Almost There!

As the year dies down, we are coming up on a lot of fast paced days. Here is a run down of what is to come.

May 16th-20th
Mon- Review for test
Tues- TAKS Retest/Algebra Readiness Test
Wed- Check Test
Thurs- Exam Study Guide
Fri- Exam Study Guide

May 23rd-27th
Mon- Check Exam Study Guide
Tues- Final Exam
Wed- Final Exam (if you finish on Tuesday, this time will be used for studying for another test)
Thurs- 8th Grade Field Day (students may leave at 10 am and still be counted present for the day)
Fri- Awards Ceremony (students may leave from the awards ceremony)

TAKS Has Come...

and we are getting ready for Algebra! This week and next week we are doing two projects. I apologize for not getting out the information to you sooner but most items are not needed until Tuesday so getting them over the weekend helps.

Our Country Project is due on Tuesday and the Geometric Town is due on Friday. The Country is an independent project and each person must create their own. I have extra copies of the requirements if needed in the classroom.

I will pass out the Geometric Town requirements on Friday so that my students may start working on gathering supplies over the weekend. They are also attached to my daily email from Thursday, April 7th, 2011.

Just a heads up, I will be out on April 12th and 13th for a training once again. My students will continue with their projects and that is part of the reason I am giving them their requirements early.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsmith@crandall-isd.net and I will answer them as soon as I can. I will be taking my laptop with me on Tuesday and Wednesday and checking in as needed.

TAKS Prep

As you know we are on that downhill slide to our state testing. The Math TAKS test is on April 4th which is only 7 days away!

Yesterday we spent time going over the benchmark that we took last week in class after I asked the students to let me know what items they were still struggling with. With those items, I created a bar graph of what items students were asking about and the highest ones were:

1. Slope and Y-Intercept
2. Fractions
3. Proportions
4. Pythagorean Theorem
5. Ratios
6. Equations
7. Dilations and Scale Factor
8. Percent Increase and Decrease
9. Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying and Dividing with Positive and Negative Numbers
10. Probability

This gives me input on what we still need to focus on in class (although all of this has been covered again since originally introduced). If you would please have your child work on these at home as well I know that they will have the best chance possible.

The last dates for TAKS tutoring are:
March 24th (with Mrs. Forman or Mrs. Batten as I will be at a funeral)
March 29th and
March 31st

Percent of Change Video

Linear Equations an Slope

Today was a BIG day! We took notes over Linear Equations and Slope and learned what all those y’s, x’s, m’s and b’s stood for. There was a homework assignment tonight that consisted of 7 problems. I went over the directions in class so that everyone could know what they were doing.

Also, don’t forget that the Sequences homework from yesterday is due tomorrow or it is a detention and the same with the Practice Sheet. Test corrections are also due tomorrow if you want credit on them.

I hope you are having a great week. Tomorrow we will be having a short quiz to make sure the information that was taught today is understood.

Slope Intercept

Benchmarks and TAKS Time!

We have finally finished a solid block of three days of working on our benchmarks. There are still some students who didn’t finish and they MUST stay after tomorrow afternoon to finish this as I can’t allow another day of class to work on this.

We are moving on with our Measurement Unit tomorrow.  We will work part of the packet together and the remainder will be homework!  We will grade it in class on Friday as well as the Practice Sheet.  They will get their Practice Sheet tomorrow and have a decent amount of time to work on it. If they do not finish, it will be able to go home with them to finish and bring back on Friday. This will become our weekly routine.

Remember that I will be out again this Friday. Ms. Parr will be my substitute once again. For the most part my classes did very well last week and I expect nothing but the best this week as well.

I hope you are each having a great week.  We are down to 23 instructional days until the TAKS test! Next week I will be handing out the calendar for them to keep with them containing our topics for the next few weeks. I will also attach it in an email one day next week as well.