Monday, 2/29/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratics and Exponentials

Tonight's homework is practice #5, problems: (multiple-choice #'s 1-3; short-answer #'s 1-6, and 13).  (Period 6, you can skip #13.)  Students, your goal should be to ace everything tonight.  We'll review answers and questions tomorrow, but only very quickly.

Friday, 2/16/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratics and Equations

Today we corrected and reviewed the work from the fourth practice of the upcoming Unit 3 test, that students did while I was out yesterday for a meeting at the district office.  We are only several problems away from finishing our preparation, with final polishing practice.  Other than studying Modules 10 & 11, no formal homework is assigned over the weekend.  We will start fresh on Monday. 

Thursday, 2/25/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratics and Exponentials

I was at a meeting at the district office today.   Tonight students need to finish working our fourth practice version of the test, all problems we've covered thus far in class (which is most of them).

There is a Friday after-school class, tomorrow, 2/26.  It is for Per.6.

Wednesday, 2/24/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratics and Exponentials

It's been an arduous process, but we are getting much closer to being ready for our Unit 3 test on quadratics and exponentials.  Tonight no formal homework is assigned, but students will be working through the major portion of a fourth practice version tomorrow, for classwork and homework that night, as I am out for a meeting at the district office.

Tuesday, 2/23/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratics and Exponentials

Both of my two honors classes now feel strong on what makes up almost the entire first-half of the upcoming Unit 3 test (date to be determined).  (We've been working off of parallel practice versions.)  We are now focusing on the second half of the test.  Tonight's homework is Practice #3, problems 7 & 8.

Monday, 2/22/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratics and Exponentials

Because there has been so much packed into Unit 3, it has been a struggle for many students as we work to come in prepared into our Unit 3 test.  I'm repeatedly emphasizing what I want students to really know in the midst of so much content.  This upcoming test (for which I don't have a date yet, but will occur as soon as we are ready) marks the content I really want the students to know out of this unit.

A number of students and parents have communicated with me about the struggle, which I appreciate.

Today we have a beach-head established.  Both of my two honors classes now feel strong on what makes up almost the entire first-half of the test.  (We've been working off of parallel practice versions.)  Tomorrow we'll move toward accomplishing the same with the rest of the test.  Tonight's homework is the front page of Practice #3.  (Both classes: skip #5 at the bottom--there is a problem with it.  Both classes, we'll start with that problem and move forward after checking the answers from tonight's assignment.)

Friday, 2/19/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratics and Functions

We are in the process of preparing for the upcoming Unit 3 test.  I don't have a firm date for it yet, as I want my students solidly coming in from a position of strength.  Students should continue to study / practice for the test, on Modules (short chapters) 16, 17, 10, and 11.

Thursday, 2/18/16: Independent Work on Practice #2, Unit 3 Test on Quadratics & Exponentials

Apologies for the missed post yesterday.

Today I was out for an articulation meeting at La Serna High School today.  We are in the process of preparing for our Unit 3 Test.  Students should continue to study / practice for the test, on Modules (short chapters) 16, 17, 10, and 11.

Tuesday, 2/16/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratics and Exponentials

Our Unit 3 test will be next Tuesday, 2/23, and Wednesday, 2/24.  This week we are in the process of reviewing two very parallel practice versions of the test.  Parents, last Friday we diagrammed the first practice, labeling questions with the associated topics, and listing the "modules" (short chapters) that are on the test.

Tonight's homework is for students to work the second half (last 10 problems) of the first practice test.  We will review the answers / work tomorrow during class.

Friday, 2/12/16: Preparing for Unit 3 Test on Quadratic and Exponential Functions

This weekend's homework is the first ten problems of the Unit 3 Practice Test, which I distributed to students today.  Students are to work the first three multiple-choice problems, 1-3, followed by the first seven short-answer problems, 1-7.  We will be reviewing this material all next week; our test will be on Monday, 2/22.

Period 5, I had the notation reversed when we made our assignment sheet entry, saying "SA 1-3, and MC 1-7."  It's the other way around, as noted above:  "MC 1-3, and SA 1-7."  SORRY!!

Have a terrific Valentine's Day / President's Day weekend!

Tuesday, 2/9/16 through Friday, 2/12/16: Unit 3 Performance Task

The "Performance Task" portion of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) standardized testing (coming up in several months) gives students the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency primarily in three of the four "claims" involved with reporting standardized test scores.  These three are Claim 2: Problem Solving; Claim 3: Communicating Reasoning; and Claim 4: Modeling and Data Analysis.  (Claim 1 is "Concepts and Procedures.")

The format for the performance task is that students are given a scenario (such as running a business), followed by about 6 or so questions related to the task at hand.  The goal of this part of the assessment is not necessarily to test the students' knowledge of their math skills, but more to assess their ability to apply them in context, as they are expected to do so in high school, college or university, and in the real world.

As we did with the end of Unit 1, this week we are having our students on individual computers taking our district's own Unit 3 math performance task.  Today we did the "classroom activity," designed to make sure that students understand the context of the problem.  Wednesday and Thursday students will be on the computers taking the performance task.  Friday we will debrief, which is the most critical part of this exercise.

As we are between units and performing this important task this week, no specific homework assignments will be given during the week.

However, next week we will be taking the Unit 3 test (traditional type).  It will be on quadratic and exponential functions, covering the lessons in modules (short-chapters) 17, 10, and 11.  For their homework this week, students should be reviewing all of this material.  There is a LOT in there!!

Because of a heavy load for the Instrumental Music Program students the next several weeks, our next scheduled Friday after-school class won't be until February 26, for Per.6.

Friday, 2/5/16: Lesson 11-2, on Comparing Linear and Exponential Functions

Today during our regular class we examined comparisons between linear and exponential functions.  No formal homework is assigned for the weekend.

Here are the links for the Friday after-school class:

SBAC Equation Editor Tutorial:  https://demo.tds.airast.org/eqtutorial/

SBAC Gr. 8 Practice Test #1:  https://practice.smarterbalanced.org/student/
(Click "Sign In," navigate through the next page (choose grade level), and then click on the top-left math test.)

Thursday, 2/4/16: Lesson 10-5, Equations Involving Exponents

Tonight's homework is p..371 (1-10).  Students may use a graphing calculator in completing this assignment.

This Friday's after-school class is for Per.5.

Wednesday, 2/3/16: Lesson 10-4, Characteristics of Exponential Functions When Adjusting Parameters

Tonight's homework is for students to study the handout I gave them for Lesson 10-4, and use a graphing calculator (or online graphing calculator or app; Desmos is a great choice) to run through some of the examples.

Tuesday, 2/2/16: Lesson 10-3, on Geometric Sequences

Today we revisited how to write recursive and explicit rules for geometric sequences.  No formal homework was assigned for tonight, but students can go back and study Section 10-3.

Monday, 2/1/16: Lesson 10-2, Exponential Growth and Decay

Tonight's homework is p. 351 (5 & 6).