Winterim

Here's what's up for Winterim -
There will be no "regular" classes this week, just those you are scheduled to attend.  Have fun!
However, if you have your test corrections for math, feel free to drop them in the basket in room 1 on any day.  They are not due until Monday, March 9, but why wait?
Your Quiz Bowl questions (posted below) are due on Wednesday, March 11.  Those too may be dropped off any time before then in my basket.
How would you feel about the fraction retest day being Thursday, March 12?  Plenty of time to practice on Quizlet before then ... we can even do math lunches next week for anyone who wants to.
*There will still be volleyball practices on Tuesday and on Friday, even though there is no school.  Don't forget to sign up for the spring volleyball season now!
Have a great week!
Mo ;-)

Quiz Bowl #4

Please create five questions.  Questions 1 – 4 must follow the prescribed format.  Question 5 is a potpourri question, which means it can be from any category. 

1.15-line spacing                            size 14 Calibri font                no true/false, multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank      

skip line between questions           single-sided pages

answers may not be numbers             answers may not be a year                include answers!

1.  Cartoons & Comics

This cartoon/comic is seen  _______________ (list all:  on t.v., in newspapers, in comic books, etc.)

It was created in ____________ (year) by _________________ (author)and its themes usually involve things about ___________________.  A few of its main characters are _____________________, ________________________, and _________________________. 

*be sure not to include the main character’s name if it is also the name of the comic/cartoon.

What is the name of this cartoon/comic?

2.  Homonyms

These words start with the letter ______   

        OR  

One of these words begins with the letter ___ and the other ____ (as in “h” for heir and “a” for air)  

One of these words is defined as ________________ and the other is defined as _________________.  (if there is a third word, define it too)

This homonym is pronounced how?

3.  Musical Instruments

This musical instrument is in the _____________ (strings, percussion, brass, etc.) family.  It is usually made of _______________________ and can be described as ___________________ (anything else that defines this instrument like its shape or the way it is played).  One person who plays this instrument is _____________ and you might also know it from _________________ (any other clue). 

Name this instrument.

4.  Famous Quote or Song lyric

*quote should be well-known by someone well-known, real or fictional.  If the quote is from a book character, name the book as well.  If it is from a song, name the song unless it is contains the last word.

What is the last word in this famous quote/song lyric by _________________________:  (include quote leaving off the last word)

Answer:

5.  Potpourri: Create one extra question in a category of your choice.  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. The question must contain at least two facts. Include the answer!

Homework for Thursday, February 26

*Friday in class you will get your tests back and we will be completing corrections and discussing retests.  We will also go over the routine for Grandparents Day, so don't fret!  Mo ;-)

Assignment:  Frodoland Survey
This assignment is available in TeacherEase and is listed as a "quiz," although it is not actually a quiz, it's a survey.  ;-)
*Click on the assignment itself and it should take you to the survey.
*Answer these questions THOROUGHLY and give EXAMPLES.  You should spend at least 2 minutes per question to fulfill this requirement.  If you are a slow typer it will take you longer.
*Make sure your partner feedback is helpful.  Feedback is something that helps people grow whether it's positive or regarding an area that needs improvement.  It is not helpful if you are not specific or not honest in your evaluation.  I will take all of the feedback per person and summarize it on your comments, so please just be honest.
I would love for you to have this completed Thursday night (that's tonight) so I can begin totalling Frodoland grades, but if you aim for Sunday I'm cool with that too.

Homework for Weds. February 25

Assignment:  Pre-test choice #3
The directions are the same as yesterday, so please scroll if you forgot them.  ;-)
Quizlet is your only online option tonight.
*Please email me if you still need to be accepted to the NOVA Quizlet group.
*If you forgot your password, send Quizlet an email (there's a button for those who have forgotten their password) and they send you a reset link really quickly.  And seriously, you don't need to worry about having a "secure" password for Quizlet, so use something super simple and memorable ... like your first name.
Due Thursday on time and corrected for full credit

Homework for Tuesday, February 24

Assignment: pre-test choice #2
Same as before: correct your work (key on the back of the assignment on some, the riddle makes sense on the others) and turn in on time (tomorrow) for full credit.
I'm not sure where the confusion is on the Quizlet option, but you do have to scroll for the fraction sets, they do not just magically appear on your screen.  And there are SEVERAL choices!!!!!
*Fraction Addition, Fraction Subtraction, Fraction Multiplication, Fraction Division, Fractions Simplest Form, Fraction Applications, Fraction Mixed Review.
This is about what YOU need, so it's your choice.
Due Wednesday

Homework for Monday, February 23

Firstly, please read the previous blog entry for details for this entire week.  As for today ...

Assignment:  Funny HaHa - your choice - or Quizlet
Your Funny HaHa should reflect the skills you felt you needed to work most on.
*Funny HaHas will be graded in this way:  Complete meaning you turn it in on time and it is all correct, Partially Complete meaning that you either turned it in late (later than tomorrow), you failed to show your work, or you left things incorrect, or Incomplete meaning that you did not turn it in by Friday of this week.
*You DO need to show your work on this worksheet.  Having the joke filled in is not enough.
*To correct your Funny Haha, make sure that the joke makes sense first ... it does not have to be funny, but it does need to be an answer in English.  If you can't tell because it's so unfunny, check with an adult and make any corrections.
*Quizlet directions are as usual; bring evidence of your work.  ;-)
If you lost your Funny Haha, your only other option tonight is Quizlet.
Due Tuesday for full credit!  (see above)

Dates to Watch

As we wrap up our final week of the winter trimester, here are several noteworthy dates for you:
Frodoland Days:  In class Monday & Tuesday.  You can see the grading scale by looking at the assignment details on TeacherEase.  Have a plan!
Homework:  Your choice in preparation for the fraction test, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings.  I strongly recommend the fraction Quizlet sets, but I will have some worksheets available too.  These three assignments will all be graded complete, partially-complete, or incomplete.
Fraction Test:  In class Thursday, February 26
Negative Retests: You have Gruels this week to retake any section of the test you did not complete.  Don't forget that there is NO Gruel on Monday.
Frodoland Team Evaluations:  This assignment will be online (in TeacherEase) as Thursday's homework.  This will be your opportunity to give feedback to your Frodoland team and will count towards their "effort" part of their Frodoland grade.  I will open the survey for you on Wednesday and you should have it completed by Friday.  I will post details of this assignment on the blog on Wednesday.
Redone and Late Papers:  Last day to turn these in will be Friday, February 27, aka the last day of the winter trimester.
Grandparents Day is also Friday, February 27.  On this day you will attend your regular morning classes for shorter periods, then attend an assembly and then get a 2-period special rotation up until lunch.  Afternoon classes are "normal;" we'll talk about this in detail on Wednesday of next week.
Winterim is the week of March 2 - 5, normal school hours, no "regular" classes.
The Spring Trimester begins Monday, March 9.  Your spring schedules will begin appearing on TeacherEase sometime during Winterim; hard copies of your schedule will be handed out on the first day of spring trimester classes.
Whew!  My head is spinning just typing this!  Not to mention basketball & volleyball practices and games as well as the NOVA play ... hang in there.  ;-)

Homework for Thursday, February 19

Assignment: Another Fraction Apps Choice
As always, the way you approach application problems is affected a lot by your own strategy and confidence in what you are doing.  You had three choices tonight; they are listed in order from the most basic practice to the more complex, julti-step problem solving.  Your choice!
A) Fraction Apps (no link)
B) Fraction Apps 
C) Fraction Apps plus
Due Friday
Frodoland tomorrow!

Homework for Wednesday, February 18

Assignment:  Fraction Division - choice
The rules are simple, but you have to remember to do them every time:
1) Turn any mixed numbers or whole numbers into improper fractions
2) Flip the second fraction upside down
3) Multiply
 - cross cancel at this point if you want to - or -
4) Simplify ... unless you cross canceled already.
You may leave your answer in improper fraction form, but it must be a simplified (no remaining common factors) for full credit.
Your choices were available in class, but HERE is an option if you forgot/lost/ate yours.
There is also more fraction division help on the Mo'Help tab if you are stuck.
Due Thursday
"If you want to have a good overhand volleyball serve, you need to practice it!"  Mo

Homework for Thursday, February 12

Assignment:  Calculating with Fractions, pg 87
Yep, you can solve these - you have the skills, you have the power, you have the resources, you have the wisdom!
Simplify the question in your mind, then figure out what to do.
*Remember that you can substitute a multiplication sign for the word "of" in most cases as in: "What is 1/3 of 15?" would translate to 1/3 x 15 = ? as an equation.
*The bottom "extension" question is one to think about, you do not need to write anything.  In other words, make sure your answer is reasonable when you are done.  Example: if you have 50 cows, 1/2 of them would not be greater than 50 ...
Due Friday

Assignment for Wednesdays, February 11

Homework:  Multiplying Fractions
There were two choices today:
1) Multiplying Fractions (Robot Rules worksheet)
2) Multiplying Fractions (cross canceling)
Hopefully your notes will serve you well ... I think it will come back to you while your work.  Just remember that you will either be canceling common factors BEFORE you multiply or AFTER you multiply ... same thing, really.
*Here is a link to more help with this.
No copies of the worksheets are online.  Sorry!
Due Thursday

Assignment for Tuesday, February 10

Homework: Fraction Application Choice
You had three choices for homework today, depending how much you wanted to or felt you could be challenged.  In all cases, understanding what you are doing is key.  The numbers are less important than the steps you go through to reaching an answer.  Your choices were:
A) Fraction Addition and Subtraction 
 *These problems are more straightforward, so focus on the arithmetic.  These were from a book, so I do not have a link.
B) Visual Problem Set B 
 *Your visuals need to be less complex than with the first problem set, but you do need to think through what exactly the question is asking, determine what you know, organize the information, and sketch out your plan before putting "the arithmetic" onto the paper.
C) Advanced Problem Solving 
These are directly from Chapter 4 in the pre-algebra book, but engage the same problem solving skills with more cumbersome numbers.  They are totally doable, but your strategies are even more important!
There are no copies of these assignments today, so you will need to pick up another in class tomorrow if you have lost your original.
Due Wednesday

Homework for Monday, Feb. 9

Assignment:  Choice Add/Sub Fractions
Sorry this is so late at getting posted; we got a new security code for our home internet and I didn't know it until Carl got home to fill me in.  So complex!
Your homework tonight was more practice with addition and subtraction of fractions.  None of them are available online at this time ... sorry, Easton!  You will need to pick up one tomorrow or, perhaps, you would prefer to do a set of add/sub on Quizlet.
If you are stuck at all, please see the Mo'Help tab where I have hints for working with fractions.  There is additional practice on Quizlet ... this unit is going to go fast, so if you have any time to spare, practicing more won't hurt either.
Due Tuesday
A special note to those of you retesting other sections for negative numbers this week: practice on Quizlet; you might be surprised how quickly you get rusty.  

Homework for Thursday, February 5

Assignment:  Visual Problem Solving

This worksheet has you solving four problems.  In this case you should NOT focus on the equations, but rather what the situation "looks" like.  

These are to be visual representations of the problems that you then translate into “math.”

I want you to draw a picture for each, not tally marks, for how you might show this to someone else ... perhaps you could think about it as a way to teach someone younger than yourself with fewer "math skills" how to think about the problem.  

*Be sure to show ALL of your work and how you solve these problems, including the mathematics.

Part 2: When you are done, select one of these problems to give to a person outside NOVA. It could even be someone younger as long as they can read the problems and have the skills to potentially solve them.

After they have completed it, compare your answers and see if you solved it in the same way.  Include their work and write any observations of the similarities and/or differences in your strategies.  This should be a quality paragraph!

Due Friday, but you should turn it in on Monday.  ;-)

Homework for Wednesday, February 4

Assignment: Map Distances ws
(aka the deceptive worksheet)Use the map to answer the questions; remember that it is NOT to scale, you will need to use the fractions to answer the questions.
*No short-cuts!  Follow the roads
*Make sure you answer all parts of each question.
*On question #5, Tom begins at his house.  He does not need to run his errands in the given order and he will not return home.  He is going to "bring" a book to Ann, not "buy one; assume that she's borrowing one he already owns.  Be extra careful on this one!
Due Thursday

Homework for Tuesday, February 3

Assignment:  Addition Choice
Hey, I know I am a frustrating student to teach, but I want you to understand that it's not nearly enough to say, "do this," to your students and have them make sense of it.  Or remember it beyond the classroom.  Sure, I could have just done what you told me to do, but why would I?  If that's how you are learning math, it's also why you might be forgetting math and why math with variables will probably be super horrible for you.  Always THINK about what you are doing and you will be surprised how much easier a lot of math will seem. 
Just know that you will have to teach me more, so tighten up your explanations!  (ARGH, Mo!)
Choices today included:
*Add & Subtract with common denominators, pg 43
*Add & Subtract Unlike Fractions, pg 44
*Mixed Numbers addition, pg 20
*11.3 Negative addition and subtraction
*Quizlet
None of these are currently available online. 
Due Wednesday

Homework for Monday, February 2

Assignments:  Factor Choices
Today you selected homework based on your comfort with finding factors, factor trees, and having knowledge of prime factorization.  Please feel free to change your homework to one of the other choices if you are not happy with what you selected.  After all, it was your choice to begin with!  The only one I do not have a copy of is Choice B, but otherwise you're good to go.
A)  Finding Factors
In this assignment, you first find all of the factors of numbers.  Remember that 1 and that number itself ARE factors.
Next you are to identify the prime factors of each number; these are different from prime numbers.  Don't remember what a prime number is?  It's any number that only has two factors:  1 and itself.
Prime factors are factors that are prime numbers, but please note that one is NOT a prime factor (or a prime number) because it's "special."  Just go with that.  ;-)
At the bottom half of the page you will identify common factors and then greatest common factors between the given numbers.  You have all had experience with this, so this shouldn't be new to you, just review!
B) Factor Trees
There are pretty good directions on this page that move towards creating your own factor tree by the bottom.  What you are doing is breaking down a number into all of the prime factors that make up that number.  Every number has a unique set of prime factors or "prime factorization."  For example, 16 is the only number made by multiplying 2 x 2 x 2 x 2.  Makes sense when you think about it, eh?
C) Prime Factors of Monomials
Assuming that you've done factor trees and know what prime factorization is, this worksheet moves you to thinking about how to write that with exponents, then transferring that idea/pattern to a set of variables.  I have an example on the page, but if that doesn't work for you, switch back to assignment "A" and we can go over the variables at a math lunch if you are interested.
Q)  Quizlet - please practice the "fraction factors" set in "Learn" mode.
Absent?  Look at your choices and choose from there.  ;-)
Due Tuesday