We started this nine weeks looking at a formal ways of solving problems, including at least a dozen strategies, developed by a mathematician named George Polya. Your child should be able to approach any problem systematically by reading the problem for understanding, planning how to use the strategies to solve the problem, solving the problem using the strategy(ies) chosen and looking back to make sure the answer makes sense. This approach can be used on any homework problem, test or quiz problem or the EOG itself.
We are finishing up most of what we will do this year on gathering, representing and understanding data. THERE WILL BE A BIG TEST NEXT FRIDAY, September 19. It will cover all of Chapter 1 in the math book, including all that we have learned about box-and-whisker plots.
Be on the lookout this Friday (September 12) for Progress Reports for the class. This week we have been studying box-and-whisker plots, and there is one on your child's progress report. It will be a big help if you remember to ask your child to explain what the box-and-whisker plot shows. They should be able to use it to tell you where he or she stands in class.
Several assessments were given early in the nine weeks. The first covered basic computational skills, a second checked to see whether reading level is sufficient for our text book and another used computer-based learning (A+ Learning System) to check which objectives in the seventh grade curriculum had not been mastered previously. In subsequent computer labs, students will be asked to practice only those curriculum items they have not yet mastered.
For students who can demonstrate they have mastered most of the seventh grade curriculum, the software allows them to proceed to 8th grade curriculum items. We also have posted in class a list of new things students will learn in the 8th grade. After demonstrating that they have mastered whatever we are studying on a particular day, students will be allowed to substitute 8th grade exercises for homework/classwork. These students will be better prepared if they are chosen to take Algebra I in the 8th grade instead of 8th grade math.
I am now able to access my e-mail. Feel free to contact me by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at the school. The phone number is 602-3334 x2705. A good time to call is during my planning period (8:00 to 9:20) or after 2:50 in the afternoon. |
