Homework for Thursday, Dec. 18

Assignment:  Plotting Ordered Pairs
Guess what?  Read the directions at the top of the page ... seriously.  ;-)
This worksheet is from a workbook, so I do not have a copy of it available online.
*If you were absent today, please don't worry about it unless it is easy for you to have someone pick it up for you.
*If you are absent tomorrow (Friday), you can turn it in when you get back to school after break.
Due Friday

Homework for Wednesday, Dec. 17

Assignment:  Write your Directions
This is part 3 of the Coordinate Plane assignments.  A detailed list of tasks is HERE.  Otherwise, please see yesterday's entry (12/16) for instructions on the previous tasks.
Hopefully you are on the step of creating the directions for someone else to follow in drawing your picture.  We practiced this in class today by using the word, "Hi" and giving feedback to our partners.  This was more complicated than a lot of you imagined, so test driving your directions on a parent might be wise!  Remember that whoever follows your directions won't have the benefit of knowing what the picture is supposed to look like, so you must be specific and accurate.
*Feel free to draw on your original picture now; you can even label the points right on it for referring back to.  You will turn in your picture too, but I have already seen it so it's okay if you muss it up a bit.
*Your goal is to have whoever follows your directions recreate your drawing precisely, so don't forget to include any shading instructions.
*There is no exact why to do this, but you must include the coordinate points and you may NOT describe what the picture is supposed to look like.
All three parts:  E69, your picture, and the directions for drawing your picture on a coordinate plane are due Thursday.

Homework for Tuesday, Dec. 16

Assignment:  Graphing Coordinates - 3 parts

This homework is broken up into a few sections:

1) Get the Point - we did this in class and there is no online copy.  If you were absent (or lost it), don't worry about it until you get back or you can get a copy from a friend.  This was a practice sheet, so it's not urgent.

2) Draw a Picture - homework for Tuesday (tonight).  For this you need a piece of graph paper that you will draw a picture on.  It needs to be big and contain between 20 and 30 points (intersections).  Further guidelines for this are HERE.  If you still can't figure out what to do, you're pretty stuck tonight ... just be prepared tomorrow to catch back up!  This picture needs to be approved by me before you can move on to step 3.

3) Coordinate Point Instructions - homework for Wednesday night.  We will go over how to do this in class on Wednesday, then begin work on it in class.  

This is all DUE THURSDAY.  Obviously you'd like to have it done before break, right?  

Homework for Monday, 12/15

Assignment:  Negative Multiplication and Division.
     These are not cowboys!
We memorized the rules for this one even though it's not my style.
*Positive x Positive = Positive
*Positive x Negative = Negative
*Negative x Positive = Negative
*Negative x Negative = Positive.
The rules are the same for division.
When you get to the "order of ops" problems, solve from left to right and think of each step as only two numbers.
Example:  -2 x 3 x -2  =  -6 x -2  = 12
Just do them ... practice helps it stick.
Due Tuesday

Homework for your 3-day weekend

Assignment:  Quiz Bowl #3 Questions
These are due Monday for full credit, turned into the math basket in room #1.

QUIZ BOWL #3

Please create six questions. Questions 1-4 must follow the prescribed format. Questions 5-6 are Potpourri Questions, which means they can be from any category.  *Do not forget your name on your questions!

1.15-line spacing                            size 14 Calibri font                                include answers

skip line between questions            turn in 2 copies                                     single-sided pages

answers may not be numbers          answers may not be a year

no true/false, multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank

1.  Mammals

When this mammal is full grown, it weighs about __________ on average.  It lives in ____________________ (habitat, like “the ocean”) and can be found in _____________________ (country/geographical location).  Its coloring is most often __________________________and identifying characteristics would be its ___________________ and __________________.   An interesting fact about this mammal is __________________________________________ .

Name this mammal.

Answer:

2.  Cold things or places

This cold thing/place (circle one) usually has a temperature around ______. It is best known for _____________________, _____________________ and   ______________________.  

Name this thing/place.  (circle one)

Answer:

3.  Words that end with “ous” 

This “ous” word that starts with the letter “ ___” is defined as: 

______________________________________________________________________________.

Answer: 

4. Inventions

  _________________ invented this thing in _______ (year).  It was invented to (improve, replace?) ___________________________ and it ___________________________________________.

What is this invention?

Answer:

5 & 6. Potpourri: Create two questions in different categories. It must be possible for sixth grade students to guess the answers (nothing too obscure). The answers may not be numbers. Multiple choice questions and true/false questions are not allowed. The answers may not be years. Each question must contain at least two facts. Include the answer to each question.

Homework for Wednesday, Dec. 10

Assignment:  Negative Addition Choice #1
Lots of options here!  The only one I don't have a copy of is the basics, so you'll have to choose something else if you lost yours.
Please remember your cowboys ... we are just ADDING, so you know what to "do."
Good cowboys?  Bad cowboys?  How many?
Temperature, money, elevation, it doesn't matter what your unit is, it is the same idea.
Downloadable Options:
Adding Negatives - BIG Numbers
Adding Negatives - Loooong Equations
Adding Negatives - Decimals
Due Thursday!  
*come ready to play Negative Addition War!  ;-)

Homework for Tuesday, December 9

Assignment:  Real Life Negatives - C
There are two parts of this assignment that are to be completed exactly as we went over in class today.  Please read on:
1) You must write the original equations.  (1 point)
Problems 1 - 5a and #6 are all to be written as addition problems.
Problem 5b is a division problem using the answer from 5a.
Problem 5c is an ordered list using the negatives as negatives and positives as positives.
Problems 7 - 8 will use a visual (drawing) of the scenario.
2) You must have the correct answers with labels. (1 point)
How you solve the problems once you have written the equations is up to you.  I want you to get use to seeing equations and rewriting them in ways that make sense to you.  We learned this backwards, yes?  You wrote them down in ways that made sense first!
*There were a LOT of copies of this assignment left in room #1 by break.  If you were one of those people, please click on the title (name) of this assignment for a link to a copy.
Due Wednesday

Homework for Monday, December 8

Follow the directions ... the process is what we're working on!

Meet the bad and good cowboys

Assignment:  Adding Negatives - Regrouping
*Problems 1 - 4 are ALL addition and the process is simple:  good cowboys? bad cowboys? how many?!?  (and are they good or bad)
*Problems 5 - 11 are ALL addition, but you will need to commute and associate.  Follow the steps in the example which are idential to the ones we did in class today: regroup, solve within the parentheses, solve the equation.  You will receive points for EACH STEP, just like on the cowboys worksheet.
*Problem 11 is application, just like we've been doing, but perhaps now you can see how the equation matches the work involved?
Due Tuesday

Homework for Thursday, December 4

Today you will be graded on following the directions accurately.  Please take note!
Assignment: Commuting Cowboys worksheet
*Note the steps 1 through 3 that you are to follow.  We went over this in class, but the directions are on the worksheet, in the box with the cowboy demonstrating bad gun safety, as back-up.
*Note that step 3 is the answer.  If you reach the answer before step 3, you can assume you are not doing the steps correctly and should look back at the steps in the box.
*I am hoping you will follow the same steps for Mavis on problem E, but that's just my advice.
Due Friday

Homework for Weds. December 3

Assignment:  Real Life Negatives B

Here we go again!

I'm still not concerned with equations, but I am interested in how you are thinking about these problems.  Please "show" how you are solving them.

Do think about "collecting" (associating) negatives with negatives (blue cowboys, or being in the red) and positive with positives (yellow cowboys or being in the black).

Here is an example:  You went up 2 stairs, down 5 stairs, up 10 stairs, down 25 stairs, up 13 stairs, down 5 stairs, up 67 stairs ... where are you?  

* 2 - 5 = -3 + 10 = +7 - 25 = -18 + 13 = -5 - 5 = -10 + 67 = 57

Do you see why this could be tedious to solve and have the potential for multiple errors?  

Now look at it in color ...  with association (we'll use red and black here):

You went up 2 stairs, down 5 stairs, up 10 stairs, down 25 stairs, up 13 stairs, down 5 stairs, up 67 stairs ... where are you?  

*Let's see ... I went up 2, 10, 13, and 67 steps for a total of 92 steps up.

    I went down 5, 25, and 5 steps for a total of 35 steps down.

It looks to me like I will end up above where I started, eh?  92 - 35 = 57 steps higher than where I started.

This is just one way of thinking about these problems and, seriously, the method I always use.  If you haven't tried it, I encourage you to try it for at least one of these problems tonight.

Keep thinking!

Due Thursday

Homework for Tuesday, Dec. 2

Assignment: Real Life Negatives A
Welcome to the "real" world (as real as it gets in these examples) of negative integers.  Today you are to focus on what you are doing not how you write it.  
Mo's advice:
*Think about what the numbers represent.  Draw pictures on the page or in your mind, but use your imagination to think about the story behind the question.
*Associate!  These numbers all have values that go in a direction:  towards zero or away from zero. So if you go down the steps at Hogwarts, all of those downward steps represent going DOWN (aka a negative number, fyi) and all of the times you go UP get you higher (a positive direction).  Again, picture the story.
*HOW you solve these problems should be common sense.  I'm not at all concerned how you represent it mathematically, I want to know where you end up: behind the starting point?  above sea level?  above zero?  with less money?  How can you collect the values of the numbers and use them to come up with an answer?   Think about what you know is true then figure out how to get to that point.
EXAMPLES:  all with different answers, yet essentially the same numbers ...
A) If your horse is 7 miles away from Olympia, and runs for 5 miiles towards Olympia, rests, then runs 4 more miles in the same direction, he endes up 2 miles PAST Olympia, right?  Right!
B) If your horse is 7 miles away from Olympia, and begins running to Olympia for 5 miles, but realized he forgot his baby horse, so he runs backwards for 4 miles, he is now  6 miles away from (before) Olympia, right?  Ugh, a little confusing.  Try drawing that scenario.
B) But if he runs to Olympia for 7  miles, rests, then runs 4 more miles either forward OR backwards, he has run for a total of 11 miles regardless ... which is a lot of running.  THAT is the absolute value piece or the total distance covered.
*The rest of it is up to you.  I strongly, strongly recommend drawing yourself a simple scenario and figuring out what is is you want to know.  Don't worry about the negatives or positives, just think about what they represent in the story.  I keep saying this because it is key to your "aha" moment!
*And yes, labels are VERY important ... you MUST label your answers to get full credit.
* I do have a copy of this assignment and here it is!
Due Wednesday - try to enjoy it.  ;-)

Homework for Monday, December 1

Welcome to the winter trimester!  This is where your math homework begins ...

Homework:  3 - Definitions & Examples, 1 Summary 
In this assignment you are to interview three different people regarding negative numbers.  Be sure your interviewee knows what a negative number is before you begin.  Dogs, significantly younger siblings, and aliens to not apply.  
Write in detail!  
*Only one person may be a current NOVA student OR teacher and it may not be another 6th grader or Mr. Kehoe, Mo, or Mr. Gacek.  Note that it is not required that you have a NOVA student or teacher.
*You may conduct your interview over the phone; there is no excuse not to be able to find three different people.
*Write in the name (and relationship) of each person to you.
*Definitions should be written in as much detail as the person gives you.  Do not worry about total accuracy at this time; your interviewee might be rusty, but it should be pretty close (see above). ;-)
*Examples:  your three examples (one per person) must all be different.  I would word the second question something like this - 
"I need you to give me a real life example, other than 'in math class,' or, 'in a math equation,' where you would need to represent something as a negative number?"  
Push them on this a bit, okay?  They can do it!
*Summary:  This is a short, concise, easy to understand summary of what you think a negative number is.  Write your summary as if you are explaining the concept of a negative number to someone who does NOT know.  
We will be using these in class tomorrow, so come prepared!Due Tuesday

Happy Thanksgiving!

Still eating turkey, how about you?

Your winter schedules are about 75% entered; feel free to visit TeacherEase and check them out!  However, please also know that as I discover my mistakes, your schedule may still be altered ...

See you all Monday!

Ella riding her cousin Lindsay's horse on Thanksgiving.

Homework for Monday, 11/24

Assignment:  Self-Assessment for Trans Math
Tonight I want you to answer a set of questions I have prepared for you in TeacherEase.  Please be honest and reflective; it's important you think about how you are doing, what you did well, and what you can do better.
This is the first time I have tried to do an assignment through TeacherEase, so we're learning this together.
*First, you will need to go to your TeacherEase account at TeacherEase.com
  (if you do not know how to access your account, send me an email NOW)
*Next, you will need to select (click on) the "Trimester Self-Assessment" link in the right-hand column.  I believe it should take you directly to what it is calling the "Quiz," but please note it is not actually a quiz.  (haha)
*Once you are on the "quiz," you will see one of the questions.  If you click on the "HINT" button, it will explain what I am looking for in the question more completely.  Each question has its own "hint."
*Type the answer to the questions into the box.  Don't worry about spelling, but do write in English.  (haha again)
*Once you have completed a question, move on to the next one ... there are five.
*I'm guessing at some point you hit "submit," or "save," or some such action.
Obviously we can talk about this tomorrow if it's more confusing than it should be, but do let me know!
Due Tuesday if humanly possible.

Homework for Thursday, Nov. 20

Assignment:  Test Corrections
We went over these extensively in class today!
Please identify your errors as:  arithmetic error (or multiplication error, addition error, etc.), place value error (or decimal placement), set-up (added when I should have subtracted, etc.), or "did not complete," and why you did not complete that question (examples: "did not know how to divide" or "could not figure out what to do")
These are due FRIDAY in Study Skills
*Parent signatures on completed test corrections will earn a candy point!
*If you lose your test correction form, please just make your own.

Notes for Wednesday night, 11/19

Kyle says, "Go fish!"

Your test scores are entered in TeacherEase now, so please go check them!
(this is wise, especially if you don't like surprises)
Good job overall, but there will be plenty of you wanting to retest next Tuesday as well, so study up!  I recommend Quizlet as there were a lot of arithmetic errors, but some of you still have place value issues too.
Kyle and Mavis were kinder to many of you than you give them credit for ... I guess that repeated practice does help!  We will be going over questions in class tomorrow and, as always, I am willing to meet anyone at break or lunch that wants some extra help.

Special Note:  There were SIX people who got 100% on BOTH sections, congratulations!  You will get a well-deserved break from math homework tomorrow with test corrections, just be sure to remember to bring back your signed test correction form on Friday.

Homework: Pre-Test Choice, November 18

Assignment:  Pre-Test Choice
- corrected and turned in on time for full credit
*NOTE!  There is a typo on the answer key for #9 of the Kyle & Mavis homework.  The correct answer for #9 is 8.09.
Today you chose one of three options for your homework.
A)  Mixed Practice - 
This is exactly how the test will be set up.  Be prepared for this.
B)  Yet More with Kyle and Mavis -
These are the types of questions on the test, but there will only be 8 of them.
C)  Quizlet -
Complete: Decimals Mixed Review, Decimal Division, Decimal Multiplication, or Decimal Applications.  Be sure to turn in a signed sheet, either created by you or printed from Quizlet.
Due Wednesday - to get full credit you MUST hand it in to the basket on Wednesday.

Be prepared when you GET to class tomorrow:  there will be no candy point, just straight to the test.
If you are in period 1 and you prefer to take your test in a bean bag, please grab one BEFORE class and put it in the location where I had you take the pre-quiz.
Sleep and eat well tonight!
Mo ;-)

Homework for Monday, Nov. 17

Assignment:  Student Choice!
This is the second-to-last assignment you will have prior to the unit test on Wednesday.  I hope you chose well!  Keep practicing what you are struggling with; you are ultimately responsible for your learning.
I certainly do not have all of the options available here, but I do have this Mixed Practice worksheet if you have already lost whatever copy I gave to you.
Due Tuesday

Homework for Thursday, 11/13

Assignment:  Your Choice
MOST of you took the opportunity to meet Mavis today and that just happens to be the only option I have available online.  So if you lost your other sheet, please click HERE and meet Mavis for yourself.
*Quizlet is an option too; one of the four decimal options as listed yesterday.
*If you complete more than one sheet, be sure to attach a blue "extra" slip so I can record it correctly.
Due Friday

P.S.  Have fun with David B. tomorrow!  

Homework for Wednesday, November 12

Assignment:  Your Choice!
If you lost your copy and need an option, please email me and I can send you something.
If you want to join Quizlet, please go to the "Mo'Help" tab and find the link ("joining Quizlet) and then send me an email letting me know you need an invitation to my page.
Quizlet options:  Remember that there are only 3 options for tonight right now on Quizlet: Decimal Division, Decimal Multiplication, and Decimal Review.  Complete the set in LEARN mode and either print off the result page to turn in or have a parent sign a sheet saying what you completed.  Quizlet scores are pass/no pass only
Due Thursday

Homework for Monday, Nov. 10

Assignment:  Kyle's Job Crisis - C  (the link)
Kyle is back and things are getting increasingly complex.  Fortunately for you, you have the math skills to handle it!  Think through each problem carefully.  Some of you are making use of some good strategies and some of you are still winging your way through things.
Strategies include but are not limited to:
*Highlight the key points
*Label your work with units (4 cats, 3 miles, etc.)
*Cross out words/information you do NOT need.
*Use a separate piece of paper for organizing.
Please include how you set up the problems and any arithmetic you do towards solving them.  If you forget your work, it will receive a "0" until I get it.
Due Wednesday

Homework for Thursday, Nov. 6

Assignment:  Student Choice 3
Yes, this is due IN Study Skills tomorrow, even though we have Quiz Bowl.  Why save it for the weekend?
Due Friday

Projected Decimals unit test date:  Wednesday, Novvember 19.  Kyle will be there!!!!!!

Homework for Wednesday, Nov. 5

Assignment:  Self-Evaluation
You are to rate yourself on a scale from 0 - 5 based upon the following AND
You are to write one paragraph discussing your participation on the group poster we worked on today in class.  This paragraph may be typed or handwritten.
In your paragraph, tell me exactly the tasks you did and why you think you earned the score that you have given yourself.  Be honest, be fair, and give yourself what you deserve ... good or not-so-good!
Consider the continuum of these elements as you write your paragraph:
*were you a distraction to your group or were you consistently working?
*did you sit around waiting for direction or were you a self-starter?
*did you argue with your team or were you careful to listen and collaborate?
*were you a brain-dead member or did you come up with and share your ideas?
Yes, you may give yourself a decimal grade, rounded to the nearest 100th.
This is not a novel nor is 2 sentences enough nor should it be reflective of anyone else in your group.  Your paragraph should discuss only you and how you think you functioned as a team member today.
Due Thursday
*Connor H. and Easton, you can write the same paragraph reflecting how you would score yourself on the actual cockroach races day.  

Homework for Tuesday, Nov. 4

Sorry it's so late!  Here are copies of the second Kyle homework (link to) and the Quiz Bowl #2  questions (see below)
*Yes, there are two division problems in Kyle's homework (median and mean), but you can do them!  Just remember to carry it out as a decimal; remainders and fractions are not allowed on this assignment.
*There is a link to decimal division on the Mo'Help tab if you feel you need it.  ;-)
Both are due Wednesday.

QUIZ BOWL #2

Please create six questions. Questions 1-4 must follow the prescribed format. Questions 5-6 are Potpourri Questions, which means they can be from any category.  *Do not forget your name on your questions!

1.15-line spacing                                   size 14 Calibri font                                 include answers

skip line between questions                   turn in 2 copies                                     single-sided pages

answers may not be numbers                 answers may not be a year

no true/false, multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank

1.  This U.S. State was admitted to the union in _______ (year) and has a current population of ______________.  It is known for _____________,

_______________, and ________________ and its most populous city is _________________.  Name this state.

Answer:

2.  This common household item can typically be found in the ____________. It is made of _______________________ and usually costs around $_____________  This item is used primarily for _______________ by

____________________.  Name this item.

Answer:

3.  (Words that start with “W”) 

This word that starts with the letter “W” is defined as: __________________

_______________________________________________________

Answer: 

4.  ____________________________ is a famous sports figure.  He/She play(ed) from __________ to __________  (years) and is from  _______________________   (country)  He/She is well known for ___________________________________.  Another interesting fact about this person is ______________________________________.  What sport is ___________________ (name again) most famous for participating in.

Answer:

5 & 6. Potpourri: Create two questions in different categories. It must be possible for sixth grade students to guess the answers (nothing too obscure). The answers may not be numbers. Multiple choice questions and true/false questions are not allowed. The answers may not be year. Each question must contain at least two facts. Include the answer to each question.

Homework for Monday, Nov. 3

Decimals #2: Student Choice
Today we did a "speed lesson" on decimal division.  The purpose was to give those of you who feel ready the tools to give it a try.  For those of you who do not feel ready, please don't worry about it yet.  It's going to be necessary to feel comfortable with long division first.  For anyone that would feel better with some long division review (no remainders), we will have a math lunch for that skill this Wednesday.  For those of you who need some tips on division tonight, check out THIS LINK (also available on the Mo'Help tab)
Otherwise, you chose what you wanted to study tonight from the 4 basic operations.  I certainly do not have copies of all of the assignments, but if you are desperate you can email me.  ;-)
Tomorrow, Kyle will be back ...
Due Tuesday

Cockroach Races - October 31

On Halloween Friday, 8 fabulous cockroaches named in honor of some of our graduates (and Mr. Jeff), raced around tables so we could chart their progress.  We want to thank the Golliets for bringing us our racers, Sami, Heather, and Carl for helping us track and record them, the graduates (Daphne, Tristan, Vin, Behzad, Kate, Spencer, and Henry) who didn't know they would be honored with a dastardly cockroach bearing their name, and Barbara for snapping these action shots.  Watch for our display of graphs and other pictures coming soon to the NOVA hallways.
.... to be continued on Wednesday, November 5....

Tristan the Tormentor makes a break for it.

Ellie, PhoebeC, and EmmaL track Daphne the Dangerous

Owen and PhoebeW map Jefafa the Hutt's route

Clara, Kimberly, Willow, and Easton measure and record the progress of Henry the Horrible

Assignment: Kyle's Job Crisis - A
Today you get to meet Kyle.
Kyle as a lot of issues, but one of them is that he can't hold down a job.
Through the series of Kyle assignments you will be required to take information from the story and then answer questions.  All of it is relatively "simple," but it will require you to be detail oriented.  Reading each question twice and making sure you understand what information you need is key.
*Some people like to sketch routes to have a visible picture of what Kyle is doing; this is completely optional, but might help some of you organize.
*Some people like to highlight the key parts of the question and the information they need from the story at the top; also an option that is not required but might be helpful.
*ALL of your work must be shown on this assignment.  Write the equations and show any addition, subtraction, and multiplication that you do.  NO calculators.
Have fun!  Getting to know Kyle is a journey ...
Due Friday
*the title of the assignment is a link to a copy of the worksheet.

Homework for Wednesday, Oct. 29

Assignment:  Decimals - Student Choice #1
I handed out all of your homework to you during your 4th period class, so I really do not have extra copies of all of those assignments here.  If you lost your copy, you will need to pick another one up in class tomorrow ... sorry!  (but hey, work on being organized!)
For those of you doing decimal division, there is a link HERE for help if you do not understand the brief directions on the worksheet.  This is essentially the "most difficult" skill with decimals and there are many layers to it, but this link does give you a few more ideas for how to work through division problems.  We WILL be going over division in class extensively, so do not panic.  ;-)
*Owen, I will send you your homework via email - and get well soon!
Due Thursday

Homework for Tuesday, Oct. 28

Assignment:  Box Plot and Questions
Tonight when you are working on your homework, remember that we are focusing on the VISUAL you get from the math.  You might have to stretch yourself to "not" remember the numbers in your list, but you NEED to.  LOOK at the box plot you create from your 5-number-summary and draw conclusions based on what you SEE.  I purposely did not let you take your data home so you could avoid the temptation to peek at it, so don't peek into your memory either.  ;-)
I have a lot of links for this assignment:
1) Another Box Plot
Obviously you need your calculations you did in class today from your original paper, but if you messed it up and want it to look tidier, you can use this.
2) How to Draw a Box Plot
Did you forget how to plot your points and connect them?  This will remind you.
3) The Questions
These need to be awesome, eh?  And if you need help with that awesomeness there is:
4) Help with the Questions
This link will help you understand how I want you to think about these questions.  I have some awesome advice here, so don't be afraid to use it.  Be sure to use the math that you see and interpret the meaning of where the numbers are.
Due Wednesday

Homework for Monday, Oct. 27

Assignment: Hot-Diggety-Dog
*THIS is the link to the online copy
Today we continued our work with decimals; tonight's homework deals with money AND logic.  There will be some trial and error involved, but if you use some elimination tactics it will go much more quickly.  Some of you are still getting bogged down when the equation isn't "given" to you, so employ some of the strategies we've been working on in class, eh?!?!?
*Fill in the table with your answers.
*Add and subtract by hand; I do expect to see your work on the paper.  Assignments without work attached will be handed back to you ungraded.
Due Tuesday

I will be posting your pre-quiz scores this evening; you are ultimately responsible for checking that grade online.  Thanks!

Go Sounders!

Casey, Ella, and I are sitting in the living room watching the Sounders.  Carl's Evergreen girl's team began their game at 11:00, so he's not even here for the start of this big game.  We'll have to leave (Ella and I) for her soccer game at halftime of the Sounders game, then Casey will need to go back into the dog kennel as she continues to recover from the coyote attack.  Please read on only if you are okay seeing how Casey's wounds are healing.

This is Casey exactly 6 days after she won the battle with a coyote on our back patio.  Smart girl.  You can kind of see where she lost the most of her feathers, some of which are still hiding wounds that you have to move the feathers to see ... I won't do that here.  ;-).

Casey - 6 days after her coyote confrontation

 This is a close-up of her worst wounds, none of which are infected after our diligent applications of Vetericyn and occasional rounds of antibiotic ointment.  We were grasping at straws here, but so far so good!  She's a strong bird, that Casey.

Close-up of Casey's wounds as they heal.

Okay, I'm going to focus on this half of the game;
GO SOUNDERS!
Mo ;-)

Homework for Thursday, Oct. 23

Late night reminder:
I can't help you if you forgot your data at school, but your ordered list for your airplane flights does need to be completed on Friday.
I hope you noted the other requirement in the instructions ... did you?!?!?
(and make it awesome)

Homework for Wednesday, Oct. 22

Homework: Create a paper airplane

This is an effort based grade based upon:

*you must use a single sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 copy paper.  It can definitely be colored, but it cannot be "construction" paper.  I do have paper for you if you need, just please ask me.

*you may use Scotch (transparent) tape only.

*you may cut your plane to make flaps.

*you should decorate your plane, including your name.

*you should spend more than 2 minutes creating your plane and it should look like you did.  Look on the internet, ask someone, test it out.  This IS your plane for the duration of this unit, so do a good job of it.

*you may not use any other kind of tape.

*you may not add anything else to your plane, including weights.

*you should not build your plane in carpool, during class, or at break; it won't be "effortful" enough ... and I know what effort is.

When you bring your plane to school, please park your plane in your room #1 airplane hangar so that it doesn't get squished or bent in any way.

-Please do not fly them in the classroom or the hallways.

-Respect all planes; do not touch or mess with anyone else's plane.

THANKS!  Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for flight.

Due Thursday!

Homework for Monday, Oct. 20

Assignment:  Magic Squares
You are to complete at least four 3x3 Magic Squares.
Make each puzzle as unique as possible; don't just use the same line-up.
For the Super Square, your rows, columns, and diagonals will add up to 34.
Make at least one Super Square, but if you love them, try more!  There are some cool patterns within them that are especially magical ... see if you can figure them out too.  (hint: they also have to do with the number 34)
Just to be clear: you are to complete four 3x3 Magic Squares and one 4x4 square.
All of the instructions are on the page!
Due Wednesday

Sad Day for Mo :-(

Today our chickens were accosted by coyotes around noon and we were alerted when we heard the squawking outside.  Although we were able to chase the coyotes away, it was not without loss.
*I found Casey hiding beneath our back porch with her head stuck in the basement vent.  She has lost most of her back feathers and has a big tooth wound in her back, but she's alive.  Ella saw that chicken-coyote confrontation out our family room window and Carl ran outside immediately.  (Chauncey, the wonder-dog ,followed Carl, but was ineffective as usual).  We've cleaned and medicated Casey and now she is indoors in solitary confinement in a dog kennel.  We'll see how she does, but apparently infection leading to death is common in dog bites with chickens.
*Quinn, our only Russian Orloff, survived the initial attack, but hid across the street in our neighbor's bushes.  When she was returning home hours later, she was hit by a car on Boulevard Road.  This depresses me a lot as Quinn was my favorite chicken and I keep kicking myself that I didn't keep searching for her longer.
*Mary is still missing.
We either found the rest of the chickens in trees or herded them from the bushes.  They are now all locked up in their pens and will remain there for a week or two ... we need to let those coyotes know there are no more chickens available.

So I'm sorry that I haven't updated grades in TeacherEase today, but that was my plan before this all happened.  I am just now coming back indoors and don't feel much like grading papers.  I promise I will have them updated before your individual conferences, they just may be evolving over the next few days rather than current by this evening.  Maybe the Sounders will win and make me feel better?  The Seahawks certainly didn't help.

Sadly,
Mo :(

Quinn, several months ago.

*7:56 p.m. Sunday night - Mary is back!  I found her on top of the coop tonight when I went outside to look for her.  She looks fine.  Casey is still hanging in there and Quinn is properly buried with a special rock Ella put in with her.  May she R.I.P.

Homework for Thursday, 10/16

A lot of this assignment is about following directions and learning from your own mistakes.  It is absolutely critical that you take these steps, study your own patterns, and see how you can work towards serving yourself better in the future.  Tests are stressful, but you can learn to manage them!  This year we will work with that goal in mind.  ;-)

Assignment:  Test Corrections
Follow the steps we went over in class.
If you need a reminder, I have them in detail HERE on this link!
Test corrections are based on the percentage of questions you get correct; there is no redo for this assignment.
Test corrections do not CHANGE your test score; they are their own assignment.
Test corrections are DUE FRIDAY
If you bring them completed and signed on Friday, Oct 17, you will receive a candy point as well!

Retests may be taken for one or both test; you will receive your better score.
I will let you know the retest date(s) after I see how many people want to retest.

It's Wednesday, October 15

No math homework!
Take this chance to work on your late and redone papers.

I will have your tests posted this evening; check back later.  ;-)

Mo ;-)

Pre-Test Choice options

Tonight you will complete an assignment that you will title, "Pre-Test Choice."  Make sure, that you put this somewhere on your assignment because many of you will be selecting choices that have been available before and you need to designate this assignment specifically for tonight.
Please complete the option, or options, that will help you feel the most relaxed (yep, relaxed) and prepared for tomorrow.
Your choices are:
*Correct your pre-quiz corrections.  This was handed back to you today and can only be counted if you missed some.  Do your work on another sheet of paper and staple the entire thing together.
*Complete your unit reflection.  We started this in class last week and most of you saved it to your school drive.  If you do not have it at home, you can either start a new one or print it off tomorrow.
*Make a candy point like today's candy point.  You will need to write a new scenario and use new numbers.  All of the clues must work and reach a single number set!
*Quizlet.  Go to Quizlet.com and join.  Then send me an email and I will send you an invite to my page.  You will complete 20 questions in LEARN mode; write down your score (17/20) on a sheet of paper titled, "Pre-Test Choice;" this is complete/incomplete regardless of what your score is.
The options for this  Quizlet assignment include: a) Order of Operations #1, Order of Operations More Basics, and Order of Operations (with exponents).
*Any worksheet assigned during this unit that you have not previously completed.  Please scroll back through the blog postings for copies of those options.
Due Wednesday

Tomorrow during the test, you will be able to select a bean bag if you want or spread out at a single desk.  Bring a snack that helps you relax, if you want, and bring it to class with you!  You will have the entire period to work and should bring something quiet to do ALONE if you finish early: a book, homework for another class, drawing a picture, or taking a nap are all acceptable "quiet somethings."  Talking under any circumstances is not.

Please note: There WILL be a retest option if you do not do well the first time.  If you choose to retest, you will receive your better score.  Learning the material deeply is the goal, not how fast you learn it, so while I want you to be prepared I also want you to feel like settling into test taking is an ongoing process that we are practicing as well.  

Get some good sleep tonight!  
Mo ;-)

Homework for Monday, Oct. 13

Update:  #5 on Test Level Ops - 
 (50 x 4 + 4) – (2 + 2 x 5²) + 54 ÷ 6 = _____

Assignment:  Student Choice
The majority of you selected the "Order of Operations - Test Level" homework for your assignment tonight ... good choice!  Luckily, I do have a copy of that HERE for you.
However, if you selected the "An Average Class" as your homework, I do NOT have a copy of that worksheet, so you will need to do the Test Level option instead ... OR ...
I do have a copy of Order of Operations with Variables 2 HERE; none of you have done this one yet!
Due Tuesday
*Relays tomorrow; don't forget those running shoes!

3-Day Weekend Work

Fantastic relays on Thursday!  We will do them again on Tuesday, so be sure to wear your  running shoes again.

If you can, please work on your self-assessment that we began in class on Wednesday.  I'm guessing the majority of you have this on your NOVA school drive and cannot access it at home, but maybe you can work on where you left off and add it together somehow.  I would like this information prior to Tuesday ...

Please see this blog entry for Tuesday, 10/7 for additional assignments you can turn in to practice the order of operations and receive credit.  If you want feedback prior to Wednesday's test, you will need to turn it in this Monday!

Enjoy your weekend; it's supposed to rain, rain, rain!
Mo ;-)

Homework for Wednesday, Oct. 8

Assignment:  Home on the Range ws
This assignment asks you to find the different central tendencies using a given set of housing prices,  then draw conclusions based on your findings.
Remember when I drew the houses on the whiteboard representing different priced homes in a neighborhood?  Same idea: which central tendency is a "fair" descriptor?
I'm back from soccer practice and have posted the homework in the assignment title now. I noticed several extra copies were left in class today, so I have a feeling some of you are out there needing it ...
Due Thursday
Math relays on Thursday, wear your running shoes!

Homework for Tuesday, 10/7

Once again it's Tuesday so I am late after our staff meeting ... I guess you can count on this fact pretty regularly.  Make a special effort to be prepared with your math homework before leaving school on Tuesday, okay?

Also: Advanced Science needs the Trow tomorrow, so relays will be on THURSDAY.  Tennis/athletic shoes required!

Assignment:  Student Choice, order of operations
Copies of the assignments are in their titles.
*Order of Ops, Again
*Order of Ops - Brackets
*Order of Ops - Exponents
*Order of Ops - Long
*Order of Ops - Variables
*Order of Ops - Reverse
Due Wednesday

Homework for Monday, Oct. 6

Assignment:  Map it Out!
Follow the directions using all you know about mapping and directions.
Remember that Mr. Gacek's homework uses inches, but this one uses centimeters.
Do not use a calculator for these calculations; you can do it if you just think about it.
Use a ruler, be accurate, and be neat.
Hopefully it's obvious to you that you don't need to worry about the "size" of the soccer field (and such), but the location does matter.
Due Tuesday

Joining Quizlet -
If you are interested in fiddling around with Quizlet tonight, you are welcome to.  Full directions for joining are on the Mo'Help tab ("Joining Quizlet").  Mr. Campbell will be helping you with this later this week, but you can join early if you want to.  Some of you may already want to use this site for studying!

Quiz Bowl #1

What a fantastic first Quiz Bowl of the school year!
We had more ties than ever, one in nearly every round of play.  The competition was fierce and fun; congratulations to all on games well played.

Round 1 of Quiz Bowl #1 

Thank you to the parents who attended as well.  We enjoy having you with us!
And congratulations to the 6th grade winning team of Nick, Ella C., Avi, and Jac; the challenging 8th grade team of Vivika, Kameko, Serina, and Lily G.; and the ultimate winning teacher team of Maestra, Ms. Hubbard, Mr. Kehoe, and their secret weapon Sam.

Homework for Thursday, Oct. 2

Assignment:  Mo's Choice (Order of Ops)
After correcting your order of operation papers, this assignment is on me.  Please assume that what you are getting are the kinds of problems you need to work on.  We went over the "most missed" kinds of equations in class today, so hopefully you will be tremendously successful!
*Copies of the assignments are below in the assignment title, but if you don't remember what I assigned to you, you will need to email me and ask.
*If you want to do any additional assignments (that you have not already completed), please feel free to download those as well!
A) More Order of Operations Practice  (new)
B) Order of Operations - Brackets
C) Order of Operations - Exponents
D) Order of Operations - Long (not the negative one)
E) Order of Operations - with Variables  (new)
Due Friday IN Study Skills!

Homework for Wednesday, Oct. 1

Assignment:  Student Choice (cts)
First of all, I'm sorry this is so late getting posted.  We had a staff meeting after school today after which I needed to have a mocha at Batdorf.  ;-)

Today's homework is more experience in reading and interpreting graphs; you had four choices:
*CT = Central Tendency, MMM.  I do have a copy of this worksheet in the title.  Many of you have done it before, but it's a good one for making expectations for this unit clear.
*GD = Graphic Details.  As you work through this worksheet, take note of the 8 different lines for the titles and labels; you just need to write the letter in the blank.  The explanations (#9, one for each graph) needs to say why you chose the title per graph.  What I need is for you to cite the information (characteristics of the bars or numbers) that led you to choose that particular title.  In most cases, it would probably be in your best interest to write those explanations on the back of the paper or another sheet of paper.  Then finish by answering questions 10 - 13.
*DD = Data Dilemma.  This is a bit of a brain stretcher.  Be sure to read the directions as they give you parameters for the missing data that you NEED to know.  Come up with a pattern that helps you identify the missing data and you might be surprised how much simpler it seems.
*Fit = Does the Data Fit?  Here is this worksheet again, mostly because I love it.  This won't just stretch your brain, it might hurt a bit!  But it's good for you ... like eating plenty of vegetables.  ;-)
One worksheet Due Thursday