Month: October 2022

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

On Halloween, we will have a special Halloween activity, practicing our decimal operations and solving real world problems with decimals. Then we will move into Chapter 3, in which we will investigate negative numbers. The Chinese began using negative numbers 2000 years ago! We use negative numbers to effectively represent real world quantities such as debt, payment, elevation and temperature drop. We will not have class on Thursday or Friday due to conferences. If you would like to have a conference with Mrs. Evans or Mrs. VonFeldt, please sign up through one of these SIGNUPGENIUS links.

CONFERENCE SIGN UP:

Algebra/6^th Grade Math = Mrs. VonFeldt  

6^th, 7^th & 8^th Grade Math = Mrs. Evans  

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In 7th grade math, on Monday, we will have time to finish our Module 3 test. Students who are finished will enjoy playing a math escape room game. We will continue to strengthen our rational number skills all this year. On Tuesday, we will begin Module 4, in which we will develop clear understanding of ratios, rates, unit rates and proportional relationships. On Thursday and Friday, we will have conferences. You can sign up for a conference with Mrs. Evans at the link above. Meanwhile, this week, have some fun with your student by observing all the rates that we use in our day to day lives. Here are some simple visuals that show the difference between a rate and a unit rate.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week we will expand our graphing skills. We will begin on Monday with a Halloween game and then we will continue working in Chapter 2. We will be developing our understanding that we can show, on graphs, relationships from equations. It would be great to meet with you for conferences on Thursday or Friday. The link to sign up is above.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

In Algebra, we continue to write linear equations. The class will determine how to find the x and y intercepts of a line and discuss what these values represent in real-world situations. Later this week, students will be introduced to the slope of a line. By putting slope and the y-intercept together, we can write a linear equation quickly in slope-intercept form, otherwise known as y = mx + b. If you would like to schedule a conference with me, please use the link above.

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

This week we will put our fraction skills into practice solving real world problems and then we will review Chapter 1 and take a test on fractions and mixed numbers. Upon completion of this chapter, we will begin learning about integers, which are all the whole numbers, both positive and negative, and zero. Learning to use negatives is important because it allows us to represent real world situations mathematically, such as sub-zero temperatures, underwater adventures and managing money. Here is a fun video about fraction division: Keep Change Flip by Number Rock

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In 7th grade math we are finishing up our module on rational numbers. We have been practicing how to use fractions, decimals and mixed numbers, both positive and negative, to do all the operations. We will use all these skills to solve real world problems and then spend a day practicing using them in the correct order (PEMDAS). We will be testing on Module 3 on Friday. There are many skills that have been covered this year, all culminating in understanding Module 3. Here is a link to KHAN ACADEMY, an online resource, on RATIONAL NUMBERS. Please refer your student to this resource if they want more review.

Module 2: Rational numbers | Khan Academy

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week in 8th grade math our class will finish our review of rational numbers with a test on Tuesday. We will then begin to develop greater understanding of graphing equations and understanding what those graphs can tell us. We will be reviewing the coordinate system. For students wanting more practice to prepare for the test, the link above in the 7th grade summary is also good for us!

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

In Algebra, we are finishing Chapter 2 and will have a test on Tuesday. Students should now be able to solve all kinds of algebraic equations. This is an important foundation on which we will continue to build upon this year. In Chapter 3 we will graph linear equations. There are many strategies that can be used for graphing. This week the class will learn to graph from a table and also how to use x and y intercepts to create a line.

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

This week we will be learning how to divide fractions and mixed numbers. We will be practicing modeling and estimating quotients before we learn an excellent algorithm to divide fractions. Modeling can help some students and frustrate others, but we should keep in mind that modeling is just trying to imagine what the picture of our math problems would look like.

An example might be that on Friday night a family had pizza and there was half a pizza leftover. For lunch on Saturday, they divided the leftover pizza into four pieces. We can observe that each person, on Saturday, would receive 1/8th of the original pizza:

Our fraction division algorithm will teach us that we can multiply the first fraction (dividend) by the reciprocal of the second fraction (divisor), which in the case above, works perfectly.

Here is a video by Khan Academy to help families with division of mixed numbers:

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In 7th grade we will continue to extend our understanding of integer operations to rational numbers. We will subtract rational numbers using number lines and using the concept that ADDITION IS THE OPPOSITE OF SUBTRACTION. We will use the rules we learned for integer multiplication and division with rational numbers. It is important to carefully analyze the problem that we are working to see what negative numbers will alter our answers.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week in 8th grade math we will review how to use the distribution property and how to combine like terms to simplify expressions and equations. We will then continue to practice solving equations, moving into two step equations. We will follow the same strategy as practiced last week. In order to get the variable all by itself (i.e. solve for the variable) we will step by step UNDO all the actions that have been done to the variable in the reverse order that they have been done. We need to carefully show all of our steps in order to avoid making mistakes. Here is a great video about solving two step equations:

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week we will wrap up Chapter 2. Students will write equations to represent proportional relationships and use cross multiplication to solve them. The graphic below by tutornerds.com demonstrates how to use cross products to solve a proportion. We will also use algebra skills to rewrite formulas and equations. Students will have their first team test on Friday and the Chapter 2 individual test will be next week.

Cross Multiplication:

REMEMBER – NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY!

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

This week we will be learning about fractions. We began last week with moving between fractions and decimals. This week we will be learning to multiply fractions and simplifying as we multiply. We can cancel out any factors that are on both the numerator and denominator of a fraction. It can save a lot of time to use this strategy while multiplying fractions. The smart frogs, Frank and Fred, pictured below, will demonstrate how this is done.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In 7th grade we will be applying what we learned about negative and positive integer addition and subtraction to rational numbers. We will spend a day reviewing how to do decimal and fraction arithmetic so that applying the new lessons will be more fluid. We will practice moving between decimals and fractions and be able to determine if a decimal is a rational number. Any decimal which is repeating or terminating is a rational number. One of the most famous IRRATIONAL numbers is PI. Students who need more practice with fractions and decimals should practice on IXL.COM. All students should have their passwords now. Here is a link to IXL.

http://IXL.COM

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week in 8th grade math we will move into an algebra review of the topics we have learned in 6th through 7th grade and develop more fluency in solving one step equations. Here are some important terms that students must use correctly when working algebraic problems.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week is all about solving algebraic equations. We will look at one-step, two-step, and multi-step equations. Students will first simplify on each side of the equal sign using the distributive property and combining like terms. Then they will use inverse operations to isolate and solve for the variable. We will continue to use and build upon this skill all year as we move into graphing, systems of equations and more. The following Math Antics video is a good review of solving two-step equations:

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

This week we will be reviewing and assessing our fluency with the skills we discovered in this chapter – finding the LCM and GCF are useful and we will be able to do all decimal arithmetic. The Chapter 1 test will be on Tuesday. We will then move into Chapter 2 where we will investigate decimals further. We will begin by moving between decimals and fractions and ordering them properly.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In 7th grade we will be reviewing Module 2 and assessing our understanding of how negative and positive integers change our operations. We will then move into Module 3 in which we will begin to apply all that we learned about negatives to operations with rational numbers (fractions, mixed numbers and decimals).

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week we will continue to review a few more skills and then we will have an assessment to see that we can use all different rational numbers effectively. We will be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions, integers, decimals and mixed numbers. We will review the proper order that we do operations and use PEMDAS to help us remember. When we finish our review and assessment we will begin to practice solving one step equations.

Students should be sure to reach out for help if any of these review topics are not adequately understood.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week the students will analyze a hypothetical roller coaster that has people talking about it’s tunnel with a low ceiling. To decide whether this is a true safety risk, they will collect and organize data and create a scatter plot. Then we will make predictions using the data trends.

We will also begin to solve algebraic equations, first reviewing one and two step equations.