Hello everyone.  I have decided to have all my students enter the contest for mathmovesu.  At the moment the students are generating ideas for their presentation.  They have been given a guide to create their own powerpoint, video or essay.  You can see an example on edline.  I posted a powerpoint about gardening because that is what my passion is.  I know it well and it was easy to display the math involved.  All entries should focus on what each student knows well.  In addition, I focused on basic math formulas and ideas that students already know.  Students should not try to find sophisticated formulas they do not understand.  Stick to what you know!! The deadline to mail it in is January 15, so get going!  Vacation will fly and before you know it you will run out of time.  Please check edline for the outline.

Want another opportunity to earn a 100 quiz grade?  Enter this contest about how math relates to one of your favorite activities.  You could win $1000 scholarship as well as $1000 for Parker!  Try it out.  http://www.mathmovesu.com/scholarships.aspx

OK, so sometimes I hear from students that you did not do your homework because you left your graph paper at home.  Or you are creating uneven graphs from lined paper.  Neither of these are acceptable.  Here is a link to free graph paper whenever you need it.  No excuses!

http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/plain/ 

Ok, two posts in one day is unheard of for a beginner like me, but I had to share this one as well.  Mr. Cormier found this and it is a great simulation of scale.  Watch the graph paper in the top corner as it changes.  Each small square is 1/100 of the larger square.  http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/scale/

Hi, everyone.  I know I have not written very much lately, and I apologize for that.  I have been so busy helping you out in the classroom, I have neglected you outside of it.  I just found this cool app you can download from ITunes to help you study and review.  It gives you practice tests, feedback on problems you get wrong and examples worked out step by step.  Its similar to the homework video tutors, but I think it is a dramatic improvement on the concept.  Check it out:  http://www.pearsonhighered.com/AlgebraPrep/?WT.mc_id=2009-10-15_AlgPrep_AppleStore_SEND

Things are progressing well in both classes. Here is an update of each an a list of topics covered on Thursday’s quiz/test:

Algebra A:

We have been exploring algebra as a language.  We are expanding our working vocabulary to include: term, expression vs. equation and simplify.  The students have moved on from order of operations to practicing combining integers.  The key to success is to work each problem step by step and line by line and show all the work! 

There is a quiz on Thursday.  The topics include order of operations, categorizing real numbers, absolute value, and adding and subtracting integers. 

Algebra 1:

These students are completing chapter one and gearing up for their first chapter test on Thursday.  The topics covered are verbal/algebraic expressions, input/output boxes, order of operations, combining integers, distributive property, combining like terms, matrices classifying numbers and algebraic fraction multiplication. 

No matter what class you are in, don’t forget to use the homework video tutor and/or the online textbook to help with studying!

I apologize about the trouble we are having with edline.  Until it is fixed, I will post homework here.  Tomorrow everyone has their first quiz.  Algebra A’s quiz is on section 1.1.  Be able to write relate, define and write equations from word problems and tables.  Review examples of writing expressions from class.

Algebra 1 should be able to do the same as above.  In addition, expect to simplify expressions using PEMDAS and classify numbers.  For example,  -5 is an integer, rational, and real number.

Welcome to my math blog!  Here you will find updates about what is going on in the classrooom, links to important sites and articles I think you will find interesting.  Parents can find out what is going on in class week to week.  Students can find out what was missed during an absence, connect to important sites, read some intersting articles and try some challenge problems.

Currently in class we are all working in chapter 1, Tools of Algebra.  We are defining variables and writing equations. Things may appear to be easy right now, but it will become more challenging quickly!  Check back often to see what is changing and offer your comments.