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?