WMS: Summer Math Reminder: Remember Khan Academy

What!? We're in summer break and we're getting ANOTHER school email!? For reals!? 

Yup, for reals. :) 

I just wanted to send this out before I dismantle my mailing lists and remind families that Summer is a GREAT opportunity to practice. And your child can use the Khan Academy (it's FREE) to keep calculation skills and some concepts fresh in their minds!

Khan Academy is not very good about teaching conceptual underpinnings and it won't do much to help with topics that your child is having a hard time with understanding. But for concepts that your child already has understood and for continuing practice in calculations, it's a tremendous resources. It has mini lectures (videos) and it has MANY online practice sets to work on!

This Spring, Khan Academy made some changes that make it easier to use. Your child can still use their wildcatapps.org username firstname.lastinitial.14@wildcatapps.org; ex: sally.b.14@wildcatapps.org). But if your child doesn't remember that sign-in, they can now create a Khan Academy username WITHOUT needing wildcatapps.org, facebook, or gmail! And next year, when the school year starts up, they will be able to link the accounts.

Some 6th grade skills students may want to practice over the summer include:

• Arithmetic with fractions and mixed numbers (+,-,x, and ÷).
• Arithmetic with decimals (+,-,x, and ÷).
• Ratios.
• Percents.
• Circle calculations (pi, area, circumference).

Not to mention things from earlier grades! The Khan Academy will give your child a nice mix of things to practice. It usually does a good job and is pretty darn motivating with points and badges earned.

You can also sign up for an account and have your child ad you as a coach! Then you can see what topics your child is struggling with and how much time they are spending practicing. This is SO much better than worksheets or workbooks because the program tailors itself to your child's practice needs. 

I sincerely wish you all a WONDERFUL summer and a relaxing break before starting 7th grade next year! It a privilege teaching your children this year. I look forward to seeing them around WMS next year when they're even bigger kids! :) 

Yours truly,

Brian MacNevin

PS: If your child wants to have their wildcatapps username and password, please email me (they may want to start with all of their achievements in place rather than starting over). I can provide you the username, but the password I will have to reset to a generic one that they can use to log in. I will be leaving later this week out of town and my internet access will be spotty after Wednesday.

Sandstone... Ocean, Beach, or Dessert?

Okay, we have a mystery: the Supai Sandstone and the Coconino Sandstone both are made of sand. But we had three different suggestions about where the sand came from.

1. A Beach
2. A Dessert
3. A Strem or River on a mountain

So which is it? Where did the sand from the Supai Sandstone (the red sand stone) and the Coconino Sandston (the tan sandstone) come from?

Today you will examine different kinds of sand in a virtual sand lab to see if you can find a way to answer that question!

To do:

Prepare Science Notebook

• Start a new page. 
• Title it "Sand Types" and put today's date (6/15/2012)
• Add this to your table of contents

Go to the FossWeb website:

• FossWEB
• UID: mrmac
• PWD: room116

Go to the Geology Lab Room

• Select SAND TYPES
• Select COMPARE
• There are three "types" of sand: river (mountain), dune (dessert) and beach (ocean)
• Compare the different sand types.
• In your science notebook, record your comparisons using VENN DIAGRAMS.
• Once you have examined all of the samples and you are satisfied that your observations are complete and accurate, go on to the next part.

Patterns!

• Examine your comparisons. Look for patterns for each TYPE of sand that would help you identify it.
• For each type of sand (dune, mountain, beach): write about the pattern you notice that describes that kind of sand.

Self Check?

• Go back to the lab.
• Select TEST YOURSELF and see how well you do!
• Record how well you do in your science notebook.
• Quiz!
• When you finish that, try the quiz otu and record how you did!

WMS: Math Update: MAP testing and a call for calculators...

Dear Families,

MAP Tests Started Today

This week we have started our MAP testing for Math and Reading. This morning our Blue group had their math test and tomorrow morning it will be our green group's chance to show what they've got! The MAP test is a computerized math test that pings where students are at. In the process, it shows them more advanced things (things that they've never seen before from 11th grade math) and also some much earlier things. I always get interesting questions about "what does this symbol mean?" after the MAP test. It might be worth asking your child what things they saw that they might be curious about!

Call for Calculators

Also, as we work with percentages, it will be very beneficial to students to have a calculator handy. This afternoon I had about 12 students want to borrow my 5 calculators. Hmm. We shared, but it was a little frustrating. I know that students have calculators in the cell phones these days. But since I cannot allow them be used in the classroom, students should have a simple calculator with them these last few weeks of school. It needn't be anything complicated! All it needs to be able to do is +, -, x and ÷. 

Homework

I have a hard time assigning homework when kids have big-looking test/assessments. So yesterday and tonight, the kids' only homework is to get a good night's rest. I know I just mentioned in my last email that I was still assigning homework, and that will be true next week, too! I apologize if that caused confusion.

Thanks for all you do to support your child's education!

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math/Science Update

Dear Families,

It's June already! Welcome to the time-warp known as Spring Semester! I wanted to let you know what we're working on in math and science this week. I am still assigning homework. You can see homework assignments on my blog [link]. Just click on the calendar tab. And I am still recording homework completion by stamping in your child's planner when the homework is due. Usually, if your student's planner isn't stamped, they haven't turned in their homework.

Math: Percents and MAP Math Testing

• Back in the Fall we worked with percents when we were dealing with decimal notation of fractions. This time we are coming at it again, but from the point of view of problem solving and equivalent fractions.
• This week we are still focusing on reviewing fraction/decimal/percent equivalencies and calculations. The thought process goes like this:
• I know that 1/4 is equivalent to 2/8. All I have to do is multiply the numerator and the denominator of 1/4 by 2 and I get 2/8.
• PERcent means "for one hundred."
• I can pretend that the group I'm looking at has 100 members instead of just 8. 1/4 can become 100ths if I multiply the numerator and the denominator each by 25. 1/4 x 25/25 = 25/100. 
• Example: In a class of 25 kids, 13 are boys and 12 are girls.
• What percent are boys? 15/25 are boys. If I multiply the 25 by 4, I can pretend there are 100 students. Then I just need to do the same to the 15 on top to get 60 boys. 60/100 is 60 for every 100... or 60%.
• MAP MATH testing Wednesday 6/6 for the BLUE group kids.
• MAP MATH testing Thursday 6/7 for the GREEN group kids.

Science: Layers of the Colorado Plateau

• This week we will finish looking at the layers of the Colorado Plateau. We will examine sand samples to see how their grain textures inform us of the history of sandstone layers and we will get some estimated dates of the rocks in these layers. 
• The big picture we're building here is that the layers of the grand canyon were laid down in specific environments that existed over the same physical location. These layers were compressed into sedimentary rock and then the whole thing was somehow lifted up about 8000 feet. We won't go deeply into earthquakes and plate tectonics because there is an entire unit on that in 7th grade which is really good.

Our students are also looking forward to their Greek Olympic Games in two weeks at Cornwall Park! It should be a blast!

Cheers,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math Update: Learning Target 5 and 6 Video LInks

Dear Families,

This week we have been re-learning things students already know and then pushing into something new with algebra. I wanted to let you know that I have heard frustration from a few students because they don't like how they are required to learn a specific structure for their work. They think that they can do it faster in their heads and, to their credit, they are right for most of the simple examples we have looked at.

But for more complicated problems and much larger or much smaller numbers, they are wrong.

So despite their protests, I am insisting on the structure because what they are practicing is the symbolic reasoning that underlies algebra. And that's a mouthful! So here are two small "EduCreations" videos to demonstrate what I'm talking about. They aren't good quality, I'm afraid, but I hope they will be helpful in explaining what we are doing. 

Learning Target 5: I can evaluate algebraic equations. [video]

Learning Target 6: I can solve algebraic equations. [video]

I'm just trying these videos out for the first time this year. So if you find them helpful or useful, please let me know!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math/Science Update!

Dear Families,

The warm weather was sure nice! Can't wait for it to return. I hear by this weekend it's supposed to be warming up again just in time for Ski to Sea! I just wanted to let you know about what we're doing in math and science right now!

Also a reminder: homework assignments can be found on my website http://www.mrmacnevin.com. I stamp student planners on the day something is due when they turn it in. If they don't have stamps Tu-Fr in their planners, then they aren't turning their homework in.

Math:

• We are working on learning targets 5 and 6 this week!
• LT 5: I can evaluate algebraic equations.
• The kids all THINK they can do this already. And really, they can. But we are focusing on the writing format because in our next learning target (LT 6) they will have to use that format to solve single-step algebra equations. So look out for kids who are skipping steps, or doing things in their heads alone. They should be writing down all their steps.
• Example: Evaluate the expression 3s + 4t where s=2 and t=5.
• STEP 1: Rewrite the expression, replacing the variables with numbers
• = 3(2) + 4(5)
• STEP 2: Rewrite the expression, doing the math as you go
• = 6 + 20
• = 26
• LT 6: I can solve algebraic equations.
• We will be getting to this one more on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Students will be learning the steps to solving "for" a variable.
• Example: Solve for x given the expression 5x = 3. This is the classic beginning algebra solve for type problems that we all know and love. Students will learn to use the writing format they practiced today as a way of recording the steps for isolating 'x' on its own.

Science:

• We have been correlating rock layers between two canyons in the grand canyon.
• Today I also showed students a rubric we will use to evaluate their science notebooks. These rubrics are pretty big and tonight I asked them to try it out on their notebook. We will talk about it tomorrow in class before finishing the correlation discussion.

Thanks!

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math Update: Quiz tomorrow

Dear Families,

I just want to let you know that tomorrow we are having a quiz on learning target #4: I can write an equation to represent a set of data or a situation. 

Today your child brought home some practice problems. There is a copy of the practice problems and the associated answers located on my files website [link]. Tomorrow's quiz will look remarkably similar to these practice problems (different situations and numbers, but the same basic skills).

There will be no math review quiz tomorrow, however. I figure one quiz a day is plenty. ;)

Thank you,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math update. Quiz on Friday!

Dear Families,

We are back to a regular schedule for a little bit. Yay! The field trips were amazing, but I know kids like to know what to predict more regularly. We are now resuming homework and regular math classwork. You can review these notices and also homework assignments on my website http://www.mrmacnevin.com. Students can find answers to the work we are doing on the site http://files.mrmacnevin.com.

Math

• We are coming to a close on the focus on our latest learning target: I can write an equation to represent a set of data or a situation.
• Today in class we have another problem involving writing equations and we are also going to have some homework to practice that skill.
• Tomorrow night we will have a practice quiz for homework.
• Friday we will have a quiz on this learning target.
• NEXT week we will begin our next learning target 5: I can evaluate algebraic equations. We've been working on this one most of the year, so there won't be much new to introduce. The unit finishes up with a last learning target 6: I can solve 1-step algebraic equations. More will come home next week about that. It is a skill in algebra that we probably all heard described as "isolating the variable" in order to solve for it.

Science

• We are correlating our rock samples this week to demonstrate that the layers of rock in the grand canyon are all large layers that spread out over large swaths... they are not just layers in the cliff wall.

I hope the weather holds out! It's so nice to be out of the La Nina years, finally!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin 

WMS: Math/Science Update

Dear Families,

Science Field Trips: AWESOME!

I just wanted share with you what a WONDERFUL time our students are having on the field trips to the Bellingham School District's Gordon Carter Environmental Education Site. Last week our blue group went, and this week it is the green group's turn. We have had AMAZING weather in a BEAUTIFUL outdoor setting. And we have awesome parent volunteer chaperons! Thank you all so much for your participation and support of this program!

No math homework until Wednesday

I want to let you know that because of the field trips, we will have no homework Monday and Tuesday nights this week. On Wednesday we will start up our math reviews again and we will be getting back to our work on algebra! Once we are back to work on math, we might even have a quiz coming up this Friday on writing an equation to represent a set of data or a situation. But I will tell you more about that as the week progresses.

Welcome to a new and sunny week! I hope you are enjoying the nice weather as much as our students have!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Elective forms sent home... and today's field trip!

Dear Families,

Yesterday elective forms were sent home with our students. I apologize, but I didn't discover them in my mailbox until later in the day. I arranged with their language arts teachers to have those go home with my green students today. They are due back this week (the exact due date is printed on the materials).

Today's field trip was loads of fun. The kids met their instructors, they had a short experiential education activity, and then they proceeded to explore two different eco-eystems in teh lake Whatcom watershed. Tomorrow they will explore two different aspects of the watershed.

We had AMAZING weather. But I fear that won't hold out. Kids were glad today to haev warm clothes to put on when they were in the woods! And they had lots of water.

Thank you for making this field trip such a success! 

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math/Science Update

Dear Families,

We are starting a wild schedules week here at Whatcom Middle School. We have field trips and MSP's and schedule changes... oh my!

No Homework This Week

• I will send no homework this week. Instead, I asked students to Sleep (extra?), Rest, and to THINK on the MSP. That homework time they would usually use for math, they can use dreaming about math. Next week there will still be field trips and schedule changes, but I will start homework back up.

Math Topic This Week

• We are still looking at algebra and I anticipate that while we may not have a math review quiz this Friday, we may be ready for a quiz on learning target 4.
• Learning Target 4: I can write an equation to represent a set of data or a situation.
• The greatest difficulty I've seen students have with this so far is trying to write in mathematics what they can say in words perfectly well. I wrote a more in-depth blog post about it last week that you can read here [link]. But we will be working with this throughout the week as we prepare to show we can do this learning target.
• I have tried to help students think through it with a mnemonic device: my ODE to algebra.
• O: Observe a pattern.
• D: Describe the pattern in words, then replace English words with some mathematics words if you can. (AND might become add. LESS might become subtract. GROUPS OF might become multiplying, etc.)
• E: Write an equation that expresses your description in math symbols.

Field Trips This Week

• This week our BLUE group will be going on the field trip on Tuesday and Wednesday. The blue groups are based on your child's language arts group colors. So just ask your child what color group they are and they should know! We leave at 9:30 AM and will return at 2:30 PM to school.

Science This Week

• Aside from the field trips, we are completing our study of the rocks of the grand canyon. We have now collected observations on the rocks' colors, shapes, hardness, composition, fossils presence, and reactivity to hydrochloric acid (also a marker of fossil presence for hard shells that contain calcium carbonate). The field trip will interfere with our research into the grand canyon rocks and their organization a little. But we are building evidence that the rock layers in the canyon are similar between different parts of the canyon.
• The very big picture we are building is that these layers were laid down over millions of years and that the river has cut down through these layers, exposing them as it cuts lower and lower toward sea level.

Our field trips should be so much fun.

Thank you for all you do for your child!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Field Trip Update: Chaperones set for Green Group. Still need blue group chaperones.

Dear Families,

WOW! What quick responses to getting parent volunteers for chaperons! Thank you so much for the help! We still need more help, though, for the BLUE group!

So if you are available to help chaperon our BLUE group's field trip on 5/8 or 5/9 (next week), we'd love to have you! You can volunteer one day or both days; whichever suits your schedule best!

Thanks again! This should be a fun trip!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math Update: Tonight's homework and our present learning target

Dear Families,

First message: please don't let kids work for more than 45 minutes on the homework unless they are enjoying it and want to go on!

Whew! Now that that's out of the way, I wanted to email you because today we started our new learning target. 

Learning Target #4: I can write an equation to represent a set of data or a situation.

Today's lesson was built around Problem 3.1 in the book. It was challenging because it layered three different tasks into one. Here is the PROCESS that the lesson tried to help students walk through when writing an equation for a situation.

STEP 1: Describe the relationship between the independent and the dependent variables.

• For example, a car is going 50 MPH for 6 hours. We observe that as time goes up every hour, the distance the car has traveled goes up 50 miles. A student might wright, "for every hour the car travels, it covers 50 more miles of its trip."

STEP 2: Try to write that relationship in a way that uses adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

• For example, "the distance that car covered is the number of hours times 50."

STEP 3: Rewrite the relationship using math symbols. Replace words with letters.

• For our example car: d= nx50
• 'd' came replaces the word distance. 'n' replaces the words number of hours.

STEP 4: Something new for middle school! If you are multiplying a number times a letter, you can leave out the multiplication symbol and write the number and letter together (number first).

• The simplest form of our example equation would be 
  d= 50n

Tonight's homework is ACE questions 2-4 on page 55. I think that most students will do fine with the homework. But for students who are a little stuck, just remind them that the equations work like our algebra practice on the math reviews. If they replace the variable in the equation with a number, then they can just solve it and get an answer. 

I have posted the answers to the Problems and the ACE questions on my file website [link]. Students should feel free to look at these answers because sometimes they help the questions make more sense.

I hope you have a wonderful evening!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Science field trips starting next week!

Dear Families,

This is a follow up to let you know that we have some science field trips starting next week. The cost is FREE! Yesterday I sent a letter explaining more about the field trip and a permission form home with your children. The permission forms had a lunch survey on the back.

The permission forms and lunch survey are DUE THIS FRIDAY 5/4/2012 (please keep the letter for your information).

And also WE NEED CHAPERONES (about 3 each day). You needn't commit to both days! If you can volunteer a day or two, please email me to let me know ASAP. [EMAIL LINK]

The schedule is explained in more detail in the letter, but the short version goes like this:

BLUE LANGUAGE ARTS GROUPS

TUE 5/8 & WED 5/9 (not an overnight trip)

EACH DAY: DEP WMS 0930. ARR WMS 0230.

SPEND REST OF AFTERNOON WITH MR MAC

GREEN LANGUAGE ARTS GROUPS

MON 5/14 & TUE 5/15

EACH DAY: DEP WMS 0930. ARR WMS 0230.

SPEND REST OF AFTERNOON WITH MR MAC

STUDENTS WERE INSTRUCTED TO ASSUME THE WEATHER WOULD BE RAINY. Because, well, it usually is around these parts at this time of year. But even if there's no rain, students should have closed-toed shoes, long pants, and a jacket with them (a backpack might be helpful as a carrier in case it's not needed). 

If your child has lost their letter and permission form, please have them see me ASAP.

And if you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math Update: Some fun at-home brain-stretching conversation!

Dear Families,

Happy Friday!

I just had a fun, but challenging day talking about graphs with our 6th grade students. It was fun because their brains were kneading-away at how on Earth to put their thinking into words. It was challenging for them because they didn't have a good way of saying what they understood in words. I wanted to share it in case you want to follow up at home. And I highly encourage it!

Up until now, the kids have had LOTS of practice graphing distance over time graphs. But on today's target practice, they were asked to examine and explain some speed over time graphs that have many of the same shapes as the graphs they've seen before. When I showed them two graphs that had the same shape, but different variables, most of the kids wanted to say the graphs meant the same thing. But they were completely different. Here are descriptions of the two graphs (they were both just sketches... there were no actual scales or numbers on the graph... just axis labels):

Distance Over Time:

The distance increases at the same rate over the first third of the time scale. Then it plateaus for the remainder.

Speed Over Time:

The speed increases at the same rate over the first third of the time scale. Then it plateaus for the remainder.

It might be fun for you to sketch these graphs and then to talk about them with your child (or print out some sketches here [link]). Listening to them think through it might let you hear what I'm describing and it would give them a GREAT chance to revisit the topic outside of school!

I hear the weather this weekend should be great! Here's hoping the weather forecasts work! 

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Practice MSP (State Tests) happening this week

Dear Families,

Yesterday I showed my students the state-produced video introduction to the new computerized MSP (our state test). Then we went to the computer lab so that students could practice using the testing environment and its tools. But when looking over the OSPI website, I found out that these practice tools are also available for use at home! This website tells you more about the computerized test: http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/StateTesting/OnlineTesting.aspx

Demos for use at home:

And on that same page there is a link to things you can use at home, too! Here are the direct links to those.

DEMO VIDEO: http://assets.drcedirect.com/States/WA/Tutorials/Student/201201/201201.html

DEMO Software (WINDOWS): http://wa-insight-client.drcedirect.com/Download/DRC_INSIGHT_Setup_OnlineToolsTraining.exe

DEMO Software (MAC OS): http://wa-insight-client.drcedirect.com/Download/DRC_INSIGHT_Setup_OnlineToolsTraining.dmg

It's all about the words and the numbers: pictures are out!

• I think most challenging difference between the computerized test and the paper test happens when students have to explain their thinking. In the past, your child was told that they could explain their answers using words, numbers, or pictures. But now they are given a text box to type into for their explanation -- and there are no drawing tools or diagramming tools. That means that your child's explanation has to be written completely in words or mathematical symbols. There is a toolbox for typing in fractions and symbols.
• The text box has a counter underneath it and students are only allowed to type in a certain number of characters (symbols and spaces count as characters). Short answers might only allow 10 characters (for typing in something like "324.67 ft" as an answer). Medium answers might allow 50 characters. And the largest text boxes appear to allow 1000 characters. These are characters, however; not words! So students still need to be concise. Clearly this is something that they could definitely use some practice on... and our curriculum just isn't set-up to be able to use these sorts of tools.
• I think it's a good idea to look at these tools online and MAYBE even use the tools to try and answer some homework questions. Kids could use the graphing tools there to make a graph, or type into a text box... then do a screen capture of the thing they produced and print it out. Just a thought. But it would allow them to practice these tools and, really, the tools themselves aren't bad! It's just a shame we don't have constant regular access to them.

Our testing dates have been firmed up and we will be sending information home about when the math and reading tests are happening. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math and Science Update

Dear Families,

What a wonderful warm and sunny weekend we had! And what a great start to our week already! I just wanted to give you a few pointers about this week in math and science before we all get lost in the sunshine -- I know, pretty optimistic of me that it will last. But I'm hoping! :) 

This week in math and in science our themes converge on inference. It's pretty awesome when thinking themes converge! And thanks to Mrs. Sherwood and Mr. Lucy, I hope the that your child will see the connections that exist in their reading class as well! 

Math

• Last week in math we revisited creating coordinate graphs. We had a quiz on that last Thursday and kids brought their quizzes home with them on Friday. This week we are focused on learning target 3: I can analyze a coordinate graph. We analyze graphs to infer meaning from them. Our mantra throughout all the exercises this week is "can I analyze this graph?" But what is "analysis?" 
• In language arts and in science, students have been thinking of inference as "reading between the lines" or "getting something that's not written down in the text." Inferences aren't just random guesses, however: they are build on evidence that we find in the text. Or in our case, they are build upon evidence that we find in a graph or a table.

Science

• In science this week we are going to start examining the layers of the grand canyon and making some observations about the different types of rocks in those layers. The observations we make this week will be the grounding of an inferred timeline about the layers. 

Website Files

I've included some extra support for students on my website that I wanted to let families know about. If you visit http://www.mrmacnevin.com and look to the right side of the site, you will see a section under "Useful Links" to my file cabinet site. It can also be accessed directly at http://files.mrmacnevin.com. There is a section for each of the books we've used this year. If you look in the "Variables and Patterns" section, you'll see where I've placed copies of the additional practice pages we will be using this week as well as the answer packets that we will be using: that way students can access those at home, too. There are answer packets for additional practice, for the problems, and for the ACE questions. These are PDF files, so they should work for anyone with a PDF reader. But if you are having difficulty opening the files, please let me know so that I can see about saving them differently.

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math Update: Quiz tomorrow

Dear Families,

Tomorrow is our quiz on learning targets 1 and 2 of Variables and Patterns:

LT1: I can create a coordinate graph from a set of data.

LT2: I can read and understand graphs and tables.

The first investigation has a lot of review built into it. But there are few new twists for 6th graders. The biggest twist is choosing and using a consistent scale for each axis.

Today we had some practice graphing. Students received a graphing practice packet that has 5 graphing exercises. Most students had time to finish the first two in class. That leaves lots more practice in case anybody needs it.

Tonight's homework is a practice quiz. I have uploaded a copy of the practice quiz and the answers to my file cabinet Google site. Just in case it didn't make it home, you can download the file here: [link]. It is a two page PDF file.

Here are some of the most common things that I have seen students forget to do in their graphing practice work:

• Forgetting a title for the graph (something as simple as "Distance over Time" is acceptable).
• Forgetting to label (or title) the axes.
• Forgetting to place TIME on the x-axis.
• Forgetting to use a ruler to keep hand-drawn lines straight (mostly for the axes).

I hope you have a great Wednesday afternoon! Thank you for all you do to support your child's education!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math & Science Update

Dear Families,

Just a little math and science update for this week. I want to remind you that I am still posting homework assignments to the calendar section of my website [link]. I check homework in at the beginning of class each day and I stamp your child's planner on that day if their homework was complete.

Variables and Patterns

• In math we have been working hard on our new algebra unit "Variables and Patterns." The first part of this unit really focuses on the skills of creating and reading graphs (learning targets 1 and 2, respectively). The first investigation is mostly review for the students since 5th grade introduced line graphs.
• The twist that is new for 6th grade is figuring out what scale to use. Earlier this week students completed a flash feedback on creating graphs. The question about creating a graph gave students the number of jumping jacks someone did over time. But instead of giving them regular time intervals, the flash feedback showed the number of jumping jacks at 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 20 minutes. Students had to decide on a time scale for the graph (so many chose to count time by 2's or 5's) instead of just placing 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 20 next to each other on the x-axis.
• We will have a quiz on learning targets 1 and 2 this week. I believe that we will be ready for it by Wednesday, but it might be pushed back to Thursday based on the practice work tomorrow. Students will bring some practice problems home with them the day before the quiz. 

Earth History

• Last week we spent two days discussing the differences between observation and inference as we get ready to talk about geology.
• The first part of our Earth History kit focuses on the Grand Canyon as a scenario for investigating rocks and time (as shown in the layers of the rock). Today we saw the beginnings of a short video that helps us imagine the Grand Canyon and introduces us to John Wesley Powell -- the first person to document the geology of it. We will then look closer at Powell and what he learned in multimedia form and then by examining rock samples.

Thank you for all you do to support your child's education!

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Pertussis (a.k.a. Whooping Cough) Exposure Notice

Dear Families,

I hope this email finds you well on our first Wednesday back from spring break!

This afternoon our school nurse sent home a notice about possible pertussis (whooping cough) exposure here at Whatcom Middle School. In the cleanup rush, I forgot to send it home. I apologize for that, and I am forwarding it to you attached to this e-mail. I will send the hardcopy home tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math/Science Update

Dear Families,

I hope you had a wonderful Spring Break! We so lucked out in that things weren't too rainy and they ended with an AMAZING sunny Sunday! What a nice way to come back to school! I just want to send a quick note about math and science to help everyone get reoriented after break.

WHAT'S THE HOMEWORK?

I been keeping my homework calendar up to date. You can find it under the calendar tab on my website [link]. Homework is usually assigned the day before it is due. How do you know if your child is turning homework in? I will stamp your child's planner on the date that the homework is due. If your child's planner is missing stamps, then he/she is not getting their homework turned in on-time. I only stamp the planner if all of the homework is complete. So if your child only finishes the math review and part of another assignment (but not all of it), then I won't stamp at that time. But your child is welcome to get things stamped the next day when they are done.

MATH

We have completed our unit on measurement and geometry. We just got our new books today (Variables and Patterns) that delves into algebra by focusing on variables, tables, and graphing. MSP testing and MAP testing won't be happening until May, so be on the look out for more information about those dates. We are doing all computerized testing for math this year (in grade 6 students are only tested in Math and Reading). 

SCIENCE

We are closing our unit on Populations and Ecosystems and will be starting this week on Earth History. It opens with a discussion of the differences between observation and inference. Both skills are vitally important in geology because nobody was around to tell us what happened. All we have is the evidence at-hand (our observations) and our stories that try to explain the evidence (inference). Sometimes students have a very hard time limiting themselves to observations, so be on the look out for your child to have questions about that. Also be expecting quizzical looks about the age of things. The geologic time scale is much much larger than what we are used to dealing with, so there may be lots of good opportunities to discuss timelines and geological events with your child. 

Welcome back and welcome the sun! :) I hope it stays around a little more this spring.

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

brian.macnevin@bellinghamschools.org

http://www.mrmacnevin.com

Walking Stick Bugs at OMSI

I'm at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry with my kids. Look at the structural adaptations on this walking stick bug! What selective pressures do you think resulted in this shape?

WMS: Math Quiz Tomorrow...

Dear Families,

This email is just a reminder that tomorrow students are taking a quiz on Surface Area and Volume. I am attaching the practice problems that are part of tonight's homework... just in case some got lost. The answers are also in there (assuming I haven't made any errors in calculating them).

Thanks!

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math update

Dear Families,

I just wanted to give you a heads up about things going on in Math this week! We are moving along in 3D geometry and have just about reached the end of that unit. Today students took a practice quiz and got some feedback. The real quiz is this Thursday, 3/22/2012. Students have their practice quiz to examine tonight and tomorrow they will have some practice problems to work on (with answers included). I am putting much of that information now on my homework/class calendar located on my blog http://www.mrmacnevin.com. You can subscribe, or just stop by to see what's going on.

We have been focusing on these targets:

1. I can identify the net of a 3D shape.
2. I can determine the surface area of rectangular prisms and pyramids.
3. I can determine the volume of rectangular prisms.

Some students came in knowing some of this already, so some students have also been working on the volume and surface area of triangular prisms. Today some of them looked at cylinders. But those topics are really 7th grade topics and they'll get much deeper exposure to it next year. This year it was just as a natural extension of what they knew already and could apply to a new situation.

Only about a week and a half until spring break! Can you believe it? 

As always, thank you for everything you do to support your child's education.

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Science Update...

Dear Families,

I just wanted to let you know that in science we have been talking about inheritance and genetics using a fictitious rat-like organism called a Larkey. Larkeys live in groups called "yammers." Larkeys are REALLY simple and have only four pairs of chromosomes. We have been looking at their genes for Appendage Length, Eye Color, Fur Pattern, and Tail Bushiness. 

We began a Larkey breeding simulation today and prefaced it with a talk about how these adult Larkeys have 8 chromosomes in their nuclei. And that if the female and the male Larkey simply put two of their cells together, the offspring would have 16 chromosomes; but that most animals can't don't develop typically if they have extras. So the male and the female have to somehow divide their chromosomes in half to make sperm and egg cells. When these special "half" cells join together, they make a cell with 8 chromosomes just like the mother and the father.

The simulation uses cards and die-cut alleles to "pass" the genes from parent to offspring. It looks a lot more like a complicated board game that it looks like we're breeding imaginary critters. But if your child is asking you about heredity or about breeding animals, you know what they might be thinking about.

Our Larkey breeding program will continue this week and we will be examining the F1 and F2 generations from these matings.

I hope you're out enjoying that sun! What a beautiful afternoon!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math Update: Prisms and Nets and Surface Areas, OH MY! :)

Dear Families,

Welcome to Semester 2 week 5! 

Circle Quiz on Wednesday

• Well, it turns out that Wednesday 3/14 is International Pi Day! So it seemed a fortuitous day to locate our replacement circle quiz. As it turns out, March 14th is also Albert Einstein's birthday! So in math we will start with our quiz and then we will have a little artistic fun with circles for math time. 
  

Math Reviews and Homework

• Just a reminder that on Mondays we do the math review together and identify he strategies your child should be practicing throughout the week. Then on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights, your child has a homework assignment to complete their next math review. It is due the next day and we will go over answers and strategies then. On Fridays there is a quiz that covers all the same strategies and concepts, so your child has had many opportunities to learn how to do it correctly. There are usually no surprises for them on Fridays about what is on the quiz: they've been practicing all week.
  
• While we're on the topic of homework, I will always stamp your child's planner on the day their homework was due if it is complete. If it is incomplete, I won't stamp it (but they can bring it in later to have it stamped when they complete it). So on most weeks by Friday, your child should have four stamps in the math boxes of their planner for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
  
• Homework assignments are listed on my website http://www.mrmacnevin.com. I have been trying to keep that updated and, when possible, I am putting answers to problems in the DETAILS section of the assignment. Students must show all their work in order for me to stamp their homework because it's just too easy to copy down the answers and say, "see, I did it!" 

And the topic of the now in math?

• In math right now we are extending "nets" to surface area and pyramids. Last week we started talking about rectangular prisms and nets and on Friday we began using that to find surface area of some three dimensional shapes. Today we continued with that practice for review and we extended it to talk about finding the surface area of pyramids. Then later this week we will move into calculating the volume of rectangular prisms and triangular prisms.
  
• I've made a short short 5-min ShowMe video about what we've been up to with nets and surface area at this [link]. The quality isn't great and the drawings are... well... they're drawings. But I thought it might give you a sense about what your children are working on. It's highly visual, and I've been surprised at just how difficult it can be sometimes to talk about surface area with children. If your child is struggling with the concept, drawing a flat 2D "net" and then identifying the individual faces from the shape on that net can help them figure out the surface area.
  

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

Auroras possibly visible tonight?

Well, I don't know how lucky we will be this evening, but there is a chance of seeing auroras in the skies tonight... if it's not cloudy... and if the effects of the coronal mass expulsion are strong enough! Fingers crossed!

Personally, I've *never* seen them before. So I'm really hopeful this time! :)

WMS: Math Update. Using today's quiz differently

Dear Families,

I just wanted to give you an update about our quiz today. The kids were amazing and stuck with it for all the time they had. It was inspiring to see their tenacity! But in the end, it was just too long for them to all complete in the time given. There were also some questions on it that I felt confused many people because it was asking them to do a couple things all at once with the same problem. Knowing that now, I would have designed it differently, but I don't think it's very fair of me to ding the kids' grades based on this particular assessment -- even if they can retake it.

Instead of counting this one as an "summative grade" in the gradebook, I will use today's quiz formatively. That means that I want to use it as an opportunity for the kids to reflect on the questions and to sort them into three categories: 

1. The things I know how to do.
2. The things I know how to do but I was slowed down by hand calculations.
3. The things I don't know how to do yet.

In the mean time, I will create a different quiz to assess these learning targets for circles:

• I can calculate the area and perimeter/circumference of any circle.
• I can calculate the area and perimeter of composite shapes having circular parts to them (semi circles of quarter circles).

Please help me congratulate our students on their hard work today.

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Math Update

Dear EdVenture Families,

Just a note to welcome you to the new week (unfortunately a day late, but both of my children are now fever-free. YAY!).

Finishing up Circles? Not quite yet.

We are not yet "done" with the circle stuff. In fact, we have a quiz tomorrow on circles. Practice problems went home on Monday (yesterday) and they answers were on the back of them. They were to be done as homework and are due back today to be checked in. We will see circles again on the unit test.

Transitions to 3D!

We're transitioning from talking about 2D circles, parallelograms, and composite shapes to talking about 3-dimensional shapes. In 6th grade we will focus on describing the surface area and the volume of prisms (boxes made of rectangles, triangles, etc). Today we picked up a new book from the library (Filling and Wrapping) that we will be using as a resource for these learning targets:

• LT: I can relate a rectangular prism to its net.
• LT: I can calculate the surface area of rectangular and other prisms.
• LT: I can find the volume of a rectangular prism and explain why my strategy works.

Write your answer "in terms of pi?"

• So, pi is an idea, really. It's more of a concept: what is the ratio of a circles circumference to its diameter? As long as we are strictly talking about the idea, we can leave it as a Greek letter, π. So, if we want to find the circumference of a circle with a diameter of 3 m, I could simply write:
  C= π x d
  C= π x 3
  C= 3π m (now, this is tricky because our students aren't yet familiar with algebraic notation of variables and coefficients) 
• But if I replace π with an estimate of its value (either 22/7 or 3.14), then I am finding just an estimate of the circumference.
  C= π x d
  C≈  3.14 x 3
  C≈  9.42 m
• So that's all that is meant by "in terms of pi."

Six-Legged Giant Finds Secret Hideaway, Hides For 80 Years : Krulwich Wonders... : NPR

For my students,

We've been learning about Walking Stick Insects. And here is the article I found this morning that described the large ones that are called "Tree Lobsters." Wow! By the way, I was wrong: the rats didn't take 50 years to kill all the tree lobsters. They took only TWO years to do it! WOW!

Six-Legged Giant Finds Secret Hideaway, Hides For 80 Years : Krulwich Wonders... : NPR

Enjoy the article!

~Mr. Mac

WMS: Wed math update.

Dear Families, 

The calendar has been updated with today's homework and is available at http://www.mrmacnevin.com. The answers for the homework are there in the details part of the calendar entry. Just click on the entry's title and the details will appear.

For my morning group today, the homework assignment is very straightforward: the are to do at least 4 of the 5 problems on the page titled "Practice 2C." 

For my afternoon group today (just before lunch and then after lunch) there were many more questions about today's practice ("Exercise 16") and many students did not finish the class practice even though they were working hard on it. Their job tonight is to finish Exercise 16 (answers are also in the calendar). And if they have time in their homework time, they should also begin work on the new assignment "practice 2c". They should get as much of 2C done as they can within their 30 minutes of math homework time. For this group tomorrow I will check both assignments and will stamp the students' planners based on what they tell me they had time to complete.

A note about calculators: when calculating simple numbers times 3.14, students should hand-calculate it. So 3 x 3.14, 30 x 3.14, etc. should all be hand-calculated. But for more challenging and time consuming values, a calculator can be used (for example, 32.3 x 3.14, etc). This is because on the state test in the spring, students will not be allowed to use a calculator, so they need to be familiar with the hand calculations.

If anyone needs help with their homework, they are always welcome to come in in the morning before school for some help.

In science today we started looking at human traits that are genetically passed (bent pinkies, widow's peak, tongue curling, attached/free earlobes). Tomorrow we will start looking at some imaginary creatures called "Larkeys." These critters will be the basis of our discussions around inheritance and genetics.

Thank you for all you do for your child's education!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Tuesday Math/Science Update

Dear Families,

I just wanted to let you know that whatever my son had yesterday, I got last night. While I wasn't there today, my students practiced calculating the area of circles. Students who had the basics down worked on finding the area of composite shapes that are made up of parallelogram, triangle, and circular regions. These shapes were not easy to dissect, but they are great practice. The answers are on the back of these. 

Tonight's homework is listed in the calendar tab of my blog (http://www.mrmacnevin.com). These ACE questions are in the book and I wanted students to have a way to get the answers at home. So I went to the details portion of the ACE questions in my calendar and I typed in the answers there. To see these, just head over to that calendar, find tonight's ACE questions, and click on the assignment title. It should expand to show the answers. If it doesn't work for you, please let me know. If it does work, I think it's a great place to keep the answers! 

On tonight's homework, student answers should use complete sentences and should also include a description of their their thinking or reasoning. I asked my substitute today to share that with the students, but I don't know if she had a chance to. I will find out tomorrow, when I return.

In science today students started talking about what they think genetics are... or what it means. Our next topic goes into simple Mendelian genetics. Genetics. Simple. In 6th grade. I know, huh? This topics falls into the category of "interesting to know" but not critical for 6th grade [this was a typo on my original email... I forgot the word not]. But it also gives them a perspective of what drives the adaptations that we learned about over the last two weeks. So I look forward to seeing what our students already know about it and to seeing what they think of the activities that introduce inheritance of diploid genes. It's another topic that uses models and simulations to try and help students understand a complex idea. So while students won't be doing any actual breeding of organisms, there will be virtual experiments and paper simulations. Later, in 8th grade, students will review these ideas as part of their unit on "Organisms: from macro to micro" and they may get a chance to apply these ideas to breeding Wisconsin Fast Plants (they live their entire generation from sprouting to making seeds in only about 30 days).   

Have a great afternoon!

Brian MacNevin

WMS: Monday Math Update

Dear Families,

I had to keep my 2-year-old son home today with a fever. But that didn't change today's work. It just meant I had to type it all up for a substitute teacher. Ms. Melinda Jones subbed for me today and I asked her to take the class through the same math work we'd have done had I been there. This changes nothing about the quizzes going home today. I finished grading and entering them yesterday and today they should be coming home to you along with last Friday's Math Review Quiz.

Last week I received some feedback about how helpful it was to know specifically what the homework was just in case it hadn't been recorded correctly in a child's planner. That made me want to try something out for the next few weeks. Instead of sending the homework out in a daily digest like this (I like the daily updates, but they takes a noticeable amount of time to type up), I want to try and keep a homework calendar for you to have as a second place to check and see what should be done each night as homework. This differs from your child's planner because I will post these assignments on the day they are assigned rather than on the day they are due.

You can find that calendar on the calendar tab of my blog (http://www.mrmacnevin.com), or you can subscribe to it (there's a subscription button on the bottom right of the calendar). If this is useful to you, please let me know. That way I know if it's something I should continue. I think it's a great idea to have a way to check!

It's a BEAUTIFUL sunny and COLD day today. I hope you get a chance to get outside and enjoy the sun!

I am enjoying seeing it stream in the windows while we have sickness-induced down time.

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

So here's today's play-by-play:

• Math Review: Students received Math Reviews 3A and 3B (printed back-to-back). They had 10 minutes to work on MR 3A. Then Ms. Jones went over the answers with them. Students should have recorded stars for correct answers and H's for ones that are incorrect. Additionally, for any "H", students should have recorded the correct answer and a strategy.
• Practice: Last week on Friday we derived the formula for the area of a circle. Today in their Area practice packets, students were asked to practice those calculations using either 3.14 or 22/7 as estimates of pi. 
• Snapshot: Students took a short practice assessment on finding the circumference of a circle and the perimeter of a shape made of semi-circles. This snapshot will provide feedback to the students, but will not go into the gradebook. It will also help me see who needs some more work with circumference of circles.
• Homework: Math review 3B (on the back of MR 3A -- done in class today), Any H's from MR 3A. And ACE questions 37 and 38 on page 85 of the student books. Again, this is all listed now on the homework calendar: link.

WMS: Friday's Math play-by-play... and calculators!

Dear Families,

This is Friday's edition of our math play-by-play. I really just wanted to help everyone know what was happening on a daily basis here at the beginning of Semester 2. These messages are archived at my blog (http://www.mrmacnevin.com) and you can also find more information there about the class.

Students should bring their calculators

Oh! And about calculators! It is time for students to make sure they have a calculator with them. It needn't be a fancy one, but I ask that you or your student label the calculator and the case (if it has a removable case). We won't use them all the time (the state test in the spring doesn't allow them). But we are moving into talking about the area of a circle today and I just don't find it reasonable to ask students to square radii and then multiply it by pi all by hand. As with the MSP, there will be some specially selected problems when their hand calculation methods will let them do it quickly, but for practical day-to-day (okay, so real-life) uses, the calculator will be much more empowering. We will avoid using the π button on the calculators, however, since students are expected to be able to use the decimal and fraction approximations of pi (3.14 and 22/7). 

Where is Wednesday's Area and Perimeter Quiz?

I tried really hard to finish scoring their quizzes during the week, but I'm afraid I didn't meet that goal. Students will get their quizzes back on Monday, but their scores will be posted to Zangle over the weekend. Any 1's (beginning) or 2's (practicing) need to be retaken. Anyone scoring a 3 (proficient) may also retest for a 4 (advanced). Remember, as our first summative assessment in math of the semester, these quizzes may swing the grade wildly because they comprise 80% of the gradebook program's estimated grade. But any and all assessment scores can be retested. The goal is not perfection on the first try, the goal is improvement after someone uses their score to know what they need to go learn and practice.

Happy Friday! And a happy weekend!

Sincerely,

Brian MacNevin

Friday's Math Play-by-Play:

• MR Quiz: Today we had a math review quiz (4 questions). The questions were based on the questions that students had been working on in their math reviews all week. Following the quiz, we scored them together and I need to get those entered into the gradebook today so that they can come home on Monday. 
• Topic: Area of circles. Over the last two days we have talked about and practiced finding the circumference of circles (and of shapes based on circles). But today we extended that to talk about the area of circles. Before giving students the formula, I asked them to find out how many squares based on the radius (we called these radius squares) it took to fill a circle. We found that you can fit three radius squares and a little bit more (see a picture here: link). That's kind of like how many diameters fit around the outside of a circle: three and a little bit more. It turns out, that little bit more is about 14/100 of the diameter (or about 14/100 of the radius squares).. or 3.14 (pi)!
  Ka-chow! (What can I say, my son loves the Cars movie).
  So the area of a circle is A = π x r x r (or A = π x r² ). Students have a packet to practice the calculations and also to try it out with some fun applications. They didn't have time to work on it much in class today and we will finish it on Monday.
• Homework: No homework assigned for the weekend. The area packet in their math notebooks we will finish on Monday.

WMS: Thursday's Math Play-by-Play

Dear Families,

 

Thursday's installment of our math play-by-play, so that you know how our math class is running here in Semester 2! These emails get archived at my blog (http://www.mrmacnevin.com) and more information is available there as well about how I am also using Zangle (parent connect) differently to provide timelier information for you.

Just have to share this because it's cool: today in class students saw that they now had the ability to calculate the perimeter of something made of all circular edges... kind of like the Bat Symbol for Batman or a Sine Wave (see their practice packet for today on Circumference).

 

Is your child completing his/her homework?

Wondering about whether or not your child is completing and turning in her/her math homework? You can look right inside their daily planner. At the beginning of class I am stamping the homework assignment that they have written down if it is complete. If any part of that homework is missing, I don't stamp the planner.

 

I hope you are having a good week! These 4-day weeks fly by so quickly!

Cheers,

Brian MacNevin

 

Today's Play-by-Play

• Math Review Feedback: Students corrected their math reviews from last night. They marked correct answers with a star and incorrect answers with an H. Incorrect answers should also have the correct answer and a working strategy copied from the answer pages.
• Homework Check-in: If students had their homework complete, I stamped their planner recording of the assignment.
• Practice: Today in class we practiced calculating the circumference of a circle from its diameter or its radius. Students were introduced to two approximations of pi: 3.14 and 22/7. They each have their advantages, but on the state test in the spring, students are not allowed to use a calculator, so they should be comfortable calculating circumference by hand. The approximation of 22/7 is really handy to use if the diameter of the circle is a multiple of seven because it will simplify to a whole number answer. Students were a little perplexed today because the two approximations of pi sometimes give answers that differ by a few hundredths. That's okay, because they are all approximations of pi (as long as their answer is calculated correctly based on the version of pi they chose). Students shouldn't use their calculator's pi button at this time. One think I noticed students forgetting was to write the formula C= pi x d down before solving a problem. I will work with kids more on that because it's a really good strategy to help you remember all the terms you need for a calculation.
• Homework Assignment: Today students wrote down these three things:
• MR Quiz (math review quiz tomorrow: 4 questions that look strangely similar to the problems they've seen all week).
• Did You Hear About... (a self-correcting pizzazz math worksheet practicing calculating circumference)
• Circumference Packet (today the students practiced calculating circumference and finding the circumference of some odd shapes with the skills they now have. If they had any to finish, this should be completed as part of homework)

 

Circumference of a circle!

Well today we measured circles and we measured diameters and we divided circumference by diameters to find that about 3.2ish diameters will fit around a circle.


Then we shared that that means we can calculate the circumference of a circle if all we know about it is its diameter! And the way to do that is with the relationship:

C= 3.14 x diameter or

C= 3.14 x d or

C=  π x d

I would definitely encourage students to always write down the equation. And they can use calculators to do the calculations.


Now, even though we did all that pre-work at estimating pi, a lot of kids seemed to not make the connection between circumference and diameter and pi. I consulted with the other 6th grade math teachers and they said that I shouldn't worry and that the kids really just need more practice in recognizing and using the relationship. 


But in the mean time, if your child seems really lost about where that equation came from, they might find this video from the Khan Academy handy:

WMS: Wednesday's Math Play-by-Play

Dear Families,

This is today's play-by-play for math so that everyone can be on the same page as semester 2 starts. More information is available on my website (http://www.mrmacnevin.com) regarding how I'm using Zangle differently this semester to provide better information to parents.

Cheers,

Brian MacNevin

Our math To-Do-List today:

• MR Feedback: Students used the math review answers to evaluate their math review from last night. They mark correct answers with a star and they mark incorrect ones with an "H" so they know to revisit it at homework time. Anything marked with an "H" should also have the correct answer and a strategy recorded so that they can practice that calculation at home.
• Homework Check-in: As students corrected their Math Reviews and recorded feedback, I went around to look at homework. If they completed last night's homework, I stamped today's  date (the homework's due date) in their planner. If today's date in their planner is not stamped, they did not have their homework complete or they did not have it out for me to stamp.
• Learning Targets 3 & 4 Quiz: Student took the quiz and read if they finished early. Then we took a little time to go over the answers that had absolute answers. I still have the quizzes as I need to grade the items that include approximations or problem solving.
• New Topic: Student took some notes about how circles compare to polygons when talking about perimeter (circumference) and area. Then we measured the diameter and circumference of several objects in the classroom to discover how many times the diameter would fit around the outside of the circular object (about 3.15 to 3.25 were common measures). We then talked about how people doing this with REALLY precise instruments find that it's about 3.14 diameters and many students recognized that as the approximation of pi. Then we talked about how you don't have to measure the circumference directly if you know the diameter of a circle... that you can just multiply the diameter about 3.14 times to find the circumference (C= pi x diameter).
• Homework Assignment:
• MR 2C (Math Review 2C due 2/23)
• Circumference Wksht (due 2/23)
• Students have a pizzazz math page to practice calculating the circumference of a circle based on the diameter or the radius of a circle. The should definitely use the formula C= pi x d. And when just the radius is given, they have to double it first to find the diameter.

WMS: Math Daily Update and Quiz Tomorrow!

Dear Families,

This week I want to give you a day-by-day play of what your students should be bringing home and what their homework is just so that we all know what to expect as semester 2 begins. That run-down comes after this brief message.

I am also making changes to how I use Zangle (Parent Connect) to share more timely information with you. A calculated grade estimate is now visible as a spot-check on how your child is doing. Please be aware, however, that at the beginning of the semester it can swing wildly until there are more items in there to balance it. You can find more information about those changes on the different tabs in my blog at http://www.mrmacnevin.com. 

Thank you for all you do to support your child's education,

Brian

First Announcement: Math Quiz Tomorrow

Our first summative math quiz on the area and perimeter of triangles and parallelograms is tomorrow (2/22). Students brought practice work and answers home today. But if they lost it, they can download them here: LINK.

Second Announcement: Today's Math To-Do-List

These bullets represent what we did in math today during the period. There were three sections to the period: Math Review, Practice, and Homework.

• Math Review 2A: Students had 10 minutes to work on four math problems. If they needed help or a strategy, I was available to give it to them. Afterward we reviewed answers and strategies. If a student gets a correct answer, they mark the box with a star. If it was incorrect, they mark it with an "H" that means they should look at it again as homework. But if they wrote an "H", they should also have written down the correct answer and a strategy. On Friday students will have a quiz based very heavily on these daily practice problems.
• Practice: For practice today we re-examined building parallelograms within constraints in Problem 4.3 of the book (page 57). These questions try to help students look beyond the basics of calculating area and perimeter of parallelograms and instead ask students to look for patterns between parallelograms. They are not necessarily easy questions and not everyone completed all the questions. You child should have made it at least to question D (there were questions A-E) and checked his/her answers with the correction packets in the room.
• Homework: Students were asked to open their planners to Wed. Feb 22 and to write down these three things that are due on that date. I will stamp the homework assignment if things are complete.
• MR 2B (math review 2B to be done as homework)
• LT 3&4 Quiz (Quiz on learning targets 3 and 4 tomorrow at the start of class)
• Quiz Practice Problems (I provided students with a set of practice problems and answers that are available here: link)

Slight change to quiz information for today...

Dear Parents, 

We woke our four-year-old daughter up this morning to discover that she has a very sore throat and is suddenly speaking in a voice almsot as deep as mine. I cannot be in today while I take care of her, but today's quiz will happen as scheduled. The only change is that I won't be able to score it and return it on the same day. I will be able to get it graded over the weekend and will send it home with the kids on Monday.

Sorry about losing that super-quick turnaround. The kids really appreciated having it right away last time.

In science today my students are working on a packet of learning target reflections. Students received these the Friday before the snow hit. They will be due next wednesday. The kids didn't have a due date when they were given out and today my substitute, Janet Ho, will be having them record that due date (2/1/2012) on their reflection sheet.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday and a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Brian

WMS: Edventure: Math quiz tomorrow

Dear Parents,

I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow we will be having a short quiz on multiplying fractions. Your students should have the quiz back in their hands before they leave. Because this is a short basic skills quiz, I will also have the seventh grade math students take it to see if anyone taking that class has any needs.

Today in class the kids did some practice problems like a short pre-test to know if they needed specific strategies to work on. Your child should have that practice quiz with them in their math notebook or in their binder. Here are the things the kids should be able to do on their quiz:

• Use the fraction multiplication algorithm to multiply simple fractions by simple fractions (for example 1/2 x 2/3).
• Represent whole numbers as fractions to multiply them using the fraction multiplication algorithm (for example 5 x 3/4 would be represented as 5/1 x 3/4 and then simply multiplied).
• Change mixed numbers into improper fractions so that they can be used with the fraction multiplication algorithm (for example 3 1/2 x 5 1/4 would be changed to 7/2 x 21/4 and then multiplied).
• Make sure all answers are in the simplest form. That simplest form can be a mixed number or a simplified improper fraction.

If you would like a little practice for your child tonight, I've attached some sample problems similar to what will be on the quiz tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Brian

WMS: Looking for some math practice for snowy days?

Dear EdVenture Parents,

I hope you're enjoying the snow and the down time. But just in case you're looking for a little math brush up during these snowy days, I have a few worksheets posted for you that go along with our current learning targets (LT).

LT1: I can add any fractions or mixed numbers.

LT2: I can subtract any fraction or mixed number from a greater fraction or mixed number.

LT3: I can multiply any fractions or mixed numbers.

LT4: I can divide any fractions or mixed numbers.

Almost all students should be able to work on LT1, LT2, and LT3. Not all students are working on LT4 yet (but many are). Your child can help select which worksheets are "at the right level" for practicing the multiplication and division right now.

You can find these worksheets here:

LINK

Enjoy the snow and the outdoor fun!

Cheers,

Brian