Month: January 2023

HAPPY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK!

THIS TUESDAY IS THE LAST WINTER SPORTS DAY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS

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

We are in the heart of Chapter 6, learning about how to convert between different units. Last week we covered units of length, capacity and mass, using both the metric system and the customary system. Here is a great visual aid that can help you and your students make changes between metric system units. Because the metric system is a base ten system, converting between units is a simple as multiplying or dividing by a power of ten (moving the decimal to right or left).

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In math this week, our 7th graders will continue to write, model, solve and graph inequalities, extending into two step inequalities. Solving inequalities follows, basically, the same process as solving equations. There are two major differences: first the solution of an inequality is a set of numbers rather than a single number and second, when you are in the process of solving an inequality and you multiply or divide each side of the inequality by a NEGATIVE number, you must flip the inequality sign for it to remain true. Here is a video that can help students with inequalities:

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week we will finish Chapter 5 with a fun project in which we will have to solve transformation problems in an escape room. In Chapter 6 we will take our study of geometry in a new direction with the review of circle geometry. We will use the diameter and radius of circles to find the circumference and area. Here are the basics of a circle we will cover this week.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week, we will practice solving linear systems of equations using graphing, substitution, elimination, and rewriting. By the end of the week, students will be able to identify the best method to use for any set of lines. We will focus on how to use these concepts in many types of real-world comparisons. The Khan Academy video below explains how to solve systems using the elimination method:

Friday, Jan 27th is the final day in the first semester. Wow! We are learning so much!

Tuesday will be another Winter Sports Day so we will not have math. Additionally, we will be MAP testing one day this week. Please encourage your student to do this week’s homework practices so they finish the semester strong!

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

We will begin chapter 6 this week. In chapter 6 we will learn how to make conversions between different types of units within the customary system and the metric system. Here is a step by step way to make conversions, by using a conversion factor:

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In math this week, our 7th graders will extend what they have learned about writing and solving equations to writing and solving inequalities. One of the primary differences between equations and inequalities is that the solution to an equation is one value while the solution to an inequality is a set of values. Here is a summary of how you solve a two-step inequality:

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week we will be learning about how shapes can be translated and rotated around on a coordinate plane. These are the skills that are used by graphic designers and in making video games and movies! We will be developing our understanding of the difference between similarity and congruence. Here is a Khan Academy video to help understand about shape translations.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week we will begin to solve systems of equations. Just as in other types of systems, (circulatory system, operating system, etc.), algebraic systems are functions that work together for a common purpose or common solution. We will consider two linear equations. The point of intersection is the solution, as is shown in the image below. There are multiple strategies we can use to solve systems. This week we will focus on the substitution and elimination methods.

.

Tuesday is our first Winter Sports Day! See you on the ice or snow!

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

We will continue to learn about percentages this week. Last week we discovered how percents are just another way to write a fraction, decimal or mixed number and that we can convert between one form of the number and another with simple steps. We will want to be able to take these steps fluently and without error so that we can use percents effectively. This week we will use percentages in word problems. We will find the percents of quantities and will find a quantity, given the portion that is a percent. All of these problems are related and we use them in every day situations. Ask your student to help you when you encounter percents in life (at the store or at home). Here is a good video to help students determine how to find a percent.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In math this week, our 7th graders will continue to learn how to write and solve equations. We are learning a process to solve equations that we are going to use on simple equations and then extend it to more complicated equations. This video shown below. Notice that each step is clearly shown and worked below the previous step. This helps us to be careful and avoid mistakes. Please encourage your student to develop a good PROCESS rather than focusing on finding the solution.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

We will continue our study of geometry in 8th grade math. We have been using known relationships between angles to find missing measures or to find variables involved with the missing variables. The first step in all of these problems is to determine what the relationships are between the sides and angles of figures. We must ask ourselves questions such as: Are the lines parallel or perpendicular or intersecting? Is there a transversal? Is the shape a triangle and if so, what kind of triangle? Are the angles vertical or corresponding, supplementary or complementary? Once we have thought through these questions we are ready to MAKE SENSE OF THE PROBLEM. It becomes like a little puzzle! This week we will extend these concept to coordinate systems. We will compare figures to determine if they are similar or congruent by comparing their corresponding angles and sides. Please have your student practice in IXL.COM if they are having a difficult time remembering these relationships. Practice will definitely help!

https://www.ixl.com/

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week began with the class solving absolute value equations. Absolute value is defined as a number’s distance from zero, hence, it is always a positive number. That means if |x| = 7, the solution is either +7 or -7. This is the first situation we have encountered where x has two solutions.

At the end of the week, we will solve two variable inequalities. Solutions will now be represented on a coordinate plane as a group of ordered pairs as is shown in the image below from mathwarehouse.com:

.

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

We begin the new year with a plunge into our study of percentages, which is covered in Chapter 5. Percents are a special way to write a rate that compares a number to 100 as is indicated by its name (per cent = per 100). We will learn how to convert between percents, decimals and fractions. We will take the percent of a number, recognizing that when we hear “of”, we can replace it with a multiplication sign. Here is a comparison between ratios (fractions), decimals and percents.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

In 7th grade math, we will begin the new year moving into a study of algebra. We will learn to simplify expressions by combining like terms, distributing and factoring. We will then establish an approach to solving simple (one-step) equations in which we will UNDO step by step. When solving equations, we will be keeping the equations balanced by making sure we do the same thing to both sides of the equation. Here is an illustration showing which terms are “like” and which terms are “not “unlike”. You can only combine like terms.

We solve equations by undoing what has been done to the variable while keeping the equation balanced.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

We begin our new year by moving into the study of geometry. This week we will learn new vocabulary involving angles and their relationship to each other. We will use the relationships to determine missing measures. We will investigate intersected lines, transversals and triangles. Here are some illustrations to help you and your students visualize these angles.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

Chapter 5 is all about solving inequalities. In the next few weeks, we will take all the concepts we have covered this year and apply them to inequalities, starting with one variable inequalities. You use the same rules to solve an inequality as an equation with one exception: when you multiply or divide by a negative number, you must reverse the inequality symbol. We will be graphing solutions on a number line and consider the difference between the boundary point being part of the solution or not part of the solution. See the image below that uses an open dot for greater than (boundary point is not a solution) and a closed dot for less than or equal to (boundary point is a solution).