Accelerated Math 7
I received an e-mail two days ago from a parent complimenting me on the amount of material my Accelerated Math 7 class had covered in a relatively short amount of time. I'm afraid I can't take much credit for our progress. I really do have an exceptional group of students this year. In the topic of simple equations, they have excelled. Although I'm willing to bet that most of them would argue with the term "simple" to describe the problems they've been solving. Our definition of simple equations simply means equations including a variable whose exponent is 1. But even given that simple restriction, they have been solving large and formidable looking problems for weeks now. At the present, we are hovering at the top of this particular mountain of a topic. I would like them to drill on these problems a little longer before we move on.

Accelerated Math 8
Our current topic in the Accelerated Math 8 is solving systems of equations. I wanted to begin by giving them a visual representation of their work. Therefore, they have drawn dozens of graphs in order to discover points of intersection. In the last few days we have moved on to the more difficult topic of solving those same problems without the use of pictures or graphs. We call this solving systems algebraically. It is a very difficult and abstract concept for young students but this class has made the transition beautifully. Sometimes I wish my high school math students could see this class in action. They get so excited about their work and in asking questions that they sometimes forget to show any class courtesy. But if my biggest problem with this group is that they're so excited to talk about math that they forget to raise their hands before they shout out their questions, and I think it's best I learned to live with it.

Accelerated Math 7
Every day this year I come face-to-face with my future and my past. In the morning, I see the mature educated confident faces of the ninth graders who were in my Accelerated Math 8 class last year. In the afternoon, I look into the eyes of the naïve but eager students who chose to join my current Accelerated Math 7 class, each of them armed with only a pencil and a dream.

After our current work on scientific notation, we will spend many weeks on solving simple equations.


Accelerated Math 8
We wasted no time in the first weeks of Accelerated Math 8 as we worked on several types of questions from the New York State Algebra Regents. I chose the topic of solving quadratic equations graphically and I think my math 8 students have already begun to feel more confident about their upcoming end of the year exam. This year I have the simple goal of preparing all of my eighth-graders to pass the state algebra exam. After a brief review of last year's material, we will focus on solving quadratic equations using a variety of methods. If you would like to hear an example of their work, ask them to sing "Pop goes the weasel."

Accelerated Math 7
In Accelerated math 7 we will be spending our last weeks reviewing the material we have studied this year. The goal of my math 7 class has been to make my students proficient in at least 60% of the material they will need to know for their Integrated Algebra regents exam next year. Thanks to this year's very special and very intelligent seventh graders, we have surpassed that goal. I hope that all the students in my Accelerated math 7 class decide to continue their challenging work into math 8. Given their current level of maturity and discipline, I have no doubt they will do well.

Accelerated Math 8
The exam we have been preparing to take for the last two years is only a few days away now. We have done nothing but practice and review in the last month. I have run out of questions in their green review books and have chosen to move on to problems that are rarely on the exam because of their level of difficulty. Based on their recent grades and their behavior in class I am expecting a terrific result when these Accelerated math 8 students finally take their tests. Good Luck to you all.

Accelerated Math 7
In Acc. Math 7 we have been spending a great deal of time on fractions. Or at least that's what I tell my students. We have actually been spending time on factoring polynomials. In order to simplify any of the answers they receive in their fraction problems they need to be able to separate a polynomial in two factors that can be used to simplify the fraction. To put it more plainly, they need algebra to finish the problem. Factoring takes an incredible amount practice because the problems can be very similar in solution but look very different in appearance. We will continue to practice factoring on almost every quiz for the rest of the year because I believe it is one of the most challenging topics will cover this year.

Accelerated Math 8
In Acc. Math 8 fractions have been the topic of review. There is an incredible amount of algebra needed to answer their fraction questions. But there are only three methods they need to answer any question.
1) common factor
2) difference of two perfect squares
3) backwards foil
I invite you to make a poster of these and hang it in your young students’ room. They will thank you for this later. Much later.

Accelerated Math 7
The topic of circles is a large component of the Accelerated Math 7 curriculum. This week we began with a simple pizza problem using data from a local restaurant. Students were given the size and price of two different pizza selections. We began by simply calculating the area, in square inches, of each pizza. That immediately began a discussion about the nature of irrational numbers in the use of the number pi. After that we worked on a circle problem involving a Norwegian goat. If the goat was tied to the side of a barn using a 30 foot rope, then what is the area of land he can graze on? We finished our week with a short quiz consisting of questions similar to the problems we studied earlier this week.

Accelerated Math 8
We have reached a very interesting point in the Accelerated Math 8 curriculum. My students have completed about 75% of their preparation for the integrated algebra exam. It's appropriate at this point to begin reviewing material from last year or perhaps earlier this year. That is exactly what we did this week. Each day Math 8 students were given a question from a New York state Regents exam from years past. After a little discussion my students realized that they had not forgotten as much as they thought they had. We finished our week with the short quiz that coincidentally consisted of questions very similar to the questions we spent the week working on.

Accelerated Math 7
From the “What kid of puzzles do your 7th graders do in class?” department…

1) There are 13 stepping stones across a stream. One of the stones is loose and anyone who steps on it will be swimming. As you stand and watch three young boys cross the stream safely. The first boy steps on the first stone, skips the second, steps on the third, and so on. The second boy steps on the first two stones, skips two, steps two, and so on. The third boy steps on the first four, skips four, and so on. Which stone is the loose one?

2) A log is cut into 4 pieces in 9 seconds. At that same rate, how long would it take to cut the log into 15 pieces?


Accelerated Math 8
From the “What kid of puzzles do your 8th graders do in class?” department…

1) If it takes Big Ben thirty seconds to chime six o’clock, how long does it take to chime twelve o’clock?

2) A woman is going to town to sell her eggs. On the way, she passes a man named Sam who buys half of her eggs plus half an egg.
The woman continues on and passes a second person named Alice who buys half of her remaining eggs plus half an egg.
Just outside of town, the woman meets her friend Harry who buys half of her eggs plus half an egg.
Just as she is entering town she meets Betty who buys half of her eggs plus half an egg.
In town, the woman again sells half of her eggs plus half an egg. This time to a person named Tom.
Also in town, she meets the minister of her church and gives the minister half of her eggs plus half an egg.
Finally the woman arrives at the market. She has exactly 1 egg.
She never broke an egg on her journey!
How many eggs did the woman start with?