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.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
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?
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?
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