Week #12: Nov. 16 – 20

*The Dream Store Project will be due on Tuesday, November 24!!!! Remember there is a 15 point extra credit visual aide to go with your project.  This is a great way to make up some points in math.

Please let me know if you plan to miss any school for Thanksgiving Vacation

Tuesday: Today in class we are looking at and interpreting graphs.  Homework: Complete problems #1-8 on the Unit 3 Test Review due tomorrow for a COLA grade.  Parents can sign the review tonight or on Wednesday night.

Wednesday: We will have this class period to work on the Dream Store Project, which is due the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  Don’t forget about the extra credit.  Homework: Complete the rest of the Unit 3 Test Review (Problems #9-19).  Don’t forget the parent signature on the review!

Thursday: We will go over the test review and additional examples in class to prepare for the Unit 3 Test.  Students will have this time to ask any questions.

Friday: Unit 3 Test and Open Response Problem

Week #11: Nov. 9-13

Monday: Formulas, Tales, and Graphs Part 1.  Students will represent rates with data tables, rules expressed in words, formulas and line graphs.  Study Link 3.4 due today.

Tuesday: A Science Experiment.  Students will use diagrams, formulas, and graphs for making predictions and drawing conclusions.  Homework: Unit 3 Quiz Review due Wednesday at the start of class.

Wednesday: We will first go over the quiz review in class then take the Unit 3 Quiz.  When finished, students will complete Math Boxes.

Thursday: Today we will work on the Dream Store Math Project.  Homework: Study Link 3.6 due Friday.

Friday: Variables and Formulas in Spreadsheets:  Part 1.  Students will get an introduction to spreadsheets and will use variables, formulas, and operations in spreadsheets.

Week #10: Nov. 2-5

Second Quarter Begins

No School Friday, Nov. 6th!

Parent-Teacher Conferences Tue. and Wed.

Monday-General Patterns & Special Cases.  Intro. to Algebraic Expressions

Tuesday-I will be in P/T conferences all day, so there will be a substitute.  Continue with Algebraic Expressions.  Homework: Lesson 3.3 worksheet due Wednesday.

Wednesday-Again I will be in P/T conferences all day, so there will be a substitute.  Students will learn about Formulas.

Thursday-Dream Store Project work.  Homework-Study Link 3.4 due Monday!!!!

No School On Friday!!!!!!!!!

Week #9: Oct. 26-30

*Please get the parent-teacher conference forms turned into your homebase teacher ASAP! Sixth grade parents will have a scheduled time for 15 minutes on either Tuesday, 11/3/2009 or Wednesday, 11/4/2009.  Your students have been sent home with this time and we need to know if you can make it.

*Friday is the end of the First Quarter.  Get all late assignments turned in before Friday!!!!!

Monday: Introduction to Your Dream Store Math Project, which will be an in-class and ongoing math project throughout the year.

Tuesday: Unit 2 Test Returned, Test make-ups, and explanation of Test Corrections.  Students will continue research for their Dream Store math project while I conference with individual students about their MAP Test Scores and setting math goals for the rest of the year.  Homework: Math Boxes 3.1 due Wednesday & The Parent Letter for Unit 3:  Variables, Formulas, & Graphs will be sent home.

Wednesday: Begin Unit 3 Lesson 3.1:  Using Variables to Describe Number Patterns.

Thursday: Lesson 3.2:  General Patterns (Two Variables)  Homework: Study Link 3.1 due Friday

Friday: Today will be a different schedule due to Quarterly Recognition!!  Classes are shortened to about 30 minutes.  We will correct SL 3.1, then play a math game in celebration of Halloween.

Happy Halloween!!!

Week #8: Oct. 19-23

*All missing assignments for Unit 2 must be turned in by Friday before the Unit 2 Test. Please encourage students to get these in.

*Math Help will be on Thursday, 10/22/09 from 2:45-3:30. Everyone is invited.

Monday: Scientific Notation for Large and Small Numbers

Tuesday: Exponential Notation and the Power Key on a Calculator.  Homework: Complete problems #1-16 on the Unit 2 Test Review due Wednesday

Wednesday: Unit 2 Test Review in class.  Homework: Finish the test review and get the review SIGNED BY AN ADULT for 5 points.

Thursday: We will go over the review and I will answer any questions.  There will be an in-class clicker review activity.  *Math Help today from 2:45-3:30–everyone invited.  Homework: Study!!

Friday: Unit 2 Test

Week #7: Oct. 13-16

I have made some changes to the week’s schedule based on the Quiz results and our long division progress.  Please stress with your students that learning the traditional method of long division is important.  In the future 6th, 7th & 8th grade teachers will demonstrate using this method only.  In addition, when they get into algebra learning polynomials, partial quotients WILL NOT WORK!  For these reasons along with the others I have mentioned, it is crucial the 6th graders learn traditional long division.

Tuesday: We will learn an activity used throughout the year called Jigsaw Math Boxes.  The students can explain this to you   We will be practicing more with long division of whole numbers and division word problems.

Wednesday: Today, students will get their Unit 2 Quiz returned.  Overall, the scores were pretty low so we will review some of what was on the quiz and talk about some quiz/test taking strategies.  I feel like there were many careless mistakes that had a big effect on the overall scores.  Then, we will continue with division. Homework: Study Link 2.7 due Thursday.

Thursday: I will be out today for a training, but I have a wonderful substitute, Jerri Calabrese, who taught 6th grade for many years at the Middle School.  She will introduce Division with Decimals.  Homework: There will be a Study Link due on Friday.

Friday: Scientific Notation for large and small numbers.

Week #6: Oct. 5-9

Check out the links on the Blog for 2 cool sites-Absurd Math for an interactive math challenge and Arcademic Skill Builder to practice math facts.

Tuesday: Today the kids practiced with multiplying decimals using estimation strategies to place the decimal in the product.  Homework: Study Link 2.5 due Wednesday.

Wednesday: More multiplication of decimals.  Practice, practice, practice.

Thursday: Today we will learn and practice traditional long division.  Many of the students have not learned this method because Everyday Math does not use it.  At the Middle School, we believe it is important for students to learn the traditional method of division because it is faster than the partial quotients method many of them use.  Ultimately it will be up to students which method they decide to use when dividing.  Homework: Unit 2 Quiz Review due Friday

Friday: Students will take the Unit 2 Quiz, then practice more long division.

*Remember, no school for students on Monday, October 12, 2009.  Have a great long weekend!

Week #5: Sept. 28-Oct. 2 continued

Sorry for the confusion this week, MAP testing always throws a little curve ball into our lives.  Periods 1,2 & 7 have completed the MAP test.

Period 6: MAP Testing will be on Monday, October 5th in the afternoon. Please come to the math room with a pencil, your agenda, and a SSR (sustained silent reading) book!!!!!

Thursday: Today we are reviewing adding, subtracting and rounding decimals in preparation for bigger and better things   Homework: Study Link 2.3 due Friday.

Friday: Homework due at the start of class.  Today we will be learning and practicing strategies for multiplying by powers of 10.

Monday, October 5, 2009: *I will be out on Monday.  This is the first time the kids will have a sub and I know they will treat this person with the respect they deserve. The morning classes will do more work with decimals and play the game Doggone Decimal in class.  6th period will take the MAP test in the afternoon and 7th period won’t have math at all on Monday.

*I will update the email and blog when I return.  Thanks!

Week #5: Sept. 28-Oct. 2

This week our schedule will be a little different due to the math portion of MAP testing.  Please make sure students sleep enough and eat breakfast! I will keep the Blog updated when I find out the details of the week.

Period 6-MAP testing will be on Monday, October 5

Periods 1,2 & 7-MAP testing will be on Wednesday, 9/30/2009

*Scores for the Unit 1 Test will be posted on PowerSchool by the end of the day on Monday.  Students will be given an opportunity sometime this week to make test corrections for points.

Monday: Today we will begin Unit 2:  Operations with Whole Numbers and Decimals.  Students will have Study Link 2.1 for homework tonight.  Also, look for the Unit 2 Family Letter which will be sent home tonight.

Week #4: Sept. 21-25

Please remind students to check PowerSchool for missing assignments!

Math Help will be this Thursday from 2:45-3:30.

Monday: Persuasive Data & Graphs.  We will analyze data displays and explain ways in which data can be presented to mislead or persuade.

Tuesday: Samples & Surveys.  Students will determine whether samples are random or biased then they will compare and analyze recall surveys.  Homework-Study Link 1.11 due Wednesday

Wednesday: Correct and turn in Study Link 1.11.  Today we will begin the Unit 1 Test Review in class.  If the review isn’t completed in class, it should be completed at home for homework.  Parents-please look over the review and sign the back.  I really want students to take ownership of their learning by bringing the review home, making parents aware of the test, and taking the time to study.  The signature is worth 5 points.

Thursday: We will go over the review in class and I will answer any questions.  Then we will play Landmark Shark.  *Math Help After School Today in my classroom from 2:45-3:30.  Everyone is welcome! Homework is to study for the test tomorrow.

Friday: Unit 1 Test