Week of 4/5/10 - Unit 5 Test Results

On Friday, the Algebra students took their Unit 5 Test. Our goal was for each student to demonstrate at least 80% mastery. Since there were 15 questions,  you had to get at least 12 correct. Congratulations to all students who met our Big Goal and demonstrated mastery of Unit 5!

There were several students who had outstanding performance.

Kilian Kistenbroker answered 15 out of 15 questions correctly!

Samrawet Samuel answered 14 out of 15 questions correctly!

In addition to the students mentioned already, Salena Escalante and Ryan Niederer met our goal of 80% mastery.

Great work, everyone!!

Below are class results of the Unit 5 Test.

Period	Average (Raw)	Average %	Students Above 80%	Total Students
1	5.6	37%	0	30
3	7.3	45%	5	32

Test Corrections:
Test corrections will take place Tuesday and Wednesday during lunch in my room.  Students can earn half credit for questions they correct.

Retakes:
Only students who come in to complete the test corrections will be eligible for the retake.  Retakes earn full credit points and replace the original test grade.  This will take place in room 802 (Math Lab) on Wednesday after school from 2pm - 3pm.

This week, the Algebra students will begin their unit on rational expressions.  We will be covering how to simplify, multiply, and divide rational expressions before spring break.  Over spring break, the students are to continue on the assigned questions from the CST packet (17 questions total).

This week, the 6th grade students will be wrapping up the short unit on probability and will take their Unit 6 Test on Friday.  They, too, will be given a CST packet and are to work on questions #1-9 during spring break.


6th Grade HW
Mon (4/5) - Pg. 356 #1-4, Pg. 359 #1-3
Tue (4/6) - Pg. 360 #4-8
Wed (4/7) - Pg. 364 #1-5
Thu (4/8) - Unit 6 Study Guide
Fri (4/9) - CST packet #1-9


8th Grade HW
Mon (4/5) - CST packet #17-23
Tue (4/6) - CST packet #24-32
Wed (4/7) - CST packet #33-39
Thu (4/8) - Quiz 22 Practice Problems
Fri (4/9) - CST packet #40-56

Week of 3/29/10

This week, 6th graders will continue their study of probability.



This week, Algebra students will be preparing for the Unit 5 Test and the CST.

Remember: you can get extra math help in the following locations.

	Homework Center	Math Lab
Location	Library	Room 802 (near cafeteria)
Days	M, W, Th	M, W, Th
Times	2pm - 4pm	2pm - 3pm
Ms. Li times	Wed. 3pm - 4pm	Wed. 2pm - 3pm

6th Grade HW
Mon. (3/29): Pg. 404 #1-10
Tue. (3/30): Pg. 408 #1-10
Wed. (3/31): Pg. Pg. 412 #1-7
Thu. (4/1): Quiz 20 Practice Problems
Fri. (4/2): No HW (Quiz today)

8th Grade HW
Mon. (3/29): CST packet #1-8
Tue. (3/30): CST packet #9-12
Wed. (3/31): CST packet #13-16
Thu. (4/1): Unit 5 Practice Problems
Fri. (4/2): No HW (Test today)

Week of 3/22/10 - Unit 5 Test Results

On Friday, the 6th graders took their Unit 5 Test. Our goal was for each student to demonstrate at least 80% mastery. Since there were 25 questions, that means you had to get at least 20 correct. Congratulations to all students who met our Big Goal and demonstrated mastery of Unit 5!

There were several students who had outstanding performance.

Melissa Murphy, Hannah Streu, Hilina Mekuria and Leonardo Robles Gonzalez answered 25 out of 25 questions correctly!

Jose Ruelas and Noah Pierce answered 24 out of 25 questions correctly!

In addition to the students mentioned already, the following students met our goal of 80% mastery:
Grant Cooperman, Jalen Fleming, Sophie Coover, Josh Oceguera, Gaby Rodriguez, Cayla Antonio, Kainoah Analone-Pinheir, Rachel Kiep, Danielle LaFrom, and Dara Masri.

Great work, everyone!!

Below are class results of the Unit 5 Test.

Period	Average (Raw)	Average %	Students Above 80%	Total Students
4	16.9	68%	5	26
5	16.8	67%	4	27
6	15.3	61%	7	31

Test Corrections:
Test corrections will take place Tuesday and Wednesday during lunch in my room.  Students can earn half credit for questions they correct.

Retakes:
Only students who come in to complete the test corrections will be eligible for the retake.  Retakes earn full credit points and replace the original test grade.  This will take place in room 802 (Math Lab) on Wednesday after school from 2pm - 3pm.


6th Grade HW
Mon (3/22) - No HW
Tue (3/23) - Pg. 388 #3-8
Wed (3/24) - Pg. 392 #6-15
Thu (3/25) - Quiz 19 Practice Problems
Fri (3/26) - No HW (Quiz today)


8th Grade HW
Mon (3/22) - Pg. 607 #1-7, 15-17
Tue (3/23) - Pg. 607 #8-14, 24-26
Wed (3/24) - Quadratic Word Problems Worksheet
Thu (3/25) - Quiz 21 Practice Problems
Fri (3/26) - No HW (Quiz today)

Unit Test 5 is here!  6th graders will be taking their unit test (on geometry) this Friday.  Remember, we want every student to demonstrate at least 80% mastery on the assessment.  A study guide was distributed last Friday and will be due this Friday.  

Unit Test 5 for 8th graders will be next week.  Get ready!  This week, we will be continuing our study of the quadratic equation and using it to solve word problems.

I'm not sure if everyone is aware of this resource, but we have opened a Math Lab that meets in room 802 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays to help students with math homework only (the Homework Center is for all subjects). The math lab is open from 2pm-3pm (the Homework Center is open until 4pm). This is a quieter, smaller, place for students to get help with their math homework. Please come here if you would like additional help. It, too, is staffed by John Muir math teachers.

	Homework Center	Math Lab
Location	Library	Room 802 (near cafeteria)
Days	M, W, Th	M, W, Th
Times	2pm - 4pm	2pm - 3pm
Ms. Li times	Wed. 3pm - 4pm	Wed. 2pm - 3pm

Homework for the week is as follows.


6th Grade HW
Tue. (3/16): Pg. 475 #14-17, 20-22; Pg. 476 #26-29
Wed. (3/17): Pg. 477 #19-28, Pg. 545 #7, 8
Thu. (3/18): Unit 5 Study Guide
Fri. (3/18): No HW (Unit Test 5 today)

8th Grade HW
Tue. (3/16): Pg. 602 #34-39

Wed. (3/17): Pg. 602 #40-46

Thu. (3/18): Quiz 20 Practice Problems

Fri. (3/18): No HW (Quiz 20 today)

Week of 3/8/10

On Tuesday, all math teachers at John Muir (myself included) will be off-site in a math collaboration meeting.  Homework assigned on Monday and Tuesday will be due on Wednesday.

Another reminder: no school next Monday. 

6th graders will be continuing their geometry unit.  We will be focusing on circles (radius, diameter, circumference, and area) and classifying quadrilaterals.

8th graders will be learning the proof of the quadratic equation and applying it to solve equations.

Homework for the week is as follows.


6th Grade HW
Mon. (3/8): Pg. 508 #8-11; Find the exact and approximate radius, diameter, circumference, and area for each circle.
Tue. (3/9): Circles WS
Wed. (3/10): Pg. 464 #1-10
Thu. (3/10): Quiz 18 Practice Problems

8th Grade HW
Mon. (3/8): Copy quadratic formula proof into HW journal, copy quadratic formula 5 times.
Tue. (3/9): Quadratic Formula Worksheet
Wed. (3/10): Pg. 602 #1-6
Thu. (3/10): Quiz 19 Practice Problems

Week of 2/22/10

Welcome back, everyone!

This week marks the beginning of a new unit and new grading period.

6th graders will be starting a unit on geometry.  We will be classifying angles (acute, obtuse, right, complementary, supplementary, vertical, and adjacent), measuring angles, and finding angle measures using algebra.

8th graders will further their study on quadratic equations by finding roots/x-intercepts/zeroes, completing the square, and discovering the quadratic equation.

Just a few additional announcements:

• Next Tuesday, there will be a writing test.  7th graders will be taking a state test and 6th and 8th graders will be taking a district assessment.  Be on the lookout for shortened classes and one long one for the test.
• I will not be in school on Monday and Tuesday next week.  Because of this, there will not be a quiz on Friday - it has been moved to Monday.  I will use Friday as an instructional day.  Thanks for your understanding!

Homework for the week is as follows.


6th Grade HW
Mon. (2/22): Angles worksheet
Tue. (2/23): Pg. 442 #1-10
Thu. (2/25): Quiz 16 Practice Problems
Fri. (2/26): Extra Credit WS (Quiz on Monday)

8th Grade HW
Mon. (2/22): Pg. 579 #13-22
Tue. (2/23): Pg. 585 # 1-10

Wed (2/24):  Pg. 595 #2-11

Thu. (2/25): Quiz 17 Practice Problems

Fri. (2/26): Extra Credit WS (Quiz on Monday)

Week of 2/8/10 - Unit 4 Test Results

On Friday, the 6th graders took their Unit 4 Test. Our goal was for each student to demonstrate at least 80% mastery. Since there were 25 questions, that means you had to get at least 20 correct. Congratulations to all students who met our Big Goal and demonstrated mastery of Unit 2!

There were several students who had outstanding performance.

Grant Cooperman and Noah Pierce answered 25 out of 25 questions correctly!

Gaby Rodriguez answered 24 out of 25 questions correctly!

In addition to the students mentioned already, the following students met our goal of 80% mastery:
Lindsay Cutler, Nick Escobedo, Colton Jack, Jackie Sealy, Gabe Yee, Kathy Chavez Alvarez, Cayla Antonio, Quentin Gambe, and Emily Renteria.

Great work, everyone!!

Below are class results of the Unit 4 Test.

Period	Average (Raw)	Average %	Students Above 80%	Total Students
4	13.4	54%	7	26
5	14.0	56%	2	27
6	14.3	57%	5	31

Test Corrections / Retakes:
I am reconsidering allowing test corrections and retakes.  My original intent was to give students a second chance at demonstrating mastery and correcting mistakes.  I wanted them to go back and see what they did wrong.  However, it has come to my attention that many students know that they have a second chance and therefore are not making the initial effort to study for the test and even try to do well on the test.  I noticed several students daydreaming during the test even after repeated reminders to get back on task.  Some students explained that they were just going to do the re-take anyway so this test didn't matter.

At this time, students may come in after school on Monday and Wednesday to do test corrections for half credit, but I will not be offering re-takes.  In the future, I may eliminate both test corrections and re-takes or only offer those opportunities to students who correctly answer at least 15 out of 25 questions.

6th Grade HW
This week we are having benchmarks on Tuesday and Wednesday and I will not be assigning any homework this week.


8th Grade HW
8th graders also have benchmarks, but they also have their Unit 4 Test on Friday.  Their homework will be to complete the Unit 4 Practice Problems packet.  This is due on Friday.  Below is our schedule.
Mon. (2/8): Review for test / work on packet in class

Tue. (2/9): Benchmark
Wed. (2/10): Benchmark
Thu. (2/11): Practice Test
Fri. (2/12): Unit 4 Test