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!

Operations Review Project

due Tuesday, November 22 at the beginning of class

This will count as a Project/Assessment grade.  There is also a quiz on Tuesday, 11/22.

We will be reviewing these topics in class but I also put some videos on our website under the Exit Ticket if you need some extra review.

In order to review operations with fractions, integers and decimals, each student needs to create a display - could be a comic book, a booklet, a Google Slides presentation, or poster - if you have another idea, ask me.

The display must include -

1. Fractions (15 points)
1. How to add fractions with unlike denominators
1. Explanation (1 point)
2. 2 Sample problems (2 points)
2. How to subtract fractions with unlike denominators
1. Explanation (1 point)
2. 2 Sample problems (2 points)
3. Addition and Subtraction with Mixed numbers
1. 1 sample problem with addition (1 point)
2. 1 sample problem with subtraction (1 point)
4. How to multiply fractions
1. Explanation (1 point)
2. 2 sample problems (2 points)
1. 1 must include a negative fraction or mixed number
2. 1 must include a mixed number
5. How to divide fractions
1. Explanation (1 point)
2. 3 sample problems (3 points)
1. 1 must include a negative fraction or mixed number
2. 1 must include a mixed number
3. 1 must include solving an equation with a fractional coefficient -
1. Example:   4/15x = 8  Solve for x.
2. Decimals (12 points)
1. How to add decimals
1. Explanation (1 point)
2. 2 Sample problems (2 points)
1. 1 must include a negative decimal
2. How to subtract decimals
1. Explanation (1 point)
2. 2 Sample problems (2 points)
1. 1 must include a negative decimal
3. How to multiply decimals
1. Explanation (1 point)
2. 2 sample problems (2 points)
1. 1 must include a decimal
4. How to divide decimals
1. Explanation (1 point)
2. 2 sample problems (2 points)
1. 1 must include a negative decimal
2. 1 must include solving an equation with a decimal coefficient -
1. Example:  (-0.3)x = 12  Solve for x.
3. Integers (13 points)
1. How to add integers
1. Explanation - must include neg + neg and neg + pos (1 point)
2. 2 Sample problems (2 points)
1. Must include a positive + a negative
2. Must include a negative + a negative
2. How to subtract integers
1. Explanation - must include neg - neg and neg - pos (1 point)
2. 2 Sample problems (2 points)
1. Must include a negative - a positive
2. Must include a negative - a negative
3. How to multiply integers
1. Explanation - must include + * +, - * -, -* + (1 point)
2. 2 sample problems (2 points)
1. Must include a negative * a positive
2. Must include a negative * a negative
4. How to divide integers
1. Explanation - must include +/+, -/-, -/+ (1 point)
2. 2 sample problems (3 points)
1. Must include a negative / a positive
2. Must include a negative / a negative
3. Must include a positive / a negative

Total Grade

1. Fractions - 15 points
2. Decimals - 12 points
3. Integers - 13 points
4. Neatness - 10 points
5. Creativity - 5 extra credit points

Total - 50 points + 5 extra credit

Fractions, Decimals and Integers! Oh my!!

There has been a lot of confusion this week with our beginning attempts at solving equations with fractions, decimals and positive and negative numbers.  So at the request of several students we are going to step back and do some review work this week - culminating in both a quiz and a project on these review topics before Thanksgiving.

I have placed many videos on separate pages that will explain operations with fractions, decimals, and integers.  Plus you can search the Virtual Nerd library from this link on any math topic.

Virtual Nerd library

Term 2 Begins

Term 2 began this past Thursday, November 3rd.  Report cards for Term 1 will go home on Thursday, November 10th.

Based on the work completed during Term 1 by the students, we are returning to a more traditional grading policy for Term 2.

Assessments (Quizzes, Topic Assessments, and Projects):  50%
Class Work: 30%
Homework: 10%
Notebook: 10%

Students will have homework every night - Monday through Thursdays.  At least 2 of those nights, their homework will be to watch a video and take notes.  The other nights their homework will be to complete work on TenMarks, an online skills based program.  Homework that is not completed can not be made up unless a student is absent.  If it is submitted a day late, students can receive a maximum of 75%.  If it is submitted 2 days late, the maximum is 50%.  After that it will receive 0 credit.  A listing of the homework assigned for the week is available both on our blog and in PowerSchool when you click on their math grade.

Online lesson quizzes and MathXL assignments will count as class work grades at the percentage received in the program.  Students still need 80% on a lesson quiz to move on to the next lesson.  Although assigned in class students may still work on MathXL and Lesson quizzes at home if they choose.

We are currently working on Solving Equations including positive/negative numbers, fractions and decimals.  There are a lot of steps involved and a lot of past ideas needed.  It is a difficult topic but a foundation for much of the work for the remainder of this year and on into Algebra 1 next year.  Please be patient with grades and frustration levels!  Let me know how I can help you or your student.

Envisions Math Night for Parents in grades 6-8

Please join us on Thursday, 11/3 from 5-6:30 PM at WMS for a presentation about our new math program - Pearson Realize Envisions.  You will be able to login and see what your students see every day.  Any questions or for more information, please contact me.

Final Assignment Dates for Term 1

All work on the lessons including MathXL and Lesson Quizzes should be complete by this Wednesday, October 19.

Class time to work on the Real Number Project - Thursday, October 20 and Monday, October 24.  It is due at the end of class on October 24th.  Students have the directions and a rubric for the grading.

Students will receive their Study Guides for the Topic 1 Assessment on Thursday, October 20th.  We will be reviewing it in class on Tuesday, October 25th.

Topic 1 Assessment is on Wednesday, October 26th.

Grades close for Term 1 on Halloween, Monday, October 31st.

Topic 1 Assessment

We will be completing Topic 1 - Real Numbers by the end of next week.  The assessment for that topic will be on Friday 10/21.  It will cover all work from Lesson 1-1 through 1-10.  Students will also be working on a partner project on Real Numbers due the following week.  They may choose which two concepts from this topic to work with in creating an interactive exhibit.  Details about this assignment will be out soon.

Term 1 closes on November 1st.

A few changes....

I apologize for this being late this week.  I wanted to talk for a minute about a few changes we are going to make in class.  We are using the online program Pearson Realize Envisions in class this year.  For each lesson there are 4 parts -

1.  Watch a video or examples.
2.  Take notes
3.  Complete practice problems in the Math XL assignment to an 80%.  (Help is available as you progress through these problems.)
4.  Complete the Lesson Quiz to 80%.

Once these steps are complete, students move to the next assignment.

Unfortunately many students are not being successful with these steps.  Many say they cannot learn from a video.  Many don't like to take notes.  So we are going to make some changes.  Students who like the process above and are being successful may continue to work as above.  For others we will return to a more traditional method - we will have a lesson in class and then students will work on problems in class and for homework.  Please ask your students if they have work each night.  They should have homework or be working on math EVERY night.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

We are having a Math Night on October 25th for parents of grades 6-8 to come in and learn about the new math program.  Look for more information coming soon.

Term 1 is half way complete.

As hard as it seems, we have completed 1/2 of our first term.  Progress Reports go home this Friday.  Students are beginning to understand how the Envisions/Pearson Realize program works.  For each lesson they have multiple examples and videos and then problems to work on that will "coach" them through the steps.  For each lesson they then complete the Lesson Quiz. A score of 80% allows them to move on to the next lesson.  We should complete Lessons 1-4 (Evaluating Square and Cube Roots) and 1-5 (Solving Equations with Square and Cube Roots) this week.

If students are not on our target lesson, they should be completing work at home.  Other than one Open Response question a week, their homework is to continue working on their lessons.  If connection online is a problem, I have also offered all students a workbook to use as they like.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Envisions

We began work this week on the 8th grade Math curriculum using the Envisions program.  Students will be moving at their own pace.  We worked on notes for Lesson 1-1 Converting Repeating Decimals to Fractions together. 

Each lesson takes about 2 days.  For each lesson, students should -
                   Watch a video(es)
                   Take notes (either Mrs. Lasorsa's or their own)
                   Work through the MathXL practice problems
                   Take the Lesson Quiz (must pass with an 80% before moving on!)

Please ask your students what they are doing and where they are working. Monitoring their own progress is a new skill for many of them. 

Progress reports go home on Friday, September 30th.  In order to have an accurate grade we will be having a quiz and a notebook check on Monday, September 26th.  Students may use their notebooks while completing the quiz.

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback!  Have a nice weekend!

Beginning of September...

It has been a wonderful two weeks getting to know students.  We have spent a lot of our time getting ready for the challenges of 8th grade Math.  My goal for this year is that all students leave this class knowing that they are "good at math" and can become better.

In order to do that, we spent some time talking about Growth Mindset and what it means to try something new, make mistakes and grow neurons.  We have also started a new part of class every day called Number Talks.  We spend some time working on Mental Math and looking at different strategies for solving a problem - concentrating on "thinking about our thinking" or meta-cognition.  The picture to the left is one of the dot talks we looked at.  How can you find how many dots there are without counting each one?  A number of different strategies are listed.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Open House on Wednesday, 9/14 from 5-6:30.  If for whatever reason you cannot make it, please feel free to contact me with questions or comments.

This week we really begin our 8th grade math curriculum using a new program named Pearson Realize Envisions.  We will start the year looking at Real Numbers.