Happy Holidays!

In class on Thursday, December 15, students had to use ordered pairs to identify letters associated with those points.  Those letters combined to form the punch line to a "Funny Haha.".  Students were then asked to write a joke for that punchline, hoping to have the closest match to the original.   The punchline was:
  "On those days the kids have to play inside."

Mr. Sieling, Mr. Kehoe, and Maestra voted on the winners for these categories: 
Closest match period 1:  When it rains candy ...  (by Ken & Maggie)
Closest match period 2:  Where do kids go when it rains cats & dogs? (Claire & Robyn)
Funniest Haha:  Sometimes the elephants take a bath in the neighborhood. (Lucas, Kate, and Jenna)

Actual joke?  Why is a mother kangaroo unhappy when it rains?
Winners will receive one candy point each.  Congratulations!

Thank you for the hahahahahahas,
See you all next year!  Stay safe, warm, and happy -
Mo ;-)

Homework for Thursday, 12/15

Assignment:  3 Puzzles (More Problem Solving with Integers)
*These puzzles require brain power!  If you have no strategy, they will take you a thousand years longer to solve.
*Your explanations do not have to be long or complex, just say what you need to say so I know how you solved them.
*There is no redo or late papers accepted on this assignment; please take your time and give me your best effort.  (if you are absent, this assignment will be excused)
Due Friday, the last day of school before Winter Break!

Homework for Thursday, 12/14

Assignment:  Write an Application Problem

*You must write one application problem where you are the main subject.
*Your story must include negative numbers.
*There must be at least 5 changes in direction.  (example: increases and decreases in temperature, gains and losses in money, etc.)
*The sequence of your story must go below zero (negative) at least once.
*Your problem should represent an appropriate difficulty level for your classmates.
*Please make sure your problem is legible or you will receive it back to rewrite.  You may, and are encouraged to, type your story and print it out if this works for you.
*You must include the answer somewhere on your page.  I will remove the answer before anyone receives your problem to work on. 
*Feel free to illustrate it too!  (this is not a requirement, but it certainly would be cool)
Due Thursday

Homework for Tuesday, 12/13

Assignment:  Adding & Subtracting Negatives, A or B (your choice)
*Please select the level of homework that you are most comfortable working with.  It is important that you GET these skills, not that you are concerned about looking beastly with your homework.
*Both of these assignments are worth 15 points regardless of which one you complete.
*If you do both assignments, you will add 30 points to your overall total, but they are not "extra credit" points, they are just more options for practice.
*Both of these assignments are available here:
  Option A (basic whole numbers)
  Option B (larger numbers and decimals)

Due Wednesday

I have added an addition/subtraction only practice set to Quizlet.  Go there!

Homework for Monday, 12/12

Homework:  More Negative Subtraction problems! (differentiated)
*Please see the last few blog entries for this important yet confusing skill.  You MUST be able to recognize negatives in subtraction problems and know what to do with them.  There is help on Mo'Help and there are plenty of problems to practice on Quizlet.
*It's all about your mastery; take care!
Due Tuesday

Homework for Thursday, 12/8

Assignment: Subtracting Negatives #2

*You really can't get enough practice with this important skill.  Everyone is getting another day with these to sink in, but in a slightly different format.  Show me your good stuff!
*For problems 9 - 11, you are to put the missing integer that makes the equation true.
*See yesterday's blog notes and/or the Mo'Help page if you still have questions about these bad cowboys.
Due Friday

Homework for Thursday, 12/7

Assignment:  Subtracting Negatives #1 (differentiated)
*The lesson today was that it is much easier to add than to subtract.  While it seems like extra work at this time to change everything into an addition problem, it will help you to think about it this way in the future.
-Remember:  we have good cowboys and bad cowboys. 
-Remember:  subtracting a negative number is really just cowboys undercover: bad cowboys that are really good!  5 - (-3) = 5 + 3
-Remember:  rules might confuse you: do not count negative signs, don't worry about subtracting, just collect your cowboys.  Who wins?  That's your answer.
*You will find a more thorough description of subtracting negatives on the Mo'Help page of this blog.
*You will find plenty of practice problems on my Quizlet page. 
Due Thursday

Homework for Tuesday, 12/6

Assignment:  Addition #2 (differentiated)

*For most of you, you will need to complete (and pass) Practice ws 1.5 in order to check addition off your yellow Negatives card. 
*Be careful ... you are just collecting and associating cowboys.  You know how to do this!
*Fun times!  Julie in the office scanned this for me and it turned out upside-down.  I love it.  If you were absent (Ken & Fuchsia), forgot (Alek), or lost (anyone?) your worksheet, you can download a copy HERE.  The good news is, after you print if off you can turn the paper right side up.  Haha!
*For those of you with the "Practice with Variables 11" worksheet, just think of it as cowboys with letters rather than colors.  You still collect them, but they will not actually face-off against the other letters, they will just meet on the field and hang out.  However, IF there are negatives & positives within one letter set, they WILL treat each other just like the cowboys do ... and THAT is how you simplify.
(I included plenty of directions on the actual worksheet)
Due Wednesday

Homework for Monday, 12/5

Assignment:  Real Life Negatives - B

*Yep!  More application with problems with negatives!
*Think about how you are collecting the positive & the negative ... it does matter.
*Be careful to read the problems carefully and answer the question.  The point of an application problem is to actually apply the math to the question, understand?
*Need a copy of the assignment?  Here it is:  Real Life Negatives - B
Due Tuesday
*Special note!  Problem #2 is missing a distance.  Feel free to use any number (or variable) you want ... just be sure to answer the problem correctly!

Homework for Thursday, 12/1

Assignment:  Adding Negatives

*You received one of two assignments today. 
*Unfortunately, they are worksheets that I cannot upload AND they are individualized anyway.  Extra copies are available in the classroom and absent students can find their assignment attached to the magnetic white board.
*Remember - you are just collecting good cowboys and bad cowboys ... so who wins?  
Due Friday