A Game Plan for the Winter Holidays

Happy Holidays to All!

Given the length of the break (11 days) it is imperative that students have a chance to interact with math content so as not to return to school completely out of practice. To this end, students will be greeted by two assessments upon their return on January 4th.

A. The first will cover content from the Algebra I text starting in Chapter 3 and extending through Chapter 6-5.
B. The second will cover Math Olympiads 9, 10 and 11 along with our most recent Calendar Questions (includes questions about pagination of a book).

The two assessments will be the first of the 3rd Term. The 2nd Term ended today.

How to study?
1. At the end of each chapter there is a chapter review and study guide.
2. At the end of each chapter there is a practice test.
3. All odd-numbered problems have solutions in the back of the text.
4. Students have their class notes.
5. Students have all tests and quizzes that have been returned over the course of the term.
6. We covered all the olympiad questions and calendar problems thoroughly in class.

Should students truly wish to perform well on their assessments upon return, it is as straightforward as following the above recommendations and reaping the benefits.

A Check-In at the Mid-Point of Chapter 6

Home Nugget #27
Assigned on Wednesday December 22, 2010
Due on Thursday December 23, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 321 # 1 - 30

Given that these problems constitute a mid-chapter quiz, accuracy of solutions is vital. Expect us to grade five of these questions in class tomorrow.

Our Last Summative Test of the 2nd Term

Assigned on Tuesday December 21, 2010
Due on Wednesday December 22, 2010

Students should finalize their studying for a summative assessment on chapter 5 - solving systems of equations. In addition to their notes, home nuggets, and the book itself, students should reference a practice assignment they completed less than a week ago titled Chapter 5 Test Form 2D. Tomorrow's exam will follow essentially the same format.

Journal Entry for the 2nd Term

Home Nugget # 26
Assigned on Friday December 17, 2010
Due on Tuesday December 21, 2010

Respond to the 18 Journal questions posed on the sheets I distributed in class today. Bear in mind that the journal counts for 10% of the overall term grade and therefore has a significant impact.

Journals are opportunities to write about mathematics in a narrative form, giving us a chance to reflect on content in a meaningful way.

Multi-Step Inequalities

Home Nugget #25
Assigned on Thursday December 16, 2010
Due on Friday December 17, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 298 # 38, 40, 42, 44 - 48

Page 306 # 38 - 45 and 48 - 50

FINAL REMINDER!

Math Media Clip Project is Due Tomorrow!

This project counts as a 75 point quiz grade.

A Practice Test to Tie Together Systems of Linear Equations

Home Nugget #24
Assigned on Monday December 13, 2010
Due on Thursday December 16, 2010

(late due date because of math predictive assessment on Tuesday and field trip on Wednesday)

From sheet labelled Chapter 5 Test Form 2D

ALL problems - all work should be completed on graph paper and solutions recorded on sheet itself.

**Final copy of media clip project due on December 17, 2010** WORTH a 75 point quiz grade.

Time to Apply the Right Strategy in Solving a System

Home Nugget #23
Assigned on Thursday December 9, 2010
Due on Monday December 13, 2010

Please note that this particular lesson will be graded on accuracy of solutions given the nature of the assignment.

In Algebra I text,

Page 286 # 13 - 14, 17 - 19

Page 287 # 27 - 29

Page 288 # 33 - 35

ALSO!

Your media clip and outline are due tomorrow! This will count for 10 of the overall 75 points of this mini-project.

Getting Systems of Equations Primed for Combination/Elimination

Home Nugget #22
Assigned on Wednesday December 8, 2010
Due on Thursday December 9, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 276 # 13 - 20, 23

Page 277 # 27, 30

**Please bear in mind that you owe both a copy of the media clip and an outline of your five questions and solutions this Friday, December 10.**

Solving Systems of Linear Equations Using Combination/Elimination

Home Nugget #21
Assigned on Tuesday December 7, 2010
Due on Wednesday December 8, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 268 # 3 - 6

Page 269 # 16 - 27


ALSO

Your media clip and outline are due this Friday!

Constructing Your Own Media Clip: An Alternative Assessment

Home Nugget #20
Assigned on Monday December 6, 2010

A. One part is due Tuesday December 7, 2010

B. The other portion is due on Friday December 10, 2010


A. Find solutions to the five questions I posed on my self-created media clip about price markups.

B. Bring your outline and actual media clip, all according to the directions provided today.

A Return to SAT Problems: A Rich Repository for Number Sense and Operations

Home Nugget #19
Assigned on Friday December 3, 2010
Due on Monday December 4, 2010

From SAT sheets pages 83 and 87

ALL problems

Please remember to complete all work in your home nugget notebook.

Substitution as a Pathway for Solving a System of Linear Equations

Home Nugget #18
Assigned on Thursday December 2, 2010
Due on Friday December 3, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 263 # 1 - 7, 20

Page 264 # 21, 25 - 27

Graphing Systems of Linear Equations

Home Nugget #17
Assigned on Wednesday December 1, 2010
Due on Thursday December 2, 2010

Use handouts labelled:

Practice 5-1 and Word Problem Practice 5-1 to solve ALL problems

Graphing Systems of Equations

Home Nugget #16
Assigned on Tuesday November 30, 2010
Due on Wednesday December 1, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 256 # 10 - 15 and 24 - 29

Page 257 # 30 - 31 and 40 - 41

Page 258 # 42

Spend considerable time ensuring accurate graphs so that we may use them in class tomorrow.

Taking Much Needed Time to Practice Concepts from Chapter 4

Home Nugget #15
Assigned on Monday November 29, 2010
Due on Tuesday November 30, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 247 # 1 - 25 Using graph paper when called for.

Page 248 - 249 # 1 - 11 Showing work whenever applicable.

Lessons for the Thanksgiving Recess

Wednesday November 24 is a half day of school and there is no school on Thursday or Friday. As such the lesson for this time period reflects both the additional time students have available to them as well as the nature of where we are in our math investigations.

Students are strongly encouraged to prepare for an assessment that will be given on the Monday they return. Preparation should include rebuilding problems that are found on their most recent:

Math Olympiads
Media Clips Problems
SAT Problems
Calendar of Problems

The written portion of the home nugget is as follows:

Home Nugget #14
Assigned on Tuesday November 23, 2010
Due on MONDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 240 # 12 - 18 even, 19, 26

Page 243 # 11 - 22

Page 244 # 25 - 29, 34 - 37

Page 245 # 39 - 44

Page 246 # 48 - 55

Scatter Plots and Lines of Fit

Home Nugget #13
Assigned on Monday November 22, 2010
Due on Tuesday November 23, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 230 # 1 - 7

Page 231 # 15 - 17

Page 232 # 18 - 22

Expect to be asked for your work to be projected via the ELMO in class.

Math Media Clips and SAT Problems

Home Nugget #12
Assigned on Thursday November 18, 2010
Due on MONDAY NOVEMBER 22

Students will receive materials on Thursday at the end of class and have Thursday night, the double-period on Friday and the weekend to complete the lessons thoroughly. Particularly because there will be ample opportunity for collaboration, the expectation for students finding meaningful solutions and pathways is high.

1. SAT problems

Page 63 # 8 - 15

Page 66 # 1 - 10

2. Media Clips

a. "Walking the Equator" all problems

b. "Brown-Bagging it" all problems

Writing Equations in Point-Slope Form

Home Nugget #11
Assigned on Wednesday November 17, 2010
Due on Thursday November 18, 2010


In Algebra I text,

Page 223 # 12 - 16, 18, 19, 22 - 25

Page 224 # 34 - 41, 48 - 50

Check-In at the Mid-Point of Chapter 4

Home Nugget #10
Assigned on Tuesday November 16, 2010
Due on Wednesday November 17, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 212 # 1 - 16

The focus continues to be on PROCESS! Provide explanations or clear evidence of your thought process even when it comes to multiple-choice questions.

Asserting Your Understanding of the Slope-Intercept Form for Linear Equations

Home Nugget #9
Assigned on Monday November 15, 2010
Due on Tuesday November 16, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 207 # 12, 14, 16, 18 - 23

Page 208 # 31 - 36, 43, 44

Read pages 204 - 206 if needed.

Direct Variation Relationships - A Different Spin on Proportional Relationships

Home Nugget #8
Assigned on Friday November 12, 2010
Due on Monday November 15, 2010

In Algebra I book,

Page 200 # 15 - 17 ad 21 - 23

Page 201 # 26 - 28, 32 - 35, 38 - 45

Integers and Number Theory

Home Nugget #7
Assigned on Tuesday November 9, 2010
Due on Friday November 12, 2010 (we had a field trip on Wed. and no school on Thurs.)

From SAT sheets,

Page 56 # 7 - 15

Page 62 # 1 - 7

REMINDER!

The focus of our home nuggets in on process! We are completely and unequivocally consumed with demonstrating our thought process in solving these problems and the lesson you produce should reflect this philosophy. Despite being considered a high school assessment, the themes we are covering from the SAT are primarily grounded in number sense and inductive reasoning. Translation: they are accessible to any student willing to invest a modicum of time to think.

Slope as the Fundamental Measure of Rate of Change

Home Nugget #6
Assigned on Monday November 8, 2010
Due on Tuesday November 9, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 193 # 36 - 38, 39, 44, 46

Page 194 # 48 - 53, 57, 59

Page 195 # 61, 62

Using the Guide-To Chapter 3 as a Meaningful Study Guide

Home Nugget #5
Assigned on Friday November 5
Due on Monday November 8


Guide-to Chapter 3

Bear in mind that this lesson will be peer-graded such that you want to create a product that is accessible and convinces your colleagues that you invested credible effort into its creation.

Gearing Up for Eventual Assessments on Chapter 3

Home Nugget #5
Assigned on Thursday November 4
Due on Friday November 5


1. In Algebra I text, pages 182 & 183 # 1 - 12

2. Review your class notes on chapter 3

3. Re-examine Math Olympiads 5 & 6 along with the 14 problems from pages 50 & 55 of the SAT sheets.

Distinguishing Between Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Home Nugget #4
Assigned on Wednesday November 3, 2010
Due on MONDAY November 8, 2010 (long-term assignment)

The Guide-to for chapter 3.

Directions and a rubric were provided to students on Tuesday November 2 to ensure that everyone has sufficient time to create a product that meets the given criteria. Students were made aware that this lesson will be peer-assessed and we talked about 'trouble' spots that students should be wary of in completing the assignment. I encourage students to bring me any issues they have well before Friday so that they can comfortably complete the lesson over the weekend.

Proportional and Non-Proportional Relationships

Home Nugget #3
Assigned on Tuesday November 2, 2010
Due on Wednesday, November 3, 2010

In Algebra I text # 1 - 25

This lesson foreshadows the conclusion of chapter 3...

First Day of the 2nd Term! Exploring Proportional and Non-Proportional Relationships

Home Nugget #2 of the 2nd Term
Assigned on Monday November 1, 2010
Due on Tuesday November 2, 2010

Independent Study Assignment

Read pages 172 through 174 on Proportional and Non-Proportional Relationships

Then solve problems 1 - 7 on page 174


The following questions will help guide and refine your reading and you should be prepared to respond to them tomorrow in class.

1. How are the:

-graphs
-tables
-equations

of proportional and non-proportional linear relationships the same or different?

2. Given a graph, how would you write an equation to describe it and subsequently a function for the same?

3. Having made use of ratios and proportions this year to problem-solve, can you establish why we describe certain relationships as proportional given a table of data?

Today is the Last Day of the First Marking Period!

Home Nugget #1 of the 2nd Term (Nuggets start back at 1 at the start of each term)
Assigned on Friday October 29, 2010
Due on Monday November 1, 2010


A. Bring a brand new 1 subject spiral notebook to serve as a repository for your class notes in term 2. Bear in mind that the notebook will be collected and graded as a TEST grade towards the end of the 2nd term, in late December.

B. Remove and store all graded work from your math folder and put all handouts in chronological order on the left side.

C. From SAT sheets:
Page 50 # 1 - 8

Page 55 # 1 - 6

Independent Study: Arithmetic Sequences

Right on the heels of a lesson on linear relationships, we encounter arithmetic sequences, and students should quickly find the correlation. Tonight's lesson is one of many occasions on which students are asked to play the role of an autodidact, one who is self-taught, in making sense of brand-new content.

Home Nugget # 33
Assigned on Thursday October 28, 2010
Due on Friday October 29, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Carefully read and take notes on pages 165 - 167 then,

Solve problems 1 - 11 on page 168

Focus on the following themes/topics:

1. What are the terms associated with the theme of arithmetic sequences?

2. When given a sequence, how do we determine whether it is arithmetic or not?

3. What is meant by a recursive formula and how do you write such a formula for an arithmetic sequence?

4. How do you find what is known as the nth term of an arithmetic sequence?

Using the Standard Form to Assess Whether a Relationship is Linear

Home Nugget #32
Assigned on Tuesday October 26
Due on Thursday October 28 (because of a field-trip tomorrow)

In Algebra I text

Page 158 # 4 - 6, 11

Page 159 # 12 - 23, 25, 31, 32 - 35

Page 160 # 36 - 42

* If students choose to, they can attempt The Firefighter's Theorem questions 1 - 6, 10, 11. The student who earns the highest score in each homeroom will receive 10 extra credit points towards the assessment of their choice in term 1.

Evaluating Functions and Organizing Our Perception of How to Define Functions

Home Nugget #31
Assigned on Monday October 25, 2010
Due on Tuesday October 26, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 136 - 137 # 1 - 15 as is always the case, you must show all work/evidence

page 723 lesson 3-2 # 1- 10

Reminder: This Friday is the last day of the 1st marking period.

Working on Producing Our First Guide-To

Home Nugget #30
Assigned on Friday October 22, 2010
Due on Monday October 24, 2010

Complete Guide-to chapter 2 according to the directions I provided and the sample assignment I shared with you in class.

Please be reminded that this lesson counts as a 50 point quiz grade and is yet another opportunity to improve your grade significantly.

Evaluating Functions

Home Nugget #29
Assigned on Thursday October 21
Due on Friday October 22


In Algebra I text,

Page 153 # 21, 22, 25, 26, 33 - 40, 43 - 48

page 154 # 51, 52

Representing Relations

Home Nugget #28
Assigned on Wednesday October 20
Due on Thursday October 21

In Algebra I text,

Page 146 # 3 - 7, 14 - 17

Page 147 # 18 - 21. 28 - 33

Page 148 # 34

Introducing "the Guide-To", a Cheat-Sheet Created by Students, For Students

Home Nugget #27
Assigned on Tuesday October 19, 2010
Due on Monday October 25, 2010

Typically, at the conclusion of each chapter of our Algebra textbook, students will craft a product known as the guide-to. Hard copies of directions are provided in class and a sample product also will be furnished in the week ahead. Essentially, the student is asked to create a review packet of certain lessons within a chapter, chosen by me for their relevance and overall importance to the curriculum.

Within this guide-to, students will have to point out the main ideas of each lesson and then create their own examples based on ones in the text, of problems or scenarios that illustrate the aforementioned topics. Finally, pertinent vocabulary must be defined and accompanied with an example of each.

The overall objective is to continue to provide a mechanism for students to reflect on and continually digest content. We wish to avoid that horrible phenomena of a school year passing and the student wondering whether they have truly learned meaningful content.

Squeezing the Good Stuff Out of Chapter 2

Home Nugget #26
Assigned on Monday October 18, 2010
Due on Tuesday October 19, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 133 # 35 - 43

Page 134 # 44 - 52

These problems are all valuable source material for the two upcoming assessments this week.

Our First Journal Entry of the School Year

Home Nugget #25
Assigned on Friday October 15, 2010
Due on Monday October 18, 2010

Students were provided with both instructions and examples of how questions should be answered. They were also given an opportunity to ask clarifying questions today, having had two prior days to look over the assignment. Students are aware that this assignment counts as a 50 point quiz grade.

Weighted Averages and Uniform Motion Problems

Home Nugget #24
Assigned on Thursday October 14, 2010
Due on Friday October 15, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 126 # 13 - 19

From SAT sheet, page 43

# 12 - 16

Weighted Averages

Home Nugget #23
Assigned on Wednesday October 13, 2010
Due on Thursday October 14, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 127 # 20 - 28

ALSO

Journal Entry #1 was assigned today and directions for its completion were provided. The due date for the lesson is Monday October 18 and the lesson is counted as a 50-point quiz grade.

Nearing the End of Chapter 2

Home Nugget #22
Assigned on Tuesday October 12, 2010
Due on Wednesday October 13, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 721 lesson 2-6 # 7 - 12

Page 722 lesson 2-7 # 1 - 12

Page 723 lesson 2-8 # 1 - 12

Solving Equations for A Specific Variable

Home Nugget #21
Assigned on Friday October 8
Due on Tuesday October 12 (No school on Monday)

In Algebra I text,

Page 120 # 8 - 17 and 29 - 33

Page 121 # 34, 35, 36, 39, 40

A Mid-Chapter Check In

Tonight's lesson follows on the heels of an in-class quiz students took today. As is usually the case, we want to get quantitative measures of whether we are making sense of content as we work through it, as opposed to simply waiting for the end of the chapter or unit.

Home Nugget #20
Assigned on Thursday October 7, 2010
Due on Friday October 8, 2010

In Algebra I text,

Page 104 # 1 - 26

Percents: Comparing Values to 100

Home Nugget #19
Assigned on Wednesday October 6, 2010
Due on Thursday October 7, 2010

In Algebra I book,


Page 114

# 18 - 37

# 39 and 40

Taking the Time to Work Further on Solving Equations

Home Nugget #18
Assigned on Tuesday October 5, 2010
Due on Wednesday October 6, 2010


From Double-Sided Practice Sheet,

Lesson 2-4

# 1 - 7, 14 - 22, 24

Lesson 2-5

# 13 - 20, 24 - 26

Complete all work in your homework notebook

Ratios and Proportions

Home Nugget #17
Assigned on Monday October 4, 2010
Due on Tuesday October 5, 2010

In Algebra I book,

Page 108 # 1 - 8

Page 109 # 27 - 34

Page 110 # 39, 41, 42

Solving Equations with the Variable on Both Sides

Home Nugget #16
Assigned on Friday October 1, 2010
Due on Monday October 4, 2010

In Algebra I book,

Page 101 # 11 - 20 and 27 - 34

Page 102 # 44, 46 and 47

From SAT sheets pages 40 and 41

Numbers 9 - 18

Solving Multi-Step Equations

For the past few days we've explored whether there are generic guiding principles that help us in solving 1st degree linear equations. It appears as though the following concepts have worked thus far and may be of use in the future.

1. Balance - this notion that we can use the rules of equality to change the appearance of an equation by performing the same operation on both sides, while preserving the original value of the variable and maintaining the equality that we started with.

2. Isolating the Variable - students seem convinced that getting the variable by itself or finding the value of just one unknown is a dependable pathway for finding its value.

3. Opposite Operations or Applying Math Properties - while some students view opposite operations as 'undoing' an operation, still other view these steps as fundamental math properties. For instance, given the equation x + 3 = 9, adding a -3 to both sides is making use of the additive inverse to achieve a value of 0 on the left side of the equality.

Furthermore, it is becoming clear to students that they have to be in complete control of fraction algorithms if they are to be successful in solving equations. Rather than simply 'go over' these processes for what may be the umpteenth time, we seek to ask, "why do these algorithms work." For instance, the common algorithm for dividing fractions is to invert and multiply. But very few students examine what may have led to such a process.

Themes of notation have been a feature of our discussions as well. Some of these include:

* Where is it appropriate to place a negative sign relative to a fraction? (numerator, denominator or next to the division bar)

* Reporting solutions with the variable on the left side and the numerical value on the right side of the equality and how the symmetric property allows us this liberty.

* The convenience of cross-simplification as a means of simplifying a product ahead of time.

Tonight, students apply all of these concepts as they solve multi-step equations and prepare for equations that will feature variables on both sides of the equation.

Home Nugget #15
Assigned on Thursday Sept 30
Due on Friday Oct 1

In Algebra book,

Page 95 # 17 - 22, 25 - 27

Page 96 # 31 - 32, 34, 35, 39 - 42

Page 97 # 47 - 49

Solving Equations Using Multiplication and Division

Home Nugget #14
Assigned on Wednesday Sept 29, 2010
Due on Thursday Sept 30, 2010

In Algebra I book,

Page 88 # 20 - 27

Page 89 # 36 - 42 and 49 - 51

Solving Equations Using Addition/Subtraction

Home Nugget #13
Assigned on Tuesday Sept. 28
Due on Wednesday Sept. 29

In Algebra I book,

Page 82 # 19 - 38

Page 83 # 41 - 48 and 51

Defining Variables and Writing Equations

Home Nugget #12
Assigned on Monday Sept. 27
Due on Tuesday Sept. 28

In Algebra I book,

Page 74 # 16 - 26

Page 75 # 35 - 43

Preparing for Summative Assessments on Chapter 1 and Related Content

Home Nugget #11
Assigned on Friday Sept 24, 2010
Due on Monday Sept 27, 2010

Using the directions sheet provided in class (and posted at obryant.us under the file name re-inventing problems), you are to both re-invent AND solve the 14 questions/problems I referenced for you.


Please be aware that this lesson will be collected so be particularly mindful of presentation and legibility.

Functions and the Stories they Tell

Home Nugget #10
Assigned on Wednesday September 22
Due on Thursday September 23

In Algebra book,

Page 61 # 8 - 26

Page 62 # 27 - 42

Page 63 # 48, 49, 51 - 53

Page 64 # 54 - 59 and 61 - 63

* Please note that these problems are taken from the chapter summary for chapter 1. This indicates that we have reached the end of a particular unit and that by Monday, you will likely have a summative or cumulative test.

Number Systems

Home Nugget #9
Assigned on Tuesday September 21
Due on Wednesday September 22

In Algebra book,

Page 51 # 22 - 33, 38 - 41, 48 - 59

Page 52 # 64, 65

Logical Reasoning and Counterexamples

Home Nugget #8
Assigned on Monday September 20
Due on Tuesday September 21

In Algebra book,

Page 42 # 15 - 24

Page 43 # 25 - 38

Page 44 # 43, 47 - 49

A Respite from the Algebra Textbook

Home Nugget #7
Assigned on Friday September 17, 2010
Due on Monday September 20, 2010

From SAT sheets that are provided in class,

Pages 37 and 38

Numbers 17 - 20 and 1 - 7

Be sure to provide evidence/explanations for all problems.

Recognizing and Applying the Commutative and Associative Properties

Home Nugget #6
Assigned on Thursday September 16, 2010
Due on Friday September 17, 2010

In Algebra textbook,

Page 36
# 12 - 22 even
# 31 - 34
# 37 - 40

Page 37
# 44 - 46

ALSO

Please bear in mind that you will have your first major assessment tomorrow! As a general rule, all questions will be derived from problems we hav either solved in class or on a home nugget assignment. Be sure to review your notes thoroughly.

Properties that Appear Everywhere in Mathematics: Identity, Equality and Distributive Properties

Home Nugget #5
Assigned on Wednesday September 15, 2010
Due on Thursday September 16, 2010

In Algebra textbook,

Page 23 # 18 - 23

Page 24 # 29, 30, 35

Page 30 # 26 - 33, 36 - 42, 44 - 45

Applying Order of Operations and Solving Open Sentences

Home Nugget #4
Assigned on Tuesday September 14, 2010
Due on Wednesday September 15, 2010

In Algebra textbook,

Page 13 # 20 - 25, 29 - 31, 35 - 38, 41 - 43

Page 18 # 25

Page 19 # 39, 49

Evaluating Algebraic Expressions

Home Nugget #3
Assigned on Monday September 13, 2010
Due on Tuesday September 14, 2010

In Algebra textbook,

Pages 8 and 9

Numbers 13 - 26, 35, 40, 46 - 48*

* Despite being multiple-choice questions, # 46 - 48 require evidence or explanations for your solutions.

End of Week One and A Chance to Learn from Your First Home Nugget

Home Nugget #2
Assigned on Friday September 10, 2010
Due on Monday September 13, 2010

a. Bring book cover to class in order to receive a textbook
b. Bring an index card with your Fib poem written out on it
c. From SAT handout pages 35 & 36 # 1 - 16

Day One - Here's Where It All Begins

Today's class should have given you a clear idea about why Algebra I is so important as a stepping stone in your academic career, what your responsibilities are as a student in the class and what you need to get to work on immediately.

Your priorities right now are:

1. Closely examining the class syllabus and getting it filled out and signed by your parents/guardians.

2. Working on answering the questions stemming from the Leap Year activity you were given.

3. Getting the following materials by Friday September 10:

* two one-subject college ruled notebooks with at least 80 pages each
* one folder with two pockets
* a book cover for your textbook

Home Nugget #1
Assigned on Wednesday Sept 8, 2010
Due on Friday Sept 10, 2010

a. Signed syllabus
b. Leap-year questions answered in homework notebook according to the specific instructions provided regarding homework assignments
c. Required Materials
* Two one subject notebooks with perforated pages for easy removal
* One folder with two pockets
* A book cover (a large paper shopping bag is ideal)
* Several pencils

Welcome to Your Weblog for the 2010-2011 School Year

Peace and Welcome to All.

This blog is intended as a resource primarily for you to find out what a particular night's home nugget is. It is NOT intended as a replacement for you writing down the day's lesson on your own as part of your daily routine. Think of it more as a failsafe or place to go if you miss school on a particular day.

Furthermore, the blog will be used to post useful links for sites that connect to content we cover in class or for web pages that may present opportunities for exploration. Periodically, I may also post announcements or short messages about things going on in class, ranging from lesson details to content-related conversations.

Given students reliance on internet-generated resources, two other web-based sites will also be employed. One is snapgrades.net where you can access your present class grades and the other is www.obryant.us, the school website where under my name you will often find useful documents that I have handed out in class.

A quick few words on what we have as our primary goals this year:

1. This class should provide you with gobs of opportunities to become mathematically autonomous and to appreciate the importance of math literacy.
2. Students should always work harder than the teacher! Think of me as an instigator, a motivator, a coach or simply a messenger; it is YOU who will make sense of the math and decide what role it plays in your life.
3. Given that this is an Algebra course, we are trying to lay the groundwork for the higher-level mathematics that is in your immediate academic future. Let's focus on creating a seriously solid foundation.

Here's wishing you an interesting and memorable school year!
N. Hodjat