Show Me What You Know!!

Students are working on a project in class that will demonstrate what they know about 5 main 8th grade topics. We will be taking an end of the year assessment on all topics for the year but I want to give you a different chance to show me (and yourself) that you have mastered these topics.

You will be demonstrating your mastery of the following 5 concepts.

1. Equations of Lines  (Topic 2 - Lessons 7, 8, and 9)
1. Slope
2. Y-intercept
3. Y = mx + b
4. Graphing a line from an equation
5. Writing the equation from a graph

2. Integer Exponent Rules  (Topic 1 - Lessons 6 and 7)
1. Product of Powers Property
2. Power of Products Property
3. Power of a Power Property
4. Quotient of Powers Property
5. Zero Exponent Property
6. Negative Exponent Property

3. Functions (Topic 3 - Lessons 1, 2, and 3)
1. How do you know a relation is a function?
2. Identify functions as equations, tables and graphs
3. Linear vs Nonlinear Functions

4. Transformations (Topic 6 - Lessons 1, 2, 3, and 4)
1. Translations
2. Reflections
3. Rotations
4. Combination of 2-3 Transformations

5. Solving Equations and Systems of Equations  (Topic 2 - Lessons 1, 2, 3, and 4 & Topic 5 - Lessons 2 and 3)
1. Solving equations with variables on both sides
2. Solving multistep equations
3. Equations with No Solutions or Infinitely many solutions
4. Solving a system of equations by graphing
5. Solving a system of equations by substitution

Students will have a total of 14 in class days to complete the 5 topics. Two topics are due on May 26, two on June 2nd, and the last topic is due on June 7. These are assessment grades. The end of the year assessment is open notes and students will have 3 class periods to complete the 30 problems. All students received a Study Guide for the final assessment on May 23rd to help them prepare. Students are also receiving daily class work grades on their completed work.

It's that time!

Math MCAS will be this Thursday and Friday for 8th graders.  In an effort to make your students the most prepared possible, all assignments for Topics 7 and 8 are due by Wednesday evening.  I will not take any late work in Pearson after that.  All of the assignments were due last week so there is extra time built in to that schedule.

There will be no homework for the week if they need that time.  In class we will be reviewing concepts from earlier this year.  Please encourage your students to be on time and rested for Thursday and Friday.

Next week we will continue our work with the Pythagorean Theorem and Volume of 3D figures.

Have a nice week!

Can you believe it???

4th term is here!  I have one quarter left with your darlings before they move on to high school.  A couple of notes and dates along the way -

1.  8th graders will take the ELA MCAS on April 25th and 26th.
     Math MCAS - May 4th and 5th
     Science MCAS - May 15th and 16th

2.  In order to be eligible for the end of the year events for 8th graders, they must be passing all classes for the year, have less than 10 unexcused absences, and have no discipline referrals beginning April 4th.

3.  In class we are using a variety of resources as we complete the 8th grade curriculum.  Sometimes on paper and sometimes on Pearson Realize online or in a workbook.  My math students have homework EVERY day.  Homework may not be turned in late - unless students are absent.  I am trying to get them ready for high school rules.

4.  There will be an Extra Credit assignment available over the April break.

Please let me know how I can help!

Transformation Online Tool

To access the Transformation game we will be using in class Friday, click here.

http://www.mathgames.com/skill/8.17-identify-reflections-rotations-and-translations

Extra Credit Opportunity over February Break

Students may use the desmos website to work on the Marblehead Challenge for extra credit.  Due Monday, February 27 https://student.desmos.com?prepopulateCode=2ksab

Desmos Sign In

Here is the class code for Desmos - https://student.desmos.com/?prepopulateCode=sudr6

China - Days 12 and 13

Standing in the parking garage at the base of the Great Wall, our friend, Jordan, asks us whether we want to take the cable car up to the wall or walk up.  "It's about 20 minutes in the cable car and an hour to walk up."  We chose to walk. An hour? That's not bad.....

What he didn't tell us was that the walk was more than 4000 steps pretty much straight up.  Luckily it was cold outside because we were soon quite warm. Although strenuous the sight was amazing.  Once we got to the Wall the walking was quite as bad. The Wall itself stretches  for more than 13,000 miles and was started over 2000 years ago.  Only 3-4 sections are open to the public. Inside one of e fire towers was a piece of material in a wooden frame for visitors to sign. #positivelywareham is now on the Great Wall!  I think for all of us but definitely me, being there was a bucket list moment. Something that we never really expected we would do.

We started on the Wall at fire tower 10, walked over to tower 14 and then back to 6. Why back to 6? Of course, to take the tobaggon down the mountain.  It looked like the luge on a metal track.  You pulled on the stick to slow down and pushed it to the front to speed up.  It was great fun!

We did some shopping and ate lunch in the small town at the base of the Wall and then got back in the car to go to the Olympic village. The summer Olympics were held in Beijing in 2008 and they have just been named the city for the Winter Olympics in 2022.

We walked around the Olympic park next to the Bird's Nest Stadium and went into the Water Cube where Michael Phelps won his 8 gold medals.  As we sat in the swimming pool area we learned that it would be converted to the curling courts in 2022.

Dinner out (fish head soup and fried doughnuts specialties) and a quick stop at the supermarket, WuMart, on the way back to the residence. The supermarket was crazy buys - just like right before Christmas!

Day 13

Our final morning - breakfast, packing, weighing our bags, rearranging, weighing again! How did we buy this much? Then it is off to the airport! Goodbye, Beijing! It has been a wonderful experience with friendships made and many exchanges. A language difference which seemed insurmountable a few days ago is nothing now.  Thank you!

China - Day 11

I don't know where to begin today to describe the emotion of watching the Chinese teachers present their final presentations. Wen we first arrived 10 days ago, STEAM, Brain Gym and student centered teaching were new topics and a radical difference to their way of education. Today they presented with two different presentations about how they could integrate these ideas into their classes - things we take for granted. The day ended with a ceremony concluding the 50 hours of work with tears on both sides and beautiful sentiments and gifts. They kept telling us how much we had given them but they gave us so much more.

Ms. Stahmer posted about how small the world had become and her cousin replied that our worlds had gotten bigger.  Being able to sit with and talk to them about their lives and schools allowed us to see into their world in a way that tourist travel does not.  Relationships were formed that I hope will last.

Some sayings became the mottos of our trip -
One smile or laugh takes 10 years from your age.
Smiles are universal
Good house - my family, NO wolf! Pig a pig a pig.
Teaching is beyond just the textbook.
Expect the best!
See Dr. Slurpy drive.
Movement is an universal language.
Our job is to help our students find their passion.
Move beyond your comfort zone.
A dream is not just something that happens in your sleep.
Ma Duh
Teaching should touch your heart.
Hello kindest teacher!
Action to Achieve.
Boy!
Teeeeee-cher.......


Another wonderful dinner and then off to bed.  We are going to the Great Wall tomorrow.

China - Day 10

Today we talked about our Innovation Day and Eco-Product projects.  As we introduced ideas to teachers who had never imagined that such things were possible, we showed a video from Innovation Day with our now 10th graders.  As much as the Chinese teachers enjoyed watching them and listening to them, we also loved seeing those faces and hearing about the great things they are doing. At the same time we were getting messages about the Women's Marches happening in the US.   To hear of fellow teachers and past students (DG and MH to name a couple) have the freedom to rally made us so proud to be Americans.  We also listened to these teachers practice their final presentations and realized that we did make a difference for them as they had for us.

After classes - and some games of Uno with the kids - we set off on an adventure to the Emperor's Summer Palace.  Originally we thought it would be too cold but we bundled up arriving there at about 5 PM and 30 degrees. As you begin to walk in through the buildings you realize it is a huge park built for the emperor's entertainment - almost 1.1 square miles with 3/4 of that being a giant lake.  Our guide, Ming, said it takes about 5 hours to walk around all of it.  Dusk was beginning to set in when we arrive and we left in the dark.  The lake which is man made was iced over and there were many skaters enjoying the evening.  When they dug it out they used the dirt to make the hills surrounding it.  It was an amazingly tranquil and peaceful place and we really enjoyed the hike and fresh air.

After dinner which was again amazing, we graced our friends with our sing along of American 70s hits.  I wonder why they turned the radio up??????

China - Days 8 and 9

We started the morning earlier today leaving at about 7 AM to go to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.  It was chilly - about 16 degrees but we bundled up.  Traffic here is crazy. Partly due to the number of cars but more because of the lack of rules. Drivers just go - sometimes all directions and turns at once.  LOTS of horns! Bicycles, motorbikes, scooters, small electric cars - all at one time.  We tried to get a picture when a bicycle with two dead animal carcasses drove by us.  It took about an hour to get there - about 8 miles.

Once through the Security checkpoints, (NO! No pictures! Of police or army - that was for Ms. Stahmer) you enter through a number of gates where the courtyards get smaller and more private.  I remember watching the events unfold in Tiananmen Square in 1989. It was one of those pivotal moments in my understanding of human rights. It was surreal to stand there and imagine those events that I watched. Students, google it!  It is remarkably similar to protests in the US right now but with radically different results. You are very lucky!

The palace was amazing. Again so strange to be seeing what you have seen in pictures. I have lots of those that I will share.  One of things that struck me was the intricate detail on so many surfaces. I have pictures of many. The painting on the outside of the buildings, the carved wood work, the window screens, the pattern of the tiled roofs, even the tiled walkways.  When we went through the different buildings and courtyards with each one being more inclusive we ended in the Hidden Garden which even in winter was stunning and radiated peace.

A couple of facts -
1.  The center staircases are closed because only the emperor could walk through and on them.
2. Women were not allowed past the first courtyard.
3. Chinese talk about the "right time" so that although you may get married on a day - odd numbers only and never four - what time you get married may vary.  You would dress in the dressing house and wait until the time was right to move to the wedding house.
4. An empress would have 100 dishes at every meal but could only take 3 bites of any one dish so that no one knew her favorites to poison.
5. She would have 65 personal attendants.
6. The entire palace is made of wood. There is only one building in the garden that has never burned. Some of the buildings date to the 1400s.

We were back to the training by 11 for afternoon classes.  Ours were beginning their designs for the Egg Drop Challenge.  Just like students they cannot wait to drop them!

One of the interns who works with Boston Ivy, Sean, had been talking about the trainings with his parents who are both principals.  They arranged a special meeting to talk about STEAM, Brain Gym, and teacher leadership.  We met for about 3 hours with 8 members of staff from 2 schools.  As a gift at the end they presented each of us with beautiful silk scarves.

Today was the Lunar New Year so we celebrated with a dinner of about 30 dishes including "hamburgers," doughnuts, candied apples, 4 mushroom dishes, eggplant, fish stew, pumpkin, lotus flowers, greens, chicken wings, tofu, noodles, .......

A long day but a good one.

The next day was spent at training either with teachers or students.  With the students we read the Three Little Pigs and made houses for them.  I brought small plastic pigs so we practiced our colors.  One girl, Cindy, named one of her pigs Jack and the others were named Pig Pig and Pig Pig Pig.  She made them an extra pig bathroom.

The teachers dropped their eggs! Great excitement!  They are working on their presentations for the last day of class.

After classes, we received traditional Chinese foot massages. It was amazing.  One of the best parts was being there with Dr. Jane who is ticklish and laughed out loud for a lot of it.  They even used the cups from the other day on the bottom of our feet to draw the negative energy out.  Doing this is way outside my comfort zone - embracing new experiences.

Dinner was at a vegetarian restaurant. It felt like a temple or church.  Extremely peaceful and the food was beautiful and wonderful tasting.  Dessert was a mountain made of shaved ice and cascading black bean sauce with fruit as decorations.  True for the whole trip - the vegetable dishes are my favorite.  Lotus root looks like moon rock.

Back pretty early and off to sleep. ....

China - Day 7

I am sorry about not being able to see the pictures.  It seems it is a Google problem so no pictures for now.  I have tons and am posting some on Facebook and Instagram if your have access.

Today we were back with the English teachers.  In our STEAM classes they were building a stronger chair as an apology for Goldilocks breaking Little Bear's chair along with an apology note.  They had 3 straws, 4 popsicle sticks, 4 pipe cleaners, 2 pieces of paper, and tape and they had to hold a juice box.  They were great! Many had decorations - one even a beach umbrella.  The whole idea is to integrate other subjects - in this case Engineering into their English classes. Right now, students just sit and work through a workbook or teachers lecture.  It's a big change!  The next part of the morning was our small group discussions. Today's topic was about the best advice but got off topic. They were asking whether I bought my sons a house.  Tradition here is that the parents of the groom pay for the wedding and everything and buy their sons their houses.  No wonder they looked shocked when I said I had three sons. Sorry guys!

After a quick nap, we visited a Chinese doctor for traditional medicine.  I have been battling a wicked cold - stuffy head, cough, fever, ears blocked - pretty much since I got here. So I thought what the heck let's try it.  He used cuppping to clear the cold - putting glass cups on my back with fire and suction that pulls out the toxins.  I haven't needed any medicine since   Totally gone! He took my pulse and asked about my shoulder. I have a tear on one of the tendons. 4 months of physical therapy over the spring and summer really helped but he suggested acupuncture. I didn't tell him about it or anyone else.  He knew from my pulse in my wrist. He inserted the needles across the back of my neck. My shoulder was sore last night but I have a better range of motion today. It was truly an experience.

A quick dinner of a different style of Chinese food - almost barbecued.  And off to sleep.....

China - Days 5 and 6

Today we began working with Chinese administrators. The Assistant Superintendent said as she opened the Professional Development that this was the first STEAM presentation EVER in China.  For me, this was a scary moment.  They were looking at us as models for innovative and extreme change.  Wow!

Most of these principals and lead teachers did not speak English so we would say a sentence and then a translator would say it in Chinese. It was a different experience.  Our first presentation was mostly us talking but after lunch we had them do a project like we would the students.  They had to build the tallest tower with only paper and tape that would hold an apple for 10 seconds. They were really excited and very competitive.  Just like students.  As Ms. Taber said, "Smiles are universal."

We also spent some time with about 7 students on a building project.  One of those students had the best smile!

After training was over we went shopping at the Pearl Market. Four floors of souvenirs, electronics, pearls, jade ... FUN!  I made a great new friend named Luna.  We practiced saying Chinese words and discussed what our Chinese names should be. Ms. Taber's new name is Egg Drop Sue because she dropped one on her leg!  I will show some of my treasures when I get back.  Dinner out, a quick trip to the mall, and then back for rest ......

Day 6

Today was the second day of our Professional Development for administrators about STEAM, Teacher Leadership and Brain Gym.  Our part of the day was to work with them on the Egg Drop project.  Just like students, they got a bag of supplies and had to create a device that would keep the Egg from breaking when dropped from the 2nd floor.  We weren't sure how it would work but wow, were they excited.  They worked, they tested, they laughed, they popped balloons, they had FUN!  It was like watching light bulbs going off all over the room.  We also asked them to write the steps of the Engineering Design Process just like we would with students,

About an hour with the students and then we're back to test the Egg Drop devices. It was crazy. They had a blast dropping them down the stair well.  Ms. Taber and I posed with each team and their posters. 6 out of the 8 eggs survived. We finished the afternoon with a closing ceremony.  Many teachers talked about what they learned and how they might use it in their class. Pretty cool.

We took a ride to an old military base that had been turned into an artist colony and then to dinner at the mall. Everywhere is decorated with beautiful lights and statues for the Spring Festival.  School is out for one month and businesses are closed for 2 weeks. There are more decorations than even during Christmas in the US. Early to bed tonight...

China - Day 4

We spent all day today at the school with the Chinese teachers. Part of the time we worked on a STEAM project but for a couple of hours we sit and talk to them about whatever so they can practice their English.  Today we talked about heroes. Almost everyone chose a family member - Mom or Dad.  I am writing this at 4:30 AM on Tuesday morning but it is MLK day in the US. He was one of my heroes. Who is your hero? How would you answer that question? I told them although I admire many, especially my family, that my youngest son, Baylen, and my niece are mine. Their courage was amazing in making changes in their lives  - even though they are both goof balls.  Very hard to translate goof ball.

This was really the first day that the smog was bad. When you looked at the sun it looked like the moon.  You could look right at it. The picture below was it through the buildings.  They are getting ready for their Spring Festival - decorating sort of like we do for Christmas - lights everywhere. They asked me if I had real live trees in my house at Christmas.  Very surprised when I said I had two.

Dinner tonight was traditional hot pot.  In the middle of the table we're two pots of boiling broth. One was mushroom the other was spicy!  Very spicy!  You put whatever you wanted to eat into the broth and it cooked it.  They had a sauce station where you could mix whatever you wanted to dip everything in with about 25 choices like garlic, chives, sesame oil, Thai hot chiles, ..... you could cook vegetables, tofu, lamb, beef, lots of mushrooms, even melon.

 A traditional dancer came by and a boy who twirled noodles.

Hard to explain that one.  I have videos of those!

Oh, in continuing saga of my shower, I flooded my room this morning.  The drain backed up and water was everywhere. Ms. Taber said it was too bad it wasn't still really cold in my room because I could have had an ice rink!

China - Day 3

An early morning and then back to the school.  Today Ms. Taber and I taught different classes about the Engineering Design Process and then led discussion groups about who their favorite teacher was. They wanted to know what my students would say about me.  Hmmmmmm.........

We returned to the residence after lunch and worked on our lesson plans for the next several days. We are going to change some of them to better fit the teachers we are working with.  They asked us to go over to the school to work with 4-6 students.  It ended up being about 50!

In my group I had grades 5-8 just like WMS.  Even though their English was limited - I was teeeeeecher - it was interesting to see they acted just like all of you.  In my mind I matched them with some of you.  There was some flirting going on among the older kids.  Who of you could that be??

After we came back, Ming said she was taking us somewhere fun - to Ho Hi.  I kept thinking of Snow White and Hi Ho Hi Ho it's from to work we go.  Houhai is an area of shops and restaurants surrounding the river. Part of the river was iced over and they were skating - on skates, on bicycles that had skis so that you pedaled and it went forward and chairs to push with skis on them.  Can we make the bicycles?  We stopped and ate dinner - Dumplings and Peking noodles.  The lights and decorations were beautiful. We walked awhile but it was really cold.

One last note, bathrooms are not the same everywhere in the world.  Many places like here have what they call squatty potties which are basically holes in the floor.  Sometimes with stalls, but not always. First experience.  Hmmmmm........

China - Day 2

Up at about 6 AM to get ready for breakfast to go to teach. First challenge is to use the shower. It is on the wall and there is no shower or shower curtain. I successfully got everything in the bathroom soaking wet.  The controls for the shower are about 7 feet. How tall is Ms. Taber?  Nope, I didn't laugh at all......

Breakfast was Cheerios, tea, and bean cakes. Onto school. We are teaching four classes - elementary English teachers, middle/high school English teachers, principals and students. Sometimes Ms. Taber and I are together and sometimes separate.  The bicycles are everywhere. While we were out we passed some men transporting a refrigerator on a bicycle.

We went to the mall to go to Starbucks - tastes the same. And back for lunch. With chopsticks!

Another class in the afternoon this time with elementary teachers. We had to explain what a cranberry was. Not surprising considering the distance but harder than we imagined.  We introduced ourselves and STEAM.  During some conversations abouwhat school is like here we learned -
Students take examinations in 4 subjects at least twice a year. Math, English, Chinese, and Science. The school day is at least 8 hours and often longer. Homework takes 2-3 hours minimum - every day. There are some sports but few kids participate as school takes up so much time.  The teachers worry about many of the same things I do.

Dinner was amazing at a Chinese restaurant where hey just brought dishes out - about 20 of them. Beef, fish, chicken tofu, Peking duck, papaya squares, bean cakes, bokshoy, lotus flowers, eggplant, fried shrimp, fried milk, and many more. You ate family style odd a rotating lazy Susan.  With chopsticks or not...

Time to sleep! Good night ....

China Journal - Day 1

Our trip started with a text at 3 AM saying that our flight had been delayed - not an hour or so but 8 hours.  Instead of leaving at 9 AM we wouldn't leave until 5 PM and would miss our flight from Newark, NJ to Beijing.  A relatively quick call to United and we were leaving from Providence instead of Boston. It was actually an easier airport. Soon we were sitting at the gate!

The flight to Newark was easy and then onto the very large airplane for the trip to China. We left New Kersey at about 1:30 in the afternoon and flew northwest up across the Great Lakes and Canada.  Soon we were flying in the dark.  About 11:30  PM I woke up and Ms. Taber told me that we had come across the line dividing night from day and even though it was night for us - almost midnight - it was light outside!  I've included some of the pictures from the 3D map we watched on the flight.  

As I am writing this it is almost 2AM Friday morning in Wareham and almost 3PM in the afternoon in Beijing.  Almost 1 1/2 hours left of the 13 hour flight.

Through Immigration, Customs, pick up the baggage and we are ready to meet Ms. Stahmer and Jordan, our escort. It's now about 5 PM here and about 4 AM in Wareham. Jordan drove us to where we were staying about an hour away in traffic in downtown Beijing. Traffic is CRAZY.  

We got to the residence hall just in time for dinner. Believe it or not, we had Pizza Hut! 

Prodigy

Happy First Snow!

We began using a new game this week in class called Prodigy.  It really is math homework!  If you see your students playing the game and they tell you they are doing homework, believe them.  In order to defeat other players or restore their health they have to answer math problems.  You should expect to see them playing for about 10 minutes 1 to 2 times per week.  If you see them playing more and they are getting their other work done, then that is great!

Have a nice week!

Welcome to 2017

Wow! This holiday break went quickly!

I just put all the homework and class work assignments from January 2 - January 27 on the Homework page.  My last day in class before our trip to China is January 11th but STEAM students have a field trip that day to the Museum of Science.  I will be returning on January 27th.

Term 2 ends on January 20th.  All work completed in Topic 2 will count towards their term 2 grade.   We may or may not have access to the internet in China so I will not be able to reassign lessons while gone.  Please let me know how I can help before then.

Trip to China

I wanted to let you know that I will be out for 10 days in January.  From 1/12 - 1/26 I will be part of a team of teachers that will be teaching Chinese teachers and students about STEAM programs during their winter break.  While I do not like to be away from my classes - and your students - for that long I am hoping that I can not only share some of the great things our students do but also learn about some different ideas to bring back for them.

I have already talked to all students about this but wanted to also make sure that you were informed.  Internet availability is questionable in China and Google is banned which means that our email system will not be available to us while we are gone.  Term 2 ends while I will be gone - on January 20th.  Students will have assignments while I am gone - mostly online like we are doing currently - and time in class to work on them with all of the available resources they have now in the program - videos, help guides, etc.  The difference will be that I will put all of the grades into the gradebook when on the day we return.  There will not be a chance to redo assignments.  Report cards go home on 1/30.  I have always been pretty lenient about allowing students to redo and makeup work but I am giving them a lot of advance notice that for these assignments that won’t be an option.  I will assign two copies of the lesson quiz for each lesson before I go so they will all have a 2nd chance and make sure they have all notes and other materials for them before I go.  

Please let me know if you have any questions - now or before the trip.  There will be an extra credit assignment over the holiday break.  Please check the class website at lasorsamath8.blogspot.com for up to date listings of homework and other notes.

I hope you all have a healthy and happy holiday and New Year!

Bonnie Lasorsa

blasorsa@wareham.k12.ma.us

Welcome to December!

We completed our math project on Fractions, Decimals and Integers right before Thanksgiving.  Students took a quiz on the Tuesday before break and were given the option to make corrections to the quiz in order to raise their grades.  Quiz corrections are due on Friday, December 2nd.  There was also an extra credit packet available over the break.

We will be begin moving a little quicker starting this week.  We will be working on Lessons 2-2 and Lesson 2-3 this week.  Students have homework every night Monday-Thursday.  Two nights they have 10 problems to complete on Tenmarks and the other two nights a video to watch and take notes on.  It is important that they watch the video in advance of class as it is a preview to the material that will be covered in class.  They may always continue working on their MathXL and Lesson Quizzes for each section at home.

Please let me know if you have any questions!