Tuesday, 5/24/16: Finishing Quiz 5-1, on Scatter Plots and Two-Way Tables

Tonight's homework is a photocopy, called Kuta -- Slope,  both sides, due tomorrow.

As this is our final homework assignment for the year, this will be the final post for the 2015-16 year.  Sincere appreciation to my students and their parents for all of the hard work and support this year!

Best Wishes.

Monday, 5/23/16: Quiz 5-1, on Scatter Plots and Two-Way Tables

Tonight's homework is p.447 (1-6).

Tuesday, 5/17/16: Preparing for Final Quiz 5-1, on Scatter Plots and Two-Way

The date of Quiz 5-1 has been pushed back to Monday, 5/23.  I am doing this because this morning some 8th graders were getting pulled for standardized test makeups.  I really want students prepared coming into this final quiz.

Students still aren't fully prepared yet, but we are about 90% there now.

No formal homework is assigned for today, but students can be studying the practice quiz that they have in their possession.

Monday, 5/16/16: Preparing for Final Quiz 5-1, on Scatter Plots and Two-Way Tables

The date of Quiz 5-1 has been pushed back to Monday, 5/23.  I am doing this because this morning I learned that some 8th graders are getting pulled Tuesday for standardized test makeups, and because I really want students prepared coming into this final quiz.

Students still aren't fully prepared yet, but we are about 75% there now.  Students should be in very good shape by the end of the period Tuesday.

No formal homework is assigned for today, but students can be studying the practice quiz that they have in their possession.

Friday, 5/13/16: Reviewing Practice Quiz 5-1 on Scatter Plots and Two-Way Tables

Our final quiz, on Modules 14 & 15 (scatter plots & two-way tables) will be Thursday of next week, 5/19.  Students now have a practice version of this quiz.

We reviewed several of the toughest problems on this practice today.  Students would not necessarily have walked out today fully ready for the quiz, but they should be fully ready when they leave class on Monday.  From there on, it's a matter of practice.  No homework was assigned for the weekend.

Thursday, 5/12/16: Continuing Lesson 15-1, on Two-Way Tables

Our final quiz, on Modules 14 & 15 (scatter plots & two-way tables) will be Thursday of next week, 5/19.  Students now have a practice version of this quiz.

Periods 1, 3, & 4:  Your homework is the practice quiz, all problems, due Friday, 5/11.

Wednesday, 5/11/16: Continuing Lesson 15-1, on Two-Way Tables

Our final quiz, on Modules 14 & 15 (scatter plots & two-way tables) will be Thursday of next week, 5/19.  Students will be getting their practice quiz either today (Per.4) or tomorrow (Periods 1 & 3), depending upon when I see them.

Per.4:  Your homework is the practice quiz, all problems, due Friday, 5/11.

Periods 1 & 3:  Your homework is to complete the relative frequencies for the two tables I gave you in class.  It is due tomorrow, Thursday, 5/12.

Tuesday, 5/10/16: Lesson 15-1, on Two-Way Tables

We are still on a block schedule this week; this is our final week of the state standardized testing.

I saw Periods 1 & 3 today.

Per.1:  Your homework is to give the relative frequencies for the two tables I gave you at the end of the period.  It is due Thursday, 5/12.

Per.3:  Your homework is to give the relative frequencies for the two tables I gave you at the end of the period.  It is due Thursday, 5/12.

Per.4:  Your homework is to give the relative frequencies for the two tables I gave you at the end of the period.  It is due Wednesday, 5/11.

Monday, 5/9/16: Lesson 15-1, on Two-Way Tables

We are still on a block schedule this week; this is our final week of the state standardized testing.

I only saw Per.4 today.

Per.4:  Your homework is to give the relative frequencies for the two tables I gave you at the end of the period.  It is due Wednesday, 5/11.

Per.1:  Your homework is p.445 (6-14), due tomorrow, 5/10.

Per.3:  No homework was assigned over the weekend.

Friday, 5/6/16: Finalizing Lesson 14-2, on Finding Trend Lines in Scatter Plots

Per.1:  Page.445 (6-14) is due next Tuesday, 5/10.  (This is the next day that I see your class.)

Per.3:  We completed Lesson 14-2; no homework is assigned.

Per.4:  We completed Lesson 14-2; no homework is assigned.

Thursday, 5/5/16: Lesson 14-2, Trend Lines for Scatter Plots

Per.1:  Page.445 (6-14) will be due next Monday, 5/10.  If you wish to work ahead, you can reference the lesson, 14-2.  We've already been talking about trend lines, also called lines of best fit.

Per.3:  Your homework is p.445 (6-14), due this Friday, 5/6.

Per.4:  Your homework is p.445 (6-14), due this Friday, 5/6.

Wednesday, 5/4/16: Lesson 14-2, Trend Lines for Scatter Plots

Per.1:  Because of the time lost fixing the test scores missing from the portal, no homework was assigned for your class.  However, p.445 (6-14) will be due next Monday, 5/10.  If you wish to work ahead, you can reference the lesson, 14-2.  We've already been talking about trend lines, also called lines of best fit.

Per.3:  Your homework is p.445 (6-14), due this Friday, 5/6.

Per.4:  I did not see your class today, but p.439 (5-8) was previously assigned, and is due tomorrow, Thursday, 5/5.

Tuesday, 5/3/16: Continuing Lesson 14-1, on Scatter Plots and Association

Period 4:  Tonight's homework is p.439 (5-8), due Thursday, 5/5.

[I did not see Periods 1 & 3 today.]

Monday, 5/2/16: Continuing Lesson 14-1, on Scatter Plots and Association

Periods 1 & 3:  Tonight's homework is p.439 (5-8), due Wednesday, 5/4.

[I did not see Per.4 today.]

Friday, 4/29/16: Statistics: Scatter Plots

Today we transitioned back into instructional mode, after having completed the state standardized testing for math.  Our final unit is on statistics (Modules 14 & 15; the students received those text pages today), with scatter plots and two-way tables the key standards.

No homework was assigned for the weekend; we did not get far enough into the new lesson.

Friday, 4/15/16 through Thursday, 4/28/16: California State Standardized Testing

Beginning Monday, 4/18, through Thursday, 4/28, students are taking the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium standardized mathematics tests for California.  My math classes are testing during this time, not receiving regular instruction.  No homework is assigned during this time.

Thursday, 4/14/16: Review

We are starting the state standardized testing next week.

Tonight's homework is a photocopy, titled "Cumulative Review #2."  Students are to try to work all of the problems (front and back) on the paper tonight; we will review them in class tomorrow.

Wednesday, 4/13/16: Unit 4 Test on Congruence and Similarity

Tonight's homework is a photocopy, titled "Cumulative Review #1."  Students are to try to work all 12 of the problems on the paper tonight; we will review them in class tomorrow.

Monday, 4/11/16: Final Review for Unit 4 Test on Congruence & Similarity

We have our Unit 4 test on congruence & similarity tomorrow,Tuesday, 4/12, and Wednesday, 4/13, and students can be studying:

• translations, Lesson 9-1
• reflections, Lesson 9-2
• rotations, Lesson 9-3
• dilations, Lessons 10-1, 10-2
• congruence as a sequence of transformations, Lesson 9-5
• similarity as a sequence, Lesson 10-3
• Pythagorean theorem, Lessons 12-1, 12-2
• Angle relationships, triangles and parallel lines, Lessons 11-1 through 11-3
• Volume, Lessons 13-1 through 13-3

I gave students the rest of the practice version of the test today and we reviewed the problems in class.  For homework tonight, students should be revisiting the problems and refreshing how to do them in their minds.

Friday, 4/8/16: Reviewing for Unit 4 Test on Congruence & Similarity

We have our Unit 4 test on congruence & similarity coming up next Tuesday, 4/12, and Wednesday, 4/13, and students can be studying:

• translations, Lesson 9-1
• reflections, Lesson 9-2
• rotations, Lesson 9-3
• dilations, Lessons 10-1, 10-2
• congruence as a sequence of transformations, Lesson 9-5
• similarity as a sequence, Lesson 10-3
• Pythagorean theorem, Lessons 12-1, 12-2
• Angle relationships, triangles and parallel lines, Lessons 11-1 through 11-3
• Volume, Lessons 13-1 through 13-3

Today I distributed the first half (roughly) of a practice version of the Unit 4 test above.  We went through most all of the problems today.  For homework this weekend, students should be revisiting the problems and refreshing how to do them in their minds.

Thursday, 4/7/16: Reviewing Homework on Angle Relationships--Triangles

Today we reviewed the p.361 (8-14) homework that was due yesterday.  (We'd gotten backed up and I needed to make sure that my students are strong with this material.)  We're clear to move forward tomorrow; no formal homework is assigned tonight.  I do plan to assign homework over the weekend, however.

We have our Unit 4 test on congruence & similarity coming up next Tuesday and Wednesday, and students can be studying:

• translations, Lesson 9-1
• reflections, Lesson 9-2
• rotations, Lesson 9-3
• dilations, Lessons 10-1, 10-2
• congruence as a sequence of transformations, Lesson 9-5
• similarity as a sequence, Lesson 10-3
• Pythagorean theorem, Lessons 12-1, 12-2
• Angle relationships, triangles and parallel lines, Lessons 11-1 through 11-3
• Volume, Lessons 13-1 through 13-3

Wednesday, 4/6/16: Reviewing Homework on Angle Relationships--Parallel Lines

We reviewed the p.353 homework that was due yesterday (Tuesday, 4/5), and practiced simplifying a number raised to a fractional power and estimating the square root of a number without using a calculator.  Tomorrow we need to review the p.361 (8-14) homework that was due today.  No homework was assigned for tonight; we need to catch up.

Tuesday, 4/5/16: Lesson 11-2 on Angle Relationships, Triangles

Tonight's homework is p.361 (8-14).

Monday, 4/4/16: Lesson 11-1 on Angle Relationships, Parallel Lines

Period 1: your homework tonight is p.353 (7-17).

Per.3 & Per.4:  your homework tonight is p.353 (7-12).

Friday, 4/1/16: Volume of Cones and Cylinders

Tonight's homework is a photocopy, "Volume of Cones and Cylinders."  Students are to complete all 12 problems on this page.  They will need to use calculators on this assignment, but they also must show all steps in their homework spiral notebooks.

Thursday, 3/31/16: Volume of Spheres

Tonight's homework is a photocopy, "Volume of Spheres."  Students are to complete all 8 problems on this page.  They will need to use calculators on this assignment, but they also must show all steps in their homework spiral notebooks.

Wednesday, 3/30/16: Lesson 12-2 on Converse of Pythagorean Theorem

Tonight's homework is p.387 (5-18).  Students will need calculators to complete their assignment, although they will also need to show the work in their homework spiral notebooks.

Tuesday, 3/29/16: Lesson 12-1 on Pythagorean Theorem

Tonight's homework is p.381 (4-10).  Students will need calculators to complete their assignment, although they will also need to show the work in their homework spiral notebooks.

Friday, 3/18/16: Quiz on Coordinate Relationships

No formal work is assigned during the spring break. We will be working on the Pythagorean theorem, Lessons 12-1 to 12-3, when we return.  (Students don't yet have those pages, but the material can be accessed online at my.hrw.com .  Students should know how to log in, and can explore the student online textbook icon, or student interactive icon.)

Additionally, the week we return, there will be a quiz on translations (Lesson 9-1), reflections (Lesson 9-2), rotations (Lesson 9-3), dilations (Lessons 10-1 & 10-2), and sequences establishing congruence or similarity (Lessons 9-5 and 10-3).



FOR EWMSIMP STUDENTS SEIZING THE TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM IN BOSTON:

Cal High distributed their registration materials to students Thursday, 3/17.  (I've heard that La Serna's materials have also been mailed out.)  The "Course Selection Form" (the blue sheet for Cal High; traditionally Whittier's has been gold in color, and La Serna's pink) and the "Enrollment Form" (parents are enrolling their students into a new school district for next year, the Whittier Union High School District) are due back at the Future Frosh Night (student / parent meeting at the high school) Thursday, 3/31; or if the parents cannot attend, to Cal High's Guidance office the following day, Friday, 4/1.  This is while the students are in Boston.  We are likely to have the same situation with Whittier High School and La Serna High School.
Accordingly:

For parents not accompanying the trip:  they can still attend the 3/31 parent meeting and turn in the two forms that night.  Alternately, a relative or family friend can attend and turn in the form.  If parents are not chaperoning the Boston trip, then they must take responsibility to return the forms to Cal High's Guidance Office by Friday, 4/1.  (The same would apply to Whittier and La Serna, whatever their instructions are.)

For parents who are accompanying the Boston trip or who are otherwise out of town the entire week of 3/28:

• Best scenario:  have a relative or family friend turn in the forms for you.
• Alternately, students can give the two forms to Mrs. Carnahan at next Tuesday morning's rehearsal.  She will forward the forms to me.  I will drive the forms over to the high school the week after spring break, so that they are delivered on time.  I am ONLY doing this as a courtesy for parents accompanying the Boston trip or who are otherwise out-of-town the whole week of 3/28.  I will not take on the responsibility for any high school forms, EXCEPT in this circumstance.

Thursday, 3/17/16: Preparing for Transformation Coordinate Relationships Quiz

Friday, students are taking a memorization quiz on the algebraic representations of the four types of transformations.  Tonight's homework is to study.

FOR EWMSIMP STUDENTS SEIZING THE TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM IN BOSTON:

Cal High distributed their registration materials to students today.  I see that the "Course Selection Form" (the blue sheet for Cal High; traditionally Whittier's has been gold in color, and La Serna's pink) and the "Enrollment Form" (parents are enrolling their students into a new school district for next year, the Whittier Union High School District) are due back at the Future Frosh Night (student / parent meeting at the high school) Thursday, 3/31; or if the parents cannot attend, to Cal High's Guidance office the following day, Friday, 4/1.  This is while the students are in Boston.  We are likely to have the same situation with Whittier High School and La Serna High School.
Accordingly:

For parents not chaperoning the trip:  they can still attend the 3/31 parent meeting and turn in the two forms that night.  Alternately, a relative or family friend can attend and turn in the form.  If parents are not chaperoning the Boston trip, then they must take responsibility to return the forms to Cal High's Guidance Office by Friday, 4/1. 

For parents who are chaperoning the Boston trip or who are otherwise out of town the entire week of 3/28:

• Students can give the two forms to Mrs. Carnahan at next Tuesday morning's rehearsal.  She will forward the forms to me.  I will drive the forms over to the high school the week after spring break, so that they are delivered on time.  I am ONLY doing this as a courtesy for parents chaperoning the Boston trip or who are otherwise out-of-town the whole week of 3/28.  I will not take on the responsibility for any high school forms, EXCEPT in this circumstance.

Tuesday, 3/15/16: Lesson 10-2, on Dilations

Period 1:  Your homework is p.324 (Expl.2) & p.327 (5,6), due Thursday, 3/17.

Periods 3 & 4:  Your homework is p.327 (5-7).  Period 3, it is due tomorrow, Wednesday, 3/16.  Period 4, it is due Thursday, 3/17.

Monday, 3/14/16: Dilations

Happy Pi Day!

Tonight's homework is p.320 (5) & p.321 (7-9).

Monday, 3/7/16 through Friday, 3/11/16: Going Dark (Parent Conference Week)

Unfortunately, I will not be able to maintain this blog this week, due to an extremely tightly-packed work week with parent conferences.  Students have their own assignment sheets and should be recording their homework when I assign it.  The posts will resume next Monday, 3/14.

Parents, please note:  while I will be available for parent conferences after school Monday, 3/7 through Thursday, 3/10, 1:45 - 3:00 p.m. (signup sheets for 15-minute slots, for the day, will go up after school each day), I regret that I will be unable to meet with any parents after school Friday, March 11.  That is because I am teaching an after-school class lasting 75 minutes that Friday.  Thank you!
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Friday, 3/4/16: Sequences of Transformations

We got a chance to dive deeper into transformations today, looking at sequences of transformations.  This discussion came from the work the students did for homework last night.

No formal homework is assigned over the weekend, but students can be studying / reviewing Lessons 9-1, 9-2, and 9-3.

Parents, please note:  while I will be available for parent conferences after school next Monday, 3/7 through Thursday, 3/10 (signup sheets for 15-minute slots, for the day, will go up after school each day), I regret that I will be unable to meet with any parents after school Friday, March 11.  That is because I am teaching an after-school class lasting 75 minutes that Friday.  Thank you!
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Thursday, 3/3/16: Lesson 9-2 Reflections

We reviewed the entire homework assignment from last night, p.291.  While some students struggled with a portion of it last night, today they were able to see that it was actually easy.  Kudos to those students who studied the examples and / or did online searches (content and vocabulary), to independently produce correct answers.

Tonight's homework is p.292 (10a,b & 11a,b,c).


Parents, please note:  while I will be available for parent conferences after school next Monday, 3/7 through Thursday, 3/10 (signup sheets for 15-minute slots, for the day, will go up after school each day), I regret that I will be unable to meet with any parents after school Friday, March 11.  That is because I am teaching an after-school class lasting 75 minutes that Friday.  Thank you!
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Wednesday, 3/2/16: Lesson 9-2 on Reflections

Tonight's homework is p.291 (4-8).


Parents, please note:  while I will be available for parent conferences after school next Monday, 3/7 through Thursday, 3/10 (signup sheets for 15-minute slots, for the day, will go up after school each day), I regret that I will be unable to meet with any parents after school Friday, March 11.  That is because I am teaching an after-school class lasting 75 minutes that Friday.  Thank you!
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Tuesday, 3/1/16: Lesson 9-3, Rotations

Today we checked and reviewed the rotation art project which was last night's homework, and are just starting Lesson 9-3, Rotations.  As we are between lessons, no formal homework is assigned tonight, although students can be studying Lessons 9-1 through 9-3.


Parents, please note:  while I will be available for parent conferences after school next Monday, 3/7 through Thursday, 3/10 (signup sheets for 15-minute slots, for the day, will go up after school each day), I regret that I will be unable to meet with any parents after school Friday, March 11.  That is because I am teaching an after-school class lasting 75 minutes that Friday.  Thank you!
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Monday, 2/29/16: Rotation Art Project

We are now in Unit 4, which is on using transformations to establish congruence, using transformations to establish similarity, the Pythagorean theorem, angle relationships in parallel lines and triangles, and the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.

We're starting with transformations, of which there are four types:

• translations (slides)
• reflections (flips)
• rotations
• dilations (zooming in or out)

Students, parents / guardians, and tutors, as we move forward, there are going to be two key tools that will help students with transformations (in addition to the normal internet and textbook resources):
First, I've given each student a section of tracing paper (to be kept in the plastic sleeve with the class assignment sheet and used for the entire unit).  For many students this will be of significant help, using the tracing paper to mimic the motion.  Second, look for patterns in the ordered pairs (x and y combinations) pre-image (the before) to image (the after).  From the very beginning, I am going to be making my students record all of the ordered pairs, before-and-after.  The patterns they will discover there will really help them.

I explained tonight's homework in class tonight.  Students are to take the set of pre-image coordinates that they created from their first art project (the reflection across the x-axis) and create a new image set of coordinates, that will represent a 90-degree clockwise notation.  Each new ordered pair in the image set of coordinates will be of the form (y,-x), where x represents the original x-coordinate for the corresponding pre-image pair, and y represents the original y-coordinate.  That is to say, looking at all of the ordered pairs in the pre-image column, all the student has to do is write new ordered pairs, with the original y-coordinates (y-numbers) written first, and the original x-coordinates (x-numbers) written second, but with the opposite sign.

For example, say that the original pre-image ordered pairs had these:

(-3, 5)
(-5, 7)
(8, -3)
(8, 9)
(2, -4)

The corresponding ordered pairs would look like this:

pre-image:                   image:

(x,y)                            (y,-x)

(-3,5)                           (5, 3)
(-5,7)                           (7,5)
(8,-3)                           (-3,-8)
(8,9)                            (9,-8)
(2,-4)                           (-4,-2)

If you look at all of the y's in the first column, you'll see that they're written as is, but first, in the new second column.  If you look at all of the x's in the first column, you'll see that they are written second in the new second column, but with opposite signs for each.

Then students would graph the new ordered pairs (in the image column) that they just created.  This is how computers manipulate the pixels to render a 90-degree rotation clockwise.  Tonight's homework is to create new ordered pairs off of the original ordered pair (pre-image) data set, and then create the new graph which should be a 90-degree rotation to the right.

Friday, 2/26/16: Laying Foundation for Coordinate Relationships in Transformations

We are now in Unit 4, which is on using transformations to establish congruence, using transformations to establish similarity, the Pythagorean theorem, angle relationships in parallel lines and triangles, and the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.

We're starting with transformations, of which there are four types:

• translations (slides)
• reflections (flips)
• rotations
• dilations (zooming in or out)

Students, parents / guardians, and tutors, as we move forward, there are going to be two key tools that will help students with transformations (in addition to the normal internet and textbook resources):
First, I've given each student a section of tracing paper (to be kept in the plastic sleeve with the class assignment sheet and used for the entire unit).  For many students this will be of significant help, using the tracing paper to mimic the motion.  Second, look for patterns in the ordered pairs (x and y combinations) pre-image (the before) to image (the after).  From the very beginning, I am going to be making my students record all of the ordered pairs, before-and-after.  The patterns they will discover there will really help them.

Today we set up a model A+ paper for an upcoming memorization quiz on the relationships of the coordinates of images pre-image to image.

Some students misunderstood my substitute's instructions yesterday, hearing that the work I had left yesterday was classwork.  Actually, all 28 problems on that Equations Practice #1 were intended as classwork / homework.  I gave those students who did have all 28 problems completed 5 points extra-credit, and for those who do not have all 28 problems done, that is the homework for the weekend.  This will be a 20-point assignment, four times the normal weight for an assignment, and I will be verifying completion of it Monday.

Thursday, 2/25/16: Reviewing Solving Multi-Step Equations

I was at the district office today for a meeting.  Tonight's homework is for students to complete a photocopy, "Equations Practice #1," all problems front & back, due tomorrow.

We'll resume our work on reflections tomorrow.

Wednesday, 2/24/16: Evaluating the Reflection Art Project

We are now in Unit 4, which is on using transformations to establish congruence, using transformations to establish similarity, the Pythagorean theorem, angle relationships in parallel lines and triangles, and the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.

We're starting with transformations, of which there are four types:

• translations (slides)
• reflections (flips)
• rotations
• dilations (zooming in or out)

Students, parents / guardians, and tutors, as we move forward, there are going to be two key tools that will help students with transformations (in addition to the normal internet and textbook resources):
First, I've given each student a section of tracing paper (to be kept in the plastic sleeve with the class assignment sheet and used for the entire unit).  For many students this will be of significant help, using the tracing paper to mimic the motion.  Second, look for patterns in the ordered pairs (x and y combinations) pre-image (the before) to image (the after).  From the very beginning, I am going to be making my students record all of the ordered pairs, before-and-after.  The patterns they will discover there will really help them.

We are between topics presently; no formal homework is assigned for tonight.  However, students can be studying Lessons 9-2 and 9-3 from their textbook pages or online at my.hrw.com .

Tuesday, 2/23/16: Reflection Art Project

We are now in Unit 4, which is on using transformations to establish congruence, using transformations to establish similarity, the Pythagorean theorem, angle relationships in parallel lines and triangles, and the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.

We're starting with transformations, of which there are four types:

• translations (slides)
• reflections (flips)
• rotations
• dilations (zooming in or out)

Students, parents / guardians, and tutors, as we move forward, there are going to be two key tools that will help students with transformations (in addition to the normal internet and textbook resources):
First, I've given each student a section of tracing paper (to be kept in the plastic sleeve with the class assignment sheet and used for the entire unit).  For many students this will be of significant help, using the tracing paper to mimic the motion.  Second, look for patterns in the ordered pairs (x and y combinations) pre-image (the before) to image (the after).  From the very beginning, I am going to be making my students record all of the ordered pairs, before-and-after.  The patterns they will discover there will really help them.

Tonight's homework is for students to finish their reflection art project that we have been working on in class.  Students must have recorded the coordinates pre-image and image, in order to get credit for this assignment when I check it first thing tomorrow.

Monday, 2/22/16: Coordinate Relationships / Reflection Art

We are beginning Unit 4, which is on using transformations to establish congruence, using transformations to establish similarity, the Pythagorean theorem, angle relationships in parallel lines and triangles, and the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.

We're starting with transformations, of which there are four types:

• translations (slides)
• reflections (flips)
• rotations
• dilations (zooming in or out)

Students, parents / guardians, and tutors, as we move forward, there are going to be two key tools that will help students with transformations (in addition to the normal internet and textbook resources):
First, I've given each student a section of tracing paper (to be kept in the plastic sleeve with the class assignment sheet and used for the entire unit).  For many students this will be of significant help, using the tracing paper to mimic the motion.  Second, look for patterns in the ordered pairs (x and y combinations) pre-image (the before) to image (the after).  From the very beginning, I am going to be making my students record all of the ordered pairs, before-and-after.  The patterns they will discover there will really help them.

We have been reviewing the Lesson 9-1 homework (three simple translations), analyzing the coordinates pre-image to image.  We are also in the midst of a reflection art project.  Last Thursday when I was out at a meeting, I had students create artwork on a coordinate grid, which we are going to reflect across the x-axis.  (Later we are also going to do a rotation with the same art.).  Students are recording coordinates pre-image to image in this reflection of their art, and thus are discovering the important pattern associated with the reflection.  I would rather have my students do art work presently (as opposed to working solely out of the textbook), because this is how transformational geometry is used in the real world, by computer animators.  Tomorrow night for homework (Tuesday) students will be completing this project, but for tonight, no formal homework is assigned.  However, students can be studying Lessons 9-1 and 9-2, either from the textbook pages they have or online at my.hrw.com .

Friday, 2/19/16: Exploring Translations

We are beginning Unit 4, which is on using transformations to establish congruence, using transformations to establish similarity, the Pythagorean theorem, angle relationships in parallel lines and triangles, and the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.

We're starting with transformations, of which there are four types:

• translations (slides)
• reflections (flips)
• rotations
• dilations (zooming in or out)

Students, parents / guardians, and tutors, as we move forward, there are going to be two key tools that will help students with transformations (in addition to the normal internet and textbook resources):
First, I've given each student a section of tracing paper (to be kept in the plastic sleeve with the class assignment sheet and used for the entire unit).  For many students this will be of significant help, using the tracing paper to mimic the motion.  Second, look for patterns in the ordered pairs (x and y combinations) pre-image (the before) to image (the after).  From the very beginning, I am going to be making my students record all of the ordered pairs, before-and-after.  The patterns they will discover there will really help them.

Today in class we reviewed the Lesson 9-1 homework which would have been due yesterday while I was out.  There are important patterns in the coordinates of the vertices (corner points) pre-image to image, and we explored those today.  This is critical material which cannot be rushed, if students are going to be powerful with it.  No formal homework is assigned for the weekend, but students can be studying Lessons 9-1 and 9-2, either from the textbook pages they have or online at my.hrw.com .

Thursday, 2/19/16: Reflections Activity

Apologies for the missed post yesterday.

We are beginning Unit 4, which is on using transformations to establish congruence, using transformations to establish similarity, the Pythagorean theorem, angle relationships in parallel lines and triangles, and the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.

We're starting with transformations, of which there are four types:

• translations (slides)
• reflections (flips)
• rotations
• dilations (zooming in or out)

Students, parents / guardians, and tutors, as we move forward, there are going to be two key tools that will help students with transformations (in addition to the normal internet and textbook resources):
First, I've given each student a section of tracing paper (to be kept in the plastic sleeve with the class assignment sheet and used for the entire unit).  For many students this will be of significant help, using the tracing paper to mimic the motion.  Second, look for patterns in the ordered pairs (x and y combinations) pre-image (the before) to image (the after).  From the very beginning, I am going to be making my students record all of the ordered pairs, before-and-after.  The patterns they will discover there will really help them.

I was out for an articulation meeting with La Serna High School today.  Today the students did an art assignment, for which they are soon going to create a reflection.  Assuming that they are done with that, no further homework is assigned for this evening.  However, I did have the guest teacher distribute an extra-credit assignment (10 points), for students to practice equations.

Wednesday, 2/17/16: Continuing Lesson 9-1, Translations

Homework:  p.284 (4) & p.285 (9,10).

Tuesday, 2/16/16: Beginning Lesson 9-1, on Translations

We are beginning Unit 4, which is on using transformations to establish congruence, using transformations to establish similarity, the Pythagorean theorem, angle relationships in parallel lines and triangles, and the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres.

We're starting with transformations, of which there are four types:

• translations (slides)
• reflections (flips)
• rotations
• dilations (zooming in or out)

Students, parents / guardians, and tutors, as we move forward, there are going to be two key tools that will help students with transformations (in addition to the normal internet and textbook resources):
First, I've given each student a section of tracing paper (to be kept in the plastic sleeve with the class assignment sheet and used for the entire unit).  For many students this will be of significant help, using the tracing paper to mimic the motion.  Second, look for patterns in the ordered pairs (x and y combinations) pre-image (the before) to image (the after).  From the very beginning, I am going to be making my students record all of the ordered pairs, before-and-after.  The patterns they will discover there will really help them.

We've set up Lesson 9-1 today, but need to continue it into Wednesday.  Formal homework tonight would be counter-productive, but students should be previewing Lesson 9-1 tonight for their "homework."  Many of my students have already done so.  You can expect formal homework beginning tomorrow night.

Tuesday, 2/9/16 through Friday, 2/12/16: Unit 3 Performance Task

The "Performance Task" portion of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) standardized testing (coming up in several months) gives students the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency primarily in three of the four "claims" involved with reporting standardized test scores.  These three are Claim 2: Problem Solving; Claim 3: Communicating Reasoning; and Claim 4: Modeling and Data Analysis.  (Claim 1 is "Concepts and Procedures.")

The format for the performance task is that students are given a scenario (such as running a business), followed by about 6 or so questions related to the task at hand.  The goal of this part of the assessment is not necessarily to test the students' knowledge of their math skills, but more to assess their ability to apply them in context, as they are expected to do so in high school, college or university, and in the real world.

As we did with the end of Unit 1, this week we are having our students on individual computers taking our district's own Unit 3 math performance task.  Today we did the "classroom activity," designed to make sure that students understand the context of the problem.  Wednesday and Thursday students will be on the computers taking the performance task.  Friday we will debrief, which is the most critical part of this exercise.

As we are between units and performing this important task this week, no formal homework is assigned during the week.

However, looking ahead to Unit 4, it is on transformational geometry.  Starting next week we will be working through lessons 9-1 through 9-5.  Although students haven't been given the pages for these lessons yet, they can access the online student textbook through my.hrw.com .

Friday, 2/5/16: High School and Completing the Unit 3 Test on Equations and Systems

We started the first of a series of mini-discussions related to the high school transition, and students completed their Unit 3 Test on Equations and Systems.

We are between units.  No formal homework was assigned for the weekend.

Thursday, 2/4/16: Day 2 of Unit 3 Test on Equations and Systems

Tonight's homework is p.231 (3,4) & p.234 (1,2).

Wednesday, 2/3/16: Unit 3 Test on Equations and Systems

Tonight's homework is p.258 (4-7).

Tuesday, 2/2/16: Final Day of Review for Unit 3 Test on Equations and Systems

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is tomorrow, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lessons 8-3 through 8-5)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

I told the students that they do have homework tonight, and that homework is to study for this test (please see the sections and topics above).

Monday, 2/1/16: Day 1 of Reviewing for Unit 3 Test on Equations and Systems

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is Wednesday, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lessons 8-3 through 8-5)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

I was available after school today, Monday, 2/1, from 3:00 - 3:30.  I was also available at lunch today, and will be Tuesday. (I'm also available Wednesday, 2/3 from 3:00 - 3:30.)  Normally I'm available from when the school day ends until 3:30 every Monday and Wednesday, but I do have fifteen-minutes of after-school duty this week..

Last Friday students were given a practice version of this test.  For tonight's homework, students need to do problems 9-13 of this practice.

Friday, 1/29/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test Review on Equations and Systems

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is Wednesday, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lessons 8-3 through 8-5)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

I will be available after school next Monday, 2/1, from 3:00 - 3:30.  (I'm also available Wednesday, 2/3 from 3:00 - 3:30, but by that time I won't be able to help students as the test is earlier that day.)  Normally I'm available from when the school day ends until 3:30 every Monday and Wednesday, but I do have fifteen-minutes of after-school duty each day for the week of 2/1.

Today students were given a practice version of this test.  For this weekend's homework, students need to do problems 1-8 of this practice.

Thursday, 1/28/16: Reviewing Recent Homework on Systems of Linear Equations

Tonight's homework is from Lesson 8-4, solving systems using elimination.  It is p.258 (2 & 3).  Students, you MUST check your solution in order to get credit for the assignment.  I will circulate and have you put your finger on the check parts.

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is Wednesday, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lessons 8-3 through 8-5)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

Wednesday, 1/27/16: Lesson 8-4: More on Solving Systems by the Elimination Method

Tonight's homework is p.256 (7 & 8).  Students should use their notebooks for writing.  Parents, this is challenging, writing-intensive material.  We have been working examples daily, but your son or daughter may still struggle on the homework tonight.  (We will review the homework problems tomorrow; we won't be doing new material that day.)

This is a great opportunity to help foster that resilience and self-sufficiency that your son or daughter needs to be independent and successful as a high school student.  Please see last Wednesday's blog post (1/20/16) here for resources that your student has available (but adapt for the lesson / search topic listed in this post's title).  The best is probably the tip about the QR reader app, if your student has access to a smart phone or tablet. 

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is Wednesday, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lessons 8-3 through 8-5)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

Tuesday, 1/26/16: Lesson 8-4, Solving Systems Using the Elimination Method

Tonight's homework is p.254 (4-6).  Students are to solve these systems in their spiral homework notebook.  Parents, we modeled two more problems today in class; students should have been recording all of the writing steps.  (These problems are very writing-intensive.)

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is Wednesday, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lesson 8-3)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

Monday, 1/25/16: Lesson 8-3, Solving Systems of Linear Equations by the Addition / Subtraction Method

Tonight's homework is p.246 (3-5) & p.248 (8-10).  Students should use their homework spiral notebooks for this work, as it is very writing-intensive.  Please see the post for last Wednesday, 1/20/16, for all of the available resources I'm suggesting for home.  Also please know that we modeled two problems in class today; students should have copied down all of the writing.

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is Wednesday, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lesson 8-3)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

Friday, 1/22/16: Strengthening Lesson 8-2, Solving Systems by Substitution

No formal homework is assigned for the weekend.  We're between lessons.  There is an extra-credit problem that students can try, #13 on p.243.

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is Wednesday, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lesson 8-3)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

Thursday, 1/21/16: Reviewing Homework on Solving Systems by Substitution

Apologies for the late post.

Tonight's homework is p.242 (1-4), from Lesson 8-2 on solving systems by substitution.

Parents, this is demanding content, requiring much writing for each problem.  Please know that we modeled two problems in class yesterday (Wednesday), I assigned two more Wednesday night for homework, and modeled how those two should have been done in class today.  That makes a total of four times students have had the work modeled for them; the first time we also added notes.

We've always been pushing our students to be resourceful, but now they are less than half-a-year away from high school.  Please see the previous post for resource suggestions at home.  Also, know that I am routinely in my classroom Mondays and Wednesdays until 3:30 to offer additional assistance as students work on homework / look ahead.

Our next test is on solving equations in one variable and systems, and it is Wednesday, 2/3.  The material on it:

• equations (Lessons 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4)
• solving systems by substitution (Lesson 8-2)
• solving systems by elimination (Lesson 8-3)

Additionally, Lesson 8-1 should be reviewed, because that involved graphing and set the stage for solving by substitution and elimination.  (We used an excellent worksheet instead of the text for graphing, but the lesson details that aspect.)

Wednesday, 1/20/16: Lesson 8-2, Solving Systems of Linear Equations by the Substitution Method

Tonight's homework is p.238, problems 5 & 6.  Each problem involves a lot of writing, and we modeled two problems along with notes today.  Students and parents, if you need more help resources tonight:

• Google "solving systems of linear equations by substitution" or search that within YouTube.
• Study the examples we did in class today.
• Study the examples in Lesson 8-2, where that p.238 is.
• Go to my.hrw.com and use the video lesson in the yellow Student Interactive Edition icon
• Download a QR code reader app, and scan the QR codes in the text to go straight to the video.

Tuesday, 1/19/16: Checking the Solution to a System of Linear Equations

We checked the weekend's homework, a photocopy on solving systems by graphing.  Tonight's homework is for students to take the one (x,y) ordered pair solution for each system of linear equations, and substitute the x- and y-values back into each sentence to verify that the sentence is true.  I modeled two examples of how to do this in class, and this is Lesson 8-1 if you wish to reference the textbook resources.

Friday, 1/15/16: Solving Systems of Linear Equations by Graphing

Wishing all of you a meaningful holiday, in memory of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King.

This weekend's homework is a photocopy, entitled "Kuta Software--Solving Systems of Equations by Graphing."  We started some of the problems in class; students are to complete all of the problems both sides.

Thursday, 1/14/16: Completing Quiz 3-1 on Multi-Step Equations

Tonight's homework is from the textbook pages, p.214, (1, 3-6, 10) on multi-step equations.

Wednesday, 1/13/16: Quiz 3-1 on Multi-Step Equations

Apologies for the missed post yesterday.

Tonight's homework is from the textbook, pages p.202 (3-10).  Students will need to show their scratch work on notebook paper tonight.

Monday, 1/11/16: Reviewing for Quiz 3-1 on Solving Multi-Step Equations in One Variable

We have a quiz on equations coming up Wednesday, 1/13.  Tonight's homework continues with a practice version of this quiz which I distributed to students last Friday.  Students are to work Short Answer problems 5-8 of this practice.

Friday, 1/8/16: Multi-step Equations in One Variable

We reviewed the homework from last night on multi-step equations in one variable, and are working to strengthen student understanding with them.  We have a quiz on equations coming up Wednesday, 1/13.  Tonight's homework is from a practice version of this quiz which I distributed to students today.  Students are to work Multiple Choice problem #2, and Short Answer problems 1-4 on this practice.

Thursday, 1/7/16: Reviewing Homework on Solving Multi-Step Equations

Tonight's homework is more problems from a photocopy I distributed last Tuesday, "Solving Multi-step Equations."  Now that I've had the students try several last night and we've reviewed them more today, it's time for extensive practice.  Tonight students are to do problems 1-4, 6, and 12-20 on this photocopy.  We'll review the work again Friday.  Our next quiz is on equations, and it is Wednesday of next week.  I will be giving out a practice version of it tomorrow as homework for the weekend.

Parents, in addition to the photocopy I gave students yesterday showing an example worked step-by-step, I gave students the textbook pages for our next portion of the new Unit, on equations.  If you'd like textbook pages to reference, they are from Lesson 7-1, on pages 199-204.  Again, unless your son or daughter was absent today, he or she now has those pages in his or her possession.

Wednesday, 1/6/16: Solving Multi-Step Equations in One Variable

Tonight's homework is from a photocopy that I distributed to the students yesterday, "Multi-step Equations."  Tonight students are to work problems 7-11, showing all steps.  Parents, I'll be passing out the textbook pages tomorrow.  This corresponds to Lesson 7-1, for those with internet access to the electronic textbook resources at my.hrw.com .  Today I gave students a second photocopy with step-by-step instructions / example.

Tuesday, 1/5/16: Foundations of Multi-Step Equations in One Variable

Welcome back, students and parents.  Happy New Year!!

We are starting second semester with solving mult-step equations in one variable.  While the students have seen most of this last year, there was critical foundational work that I needed to use today's short class time to establish.  (These topics were expressions vs. sentences, distributive property, and the idea of an equation being an expression equal to an expression.)

I distributed a photocopy, "Multi-Step Equations," to the students today.  I did not feel that they had adequate preparation to complete problems from this yet, so no formal homework is assigned for tonight.  However, tomorrow's homework, due Thursday, is problems 7-11 from this photocopy.  Having laid the foundation today, the students will be in good shape for this tomorrow night.  Additionally, when we've had even more time to review the homework the next day, I'll be assigning far more practice.