Friday

QUIZ Today!

Today is the final day of the grading period. Students will be taking a quiz comprised of questions from the review that we did in class yesterday. Quiz will cover rounding decimals, estimating decimals, adding and subtracting decimals, and multiplying decimals.

Thursday October 27, 2011

Today students will work on a review to prepare for their quiz tomorrow. I will be taking quiz questions directly from the review. The review sheet they will do in class is below

Rounding decimals –

 Underline the place value, look to the right.  If # to right is 5 or more, round up. 4 or less, # stays

Example:    1.8356   thousandths

               

1.)   54.936   hundredths                                2.)   132.09234   ones                                       3.)  2.362   Tenths

Estimating decimals –

                Find compatible numbers close to the given number, then perform given operation

                Example:  91.394 + 11.0293     à    90 + 10 = 100

4.)   52.924 x 4.23                                    5.)  26.43 ÷ 4.834                                     6.)  76.0394 – 24.42

Adding and Subtracting decimals –

                Line up decimals, add zeros if necessary, add decimal in sum or difference, perform operation

                Example: 2.543 + 13.93                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

7.)   34.0945 + 123.4823                                  8.)  2.34 + 12.032                               9.)   0.0345 + 3.842

10.)  43.104 – 12. 284                                       11.)  12.34 – 6.21                               12.)  16.5 – 0.0452

Multiplying decimals –

Stack multiples (longer on top), slide multiples to the right (drop any zeros at the end of decimals), solve by multiplying, count numbers right of the decimal, add decimal into product.

Example:    23.930 x 1.9

13.)    4.384 x 3                                      14.)   14.31 x 4.2                                     15.)   435.2 x 6.1

16.)  5.04 x 0.02                                         17.)  97.31 x 4.1                                    18.)   6.900 x 4

Update on schedule this week

After notes and examples with my core 1 class, I realized that we are going to have to spend more time covering multiplication. Nearly every student seemed comfortable with the examples from class, but when they began their independent practice, I realized that they are struggling with some basic multiplication. Instead of moving on to dividing decimals tomorrow, we will take another day to practice multiplying decimals. We will still have a quiz on Friday (almost every student was in favor of a quiz as a last opportunity to raise their grade before the end of the grading period), but it will not have any division of decimals.

Here are some sample questions for the quiz

Perform the given operation    CIRCLE YOUR ANSWER!

1.)   3.45 + 14.21                   2.)  132.097 – 42.43                   3.)  12.34 x 3.6                     4.)  14.3 ÷ 3

Round to the given place value      CIRCLE YOUR ANSWER!

5.)   4.0467    to the nearest hundredth                           6.)   142.384204     to the nearest thousandth

Estimate the following

7.)   31.039 x 3.12                                              8.)   24.953 x 6.34

Wednesday October 26, 2011

Today we will begin multiplying decimals. Again, this should be review for students since they have been multiplying in previous grades.

Students will take short notes to review the steps to multiplying decimals then work some practice problems to use as examples in their notes. They will also be given a "decimal square" which they will fill out to demonstrate how multiplying by numbers less than one will result in a product that is smaller than either multiple.

They will have a page to complete in their workbook, and will likely have some time to work in class to get a start on their homework

Tuesday October 25, 2011

Today I will check for completion of last night's homework (page 17 of math work book).

We will then take quick notes on estimating decimals. Students are all quite familiar with rounding and estimating, so we will move quickly through this section.

Over the next three days, I am going to allow 8 students each day to use the computers in my classroom for practice using decimals. There are some really good websites that allow students to play a quick game or activity every time they answer the question correctly. If they answer incorrectly, they must move on to the next question. I will remind the students that using the computers is a privilege that can be revoked for inappropriate behavior, disrespect, or being disruptive during class.

Here is the link to the website which we will be using in class.

http://www.math-play.com/decimal-math-games.html

Following directions in class

As you may have already heard from the other sixth grade teachers, we are going to be enforcing rules more strictly over the coming weeks. The main rule in my class, which students hear daily, is to stop talking when they hear me talking so they can listen to directions. Students that decide to continue talking while I am giving directions will be sent to ISS or will be calling home to inform their parents that they are disrespecting their teachers.

I had group work planned for my classes today, but my Core 1 class did not make it ten minutes into class before opening their books to do bookwork instead. I try to plan interactive and engaging class activities for students, but we will go back to the book when I am constantly trying to talk over students when giving directions.

If any student or parent feels that this is unfair, I would be happy to discuss the issue.

nathan.culp@nhcs.net

Chance for students to raise their grade before report cards!

Math Research assignment

This assignment is not mandatory. It will count as a test grade and is an opportunity for students to bring their grade up before the end of the grading period. Students score on this assignment will count as a test grade which weighs heavily in determining overall grades.

Your assignment is to research a historical figure that used math in their life. You should include answers to the following in your project…

-          Who is this person and what are they known for?  (give me a short biography)

-          In what way did this person use math in their life?

-          Give 3 specific examples of math equations, formulas, or math terms that this person discovered or used frequently in their daily work.

-          Did this person’s work have any impact on society?

You have 3 options for completing this assignment

-          Type a 2 page paper

-          Create a display or poster

-          Create a book with illustrations

Assignment is due FRIDAY OCTOBER 28^th so that grades can be posted for this term

Remember to answer the above questions!  BE CREATIVE!!!

Monday October 24, 2011

Today we will continue Unit 2 on decimals. Students appear to be comfortable with place values (which was mostly review from 4th and 5th grade). Today we focus on adding and subtracting decimals which I also expect to be a review for most all students. We will go over the steps to adding and subtracting decimals then do a partners activity that will challenge students to place the correct series of numbers together to come up with a solution

Important points for adding and subtracting decimals include....

1.)  Line up the numbers so that the decimals are in a column, and add a decimal below the "equal" bar
      
      example:       43.083 + 22.714

                        line up decimals
                        43.083
                     + 22.714
                        65.797
                   

2.) Add or subtract just like you would a whole number

3.) Check your answer by working problem backwards
                65.797    <-----this was my answer
              - 22.714   <------this number is the smaller of the 2 being added
                43.083  <------this number should equal the larger of the numbers

If one number being added or subtracted has a different number of place values, we can add zeros to the end

for example:     122.81003 + 34.02

      122.81003
+      34.02000<---add 3 zeros so 34.02 becomes 34.02000. Notice the decimals are always lined up!
      156.83003

Friday October 21, 2011

Today we will wrap up the week with a review of Unit 1, Unit 2, and what we have started in Unit 3. The concepts and strategies that students learned in Unit 1 and Unit 2 will continue to show up as the year goes on so we are trying to keep them sharp with these skills.

Students will work in groups that will focus on different concepts that they have seen so far this year.

Next week we will continue working with decimals and place values.

Monday - estimating decimals
Tuesday - adding and subtracting decimals
Wednesday - multiplying decimals
Thursday - dividing decimals
Friday - review of dividing decimals followed by EXIT QUIZ

This weekend I will come up with the "extra" assignment to give students an opportunity to raise their grade before quarter grades go out.

Thursday October 20, 2011

Today I will first be checking for completion of the homework last night. Every student should have received a work book which contains practice and homework assignments from every chapter in the book (Core 4 will receive theirs today). The work book is to remain in their binder, and the homework assignments should stay in the work book. I told all students yesterday that "I lost my homework" and "I left it at home" are no longer valid excuses for not having their homework with them because they should always have their binders, and their work book is to never come out of their binder!


After checking homework, we get into groups of 3 to practice place values and comparing decimals. Each group will have their own wipe board and marker. I will present the class with a problem and each group will come up with an answer and write it on their wipe board. Each group will get points for each correct answer. At the end of class, we will allow students to "wager" any amount up to their total for a chance to add to their score on a single "final jeopardy" style question. I will pay out cat cash to the top 3 teams.

Wednesday October 19, 2011

Today we will begin Unit 3 focusing on decimals. Our first lesson will deal with Representing, Comparing, and Ordering decimals. This unit will follow the text book more than the previous units have, so if your child has not yet checked out a text book CD to help at home, please remind them to do so. I have a limited supply so CDs need to be checked out and returned to me.

The scores from the pre-test were higher overall for this unit, which means we will spend less time taking notes and more time applying what they know in activities, word problems, or possibly a project. I am looking forward to high scores on the upcoming homework and quizzes!

Important vocabulary words for today include...

Place Value
Standard form
Expanded form
Word form
Greater than
Less than

One more thing....

Also, I want to give students another opportunity to raise their grade before the end of the first quarter. I am thinking of giving an optional assignment that will count as a test grade. If students elect to do the assignment, they will have a chance to raise their grade before report cards. If they decide not to do it, it will not count against them. This is not "extra credit", but instead an "extra opportunity" to earn a high test grade.

This will be an "at home" assignment and will be completely independent from what we are covering in class. I will have more details by the end of the week

Tuesday October 18, 2011

Today we will begin Unit 3 with a Pre-test. Unit 3 is focused on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals. The computations should be fairly simple (and maybe review for many students), but they will be challenged by pulling their numbers out of word problems to come up with an equation to solve. Below is the pre test that students will take today.

This test does not count as a grade, but allows teachers to see what their students already know. I expect scores on this pre test to be slightly higher then those in the past.

Perform the given operation:

   4.6                                                       93.2                                        0.2

 +5.2                                                    -    9.8                                     x 0.8                           75 ÷ 3.5

How do you write the number 7.035 in words?

_______________________________________________________________________________

Which number represents the thousandths place in the following number:  1,240.02374?    _____

When listed in order from least to greatest, which number below would be second?

1.203, 1.984, 1.392, 1.202 

_______________________________________________________

What is the best estimate of 9.97 ∙ 5.08? _____________________

Sara drives 6,000 miles a month for her job. Gasoline costs $2.05 per gallon. Her car travels 28 miles on each gallon of gas. About how much does Sara spend each month on gas?  

________________________

Tom bought four bags of chocolate that weighed 1.345 pounds, 1.4 pounds, 1.05 pounds, and 1.19 pounds. How many pounds of chocolate did Tom buy in all?

__________________

Mrs. Evans bought cheese that weighed 0.503 pound. She used 0.39 pound to make sandwiches. How much cheese was left?

___________________

Deion’s class bought 2 boxes of candy. Each box had 10 candy bars in box.  Each candy bar cost $0.25.  What was the classes’ total expense?

___________________

Mr. Cannon bought sets of markers for each of his twelve art students.  The total cost was $132.00.  What did each set of markers cost?

___________________

Donna needed notebook paper for school. Excluding tax, she bought 4 packs of paper for $2.80.  How much did she pay for each of the packs of notebook paper?

___________________

Monday October 17, 2011

Monday students will receive their graded Unit 2 test from Friday. The test should have looked VERY familiar to students as the study guide which they received on Wednesday was very similar to the test itself. I was very happy with many of the scores, but there is still plenty of room for improvement from many students.

Some of the low scores really got me thinking about ways for students to help bring their grade up. I am OK with some extra credit, but I also believe that a students grade should reflect the amount of effort they put into their studies. What I don't want to see is students failing their tests, not comprehending/ studying the material, then relying on extra credit to make up their grade.

Here is what I came up with...

Students will be allowed to make up one third of their missed points on the Unit 2 test. For example, if a student scored a 70 on the test, that means they missed 30 points. They will have the opportunity to make up 10 of those points and raise their score to an 80. If a student scored a 94, they missed 6 points, and they will have the opportunity to make up 2 points and raise their score to a 96.
To do so, students must write out the problems that they missed, and IN WORDS, explain the steps to take to solve the question. They will have class time Monday, and the assignment will be due on Tuesday.

Unit 3 will begin with a pre-test on Tuesday!

Check it..

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/index.html

This is good for teachers and parents. Check it out

Friday October 14th, 2011

TEST TODAY!!!

I hope all students have prepared for todays Unit 2 test! I checked into the gradebook and figured out that a student who gets a 100% on the test will improve their class grade by 8-10 percentage points! I hope to see some scores going up after grading tests this weekend!

Thursday October 13, 2011

Thursday we will again review for Friday's Unit 2 test. Students will be in groups of 4 and compete in a Jeopardy style game. Each group will be expected to come up with an answer for every question (not just when it is their turn) because if the team gets the question wrong, the other teams will have the opportunity to "steal" the points.

Here is the link to the Jeopardy game. This is also a good way for students to study at home

http://jeopardylabs.com/play/unit-2-test-review22

Review worksheet

Every student received this review worksheet in class. If they feel comfortable with these questions, they should feel good going into the test. The test is NOT multiple choice, which means they will need to show their work. They CAN, however, receive partial credit for problems if they do the correct steps and do not come up with the correct answer.

***I have included the answers to the test review so they can check their answers at home***

Unit 2 test Review

Define each term

Simplify –  to make a big expression smaller by combining like terms and doing order of operations

Evaluate –  substitute a given number value for a variable in an expression

Solve –  find the value of a variable in an equation

Expression –  a math phrase containing numbers, variables, or operations (+, -, x, or ÷)

Equation – A math sentence containing two equivalent expressions

<     less than

>     greater than

≤    less than or equal to

≥    greater than or equal to

Combine like terms and simplify

34x + 12x + 10 – 4                                             2x² + 5x² + 2x – x                              3 (k + 4) + 7 (2 + k)          

Answer: 46x + 6                                                             Answer:  7x² +x                    Answer: 10k + 26

Evaluate each expression

20m + 12     for m = 5                       3k – 6     for k = 7                               h ÷ 5 + 10      for h = 25

Answer: 112                                      answer: 15                                          answer: 15

Determine if the following values are solutions

3f + 15 = 30    if  f = 5                  39 – 5t = 13      if  t = 6                                      4r + 3r = 22     if   r = 1

Yes                                                          No                                                                          No

Write expressions from the given phrases

The product of 27 and the variable m                                                     14 less than the variable p

Answer: 27m                                                                                                     answer: p – 14

A coefficient of 4, a variable of x, plus the number 18                      12 less than two x

Answer: 4x + 18                                                                                                                2x – 12

Write the following expressions as a phrase in words

10x – 4                                                                                                                  4k ÷ 8

 Four less than the product of ten and x                                    the quotient of four k,  divided by eight 

Solve each equation. Show your work

12x = 132                             x – 13 = 20                           53 + x = 60                           k / 3 = 14             

 answer: x = 11                   answer: x = 33                   answer: x = 7                      answer: x = 42

Word Problem

Kevin ordered pizzas for a pizza party for his class. Each pizza had 8 slices. There were a total of 80 slices of pizza. Write an equation to show the total number of pizzas Kevin ordered (use “p” as your variable), and then solve.                  

Answer:

8p = 80

p = 10

                               

                                                                                                               

Graph the following inequalities on a number line

X > 35                                                                    x ≤ 12                                                                x < 98

Solve each inequality, then graph on a number line      

5k ≤ 25                                                         x – 7 > 24                                                        64 + x < 72

Answer: k ≤ 5                                          Answer: x > 31                                                  Answer: x < 8

X / 3 ≤ 4                                                   x / 5 > 2                                                                    3d < 21

Answer: x ≤ 12                                       Answer: x >10                                                      Answer: d < 7

Wednesday October 12, 2011

Today we will review last night's inequalities homework and go over any mistakes or questions students might have.


The rest of the class will be used as a review session for the Unit 2 test. I have put together a review sheet that is coming directly from the Unit 2 test. If students are comfortable with the review sheet, they should feel confident going into their test. I will post the review sheet on my blog later this morning.

There IS tutoring tomorrow after school from 3:30-4:30. We will use this time to further review for the test. I encourage students to attend if they need any help to boost their grade before upcoming report cards.

ALSO, I will be returning to students their answers to the questions they answered on Monday. They will be bringing their answers home to have signed by a parent and returned to me. Please ask your child about these questions and discuss with them their answers.

Last thing....
There have been a few requests from students and parents about extra credit opportunities. Students will have an opportunity for extra credit, but not until after their Unit 2 test. I feel that there are some students who may be A or B students but their current score does not reflect their ability. I will give students the opportunity to raise their grade with an extra credit assignment in the coming weeks. Stay tuned....

Tuesday October 11, 2011

***UNIT 2 TEST THIS FRIDAY***

Test will cover...
- Combining like terms
- Evaluating expressions
- Solving 1-step equation
- Solving 1-step inequalities

I will put together a study sheet for students that will cover every type of question from the test. This will go home with them Wednesday. Wednesday and Thursday will be strickly Unit review in class so between class time and completing their study sheet at home, they will have plenty of opportunity to prepare for this exam.


Today we will introduce the final concept in Unit 2 - Solving 1 step inequalities

The good news is that 1-step inequalities is VERY similar to solving 1-step equations. The only difference is that we are not dealing with equations (think: equal sign) but instead inequalities (less than, greater than, less than or equal to, greater than or equal to). Students will solve for the variable and graph their solution on a number line.  A closed dot is inclusive (includes the number where the dot is located), an open circle is exclusive (does not include the number where the circle is located)

Below are examples from tonights homework

Solving Inequalities

Solve for x, then draw and graph on a number line

1.)    x + 15 < 34                      2.)   x + 19 ≥ 43                               3.)  x + 42 < 132

   answer: x < 19                             answer: x ≥ 24                               answer:  x < 90

4.)  45 + x ≤ 73                        5.)   x – 12 < 27                                6.)  63 ≥ x – 14

  answer:  x ≤ 28                           answer: x < 39                                 answer:  x ≤ 77

7.) 15x > 45                             8.)  120 ≤ 12x                                    9.)  7x > 77

  answer:  x ≤ 3                            answer:  x ≥ 10                                answer:  x > 11

10.)  x / 15 ≤ 60                      11.)  150 > x / 5                                 12.)  56 ≤ x / 9

 answer:  x ≤ 900                          answer:  x < 750                              answer: x ≥ 504

Monday October 10, 2011

Today students will receive their grades quizzes from Friday. I was pleased with the way many scored on the quiz, but also disappointed with some of the results. Quizes have been hole punched and should be placed in their binder. I encourage parents to ask to see their grades quiz to see where students made mistakes.

There were WAY too many students that were suprised that we even had a quiz on Friday. It has been on the calandar in my room all week, on my blog every day, and I have reminded them every day about the quiz on Friday. It was clear that many students did not prepare AT ALL for the quiz, and their score reflects their preparation. 

Today we will go over the quiz and quickly review each question.

We will also be answering a series of questions about what they have experienced in my class so far this year. I will print out a copy of thier latest grade and attach it to their answers to the questions. Students will use their answers to these questions for the Student Lead Conferences on Tuesday from 4:00-5:00. All parents are encouraged to attend to discuss these answers with their students. Teachers will be in attendance but this is not a parent/ teacher conference (I will be in attendance from 4:00-4:30) . It is an opportunity for students to discuss with students their progress or difficulties in class. The questions they will answer include...

1.)  What has been the most difficult part of 6th grade math?

2.)  What have you done to prepare for quizzes and tests?

3.)  Are you taking notes and writing down examples from class and using them to study for quizzes and tests?

4.)  Do you feel like your grade is an accurate representation of the effort you are putting into class?

5.)  If your grade is not where you like, what can you do to help raise your grade (are you missing homework? quiz/ test grades low? study habits? note taking skills?)

6.)  If there is a concept you have difficulty with, have you asked your teacher for tutoring or extra help?

7.)  Have you used your binder as a way to stay organized in class or does your binder need work? If I asked you to see all of your notes, old homework assignments, quizzes, and tests, would you know exactly where they are in your binder?

Friday October 7

Friday we will use the last 25 minutes of class for our exit quiz over Evaluating expressions and Solving equations

The quiz will consist of 8 questions ( I told the class 6, we added 2 more)

(1) addition 1-step equation  ex.   x + 5 = 20
(1) subtraction 1-step equation    ex.   g - 7 = 23
(1) multiplication 1-step equation   ex.    5h = 30
(1) division 1-step equation    ex.  d/4 = 10

(3) evaluating expressions    ex.    4x - 5  if x=3
(1) write an expression given data

I will also add an extra credit question

Define the term:
SOLVE - To find the value of a variable


The first 25 minutes of class will consist of a group review relay game to practice evaluating expressions. Students will work in teams of 5 to "race" to evaluate a group of expressions

Students have known about this quiz all week and I feel that they have a good understanding of this material. I am looking forward to a lot of good grades on this quiz!

Thursday October 6

First thing today I will check for completion of last night's homework on 1 -step equations. I will take a grade based on the effort they put into homework. If students attempted to complete most of the problems, they will score a 100 for their work. If it is clear that they did not attempt to solve the equations, their grade will be lower.

We will then review the homework and go over any type of problems that students had a problem with. They seemed to "get it" during class when I could help them with their practice,  but I am sure that some struggled when they got home and were on their own.

We will then look into word problems and 1-step equations. There were 4 word problems on their homework that they were instructed NOT to do last night. Again, the EOG loves to put simple problems in word form so students need to be able to translate words into an equation then solve the equation.

An example of an EOG style word problem would look like...

John had a bag with 60 total pieces of candy. He and his friends ate a total of 24 pieces. Write an equation that shows how much candy he has left in his bag.

answer:     24 + X = 60

Many students come up with 60 - 24 = X which is also true. When they come up with this answer, they are actually completing the "isolate the variable" step in their heads. The important thing is that they realize that these 2 answers are the same.



ALSO, reminder that there is TUTORING today from 3:30-4:30. Please have transportation arrangements and have your child sign up in my class if they plan on attending tutoring


Quiz on Friday over evaluating equations and solving 1 step equations.

Wednesday October 5

Today we will continue with SOLVING 1 step equations, but now focusing on equations that involve multiplication and division.

Students will be introduced to different signs that mean divide. Many students have not seen a fraction bar or slash used as symbol meaning to divide, but they will from now on.

Some examples include


s / 6 = 7   (this reads:  "s divided by 6 equals 7")        answer:   s = 42

v / 5 = 9          answer:    v = 45

26 = x / 3        answer:    x = 78

5g = 20           answer:    g = 4

3f = 21            answer:    f = 7


Steps to Solving equations

1.) Isolate the variable (get it by itself) by performing the inverse (opposite) operation
2.) Whatever we do to 1 side of the equation, we must do to the other
3.) Check by substituting your answer into the original equation

Example:

5x = 45

Isolate the variable by dividing both sides of the equation by 5

this leaves us with...   

x = 9

Now substitute 9 into the original equation

5 (9) = 45     this is a balanced equation so we know  x = 9 is correct!


Students will have homework tonight for solving equations. I will be taking a grade on this homework so make sure it is done and brought back in their binder!

There is a quiz over evaluating expressions and solving equations on Friday

Tuesday October 4

Today we will continue working on SOLVING 1 step equations. All of the 1 step equations today will focus on addition and subtraction. Some examples include

Solve for x

x - 12 = 8

x + 74 = 98

x - 46 = 12

19 + x = 26

There is NO homework tonight. There will be homework on Wednesday that will cover addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of 1 step equations

There is a QUIZ on Friday that will cover evaluating expressions and solving equations. I will include sample quiz questions on tomorrow's post

Monday October 3rd

Monday we will begin to get to our 3rd way to do math problems....SOLVE

The last 2 weeks we worked on

Simplify - making a long expression shorter by combining like terms
                 
                ex.  6g + 4 + 3g - 2
                       9g + 2

Evaluate - Substitute number values for letters

              ex.  5f - 4     when f = 5
                    5 (5) - 4
                    25 - 4 = 21

This week we will focus on

Solve - Find the value of a variable

           ex.   p + 14 = 20       solve for p
           
           subtract 14 from both sides to find p = 6

We will start slow with simple one step equations. Students should become familiar with recognizing equations vs. expressions.

An expression is a group of numbers, variables, and/ or operations.

           ex.    6y - 2y + 3 is an expression

An equation is 2 expressions that are equal to each other.

           ex.    6y - 2y + 3 = 27 is an equation (where we could solve for y)