Week at a Glance: January 21, 2014

This week in math, we will begin the Functions unit. The focus of the week is for students to be able identify functions from a variety of contexts, including:

 - Mapping diagrams
 - Sets of ordered pairs
 - Tables / T-charts
 - Graphs
 - Equations


To be successful in the this unit, it is important that students are familiar with the following terms:

Domain
Range
Input
Output
Function
Linear
Nonlinear
Rate of change

The agenda for this week is listed below. This agenda is subject to change to meet students' needs.

TUE
 - Intro to functions (discuss / explain terms)
   Identifying functions from: mapping diagrams, sets of ordered pairs, tables

WED  **short class due to 8th grade writing assessment
 - Identifying functions from tables and charts
 - Comparing functions represented in different ways

THU
 - Identifying functions from graphs
 - Comparing functions represented in different ways

FRI
 - Identifying functions quiz
 - Function machine: exploring function rules

Week at a Glance: January 13, 2014

This week in math, we will complete the Pythagorean Theorem and Volume Unit. Students will focus on reviewing all aspects of the Pythagorean Theorem. In addition, they will recall the concept of volume from previous grades. They will learn and the formulas for volume of cylinders, cones and spheres.

During the latter part of the week, students will be introduced to the next unit, Functions if time permits.

The tentative agenda for the week is listed below. This agenda is subject to change based on students' needs.

MON

  - Recall Volume

  - Volume of cylinders, cones & spheres (understand & apply formulas)

TUE

  - "How full is your glass?" task Day 1

WED

  - "How full is your glass?" task Day 2

  -  Unit review 

THU

  - Unit assessment

  - Intro to functions (time permitting)

FRI

  - District Benchmark

  - Intro to functions (time permitting)

Week at a Glance: January 6, 2014

Happy New Year!

This week in math, we will resume working on the Pythagorean Theorem. Before the holiday break, students learned the following:

- The Pythagorean Theorem applies to right triangles angles only.

- It specifies a relationship between the areas of the squares created off of the legs and hypotenuse of a 

  right triangle.

- How to apply the Pythagorean Theorem to find missing side length on a right triangle.

- How to apply the Pythagorean Theorem to solve real-world problems.

After reviewing the items above, we will proceed with the the rest of the Pythagorean Theorem & Volume unit. The focus of this week will be:

- Converse of Pythagorean Theorem

- Using the Pythagorean Theorem to find distance in the coordinate plane.

As always, students will have homework nightly (Mon - Thu).

Week at a Glance: December 2, 2013

Current Unit / Focus: Unit 2 - Algebraic Equations (including special cases)

Unit Standards: MCC8.EE7

This week in math, we will complete the equations mini-unit. We will begin the week with a quiz to allow students to demonstrate their ability to solve multi-step equations. We will review the quiz to reinforce previously learned concepts before moving on to solving equations with variables on both sides and exploring special cases (all real numbers and no solution).

See the outline below for this week's agenda: (This agenda is subject to change based on students' needs).

Mon --> Review solving multi-step equations
              Equations Quiz
              Modeling equations (intro to variables on both sides)

Tues --> Review Quiz
              Solving equations with variables on both sides

Wed --> Exploring special cases (all real numbers & no solution)
              Equations Task Day 1

Thu --> Equations Task Day2

Fri --> Equations Assessment

Week at a Glance: October 28, 2013

This week in math, we will continue our study of scientific notation. Building upon what students learned last week, they will learn to perform operations on numbers in scientific notation and solve problems involving scientific notation.

The agenda for this week is listed below. This agenda is subject to change based on students' needs.

MON:
 - District Benchmark Assessment
 - Identifying and correcting improper scientific notation

TUE:
 - Multiplying and Dividing in scientific notation
 - Problem solving with scientific notation

WED:
 - Reality Fair

THU:
 - Scientific Notation task

FRI:
 - Complete Scientific Notation task
 - Quiz


Advanced math students will conclude the study of scientific notation by learning how to solve problems involving scientific notation powers.

MON:
 - District Benchmark Assessment

TUE:
 - Complete Scientific Notation Task
 - Intro to Scientific Notation Powers

WED:
 - Reality Fair
 - Practice Operations w/ scientific notation

THU:
 - Review properties of exponents and scientific notation

FRI:
 - Assessment

Week at a Glance: October 21, 2013

This week in math, we will work on scientific notation. Specifically, students will learn the following about scientific notation:

- Form (proper form) and function (when, how it is used in real-life)
- Converting: standard form <--> scientific notation
- Ordering & comparing numbers in scientific notation
- Performing operations / computation on numbers in scientific notation

To be most successful with these standards, it is important that students are familiar with the following terms:

* Coefficient
* Power of 10
* Base
* Exponent

We will continue to reinforce the properties of exponents as we study scientific notation. Students will be asked to make connections to the properties as they work with numbers in scientific notation.


The agenda for the week is listed below. This agenda is subject to change based on students' needs.

MON:
 - Intro to Scientific Notation
 - Converting Scientific Notation --> Standard Form

TUE:
 - Practice with Scientific Notation
 - Determining if numbers are expressed in proper scientific notation
 - Converting Standard Form --> Scientific Notation

WED:
 - Understanding powers of 10
 - Writing numbers in proper Scientific Notation
 - Ordering & Comparing Numbers in Scientific Notation

THU:
 - Scientific Notation Stations

FRI:
 - Quiz
 - Scientific Notation Practice


Students in Advanced Math will also work on Scientific Notation this week; however their agenda will be slightly different. It is shown below.

MON:
 - Exponents quiz
 - Multiplying & dividing scientific notation

TUE:
 - Review Multiplying & dividing scientific notation
 - Adding & subtracting scientific notation

WED:
 - Ordering & comparing numbers in scientific notation

THU:
 - Scientific Notation Task

FRI:
 - Scientific Notation Practice

Week at a Glance: October 14, 2013

Current Unit / Focus: Unit 2 - Properties of Exponents / Scientific Notation
Unit Standards: MCC8.EE1 /MCC8.EE3, MCC8.EE4

Crosswalk Coach Connection:
 -- Lesson 6 - Exponents

This week in math, we will continue to progress through unit 2 by completing our study of integer exponents and beginning our study of scientific notation.

During the beginning of the week, we will explore powers of 10 to make sense of the final 2 properties of integer exponents:  Zero Exponents and Negative Exponents. We will also work on using all of the properties to simplify exponential expressions and write equivalent expressions.

Students will have 2 tasks to complete to demonstrate their knowledge of the properties of integer exponents:
             * Properties of Exponents Flip Book (Assigned on Monday - Due on Thursday)
             * Properties of Exponents Bubble Map (Assigned on Tuesday - Due on Friday)

These tasks will count as a summative grade and will not be accepted late. They are to be submitted no later than the end of homeroom on the due date.

Students will / have received rubrics to outline the requirements and grading for each task. Ask your child to show you their rubric so you can help them assess their work before it is submitted for a grade.

See the outline below of this week's agenda. The agenda is subject to change based on students' needs.

MON	Exploring Powers of 10  - Zero Exponents  - Negative Exponents Assign Properties of Exponents Flipbook Task (DUE Thursday 10/17 in homeroom)  Will not be accepted late.
TUE	Practice Applying all properties of exponents  - Exponential Exponents Task/Activity  - Properties of Exponents Bubble Map assigned.
WED	Practice Applying all properties of exponents  - Exponential Exponents Task/Activity  - Work on Bubble Map Task
THU	Intro to Scientific Notation  - Form and Function  -  Converting:  Scientific Notation <--> Standard Form
FRI	Scientific Notation Stations

==============================================================
Advanced Math

Students in advanced math will focus on the same standards this week; however their assignments are somewhat different. Also, since they have moved through the properties of integer exponents a little bit more quickly, they will move on to scientific on Wednesday instead of Thursday.

Advanced math students have also been assigned 2 tasks to demonstrate their knowledge of the properties of integer exponents. Their tasks are:

 * Properties of Exponents Tree Map (Assigned Friday - Due Wednesday)

 * Properties of Exponents Bubble Map or Video (Assigned Monday, Due on Friday)

These tasks will count as a summative grade and will not be accepted late. 
They are to be submitted no later than the end of homeroom on the due date.

See the outline below of this week's agenda. The agenda is subject to change based on students' needs.

MON	Review Tree Map Task & Rubric Practice Applying all properties of integer exponents -       Exponential Exponents Task/Activity
TUE	Review Quiz Assign Bubble Map Task Problems Practice Applying all properties of integer exponents HW: Measuring Up Exponents Practice
WED	Intro to Scientific Notation -       Form and Function -       Converting: Scientific ß à Standard Form
THU	Scientific Notation Stations
FRI	Scientific Notation Stations