Just In Case . . .

It's almost midway through the winter break. If you are checking the blog, perhaps it is because you missed school towards the end of the week before break started. I suggest you look through your binder and planner to see if all of your math work is done and checked off. Several of you have missing assignments, including the field trip problem that was completed in class on 12/17 and 12/18. Finish any partially done work, and put it somewhere safe so you'll be ready to turn it in on the first day back to school (January 8th). Don't work too hard, as it is vacation time, you know!!

Tonight's Homework: See above.

Happy Holidays!

About a third of the students in this class were absent today. Those present worked on a problem related to the number of gifts given in the "Twelve Days of Christmas" song. Those who did not finish the problem in class should finish it by the time school resumes in January.

Tonight's Homework: Finish the "Twelve Days of Christmas" problem and worksheet. Have a safe and happy winter vacation, and I hope to see you back in the classroom on January 8th!

School Election Votes Work Sample

Students received feedback about their performance on the test taken in class yesterday. Afterwards, students completed a work sample problem related to school election results.

Tonight's Homework: None.

Inequality and Absolute Value Test Taken . . .Finally!

Students took the test over inequalities and absolute value today in class.

Tonight's Homework: Complete the problems on the buff-colored worksheet. Be sure to include all of the different steps, and label your answers with appropriate units.

Test Delayed; Work Sample, Part 2, Completed

Due to unforeseen changes in schedules, the test originally scheduled for today was moved to later in the week. Students completed part two of the field trip work sample today in class.

Tonight's Homework: Study for the test over inequalities and absolute value.

Review Carousel Strengthens Skills

Because some students did not have their worksheets to study over the weekend, I turned today into yet another review day. Students worked in groups to solve problems related to inequalities and absolute value. The test over these concepts will be delayed until Wednesday, to allow students one more resource opportunity to clear up misunderstandings and areas of concerns.

Tonight's Homework: Complete both sides of the practice review sheet.

Field Trip Work Sample, Part One

We met in the computer lab today, to allow the student council to use our room to sort food collected for the food drive. Students completed the first part of the field trip work sample in class today. The next parts of the work sample will be completed next week.

Tonight's Homework: Complete the "Word Problems with Fractions" worksheet you received in class today. Be sure to study for the upcoming test, and make time to come in and see me if you are having troubles with any of the review problems.

Preparing for the Test over Inequalities and Absolute Value

Students practiced completing a work sample problem today in class. Afterwards, they continued working on review problems for Monday's test.

Tonight's Homework: Complete the review worksheets for our upcoming tests over solving equations and inequalities with or without absolute value.

Reviewing for the Upcoming Unit Test

Students received 3 ivory review sheets that will help them prepare for the unit test over inequalities and absolute value equations. We reviewed how to use our problem solving skills to tackle problems related to solving consecutive number types of problems. Most caught on to the trick for how to set these types of problems up very quickly.

Tonight's Homework: Consecutive Numbers work sheet is due tomorrow. Work on the ivory review sheets, as they will be due on Friday, 12/14.

More Problem Solving and Absolute Value Work

Today's focus was on solving comparison word problems. As was true in earlier lessons, once the variables are defined and the equation written, students found it pretty easy to solve the problems. We also practiced solving absolute value equations and inequalities.

Tonight's Homework: CME, pages 209-210 (10, 15 and 16) and the green problem solving sheets we started in class.

More on Problem Solving and Inequalities

Today we tackled solving story problems that involved consecutive numbers. Students found these to be pretty straight forward, once the variables were defined. We also practiced solving and graphing the answers to inequalities.

Tonight's Homework: Complete the green worksheet on consecutive numbers and the ivory worksheet on solving inequalities. Start preparing for the test over inequalities, absolute value and problem solving, which will be given in the next week or so.

More on Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities

Students used their skills for solving absolute value equations and applied them to solving absolute value inequalities. The big thing to remember is to change the direction of the inequality sign when you create the second inequality (with the opposite value). (This troubled a few students, but most seemed to remember the rule!)

Tonight's Homework: CME, page 207 (3, 4) and the Absolute Value #2 worksheet.

Absolute Value Inequalities

Students were introduced to the steps to solve these types of problems.

Tonight's Homework:
Complete the absolute value problems on the bright pink worksheet.

Converting Word Sentences into Mathematical Sentences

Translating English sentences into mathematical symbols is somewhat tricky, primarily because you don't always work from left to right like you do in reading. Using our problem solving skills, we practiced finding key words and phrases to help us translate sentences in English into mathematical symbols. Once the translation is complete, students were able to easily solve the equations for the unknown.

Tonight's Homework: CME, page 388-390 (4, 11, 13, 14) and the green word problem review worksheet.

Dealing with Compound Inequalities

The major points covered in today's lesson included: a. When multiplying or dividing an inequality by a negative, ALWAYS change the direction of the inequality sign (flip it around). b. Compound inequalities result in graphs that either have arrows pointing towards each other or away from each other. c. When solving equations and inequalities, if you end up with a true statement, the answer is x = all real numbers. d. When solving equations and inequalities, if you end up with a false statement, the answer will be NO SOLUTION.

Tonight's Homework: CME, page 391 ( 15 - 17 ) and the Translating Algebra worksheet.

The New Trimester Begins Today!

We continued our study of inequalities by looking at how to solve them, graph the solution and then check the work. Grade slips detailing student performance for the fall trimester were distributed to students today.

Tonight's Homework: Read pages 384-387 in the CME book, and then do page 387 (1) and page 389 (7). Show your work, graph the solutions and show check steps for each problem.