News

Welcome back! We hope that your Thanksgiving break was wonderful! Three weeks of school before Christmas – let’s work hard to learn lots for the remaining portion of 2024!

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech

This week the 6th graders will be learning how to write ratios and rates. A ratio is a comparison of two quantities using division. Ratios and rates are everywhere in life. We use rates such as dollars per pound to make decisions about what item to buy at the grocery store. Or miles per hour to estimate how long it may take to travel to Grandma’s house. Ratios are usually expressed in fraction form, but you can also make a table of equivalent ratios and graph those points on a coordinate plane. By the end of the week, students should be able to recognize equivalent ratios in a table and a graph.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week the 7th graders will be calculating percent change. In real-world situations, percent change is useful to calculate taxes, interest, mark-ups and mark-downs, population changes, and so much more. The video below goes through some examples for calculating % change. It is important to remember that we are comparing our change to the ORIGINAL value, so the formula we use is:

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

Last week, with all the wonderful things we had going on, we were not able to learn about scientific notation so we will begin with that this week. Being able to use scientific notation allows us to deal with very large and very small numbers. Here is the video that was posted last week that addresses scientific notation. When we learn about how to properly use scientific notation, we will extend our understanding by doing operations on numbers written in scientific notation.

Then we will move to the study of finding roots and squares and extend our understanding to include cube roots. Here is a great video about that topic:

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week in Algebra, we will write equations in Point-Slope and Standard Forms (see images below). Using algebra to rearrange, you can convert any linear equation into all of the forms we have studied. We will also be looking at the slopes of parallel and perpendicular lines. All parallel lines will have the same slope. All perpendicular lines will have opposite, reciprocal slopes.

This week we will have the Human Food Chain on Monday and Grandparents’ Day on Friday!

Next Monday and Tuesday are conference days. You can set up times to meet with the math teachers here:

7th Grade Conferences – Mrs. Ernest & Mrs. Creech 

6th & 7th Grade Math & Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt 

7th & 8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans 

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech

With the Human Food Chain and Grandparents’ Day, it’s a short week for us in 6th grade math. We will have a Module 4 test on decimal operations on Wednesday and then plan for a Thanksgiving activity on Thursday. Enjoy your family over the break and we will see you at conferences!

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week the 7th graders will continue to use rational numbers to solve multiple step real-world problems. They key to multi-step problems is to organize, organize, organize! We will be working on setting up each step, using units on numbers, and determining if our final answer is reasonable. Have a great Thanksgiving break and I will see you at conferences!

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week, we will begin continue in Chapter 3 of our book. We will continue to practice with the exponent laws and learn how to write large and small numbers in scientific notation. These are all fundamental skills for high school math so we will spend enough time on these skills to become comfortable with the skills. Below is a video from Khan Academy giving examples with scientific notation:

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week in Algebra, we will begin Chapter 4, learning to write linear equations in different forms. See below for six different ways to express the same line. We will specifically focus on standard form, slope-intercept form, and point-slope form. Each type of equation is useful depending on the information that is known and what is being solved for. Have a wonderful break and I’ll see you at conferences!

No school on Monday, November 11th. Happy Veterans Day!

We are so grateful for our veterans, and our current military. We pray for you all!

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech

This week in 6th grade, we continue to divide with decimals and use them in word problems. We will have a Module 4 test next Wednesday, November 20.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week the 7th graders will use all their skills with positive and negative rational numbers to solve multi-step word problems. We will be unpacking problems to determine what is being asked, what important information will be used, and how to solve all the steps in an understandable, organized way.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week, we will begin studying in Chapter 3 of our book. The first topic covered in that Chapter, and the one that we will focus on this week is exponents. We will remind ourselves that exponents are used to show repeated multiplication. We will then learn about negative exponents and how we can work with them. Then we will investigate all the other exponent laws. Using these exponent laws can simplify expressions and equations so that we can work with them easier.

Here is a list of the exponent laws that we will work with this week. Students should memorize these laws so that they are quickly accessed and useful.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week in Algebra, we will finish Chapter 3 and have a test on Friday, November 15. To complete the chapter, we will be writing and solving equations in function notation. We already know that functions are just relationships between variables, where each input has one unique output. When we use function notation, y = mx + b transforms to f(x) = mx + b. (or function of x = mx + b)

Watch the MathAntics video below for a good overview of functions and how to solve them.

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech

This week in 6th grade, students we will be dividing decimals by decimals. The trick is to always divide by a whole number. To make sure we do this, we must multiply decimal divisors (the outside) by a power of ten until it is a whole number. This is essentially moving the decimal point to the right until you have a whole number. Remember, you must then move the decimal in the dividend (the inside) the same number of places. Below is a video by Mr. J showing some examples of the process. We will end the week using decimals in word problems.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week the 7th graders will finish Module 5 by converting fractions to decimals using division. Fractions are converted to decimals by dividing the numerator by the denominator. Decimals that end are called TERMINATING DECIMALS. Decimals that repeat indefinitely are call REPEATING DECIMALS. Both terminating and repeating decimals are called rational numbers.

There will be a test on Module 5 on Thursday.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week, we will review what we have learned about functions so far. We know that a FUNCTION is a rule that changes every input into a unique output. We call the input (x) the DOMAIN and the output (y) the RANGE. We can represent a function by word descriptions, an equation, a function table or a graph. In our studies of functions, we have been practicing graphing functions by creating a function table. We can do this by noticing that each solution of the function is an (x,y) ordered pair. We graph each solution on the coordinate system and we can look at what the function looks like. We call the functions that make straight lines LINEAR FUNCTIONS.

We will have a test on Tuesday and then do a project using our new functions knowledge.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week we will graph equations in Slope-Intercept Form, commonly known as y = mx + b. Any equation written in this form is a straight line with a slope of ‘m’ and a y-intercept of ‘b’. Using these two pieces of information, you can quickly graph equations.

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech

This week in 6th grade, students will begin decimal operations. We will be using all operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing) with multi-digit decimals. We will begin with addition and subtraction. See the video below for a review. Students will also be interpreting word problems and deciding which operation is being asked for.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week the 7th graders will learn how to multiply and divide with rational numbers. Students will review their skills with fractions and decimals and then apply the rules of positive and negative signs, which are shown below.

If the signs of the two numbers being multiplied or divided is the same (++ or –), then the answer will be positive. If the signs are different (+- or -+), then the product or quotient will be negative.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week, we continue our study of functions as we determine what defines a function, a linear function and what is not a function. We will finish our study of functions this week and have a test next Tuesday. Here is a great video about the basics of functions from Math Antics.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week we will look at slope and how it relates to linear equations. Slope is a measure of steepness. Mathematically it is the change in y divided by the change in x. We will learn to calculate the slope between two points. We will also learn to start at a given point and apply slope in order to graph a line. The video below is a good overview.

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech

This week in 6th grade, students continued their work in Module 3 by exploring fraction division with mixed numbers. This week, we will wrap up our unit with fraction operations, and we will have a Module Test on Thursday, October 24th.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

The 7th graders are finding the sums and differences of rational numbers. They are becoming proficient at using positive and negative numbers as well as identifying situations that indicate addition or subtraction. For example, a deposit to your account adds value whereas a debit or withdrawal subtracts value. See the image below for a set of rules to help determine the sign of the solution. There will be a Module test on Friday:

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week, we continue our study of functions. A function is a rule that when used on an input value will give a unique output value. We will be representing functions as equations, tables and graphs this week. We will move between the different representations to understand the function better. We call the input value (X) the DOMAIN and the output value (Y) the RANGE. We can find the range for a given function by substituting the chosen domain to the rule in place of the X.

We can graph the function by graphing the points (domain, range) or (x,y). Here is a video from Khan Academy to help students see how to do this task.

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

The Algebra students have been doing a great job solving many types of equations in one variable. The test will be on Tuesday, October 22. In Chapter 3, we will look at functions as graphs. This week, we will be graphing using the x and y-intercepts of a function. The intercepts are the points where the function crosses each axis and are found by setting x=0 and then y=0. Once the intercepts are established, connect the points to draw your line. See the image below for an example.

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech-

This week in 6th grade, students will be reviewing fraction operations in preparation for division of fractions. To divide fractions, you must multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second. the pneumonic we use is: KEEP CHANGE FLIP as is show below:

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

The 7th graders have been adding and subtracting rational numbers using a number line as our guide. This week, we will look at ways to add and subtract by converting a double sign into one. Same signs add, different signs subtract. For example 7 – (–3) becomes 7 + 3 when you change the double negative into a plus. See the image below for guidance.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

We will begin this week with a day of review for the Chapter 1 test on Tuesday. This test covers the review we have done on how to use positive and negative rational numbers (fractions, integers, mixed numbers and decimals) and review of solving basic equations using one and two steps. After we finish our test, we will move into our study of functions. The study of functions shifts the way we think of equations into a more useful tool for us. We can imagine that real world situations can all be written as functions of the relationships between things. This is covered in Chapter 2 of our book but we will be extending our lessons beyond the book.

If your student needs more help on any of the topics we have covered so far, encourage them to reach out to Mrs. Evans! Students can find support of the lessons we have reviewed so far in past posts!

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

The Algebra students are doing an excellent job solving single variable equations! They can now solve many complicated equations with variables on both sides. This week we will look at real-world problems and how to solve them using algebraic equations. We will also solve proportional relationships using cross multiplication.

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech-

This week in 6th grade, students will be completing an in-class project with number lines. We will be reviewing the following concepts for our Module Test on Thursday: Rational Numbers, GCF and LCM, Ordering Rational Numbers, and word problems associated with these concepts.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

In 7th grade we are adding and subtracting integers using number lines. We will learn what it means to subtract, or take away, a negative number. See the video below for some basic rules and examples. There will be a module test on Friday.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week in eighth grade we will be reviewing how to solve two step equations and how to use the distribution property to simplify before we solve equations. On Monday we will use algebra tiles to model solving equations. Then we will practice using a consistent process to solve equations. This process is based on “undoing” what has been done to our variable. When we need to “undo” an operation, we do the inverse operation.

Here is an example showing how to use inverse operations to solve two-step equations using algebra tiles and using a process with inverse operations:

We will finish our Chapter 1 review this week and test on rational number operations and algebra review material next week. If your student needs more help on any of the topics we have covered so far, encourage them to reach out to Mrs. Evans!

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

The Algebra students are practicing their skills of solving linear equations. They will learn how to show each step of the process and become proficient at solving multiple-step equations with variables on both sides.

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech-

The sixth graders are using their skills of finding the Least Common Multiple and the Greatest Common Factor to solve problems. We will finish out the week ordering rational numbers by converting fractions and decimals to the same form. This will prepare us for a Module 2 test next week.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

We have finished up Module 1. There will be a test on Wednesday of this week. In Module 2, we will be looking at percent change. When calculating percent change, it is important to remember that we are looking at a change from the ORIGINAL value. Percent increase and decrease is useful when evaluating mark-up and mark-down, population growth, salary increases, and so much more. See below for a video demonstrating some examples.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week in eighth grade math we will begin to practice another skill we learned last year – solving one step equations. We will be using this skill in many creative ways this year. When we solve one step equations, we use the inverse operation to reverse our way out of the equation until we get the variable all by itself. Here is a video reviewing the basics of algebra.

Here is an example showing how to use inverse operations to solve equations:

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

We have finished up our first chapter in Algebra. There will be a test on Tuesday of this week. Chapter 2 is all about solving linear equations. We will start with one-step equations (see 8th grade math above) and move quickly to solving multiple step equations with variables on both sides. These skills are essential for a solid foundation in Algebra. As we move through the course, we will continue to circle back and practice to achieve mastery.

6th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt & Mrs. Creech

The sixth graders were assessed on their understanding of integers and absolute value. Additionally, we started our next unit on rational numbers! During this unit, we will be solving problems involving Least Common Multiples (LCM) and Greatest Common Factors (GCF). For a review of finding LCM and GCF, see Math with Mr. J below. We will lose one day of math next week due to MAP testing.

7th Grade Math – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week, in seventh grade math, we will look at scale drawings as a special type of proportional relationship. These are commonly used in blueprints and maps. Watch the Khan Academy video below for some examples of how to solve problems of this type.

We will also review how to find the constant of proportionality from a table or graph and write that relationship as an equation. There will be a Module 1 test next Wednesday.

8th Grade Math – Mrs. Evans

This week in eighth grade math we will continue to review how we use rational numbers effectively and practice so that we have these skills easily accessible. This week, we will focus closely on how negative numbers affect the operations. We will miss one day of math due to MAP testing.

Here is a video that reviews how to add and subtract integers (negatives and positives):

One place to get help and practice for students who are struggling with a concept is: IXL.COM. All students have their own login for IXL and can get video and example help.

IXL | Math

Algebra – Mrs. VonFeldt

This week in Algebra we will learn what it means for a relationship to be a function. A mathematical relationship is a function when each input has exactly one unique output. The set of inputs is called the domain, and the set of outputs is called the range. We will be representing functions in tables, graphs, and equations. This brings us to the end of Chapter 1. The test will be next week.