Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Today was a PLC Day, so only a 40-minute class. This was our opener (pdf).

We then spent some time reviewing dimensional analysis and proportion and percent (lesson, pdf).

Your homework for Friday is:

1. We're going to be blogging soon where sometimes you'll need to include some mathematical notation in your blog posts. Unfortunately, Blogger doesn't currently have an equation editor, but we do have several ways to get done what we need to get done. Please read through the following options and pick the one you think will work best for you (you may want to experiment with several before you decide).
   
   You should be comfortable with how to use the option you choose by Friday. For each of the following, create a practice blog post to paste/insert the image into. You don't have to actually publish the post, just mess around with it in draft form until you feel comfortable with the copy/paste or insert process (then you can delete the draft post if you'd like). Try to create this:
   
   
   
   
   Note: These are in order of difficulty, with the easiest options coming first (but you may prefer some of the other ones).
   
   Option 1: Use an online equation editor, like this one.
   
   Create your equation, choose "png" from the drop-down where it currently says "gif", then click on "Click here to Download Image (png)" to download the image. Then insert it into your practice blog post by using the insert image button on the toolbar (just to the right of the "Link" button).
   
   
   Option 2: Scan or take Digital Picture.
   
   Write out the equation on paper and either scan it or take a digital picture, then insert it into your practice blog post by using the insert image button on the toolbar.
   
   
   Option 3: Use Microsoft Word/Open Office and a screencapture utility.
   
   Both Microsoft Word and Open Office have equation editors built-in to them. You'll need to explore a bit to find them (the help system is great to help you find it). Once you find it try creating some equations, perhaps with fractions in them. Once you can see your completed equation on screen, you'll need to capture it using a screen utility.
   

   Mac: Use Grab (comes with OS X). Launch Grab and drag a selection rectangle around the equation in Word/Open Office and let go. Grab will grab a screenshot of what you had the rectangle around. Once the image is in Grab, choose Edit-->Copy (or command-C) to copy it, then switch to your blog and choose Edit-->Paste (or command-V) to paste it in to your practice blog post.

   Windows: You may already have a utility on your computer that allows you to do this. If you do, great, use it. If not, then MWSnap is a decent, free choice. (While MWSnap should be safe, please ask your parents before installing any software on your computer at home.) Once you've installed it, launch it, capture your equation from Word/Open Office, copy it, and paste it into your practice blog post.

   Option 4: Install MathType.
   
   You can download and install MathType for free on a Windows or Macintosh computer. It will be a fully functional version for 30 days, and then will revert to MathType Lite, but that's okay because the Lite version has everything we need. While MathType should be safe, please ask your parents before installing any software on your computer at home.
   
   After installing MathType you'll need to launch it and change a setting so that you can copy and paste to your blog.
   

   Mac: Go to the MathType Menu, then Preferences, then Cut and Copy Preferences. Select "Equation for application or website" and in the drop-down menu choose "Google Docs" and then click "OK".
   
   Windows: Go to the Preferences Menu, then Cut and Copy Preferences. Select "Equation for application or website" and in the drop-down menu choose "Google Docs" and then click "OK".

   Now play around in MathType and try creating some equations, perhaps with fractions in them, and then practice copying from MathType and pasting into your practice blog post. As an alternative, you can also save it as a GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) then insert that image into your blog post by using the insert image button on the toolbar.
   
   
   Option 5: Some other option you know of that works better for you.
   
   If you need help with any of this, please come in tomorrow (Thursday, as you all have at least one unscheduled hour) and I can quickly show you.
   
   
   
2. If you want some extra practice solving some one-step equations, try these at Cool Math (One-step with addition and subtraction; one-step with multiplication and division). This is optional, but not a bad idea to get some extra practice.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Today we began with this scintillating opener (pdf).

We then spent some time talking about direct variation (lesson, pdf).

Your homework for tonight is:

1. Watch the Solving One-Step Equations video (choosing to watch it full screen is probably best).
   
   
Recall that there are three main parts to the video: an examples and explanation part, a Guided Practice part, and a Self-Check part. Examples and Explanation: Just what it sounds like. I explain how to do the problems and work through some examples. You don't need to write anything down (unless you want to), just watch, listen and learn. Pause the video and replay parts if you need to. Guided Practice: I give you a problem, then ask you a series of questions with about 5 second pauses between questions for you to think about it and answer it for yourself. If you need to, pause the video to give yourself more time. Again, you don't have to write anything down here (although you can and it's often a good idea to). Self-Check: I give you a problem, ask you to pause the video, write the problem down in your notebook and solve it, then play the video again to check your work. You may need to pause the video again to view the solution if you need more time. These problems you definitely need to write down in your notebook - I'll be checking to make sure tomorrow.
2. Can you find a direct variation in your own life? 10,000,000 points of extra credit if you do*
   (*extra credit valid only on days that don't end in a 'y').
   
   
3. Remember that Wednesday is a PLC Day - late start. Our class begins promptly at 9:21.

Monday, August 29, 2011

No class today due to MAP Testing.

Your homework for tonight is:

1. Remember that you'll need graph paper tomorrow.
    
2. Please sign up for email notifications for comments on your blog (otherwise you might not realize you have comments). To do that, login to Blogger. Then find your Algebra blog on your dashboard and click on the "Settings" link. Once you're in Settings, click on the Comments tab across the top (4th tab over). Scroll down to the bottom where it says "Comment Notification Email" and put in your email address. If you are regularly checking your Google Apps email, that would be the logical one to put in. But, if you're not, and if you have another email you do regularly check, put that email address in. After putting your email address in, be sure to click "Save Settings" at the bottom of the page.
   
   
3. Please read through the AHS Blogging Policy. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Today we began with our opener (pdf).

We then spent some time learning a bit about measurement, rates, and dimensional analysis (lesson, pdf).

Your homework for this weekend is:

1. If necessary, make an appointment to re-assess over the Proportion and Percents assessment we took on Wednesday. Remember the re-assessment window is open through next Wednesday.
   
   
2. Organize your notebook. It should have all your openers, classwork, and homework (self-check problems, pre-assessment problems, etc.), as well as your returned assessments (Math Skills Assessment, Proportions and Percents Assessment).
   
   
3. If you haven't created your first blog post yet (it was due today, remember?), please do that this weekend and email the URL to me.
   
   
4. A reminder that we'll have MAP Testing on Monday so please report directly to the Media Center Computer Lab on Monday morning.
   
   
5. If you haven't gotten graph paper yet, please do so this weekend as you'll need it on Tuesday.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Today we began with our assessment over Solving Proportions and Percents and then created the key (pdf). We discussed how the key would be posted to the blog and that you should check your results and sign up for re-assessment if necessary.

We then spent some time applying proportions to various situations (lesson, pdf).

We then went over any questions you guys had about anything we've done so far in this class - not just the algebra, but how various things work in this class. The expectation is that you now know how everything works and can successfully accomplish things like logging into the Moodle and taking pre-assessments, watching videos and completing self-check problems, etc. If there's anything you're still having difficulty with, please come in and see me so that we can get it figured out.

Your homework for tonight is:

1. Check the portal for the results of your assessment, fill out your student checklist with your results, and make a plan for re-assessment (if necessary), including making an appointment. Many of you have unscheduled hours on Thursday (tomorrow) - please make an appointment and come in tomorrow if you need to re-assess (or get help and then re-assess). You can also come in during part of your lunch if necessary as the re-assessment should take only 5-7 minutes (still leaving you time to eat).
   
   
2. Remind your parents that tonight is Back to School Night. This is their chance to find out if I'm actually as weird as you say I am, so please encourage them to come.
   
   
3. If you notice you are missing anything when you check your assessment grade on the portal, please complete whatever you are missing.
   
   
4. Don't forget your first blog post is due by first period on Friday.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

We began with this opener (pdf). We also talked about the pre-assessment you were supposed to complete last night.

Today's lesson (pdf) investigated the use of proportions and percents with TNT, the stock market, and forensic science.

Your homework for tonight is:

1. Prepare for the Solving Proportions and Percents Assessment tomorrow. There are a variety of ways to do that including, but not limited to: review the online pre-assessment; review your notebook and/or the openers and lessons posted on the blog; review the video, work some practice problems in your textbook or that you find online. You can, of course, also get help from me, another math teacher, a teacher in the Study Center, a peer tutor in the Study Center, or a parent, sibling or friend. Do whatever works best for you, but make sure you're prepared. The expectation is that you should all be able to do very well on this assessment on Wednesday.
   
   
2. If you haven't yet, create your blog and your first post as outlined yesterday. This is due by first period on Friday.
   
   
3. If there's anything you haven't completed that you should have (watching the video and doing the self-check problems, the pre-assessment on the Moodle, other assignments you have missing), please complete those ASAP.

Monday, August 22, 2011

We began with this opener (pdf). As you worked on the opener I went around and verified that you had the Self-Check problems completed from the video you watched over the weekend. If you have not done that yet, you still can - please watch the video tonight, complete the self-check problems, and show me tomorrow. (Remember, if you ever have trouble with the YouTube video, you can also visit our Docs & Links page which has a link to downloadable versions of the videos.)

We did a capture-recapture simulation to learn more about applications of proportions and looked at some other examples as well (lesson, pdf).

We then talked about the online pre-assessment you will do tonight for homework, how that process works, and what you need to write down.

Your homework for tonight is:

1. Complete the Proportions and Percents Online Pre-Assessment in the Moodle. Make sure you write your work down in your notebook and, after you complete the pre-assessment, you fill out the self-assess column of your Algebra 1 Concept Student Checklist. (Sorry - had a typo in the answer part until about 5:30 today, it's fixed now.)
   
   
2. As we discussed in class, please create your reflective blog for Algebra. Here's a 1:48 screencast that takes you through step-by-step how to do that but, if you have any questions, contact me. As a reminder, set your display name in Blogger to first name last initial (for me, KarlF) or first name last initial graduation year (for me, KarlF1982) if another teacher has asked you to do it that way. Your blog title should be your first name last initial Algebra Reflective Blog (for me, KarlF Algebra Reflective Blog). Also, recall that the URL for your blog should be fischalg11 followed by your first name last initial (for me, fischalg11karlf). (For the Anthony's, use your first name and the first two letters of your last name for both the blog name and URL.) After you've created your blog, email me the URL, and then proceed to number three below.
   
   
3. Your first reflective post for Algebra is due no later than first period on Friday. Please title the post: Reflective Blog Post #1 and respond to the following prompt:
   
   Looking back at your first week plus in Algebra (and, for some of you, your first week plus at AHS), how are you feeling? What's going well or you're excited about? What's challenging or are you concerned about?
   
   Then I want you to set three goals for yourself for this semester. One goal specifically related to Algebra, one goal related to AHS in general (can be related to classwork, sports, activities, or something else at AHS), and one goal outside of AHS. Make these goals fairly specific, not just "I want to get a good grade." I'll be asking you to revisit these goals toward the end of the semester and evaluate how well you're doing on them, so make them be worthwhile and achievable.
   
   
4. Optional: If you'd like some more practice problems with proportions, try these.