Month: September 2022

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt and Mrs. Evans

Last week we were diverted and delayed by MAP testing, so we will continue to work as planned, learning the remaining lessons from Chapter 1. We will continue to review decimal arithmetic and add to it so that we will  be able to do all decimal arithmetic.  Because it still applies to what we are working on, we have again included this great video by MATHANTICS reviewing all decimal arithmetic.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

Last Friday, we did our first assessment on Module 1 in which we learned how to add and subtract with all different signs.  We will use this skill all year, and it will be a fundamental skill in algebra.  A few students still need to finish up the assessment for this module.  We are moving on to learning to multiply and divide with positive and negative numbers this week (Module 2).  It is much easier to multiply and divide with integers than adding and subtracting.  These rules apply to multiplication and division and allow us to do the problems simply:

After we practice multiplying and dividing with negative numbers we will practice solving multi-step problems.  We always want to remember to use the proper order of operations (PEMDAS).   

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week in 8th math we will continue to review rational number arithmetic.  We will begin with a review of adding and subtracting with negative numbers and then we will extend our review to adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers.  We are also getting familiar with our calculators.  One of the important things we need to remember this week, is that adding a negative is the same thing as subtracting a positive.  Inversely, subtracting a negative is the same thing as adding a positive.  

Remember to encourage your students to build confidence with IXL.COM.  Here is a link to helpful practice (Section G has work in rational numbers):

IXL | Learn 8th grade math

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week we will finish up with Chapter 1 and test on Friday. During the week, students will look at mathematical relationships as functions and how they can be represented with a graph, table, and equation. A function is a relation where each input value yields only one output value. Watch the following Math Antics video for more information on functions:

 

 

   

For those asking, when will I use math?                                         Stay safe on the roads!

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt and Mrs. Evans

This week we will continue our work in Chapter 1.   We have learned about factors and multiples and solved some real-world problems using them.  We will begin a review of what we know about decimal arithmetic and add to it so that, by the end of Chapter 1 we will have learned to do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with all decimals.  Here is a great video by MATHANTICS reviewing all decimal arithmetic.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

Last week was a great math week for 7th graders!  We completed all the lessons in Module 1, which is to say that we have learned how to add and subtract all integers, regardless of their sign.  One of the most important things that we have learned in Module 1 is:

This always works because addition and subtraction are inverse operations.  To add, you can subtract the opposite also!  We will continue to practice these skills so that they become intuitive.  We will have a heavy quiz on Module 1 by the end of the week.   

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

Last week in 8th grade math we began a review of rational numbers.  We are going to spend a little extra time this week reviewing fractions so that we become masters of all fraction arithmetic.  Fluency with fraction concepts will aid us in all we do, especially in algebra!  Here are some visual aids to help us remember fractions:  

A really great way for our students to become more comfortable with fractions is to practice in IXL.COM.  Students have already been given their passwords to login to the site.  Here is a link to helpful practice (Section G has work in rational numbers):

IXL | Learn 8th grade math

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week is going to be a great week. The students will be introduced to two NEW concepts! First, we will look at precision and how to determine the number of significant figures in a measurement. By the end of the week students will be able to add/subtract/multiply/and divide with sig figs. Significant figures are important to be sure you don’t report a value that is more precise than the numbers you start out with. See the video below for some examples to demonstrate this concept.

Next, we will begin to refer to mathematical relationships as functions and the students will be introduced to function notation. This is not so much a new concept as a new way of looking at the relationships we are already familiar with.

 

 

 

Welcome to a new year of learning!  We are excited about all the great things that will be happening in math this year!  We look forward to many moments of pure joy as the students discover their math prowess.

This is the first of many weekly posts to tell you about what your student will be doing in math.  They will be posted at the start of the week, giving the plans for the week and various “helps” for parents and students. 

Remember that you can always reach out to Mrs. VonFeldt and Mrs. Evans if you have any questions about math.

6th Grade Math – Mrs VonFeldt and Mrs Evans

Last week in 6th grade math, our students reviewed how to do multi-digit multiplication and prime factorization.  This week in 6th grade, we will be learning how to find the greatest common factor (GCF) and the least common multiple (LCM), both of which are useful in solving problems.  The LCM is often used to find common denominators for fractions that we are adding or subtracting.  The GCF is often used to find the factor that we can use to change an addition problem into a multiplication problem.  We will be using the distribution property to do this.

Here is a video that covers how to find LCM and GCF:

7th Grade Math – Mrs Evans

Last week in math we began to work with negative integers.  We added integers with the same and different signs.  While this looks like a very simple task, it can be confusing.  This week, we will subtract integers that are both negative and positive.  This is a very important skill in algebra so we will be developing a foundational skill!   We will be learning to model these problems on number lines and with counters.  We will also be using the absolute value to find answers.  We will learn that subtraction is really just the addition of the opposite.

Here is a great visual to help adding and subtracting integers:

You can also get help with these skills by watching this video:

8th Grade Math – Mrs Evans

Last week in 8th grade math we began a review of rational numbers.  Rational numbers include fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals.  We reminded ourselves how to write these numbers in different ways.  We can turn any one of them into another.  This week we will be reviewing multiplication and division of rational numbers as well as adding and subtracting fractions with different denominators.  It is great to have time to remind ourselves of these important skills so that we can work with them effectively.

Algebra – Mrs VonFeldt

Last week the students reviewed variables and used the order of operations to evaluate expressions. This week, they are working in groups to generalize a tile pattern and write an expression that will find the number of tiles in any figure of that pattern. Students will create a poster to communicate their process.

Communication can often be one of the hardest parts of solving problems, yet also one of the most important. Part of the communication process is SHOWING WORK. Please remind your student that it is always expected to show work on homework and tests.