Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Tuesday plus = May 27 plus

Homework:  Nothing new; the only remaining things are partner, optional, and small group!
Late Papers: are due to the late paper basket by Friday, May 30
*I will not be checking off or correcting late papers until the weekend
Redone Papers: are due to the redone basket by Friday, May 30
*I will not be grading any redone papers until the weekend

RETESTS:  In class Wednesday, May 28
If you are retesting more than one section, you will receive one section at a time, so be prepared to choose.
*You must complete a section within one sitting, so if you elect to do a second (or third) section at lunch, you will have only that lunch period to complete it.
*Choose wisely and come prepared tomorrow!

Finance Park Books should appear in TeacherEase, my sanity willing, throughout the course of this week.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Regarding the now ...

RPP Tests:
You can find the results of your tests (both the computation and application sections) in TeacherEase.
I will hand them back to you in Study Skills on Friday and you will have until Tuesday (there being no school on Monday) to hand them in WITH a parent signature for a candy point.
Test corrections also count as an assignment, as usual, but you will only get a candy point if you remember to bring it signed & completed on Tuesday, May 27.

Retests:
Retests for all sections will be in class on Wednesday, May 28.  I will have a project for those not retesting to do during that time.
Retests are given in three sections, any or all of which you may select:
*Conversions, problems 1-12
*Verbal equations, problems 13 - 20
*Applications (1-10, test 2)

My goals:
1) Have late and redone assignments handed in by Friday, May 23 corrected by next Tuesday.
2) Have all Finance Park books graded, in TeacherEase, and handed back to you by Thursday, May 29.
3) Have late and redone assignments handed in next week graded by Tuesday, June 3
*There will be no late Trans Math assignments accepted after Friday, May 30.

Check TeacherEase!
There ARE a few assignments on the no-name board; please check TeacherEase on Monday to see if you are missing anything you thought you turned in.  Check through your binders!  You will want to know if you are missing an assignment before next Thursday, right?




Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Homework for Wednesday, May 21

Assignment:  Nothing new
Due Thursday:  Finance Park Books
*Please put them in your airplane hangar by the end of the day.
*Late books are docked 10% per day.
Thursday in class:  Application section of the RPP test

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Homework for Tuesday, May 20

Assignment: RPPP Application Review
(the title of this assignment is a link to the worksheet)
This assignment will give you practice using proportions in context.
Just like last night's homework, this is essentially how the test will be formatted for the application section.  Use this to identify things that might confuse you PRIOR to Thursday's test!
Due Wednesday along with your Quiz Bowl Questions

For Thursday:  Finance Park books are due by the end of the day
For Friday:  Test Corrections for both sections of the test will be due ... so don't miss any!

Monday, May 19, 2014

Homework for Monday, May 19

It's crunch time!
Assignment:  Cumulative Review for Ratios, Proportions, Percents, and Probability
These are the skills you are responsible for knowing on the computation section of the test this coming Wednesday, May 21.  You should practice these skills as you need to; we will NOT be "learning" them in class.
Quizlet has other practice sets for these skills as well.
This is a NO calculator assignment; assignments without work shown/attached will receive 0 points.
Due Tuesday

Sunday, May 18, 2014

The Green Sheet

This is a link to the green reflection sheet you received at the Finance Park.
It is due as soon as you can complete it.
Click HERE!

Final Quiz Bowl - the categories

Final round questions for our final Quiz Bowl – May 23

*Final Round questions must be complete sentences; the answer should not be a number.
*You must be able to answer your own question if called upon during Quiz Bowl; if you cannot, you will owe Mr. Gacek a paragraph giving background and additional information about your subject.

You are required to use at least four of the different categories
Final round questions for our final Quiz Bowl are as follows:

Super Heroes & Villains.
-          Provide information on a movie, comic, or book hero or villain. 
-          Clues may include the person’s powers, traits, adversaries, and movies/books they were featured in.

Washington State geography and facts.
-          Cities, landmarks, or geographical features that are special to Washington state.
-          This does not include people except when possibly named in the founding of a city/settlement or discovery for which a landmark or geographical feature is named.

Words beginning or ending with “th.”
-          Give the definition of the word.
-          Words may begin OR end, with the consecutive letter combination of “th.”
-          This is not a spelling contest, so the answer should BE the word.

NOVA student trivia.
-          With permission from the student, give a few interesting facts (or one very unique fact) about a current NOVA 7th or 8th grader.   Be sure to ask first!
-          Trivia should be kind-hearted, interesting, and as unique as possible to the student. 
-          Examples could include naming their 8th grade project, noting what instrument they play, naming their elementary school, siblings, favorite sports, and identifiable characteristics (like wearing cat ears) that would not be perceived as making fun of them.
-          Last names will only be required when there are two students with the same first name.
-          Again, run your clue by the person you are using so that it is approved first.

Potpourri.
-          Your choice of topic.

*Questions are due to Mo (you can put them in my in-basket) by WEDNESDAY, May 21.

Assignment #30 and due dates for Finance Park books

#30)  Post-test, pages 121-123; no redo
Remember that we did not "correct" the pre-test, we only noted credit/no credit whether or not you had completed it.
It is open-book and calculators are allowed.
This assignment is worth 14 points; one for each of the questions.

Extra Credit Opportunities:  
You may choose ONE of the following options, but ONLY if you have completed all of the required assignments in the book first:
1) Crossword Puzzle, page 118 (1 point)
2) Career Choice Research, page 134:  research the job YOU received in class that you have been living for these past several weeks. You may use the internet or knowledgeable adults for your research. (3 points)

Due dates and check-ins for your book -
Monday or Tuesday, May 19 or 20 - books turned in on these dates will have some key assignments corrected and be returned to you on either Tuesday or Wednesday (May 20 or 21) with suggestions for redoing assignments.
Wednesday, May 21 - books turned in on this date will have specific assignments corrected by Miranda.  These books will be returned to you on Thursday for possible redoes, but are still DUE on Thursday by the end of the day.
Thursday, May 22 by the end of the school day:  Finance Park Books are due, period.
*Books coming in AFTER this date will lose 10% of their total per day.

There will be very little, if any, time to work on your books in math class this week.  
Break and lunch work periods will be offered Monday through Wednesday, with break only on Thursday.
Plan your week wisely! ;-)


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

3 Book Assignments

#27)  Life Profile, pages 91 - 92
   *do not do (at any time) #6 or #17
   *you can complete this assignment now if you have made these purchases and decisions
#28)  Cable and Dining Out, page 112
  *this is a COMBINED minimum and maximum total; you should be finding 8% of your total for these two categories, it is not necessary to meet those guidelines separately.
  *this means that you MAY decide to spend more on cable and none on dining out (for example) or eating out only (for example) or any combination of the two (for example) as long as the total is between 2% and 8% of your income.
  *you may indicate this on your actual budget sheet any way you want, but do so!
#29)  Actual Budget, page 113
  *you can begin writing in your maximum guidelines and the amount you spent in certain categories, but you cannot finish this assignment yet.
  *your PYF and Charitable Giving categories will be discussed on Monday!

Tomorrow:  All About the Field Trip!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Assignment #26

#26) Entertainment and Recreation, page 111
All of the information you need is on the pink sheet I gave you in class.
A copy of that information is also HERE on this link.
This is an internet assignment; be sure to include the details!!!!!

Monday, May 12, 2014

Assignment #25

Assignment #25 - Clothing - page 110
You received a yellow sticker in class today that should be stuck to page 110 in your workbook.
*Please IGNORE the categories that are listed on page 110, but do use the chart for recording the prices.
*Make sure you have the items, that they are gender and age appropriate, and that you follow the "rules" we went over in class today.
*You need to have all advertisements cut out, prices included, and taped/glued on page 110 OR if you run out of room, please indicate on which page of the book I will find your purchases.
*I review the rules, the categories, age details, and other miscellaneous clothing instructions HERE.  Please use the link if you have questions!
*This is a 10 point assignment because there are a lot of instructions to follow!

Reminder: you need the minimum and maximum guidelines for each category listed at the top of each page.  You will lose at least 1/2 point for every page you neglect to write them on.  

Assignment #24

Assignment #24 - Home Improvement (gold sheet)
All of the directions are on the worksheet, please use THIS LINK if you aren't sure what to do.
Follow the directions carefully and make sure the last line value on your sheet falls between your minimum and maximum.
Do NOT use the page in the book, but DO insert your gold sheet next to the page.
If you need extra room to glue/tape your purchases, you may put them on the page in the book.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Assignment #23

#23 Food Expenditures, page 109 & the green sheet
THIS is a copy of the worksheet (in a different format, be forewarned) than I handed out in class today.
There are two parts to this assignment -
1) You need to fill out the green sheet completely.
*note that I said completely.  Do all of the parts.
2) You need to put the completed worksheet in between pages 108 and 109 in your workbook in order to get full credit for this assignment.  You also need to have page 109 filled out in the way I have told you to on the green sheet.
All of the details you need SHOULD be on the worksheet or on the link above.  I honestly did try to answer any questions that you might have!
This is one of the possibly impossible assignments.  Please indicate clearly on page 109 that I should find this budget "impossible" for you to keep below your maximum guidelines.  Obviously, you can always eat more lunches out (or other options in the table on 109) to add up to over your minimum.


Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Assignments #21 and #22

First of all, there are three assignments here although it looks like there are only two.  Please read this - I am holding you accountable for knowing these pieces:
Homework:  Transportation Estimate Blue Sheet
*This sheet is for estimating the car you can afford to buy based upon your maximum budget allowance.  This is NOT the actual assignment for your book and will not necessarily match the car you end up buying.  This assignment is for practice using variables based upon your maximum guideline and must be turned in AFTER you buy your car in order to get homework credit.  It must be completed and accurate.
On the backside of the worksheet, you will find directions for filling in your ACTUAL purchase on page 102.  If your car does not fit between your maximum and minimum guidelines, you WILL need to find another car that fits regardless of what your estimate told you.
For the ACTUAL numbers, use the ones given (and in the charts) on page 102.
Blue Transpotation Worksheet - Due as soon as you have bought your car; put it into the basket.

#21) Transportation Fixed Expenses, page 102-103
The best explanation I have for this page is on the back of the blue worksheet, so use that.
This is where you calculate your ACTUAL purchase following the directions on the page.
*Use the percentages and charts they give you ON the pages.
*Make sure you know the year of your car.
*Determine if it is fuel efficient (current standards are 28mpg)
*Make sure it has enough seats for your family.
*The only thing you may use the internet for is to determine fuel efficiency; look your car up by name, year, and model.  Some advertisements say "FE" (fuel efficient).  If it doesn't say FE, it probably isn't.
*Circle the numbers you are using on the tables; it helps make my correcting quicker.
* If your car does not fit between your maximum and minimum guidelines, you WILL need to find another car that fits regardless of what your estimate (blue sheet) told you.
*Your final loan amount is line 8, page 103; that represents the loan you are taking out and your monthly payments.

#22) Transportation Variable Expenses, page 104
This page is trickier than you think!
*Read the tables carefully (really carefully) in regards to your mileage, auto age, and fuel efficiency.  CIRCLE the numbers you use on the table.
*Read the Maintenance Chart carefully to determine your maintenance costs according to the car you purchase.
This is a "Possibly Impossible" page meaning the numbers may not fall between your minimum and maximum guidelines.  This is a page over which you have "no control" after you have purchased your car, so you do not have to meet these guidelines.  However, please indicate that this was "impossible" for you on the page which lets me know that you either saved money here or have to work hard to save money and balance your budget elsewhere!

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Assignments #19 and #20

#19) Established Expenses, page 95 
You cannot complete this assignment at this time, but you can get some of it done.
*Lines 1, 2, and 3 can be completed based upon your family situation.
These may (or may not) include your lucky or unlucky chance.
*Line 6 can now be completed by everyone.
Please note:  If your unlucky chance tells you to write it on line 6, page 95, then you need to do so.  Follow the directions carefully.  If your unlucky chance does NOT tell you to write it on line 6, page 95, do NOT do so - follow the directions on the sticker and write $0 for line #6 on this page.
LEAVE line 4 (PYF) and line 5 (Charitable Giving) until you are done with ALL of your other purchases.  These lines are the last thing you will do at the same time as you are completing your Actual Budget.
#20) Unit 3 Test, pages 80 - 82 (no redo)
Open book, open parent, calculators allowed.

Books left in your airplane hangars at school tomorrow will be able to have some of the assignments corrected over the night.  Be ready to purchase your transportation on Wednesday!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Assignments #17 & #18

Details for Assignments #17 & #18
Please read this thoroughly before waiting to ask me in class; you can do this!
#17) Housing, pages 98-100
NOTE: After selling my rare Russian Orloff chicken, I am giving each person an extra $10,000 to put towards their down payment.  This should be added to line 2 on top of the $10,000 you already have AN D in addition to any lucky chance you may have.
There are several pieces to this assignment; be sure to complete ALL of them!
a) You need to have your minimum and maximum house payments (from your guidelines page 94) both written on one of the three pages, 98-100.
b) You need to figure the range (minimum and maximum) of a house you can afford to BUY.  You do this by working backwards through the steps on page 99:  Begin by multiplying your payment by 360, then add back in your down payment amount ($20,000 or more, depending), then record the price of the house you can afford either on the purple sheet or SOMEWHERE on page 98 or 99.  You need to do this regardless of whether you end up buying a house or not.
c) You need to find a house and complete steps 1 - 5 on page 99 (if you buy) or 1 - 2 on page 100 (if you rent).
d) You need to have at least one bedroom for adults, another for children, and another for a roommate as applicable to your situation.
e) Your house's advertisement MUST be cut out and pasted or taped onto page 100.  (this does not always include a picture)
f) If you rent, there is no down payment needed.  Just complete page 100 and glue on the advertisement, but you still need to do steps a - e above.
Important note 2:
Remember that I am limiting you to only one roommate, if you choose to have one, and your roommate must have their own bedroom.
Important note 3:
Be careful not to buy in Eagle's Glen or any other 55+ community; read the advertisements carefully!  When in doubt, you can look up the MLS number on the internet to see if it is that type of housing.
You may NOT use the internet to find your house, but you can certainly look on the internet to confirm details if you want or need to.
This assignment is worth a lot because it will take work to do it all correctly; do it right the first time!
*Wait until this is corrected BEFORE you tranfer the total to the Actual Budget page.  

#18) Utilities page 101
I would wait to have my housing approved before completing this page.
This assignment is trickier than it appears IF you have a roommate ... otherwise it is pretty straightforward.
*IF you have a roommate, you determine the electrical payment (rent or mortgage is between column) from the total payment, not your reduced payment.  Then you take the electrical/sewer/water/phone payments and divide THAT by two.  Again, do NOT use the payment you are making as your guideline; the mortgage payment itself is the one you use to determine the cost of your utilities, then you split the utility bill.
Complete each of the line totals, but wait until they corrected BEFORE you tranfer the totals to the Actual Budget page.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

They're Here!

For more details, check the Mo'Eggs tab.
But here is "Riz," the first chick out!  He (she? who knows) hatched about 2:00 a.m. and is a Russian Orloff.
Ella with Riz; about 15 hours old


Friday, May 2, 2014

Finance Assignment, May 2

#16) Budget Scavenger Hunt
This assignment asks you to express what you know about these budget details.  This would be the perfect time to use your parents as resources; make sure you understand the questions and can explain what you then understand.

NMI - If you complete your NMI this weekend and have not yet had it approved, PLEASE send me an email with everything from that page typed out.  I will send back approval to move on to figuring your budget guidelines or the areas that need to be corrected.
You will WANT to have this approved before Monday and you will WANT to have your budget guidelines approved that morning as well.

On Monday, May 5, many of you will be purchasing your houses.  This cannot be done, however, without both your NMI and budget guideline pages approved.  Being able to buy your houses in class is a bonus!  After today, there will be VERY little homework that cannot be completed in class.  Aim to have it done by the end of the class period and you will be a happy camper each night.

On another note, my baby chicks are due this weekend!  Check back to see pictures and the names Ella selects for each one ... they will be posted on the Mo'eggs tab.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Book Assignments, Thursday, May 1
#14) The Art of Budgeting, pages 75-76
A budget is your spending plan for money, but it doesn't always go the way you want it to.
For this assignment, you are looking at Laurie's budget plans and then what ACTUALLY happened for that particular month.  This will be the rhythm of your life too: what did you plan and what actually happened?
*Transfer the numbers from the charts on page 75 to the correct places on page 76.  Some may be $0, by the way.
*Answer the questions carefully, listing the budget category names they give you as the answers to 2 - 4
#15) Unlucky Chance, pages vary
Now that you have your unlucky chance, more things will begin to fall in place for someo of you.  If you CAN complete your unlucky chance, feel free to do so and check it off.  However, many of them cannot be completed yet, so wait patiently for your unlucky moment to arrive.
*Place your sticker on the page it tells you to, then be sure to follow the directions carefully ... even if you cannot do so YET.

This Friday we will be finishing our preparations for beginning to spend your hard earned cash.
On Monday, May 5, we will make our first BIG purchase and buy or rent housing.  In order to be prepared to start shopping, you will want to first have your NMI (page 93) and then your Budget Guidelines (page 94) complete and checked off.
Plan to do this by TOMORROW, May 1!