Interior Angle Sums of Polygons Are Predictable

Students got new seats today, as a result of some students choosing to socialize too much during work time. We watched a video about the distributive property, worked on the gray packet, and talked about the sum of interior angles of different types of polygons.

Tonight's Homework: Complete Problem 3.1 in the Shapes and Designs book, and complete the last page of the gray packet. Both are due tomorrow.

Parallel Lines and Transversals

Today's lesson covered Problem 2.5, Parallel Lines and Transversals. Some specific vocabulary is associated with this lesson, so definitions were provided for parallel, transversals, and alternate interior angles. Students worked together as a class to complete problem 2.5, and then got started on their homework.

Tonight's Homework: Complete both sides of the white worksheet you received in class. In addition, complete ACE 2 (21 - 26).

Finishing the Poster Project.

We talked about the relationship between straight angles and the lines that cross them, creating two smaller angles. This is introductory information that will be used next week when we learn about complementary and supplementary angles. Students finished the last part of their poster project.

Tonight's Homework: None (unless you've been sick, and then you should work on missed work).

Happy Valentine's Day!

We continued our study of angles today by talking about circular angles imposed on a coordinate grid. We studied Problem 2.2 today, and by the end of the class period, most everyone was able to use the circular coordinate system with a high degree of accuracy.

Tonight's Homework: ACE 2 (4 - 9).

Playing with Angle Measurements

To begin our study of angles, students used the handheld computers to play a game, trying to estimate the measure of different angles as accurately as possible. We concentrated on interior angles today. This allowed us to talk about the different benchmark angles (0˚, 45˚,90˚, 135˚, and 180˚), as well as acute, obtuse and right angles.

Tonight's Homework: ACE 2 (1 - 3, 29). This assignment is from the red Shapes and Designs book.

Drawers, Stacks and Loose Money

As we continue to practice combining like terms, we used banks as the context for today's lesson. Banks have drawers of money, stacks of banded money, and loose bills. We can combine each of the different types of money amounts, but cannot easily combine the three different types into one grand total unless we know how much money is in each drawer or stack. Students practiced adding and subtracting like terms.

Tonight's Homework: Finish the purple packet problems related to the banks of money. Be prepared to turn the packet in on Wednesday.

Bye, Bye to "Moving Straight Ahead"

Students turned in their "Moving Straight Ahead" books today, and replaced them with red "Shapes and Designs" books. Students practiced combining like terms by using the long and short sides of a paper clip to measure various shapes.

Tonight's Homework: Work on the first half of the purple packet. Finish the problem about the flooring of Tara and Brad's house.

Quiz over Linear Equations

Students completed a series of questions today in class to show me how well they have understood the information they have learned over the last two weeks about linear equations.

Tonight's Homework: Be sure to complete your missing work, especially if you have been absent. For those of you who have been here all week, there is no new homework.

Determining Slope and Y-intercepts

Using equations, we determined that the slope of the line is the determined by the number in front of the "x" term. This number tells us how much you will need to go up and over in order to get to another point on the same line. The y-intercept of the line is the number that is added to or subtracted from the "x" term. It is possible for this number to be zero, and in this case, the line passes through the origin.

Tonight's Homework: ACE 4 (2 - 12). Look over Investigations 2 and 3 to prepare for tomorrow's quiz.

Steps in Real Life Look Like Steps on a Graph!

Using data obtained from last night's measurement of steps, students constructed graphs to show the rise and run of the different types of stairs. We graphed multiple steps using the rise and run information on one grid, and determined that the rise over the run is the slope of the line. This information will be used in future lessons about slope.

Tonight's Homework: ACE 4 (1, 36) and finish the graph you started in class today.

Steps and Risers

To introduce the notion of slope, we looked at steps. We measured the vertical distance (rise) and the horizontal distance (step), and reported this as a ratio. We also started a poster project that will help us review key points related to linear equations, tables, graphs and how they relate to specific situations.

Tonight's Homework: Find at least two different types of stairs (steps) to measure. Measure the riser and and step parts of each. Bring this information to school tomorrow. Start studying for the test you'll be taking on Friday.

Order of Operations and Finding Patterns

We watched a video about order of operations to ensure we remember the steps. Next, we did a couple of activities to help us see the relationship between tables, graphs, pictures and formulas. We agreed that we will finish this unit on Friday, and in doing so, have less homework to complete over the upcoming weekend.

Tonight's Homework: Home Book, page 117 (all). We will have a test over the Moving Straight Ahead material on Friday, February 7th. Start preparing for it now!

Rates of Change and Orders of Operations

Students worked in pairs or by themselves to create a poster to summarize how tables, graphs and equations can be used to find solutions to situations that require variables on both sides of an equal sign. These posters were to be turned in at the end of the period.

Tonight's Homework: Complete pages 34, 35 and 37 of the ivory packet of papers. Be sure to follow the directions printed on each page.