz: Textbook p.26 All (I will print the answer key if needed)
- I can solve equations. Conceptual: Review Chapter 1 Notes and Core Concepts in Textbook
- I can solve equations. Procedural: Textbook p.44-45 All
- I can solve equations. Application: Textbook p.47 #12-16
Students do not have to complete all of the problems. They only need to complete enough for them to feel confident in there ability to earn a 3 or higher on the reproof. I hope this helps.
Hello Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
On Friday, all student received an update on their grades. Many of them are not where they would like to be in regards to meeting the standards. We will be re-teaching during class and the students will have several opportunities to retake assessments before progress reports go out. Please check with your students to see if they need any additional support from me. Many of them have asked to come in during 6th period flex time for additional support, however, the spots are limited. So, I am offering all students the opportunity to get additional help after school on Tuesdays from 3:15pm to 4:15pm. If your student is not maintaining at least a 3 on their assessments, they may need to take advantage of this opportunity.
Algebra 1 parents, our textbook comes with a few helpful apps for android and apple devices.
- The first app is called Big Ideas Math Videos. This app provides students with videos of extra examples being worked out for each section in the book. The videos explain step by step how to work out the various problems and can be very helpful to your student.
- The second app is called Big Ideas Math Solutions. I usually assign the odd problems for homework in this class. This is because the answers to the odd problems are found in the back of the book. However, if you student is not able to figure out how the book got a particular answer, they can use this app to look at the solution as well as the steps for working out the problems.
Math 8 and Algebra 1 parents, there is an app called My Dear Aunt Sally that also comes with our textbooks that can be helpful for students of all ages. This game is designed to help students practice their basic mathematics skills. The students can choose the difficulty level. The game offer practice with whole numbers for free, however to practice integers, decimals, fractions, and rational numbers, there is a small fee. I encourage all of my students to practice with at least the whole numbers part of the game to improve fluency with basic operations and the order of operations. I have noticed that for many of my Math 8 students, multiplication is a skill that needs to be practiced. We will start using multiplication charts in class to help with this.
Please check my teacher webpage for additional information as it comes up. I am trying to update it as much as possible. You can find the link on the Bethel School District webpage or below.
Please feel free to email if you have any questions or concerns.
Candice Ruscher
Cascade Middle School
Middle School Mathematics