Continue Simultaneous Equations

Chapter 7, Lesson 1 and 2. Finish these before Friday so you do not have homework over the holiday.

The extra credit project is due on Tuesday, January 8, 2008. See entry below for details.

Holiday Extra Credit

Holiday Extra Credit Opportunity

Here’s your chance to get some extra credit (up to 4% of your grade) over the holiday break. Pick one of the following books and read the entire book. Then, write a book report, explaining in detail each of the math concepts described. Provide examples whenever you can. Remember QUALITY is more important than QUANTITY, but your book report should be at least 2 pages so that you can cover the parts. See rubric for details.

Due: Tuesday January 8, 2008.


1.) The Number Devil, by Hans Magnus Enzenberger
One of my personal favorites. You will learn about many interesting mathematical concepts in this easy-to-read, comical dream world.

2.) The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures, by Malba Tahan, Patricia Reid Baquero
A beautifully written set of mathematical and philosophical adventures, sited by many as the book that turned them on to math.

3.) Flatland, by Edwin Abbott
A delightful classic written a long time ago which explores dimensionality: l-D, 2-D, 3-D, 4-D. It also has some outdated social commentary. Great if you like stretching your brain to think about really weird ideas. There are a large number of take-offs on Flatland, including Sphereland, Flatterland, and The Planiverse by various authors.

4.) The Boy Who Reversed Himself, by William Sleator
A novel (for kids) about worlds in 4 and more dimensions.

5.) In Code: A Mathematical Journey, by Sarah Flannery with David Flannery
An engaging autobiography about a young woman’s breakthrough discoveries in cryptography.

Simultaneous Equations

1. Chapter 7, Lesson 1 - Set I, II, and IV (EC)

2. Bring missing hw slip signed by a parent.

Chapter 6 Review

Test tomorrow!

Slope-Intercept Form

Chapter 6, Lesson 6 - Set I, II, and IV - Please hand your notebook to me on Monday morning before school, so I can grade your assignments and hand them back to you in Math Class.

If you were absent, download Slope and Slope-Intercept Powerpoints.

http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/bowmang/Alg1PwrPnt.htm

http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/bowmang/IntAlgPwrPnt.html

Intercepts and Slopes

Due Friday:

1.) Chapter 6, Lesson 4 and 5 - Set I, II and IV

2.) POW

Chapter 6, Lesson 3

Complete Chapter 6, Lesson 3 for Wednesday. Set I, II and IV (EC).

POW due Friday.

This week's POW options

Here are this week's POW options. Choose 1. Due Friday.

POW – due December 14

Option 1. When I was going to St Ives I met a man with seven wives. Each wife had seven sacks and each sack had seven cats. How many legs were there in the group of people and cats that I encountered on my trip to St. Ives? Assume that no one in the group is missing any limbs.

Option 2: When Cinderella’s fairy godmother sent her off to the ball to meet the prince, she had one stipulation: Cinderella had to leave by the stroke of midnight. By the time Cinderella got to the castle, moved through the crowd and met the prince, it was 10:30pm when she finally had her first dance with the prince. If each song lasted 3.5 minutes and they danced the rest of the evening, except for a 20-minute walk they took outside, how many songs did they dance to between 10:30pm and midnight?

Option 3: When the students in Harry Potter’s Spells class at Hogwarts started the year, they knew an average of 10 spells each. Hermione knew the most, 19, and Ron knew the least, 7. If Harry knew 12 spells, what was the average number of spells that each of Hermione, Ron and Harry’s 21 classmates knew at the start of the year? Express your answer as a decimal to the nearest hundredth.

Formulas

Due Monday:

Chapter 6, Lesson 2 - Set I, II and IV (if you wish).

Chapter 6

Read, take notes and complete Set I and II of Chapter 6 Lesson 1.

This is due Friday!

Chapter 5 Test

To study for the test, which is tomorrow:

1. Read the review and Complete Set II of the problem set on pages 231-235. Then check the answers and review the concepts that are difficult for you.

2. Complete the worksheet and work on speed in solving equations.

Equations Test tomorrow!

Rate Problems

I will be in Monterrey for a math conference on Friday. Dee will be your sub. You will work on Rate problems (chapter 5, lesson 8). Read the lesson, take notes, and complete Set II and III. (NOT Set I) Set IV is extra credit. This is due Monday.

Your chapter 5 test is Tuesday.

Your POW is due Monday.

Have a good weekend!

Area and DRT

1. Chapter 5, Lessons 6 and 7 (Length and Area AND Distance, Rate, Time Lessons) - Set I, II, and IV (E.C.)

2. POW

3. Chapter 5 Test on Tuesday

MATH SEMINAR

There is still time to join math seminar. We will have our second meeting tomorrow during lunch time. Bring your lunch to the math room. It's not too late to join!

Description:

Math Investigation Seminar Description


Who? Math Investigation Seminar is open to all students who would like to challenge themselves and explore new concepts of mathematics. Students should be prepared to take on high-level thinking and have fun with math!

What? Math Investigation Seminar is designed to supplement and extend the math curriculum, however, much of what we do in Seminar will look very different from what we do in math class. The topics in Math Seminar will revolve around reasoning, logic, and critical thinking skills as these are the building blocks of intellectual inquiry. The Seminar will focus on developing skills through problem solving, puzzles and exposure to a wide range of topics in mathematics. There will be about 30 minutes of homework weekly to be completed for the following seminar.

Where? We will meet in the BMS Middle School Math Room. Once in a while, we may meet after school or join a math circle at another school.

When? Once a week, during lunch/recess time

Why? To challenge yourself and have fun!

Test Prep

1.) Finish Test prep packet. Time yourself on each drill.

2.) Worksheet - Parts 1 and 3

3.) POW

More Equations

Due Monday

1. Finish up test prep packet - p 77 - 86

2. Chapter 5, Lessons 4 and 5 - Set I, II and IV (E.C.)

3. Ana or Ivy's Pow

Happy Thanksgiving!

Test Prep

Work on the SSAT/ISEE test prep packet (p 77-86), timing yourself on each drill. We will go over these and discuss them tomorrow. Read each section carefully before doing the drills. It's good for you!

Your chapter 5, lessons 4 and 5 are due after the holiday.

Equations and Inverse Operations

1.)Page 189, Set II #7-9

2.) Read pages 193-195, Do #5-10

3.) POW - many of you did not turn this in

4.) Test corrections - with the right answer and WHY you got it wrong.

DUE MONDAY!

Equations with one variable

Due Friday:

Read Chapter 5, Lesson 1 and take notes - Do Set I, II and IV (Extra credit)

Pow

Review and Study

1. Review and study for the Chapter 4 Rational Numbers exam. This is not an easy one so take the review seriously. Complete pages 178 and 179 (Set II) and check your answers in the back.

Buena suerte!

2. Remember the POW is due on Friday.

More Graphing (yippie!)

For Monday:

Complete Chapter 4, Lesson 5 (graphing with rational numbers). Set I, II and IV.

Approximations

HW: Due Friday

1.) Chapter 4, Lesson 4 - Set I, II, and IV (E.C)

2.) Decimals Test Prep - Don't use calculators!

3.) POW

Absolute Value and More Rational Numbers

1.) Chapter 4 Lesson 2 and 3. Set I, II and IV. Do each number but skip letters (ie. Do a, c, e, g…)

2.) POW

Introduction to Rational Numbers

Read pages 150 - 152 on Rational Numbers.

Take Notes. In your notes, you must include:

-A definition of rational numbers.

-Copy down example 1 into your notes.

Homework:

Chapter 4, Lesson 1 (Set I, II, and IV)

This week's POWs (Due Friday):

11/5/07
Lucy bought a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, originally priced at $22, but on sale now for 15% off. How much was Lucy's total purchase? (Don't forget to add in sales tax at the end; 8.25%)

If you want to do the other POW, copy it from the math board in class!

Wrapping up Integers

You will have a test on INTEGERS tomorrow!!

Homework:
1.) Finish 3.7 (Several Operations) if you have not already.

2.) Complete Set II page 147

3.) Complete the Halloween Horrors story! A prize will be given to the winner. :)

Work on Integers

Homework for next week:

1.) Continue test prep - work through the examples in the packet.

2.) Work on the Integers chapter of the book - 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7. Be prepared to take a test on 10/30.

3.) Think about math everyday while you're on your trips!

Test Prep and POW

Your homework for Friday:

Diagnostic Test - math sections (I and III only)
Find a quiet space to work through these problems for 50 minutes. Do not spend more than 50 minutes (25 minutes each) on the sections.

POW Due Friday

For Monday (10/29):
In chapter 3, do Set I, II and IV for Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division.

You will have a test on chapter 3 on 10/30.

More on the Coordinate Graph

Homework Due Thurs:

Page 117 and 118 - Set I, II, and IV (Extra Credit)

This week's pow: Due Friday

About how many pennies would have to be piled on top of one another to reach the ceiling of a room that is 8 feet high?

Hint: You can stack pennies on top of each other or side by side.

Coordinate Graph

Set II page 75 EVENS

Tomorrow you will have a sub. Be on your best behavior.

Test tomorrow

Review and study!

Buena suerte :)

Inverse Variations

Homework:

1) Set I, II, and IV (extra credit) for Inverse Variation

2) Study for Chapter 2 exam, which is on Thursday

3.) Organize your notebook and complete rubric (collecting on Thurs)

4.) This week's POW (Due Oct 16):

October 9, 2007 – This week’s POW

On Monday, October 8th, 2007 we celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day. This is also the day that Columbus is credited with opening the doors for European expansion in the America’s when he mistakenly landed on San Salvador while trying to find an alternate route to Asia. Columbus hypothesized that instead of sailing south and then east around the tip of Africa, he could just sail southwest and get to Asia more easily. When Columbus was planning this voyage he packed provisions based on his calculations of the Earth’s size. Unfortunately, he did not realize that the map he was using was in an Arabic unit of measure and not in the Italian unit of measure he thought. As a result, he calculated the Earth’s circumference to be 25,255 km when it is really 40,008 km. By what percent was his calculation incorrect? Express your answer to the nearest whole number.

Long Weekend Homework

Your homework is due Tuesday:

1.) Organize notebook - I will collect next week

2.) Fill out rubric, which will be used to assess your notebook

3.) Linear Functions - Set II and Set IV (extra credit)

4.) POW - make sure you write your name and show your work!

This week's POW:
Carmen, Jordy, Mariah, and Ronnie each have less than $1.00 to spend at the snack bar. Altogether they have $3.26, all in coins, including 7 quarters, 1 penny, and the same number of dimes as nickels. Each person has 7 coins. They each have a different number of dimes.

Jordy has more dimes but fewer quarters than anyone else.
Ronnie has the most money, and Jordy has the least.
Mariah is the only one who has a penny.
Ronnie has the same number of nickels as Jordy, and Carmen has the same number as Mariah.
Ronnie has the same number of nickels as quarters, but more dimes than nickels.
What combination of coins, and how much money, does each person have?

The Coordinate Graph

1.) Coordinate Graph - Do Set I, II, and IV

2.) Test corrections

3.) POW

ALL DUE FRIDAY!

Intro to functions

Homework for tonight:

Read pages 66-67
Do set I and II on pages 67-69 (Set IV is extra credit)

Work on POW

Summarize and Review

Quiz tomorrow!

Read p59 and do set II on page 62.

Good luck!

The Distributive Property

Weekend Homework:

Set I and Set II (Odds) on page 55
Set IV is extra credit

Review and Study for your first QUIZ!

Parentheses

Due Friday:

Parentheses - page 48: Set I and Set II (Set IV is Extra Credit)

Revise your math autobiography!

POW (use rubric)

First Quiz: Tuesday!

Zero/One & Several Operations

Due tomorrow:
Zero and One : (page 35-38) Set I and Set II All, Set IV - Extra Credit

Several Operations: (pages 42-43) Set I and Set II All, Set IV - Extra Credit

Due Friday:
POW
Response to autobio

Review, Correct and Organize

Tonight's homework is to go over Set I's and make sure you've shown your work. From now on, show your work on all written assignments. Remember to split your paper in half and use one column to show work and the other column to show the answer.

I highly recommend buying a binder and looseleaf for class. I do not want any more spiral notebook paper handed in.

This week's POW:
A palindrome is a number that is written the same forward and backward. Some examples include 11, 242, and 909. How many whole-number palindromes exist between 10 and 1,000?

Remember to show your thinking. See rubric for method of assessment.

Raising to a Power

9/14/07

• Set II - All
• Set IV - Extra Credit
• Make a graph of the paper folding activity (number of folds and number of layers)
• Math Autobiography
• Parent Responses to Blog Questions

Multiplication and Division

Multiplication (begins on p. 19)
Set I - ODD
Set II - 13, 17
Set III - 24
Set IV - ALL

Division (begins on p. 23)
Set I - ODD
Set II - 14, 15
Set III - 20, 23
Set IV - Extra Credit

Addition and Subtraction Homework

9/11/07

Tonight's Homework:
Addition – p. 8 -11
Set I – All
Set II – 11, 13, 16
Set III – 21
Set IV – Finish Number puzzle

Subtraction – p 13 -16
Set I – All
Set II – 15, 17
Set III- 19, 24

Continue:
POW (problem of the week)
Autobiography
Blog questions (for parents). Email them to Skanchwala@bmsonline.org

First Week Assignment

Your homework for this week is as follows:

1. Visit the blogspot with a parent and have them read the introduction and answer the questions about you. They can email me the answers at Skanchwala@bmsonline.org or you can print out a copy and turn it in to me.

2. Write your math autobiography (Due Sept. 17). Including your goals for the year. Here are some guiding questions:
How do you feel about math, and why?
What topics come easy to you and what do you find difficult?
What do you want others to learn about you as a learner of mathematics?
What supports your math learning?
What gets in the way of learning math?

3. Number Tricks

Getting to know your student

Dear Parent,

I’d like to get to know your student as quickly as possible this year. Would you please answer the following questions and send them back to school with your child tomorrow?

Thank you.
Sheila Kanchwala



About My Student



My child’s name (please print) _____________________________



My name ________________________________________________



1.) What is important for me to know about your child?









2.) How does your child feel about math?










3.) What do you feel is the most important aspect about teaching and/or learning math?

Introduction

Dear 8th grade families,

I would like to introduce myself to you as your child’s math teacher this year and tell you a little bit about how math will be structured this year. First, a bit about me: I have taught Spanish and Math Seminar for three years at the Little Red Schoolhouse in New York City. I have also taught math-reasoning course at the Center for Talented Youth through Johns Hopkins University and at the National Young Scholars Program. I am looking forward being at Berkeley Montessori School and getting to know all of you in the near future!

This will be an exciting class, and your child will be engaging in math in a variety of ways. I have the highest of expectations of each student, because I believe that all students are capable of learning math. The curriculum I will mostly draw from is called Elementary Algebra by Harold Jacobs. This curriculum is very rich in teaching skills for abstract thinking.

We will begin with an intensive review of fundamental operations that will lead to our study of functions and graphs. Through the course of the year, we will study integers, rational numbers, equations in one and two variables, simultaneous equations, exponents, polynomials, factoring, fractions, square roots, quadratic equations, real numbers and fractional equations.

Please refer to the blog www. http://bmsmath8-2.blogspot.com/ for any ongoing announcements and for daily assignments. Should you have any questions feel free to email me at Skanchwala@bmsonline.org or call me at BMS, extension 257.



I look forward to a great year!

Sincerely,
Sheila Kanchwala
BMS Middle School Math Teacher

New Site

This will now be the site you should refer to for your math needs.