Wednesday November 30, 2011

Hopefully all students have turned in their graphing project by today. It was due yesterday, but some elected to take their project home and turn in today for a deduction in their overall score. If they do not turn it in today, they can still turn it in tomorrow but will be deducted another 5 points for a late graph and 5 points for a late paper.

Today we will introduce percentages. Students took a short pre assessment yesterday and it was clear that none of them have experienced dealing with percents yet. This may be the most practical topic they will learn in math class, so it is very important that they stay focused throughout this unit. Students will take notes today and practice converting decimals to percents and percents to decimals. I have prepared a "hundreds chart" that they will shade in and determine what percentage of the chart is colored. They will then convert that percent to a decimal. Homework tonight is page 59 #s 10-15 and page 60 #s 1-9 in their work books.

Tomorrow we will begin applying percents to real life scenarios. Friday will be an activity to practice using percents.

Next week students will be introduced to their upcoming in class project that will continue until Christmas break. Students will be given the opportunity to choose a career, find a place to live, pay bills, balance a checkbook, etc. Everyday they will be given a new task that will involve adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing by decimals and percents. The project is designed to keep students engaged in the skills they have learned over the past month and apply their knowledge to scenarios they will be faced with in their lives. More info to come....

Tuesday Nov 29, 2011

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break!

Monday, students had a sub and their assignment was to complete the writing portion of their graphing project. Students all know that the assignment is due today, but I am going to give them time today in class to complete/ revise their writing and make sure they are hitting all of the required points from the grading rubric (it was given to them last week and posted on my wall, but it seems many have missed some of the requirements from what I have seen turned in so far). We will also be taking about 20 minutes to take a pre assessment for our percentage unit. The pre assessment is below. This unit will focus on comparing and ordering percents and decimals, turning decimals into percents and turning percents into decimals. Students will then have to add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to solve word problems like the ones below.

1)      Write 8% as a decimal.

2)     Write   5/8  as a percent.

3)      Write 1.47 as a percent.

4)      Which list shows the numbers in order from greatest to least?

a.      32.5%,   32.55,   32,   32

b.      32.55,   32,   32.5%,   32

c.       32 ,   32.55,   32,   32.5%

d.      32.5%,   32.55,   32 ,   32

5)      You go shopping for groceries and your total comes to $55.00. New Hanover County charges a tax of 8% on all sales. How much money will the tax cost you?

6)      When a brand new video game comes out at GameStop it usually costs about $59.00. One year GameStop decides to have a big Groundhog Day Celebration Sale, and sells everything for 20% off. What will the game cost after the discount?

Tuesday November 22, 2011

Today students will continue working on their graphs in class. I will be putting the questions I posted yesterday on the board and students will analyze their graphs to answer these questions. It is important that they use this time to answer these questions so when they return to class next monday, they will have all the necessary information for their written assignment. The questions will be on the board all class, but students will be required to stop drawing/ coloring their graphs 20 minutes before class ends so they will have time to answer each question.

I will be out of town next monday so students will have a sub all day in my class. The sub will return the graphs to students so they can use their graphs and the answer to their questions to complete their written assignment in class. If they do not complete their writing in class, they will be able to take it home for homework and turn it in on Tuesday.

REMEMBER - this assignment is counted as a test grade. This is a great opportunity for all students to raise their grade. There were quite a few students that were not satisfied with their performance on the last test, so I am encouraging them to put their best effort in to this assignment

Monday November 21, 2011

Today students will begin their 3 day graphing assignment. They will be using data that I have collected to create a graph. They will also have the option to use weather data for any city in the world that they can gather from weatherbase.com and use for their graph. They will have monday and tuesday this week to construct their graph and answer the provided questions. When they return to school on Monday they will complete their writing assignment in class based on their graph and the answers to their questions. Below are instructions and grading scale for the assignment

Analyzing data, graphing, and writing assignment

Assignment will be divided into two parts. Total score will count as a test grade

Students will be given a set of data in which they will create a bar graph. There should be at least 9 pieces of data used in the graph. Each student will be given construction paper, a ruler, colored pencils or markers, and a data set. Graphs should include all necessary labels, units, and a key (if necessary). Students should use different colors to create contrast so that the graph is easily read. Students will be given 2 days in class to analyze their data and create their graph. They will be given 1 day in class to write their paper. When the graph is complete, students should be able to answer the following.

What does this graph demonstrate?

What are the range, median, mean (estimated and actual), and mode of your data?

Are there any outliers in your data set?

Is there any way that your graph could be misleading?

Part 1 - Graph (50 points)

45-50    Graph is presented clearly and accurately and includes all correct labels including a title, vertical and horizontal axis labels, units, and key (if necessary). Graph is organized in a manner that is easily interpreted. Graph includes 9 or more pieces of data.

40-45    Graph has minor flaws including missing labels, inaccurate information, or cannot be easily interpreted. Graph includes 7-8 pieces of data.

0-40    Graph has major flaws in labels, inaccurate information, and cannot be easily interpreted. Graph includes less than 7 pieces of data. Student did not use class time effectively to complete assignment.

Part 2 - Written (50 points)

45-50    Paper is grammatically sound and organized in paragraph form. Paper is at least 1 page long. Student uses at least 4 graphing terms, gives definitions of these terms, and uses these terms to answer the given questions about interpreting their graph. Paper is turned by due date.

40-45    Paper has multiple grammatical flaws and is not organized in paragraphs. Paper does not reach 1 page minimum requirement. Student uses 3 graphing terms and their definitions and uses terms to answer questions about interpreting their graph.

0-40    Paper has major grammatical flaws and is unorganized. Paper is not required length. Student uses less than 3 graphing terms and does not clearly answer the questions about their graph. Paper is not turned in on time.

Friday November 18, 2011

Today students will be given an outline of the important terms and types of graphs that they will be using during our unit on data (Core 3 and 4 have already received the outline). They will use their classtime to research the definitions and give examples of the different styles of graphs.

The last 10-15 minutes of class will be used for students to examine data that I will present to them. They will be given graph paper to create their own graph and answer the following questions...

Which temperature represents the mode?

What is the range?

What is the median temperature?

Just by looking at the graph, can you find a mean temperature?

Thursday November 17, 2011

Today students will receive their graded Unit 3 tests. Students had 2 entire days to complete their test. I checked every test after day 1 and marked every incorrect answer. Students were given the opportunity to correct their answers and received half credit for any answer they changed. Overall the scores were ok, but I still believe that there is little taking place the night before the test. Many students still seem surprised when they receive their test.


After reviewing test grades, we will begin our next unit: data and graphing

Friday- students will be introduced to different types of graphs and different terms associated with data

Monday- Students will begin an in-class project where they will be given data to graph

Tuesday- Students will complete their graphs

Wednesday - No school

Thursday - No school

Friday - No school

Monday - Students will write a paper using the terms they learned to interperate the meanings of their graphs. Their graph and paper will be graded as a test grade

Test results....

I was able to grade half of the Unit 3 tests, and have not been overly happy with the results. Students have known for over a week that we were testing today. I made a study guide for them last week and used an entire class period to work problems that came directly from the test and ask questions if they needed help.
Some students were unable to finish in the class period, so I told them they were welcome to stay in from our recess before lunch to finish up. A few students stayed, finished, and went outside. Many did not take advantage of this time.

I do not want to see students fail. Unfortunately, if I gave them their grades from their test results today, many of them would, again, be digging themselves into a hole early in the quarter.

I am going to give students the class period tomorrow (Wednesday) to look at their test and fix their mistakes. They will see which questions they missed, and hopefully have enough time to realize why they missed it and make a correction. There were some students that performed really well on the test, and they will be rewarded in some form or another.

Tuesday November 15, 2011

UNIT 3 TEST TODAY!

Test includes

-Comparing and Ordering decimals
-Estimating decimals
-Adding and subtracting decimals
-Multiplying and dividing decimals
-Scientific notation
-Word Problems

Monday November 14, 2011

Today we practiced our adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals skills by using a Harris Teeter ad to find products and their prices. I gave students a "shopping list" that included 10 items they were to find, and multiply by the requested quantity. The complete assignment is below...

Item	Quantity	Price/ each	Total
Harris Teeter Premium Turkey	10 pounds	$	$
Chicken Breast	4 pounds	$	$
Gallon Harris Teeter Milk	3	$	$
Sargento String Cheese	3	$	$
Fresh Green Asparagus	2 pounds	$	$
Harris Teeter Self Rising Flour (5lb bag)	2	$	$
Seedless Grapes	4 pounds	$	$
Minute Maid Orange Juice	2	$	$
Harris Teeter Butter (16 oz)	2	$	$
Bridgford Monkey Bread	4	$	$

                                                                                                   Subtotal          $______________

                                                                            Grand Total          $______________

                                                                          Monthly Payment          $______________

                                                                                                                    

Your assignment is to use the Harris Teeter ad to find the following products, their price, and specified quantity. Multiply price x quantity to come up with a total dollar amount spent on each item.

When you have calculated each total, add each total together for a subtotal.

 Then, multiply the subtotal by 1.03 to find the grand total cost including 3% sales tax. Remember, when dealing with money, round to the nearest hundredth.

Finally, pretend you use a credit card that allows you to pay for groceries over eight months, so divide your grand total by eight to find out your monthly payment for this shopping trip

Thursday November 10, 2011

Today we will work in class on a test review sheet that I put together. The review sheet is very similar to the test. Test will include 15 multiple choice questions and 4 equations to solve. Below is the review we will work on in class today. I will post answers soon so students can check their answers. We will go over any questions on Monday, then test on Tuesday

Unit 3 test review

When adding or subtracting decimals,   ___line_______up the _____decimals______ and add  ___zeros____  if necessary

When multiplying decimals, ____push multiples to the right____________, then add the decimal back into the ___product____.

Round the following to the given place value

1.)     4.525    hundredths      __4.53___     2.)    49.3894   thousandths __49.389___    3.)   0.0293  tenths  ___0.0___

Put the following in order from least to greatest

4.)   2.34, 2.354, 2.193, 2.843, 2.3431                               5.)   14.3934, 15.984, 12.942, 14.45, 14.4294

2.193, 2.34, 2.3431, 2.354, 2.843                                       12.942, 14.3934, 14.4294, 14.45, 15.984

6.)  John bought drinks for the 12 players on his basketball team. If each player got 1 drink, and drinks cost $1.25 each, how much did John spend on drinks?

Answer:       12 x 1.25 = $15

7.) Justin went shopping for school supplies. He bought 10 pencils for $0.45 each, 6 pens for $1.35 each, and 2 packs of paper for $2.75 each. What was his total cost?

Answer:      10 x 0.45 = 4.5      6 x 1.35 = 8.1        2 x 2.75 = 5.5         4.5 + 8.1 + 5.5 = $18.10

8.) In a hot dog eating contest, 25 contestants ate an average of 13.3 hot dogs each. How many total hot dogs were consumed during the competition?

Answer:      25 x 13.3 = 332.5 hotdogs

9.)  There are 25 players on a baseball team. Each player had to purchase a uniform for $56.75. How much did the team spend in all for uniforms?

Answer:     25 x 56.75 = $1418.75

10.)  The water company charges $12.75 for every 500 gallons of water used, up to 1000 gallons. After 1000 gallons, they charge $9.55 per 500 gallons. Suppose you used 2000 gallons of water this month, how much is your bill?

Answer:      12.75 x 2 = 25.5        9.55 x 2 = 19.1           25.5 + 19.1 = $44.6

11.)  Suppose gas costs $3.12 per gallon. What is the best estimate of the cost  of 20.4 gallons of gas?

Answer:   20.4 is about 20     3.12 is about 3         20 x 3 = $60

12.)  What is the best estimate of 14.84 + 2.03 + 9.93?     _15_ + _2_ + _10_  = 27

13.) Josh has 8475 baseball cards in his collection. He is putting them in boxes for storage. Each box holds 25 cards. How many boxes will he need to hold all of his cards?

Answer:    8475 / 25 = 339

14.)   Find the product of one and twenty four hundredths times four and two tenths

Answer:   1.24 x 4.2 = 5.208

15.)  Amy knows that the distance to the Earth to the sun is 93,000,000 miles. How would she write this in scientific notation?

Answer:     9.3 x 10^7 miles

Solve for the following variables  YOU MUST SHOW YOUR WORK ON THE TEST!!!

16.)        4g = 16.84                                                                            17.)       k ÷ 3.4 = 12.8

Answer: 16.84 / 4 = 4.21     k = 4.21                                     Answer:  12.8 x 3.4 = 43.56    k = 43.52

18.)        h - 14.3 = 21.8                                                                    19.)      f + 4.32 = 19.93

Answer:    21.8 + 14.3 = 36.1      h = 36.1                             Answer:   19.93 - 4.32 = 15.61   f = 15.61

Monday November 6, 2011

In my last post I said that the Unit 3 test would be this week, but after looking ahead (and realizing we do not have school this Friday), we will likely wait until next Tuesday for the test. The next few days will look like this....


Monday - Review scientific notation (decimals, powers of 10, standard form, notation form,  etc.)
                   Example:   3.4 x 10^5  =   340,000   - decimal moves 5 places to the right
                                     5.93 x 10^-8 = 0.0000000593  - decimal moves 8 places to the left

Tuesday - Review 1-step equations, now with decimals
                   Example:   5.5k = 22    find k
                   inverse operation of multiplication is division, so divide both sides by 5.5 to isolate
                   the variable
                   k = 4

Wednesday - Review/ practice word problems including decimals
                   Example - John ran 4.5 miles on the track in 40 minutes. How long did each mile take on average?

Thursday - Test review. I will create a review worksheet that will be similar to questions students will see on the test. If they are familiar with the worksheet, they should have no problem doing well on the test.

Friday - No school

Monday - In class review game

Tuesday - Unit 3 test


There may be some changes in the schedule, but this should give students and parents a pretty good idea of what to expect the next couple of weeks.
Also, report cards go home on Monday. Some students did a great job bringing up their grades from where they started. Others have continued to struggle and need to do a better job with thier study habbits.

Thursday November 3, 2011

Thursday and Friday this week we will be working with partners on 7 different review stations. The stations are as follows


Adding and subtracting decimals
Multiplying decimals
Dividing decimals
Multi-step decimal problems (for example, add first, then divide)
Scientific notation
Order of operations and 1 step equations with decimals
Place values

Students will recieve a quiz grade based on their use of time in class (I am not going to require that they finish a certain number of questions since everyone works at a different pace, but I want to see them working toward finishing). After today, many students finished 20 or more questions while others did not manage their time well and completed only 2 or 3

There are a total of over 100 questions and students will choose between 5-10 to complete from each station.

We are looking at a Unit 3 test later next week that will cover all of the above topics.

Wednesday October 2, 2011

We will continue working on dividing with decimals, but today we will introduce how to divide when there is a decimal in the dividend as well as the divisor. 

Here are the steps to solving equations with decimals in the dividend and divisor.

 1.)   Set up equation with division bar

2.)  Move decimal in divisor to the right until divisor becomes a whole number

3.)  Move decimal in dividend same number of places

4.)  Add a decimal in quotient above decimal in dividend

5.)  Divide normally

Tuesday November 2, 2011

This week, as I am sure you all know, is start of the 2nd quarter. Students will receive report cards next week and many will not be happy with their grades. My suggestion to those students is that they are getting out what they are putting in. If they receive a C or D on their report card, they need to seriously reconsider their note taking, study habits, and making sure they are turning in homework assignments.

Today we reviewed the graded quizzes from last week. Scores were much better on this quiz, but there is still room for improvement from many students.

We also started dividing decimals by whole numbers today. Long division should be review for all students, the only difference is that they must first move the decimal from the dividend up into the quotient. I will post examples below.