Scatterplots and Lines of Fit

Home Nugget #20
Assigned on Tuesday December 18, 2012
Due on Thursday December 20, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 230

# 1 - 7

# 15 - 17

Entering the Final Week of the 2nd Term

Home Nugget #19
Assigned on Monday December 17, 2012
Due on Tuesday December 18, 2012

Expect and prepare for two quizzes tomorrow:
a. The first is on your class notes for the 2nd term
b. The second is on how fluent you are in speaking the language of linear equations

As We Edge Towards the Brink of Chapter 4, We Take Time to Look Back at Content

Home Nugget # 18
Assigned on Thursday December 13, 2012
Due on Monday December 17, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 243 # 11 - 15

Page 244 # 25 - 28 and # 34 - 36

Page 245 # 39 - 41 and # 43 - 47

Adding a Third Equation to Our Repertoire of Ways to Define a Line Symbolically

Home Nugget #17
Assigned on Tuesday December 11, 2012
Due on Thursday December 13, 2012

From sheet titled 4-5 Practice

# 2 - 20 even

# 22 - 27 all

Myriad Ways to Write the Equation for a Line

Home Nugget #16
Assigned on Friday December 7,  2012
Due on Tuesday December 11,  2012

In order to get a renewed perspective on standard form and slope-intercept form AND to get an introduction to point-slope form, watch the Khan Academy links I've posted below. View the clips as often as needed to come to a good understanding of at least how to write the equations and their most basic use. Doing so will make your exploration of lesson 4-5 on Monday much easier to digest and give you a broader perspective of why its useful to have multiple views in mathematics.

Video on Standard Form

Video on Changing from one Form of a Linear Equation to Another

Video on Point Slope Form

In addition to the videos above, you will see other videos and practice exercises posted as well on the site itself. Decide how many many of them are relevant to you.

Acknowledging That the "Real" World is Always on Our Doorstep

Home Nugget #15
Assigned on Monday December 3, 2012
Due on Friday December 8, 2012

Answer all questions posed in the two media clips I provided to you in class today titled "Walking the Equator" and "Leap Year Births." The lesson will be graded according to the following familiar criteria and will be counted in the Journal category of your term grade, meaning it carries significant weight.

a. Comprehensiveness (all problems completed)

b. Context (appropriate synopsis, relevant information to understand the problem)

c. Transparency (all evidence/explanations clearly shared for solutions)

d. Accuracy/Precision

e. Presentation (the writing and organization always augment, not detract, from the content you are communicating)

Making Sense of a New Tool (Slope-intercept Form for a Linear Equation) for an Old Friend: Linear Relationships

Home Nugget #14
Assigned on Thursday November 29, 2012
Due on Monday December 3, 2012

In Algebra textbook,

Page 208

# 21 - 23, 28, 30, 32, 35, 36, 40, 41, 43, 44

In Pursuit of Slope and Rate of Change

Home Nugget #13
Assigned on Tuesday November 27, 2012
Due on Thursday November 29, 2012

In Algebra textbook,

Page 192 # 14 - 17

Page 193 # 18, 19, 23, 24, 29, 32, 34, 36, 38

A Nice Mixture of Word-Problems that Rely on Our Chapter 3 Content Knowledge

Home Nugget #12
Assigned on Monday November 26, 2012
Due on Tuesday November 27, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 183 # 1 - 3 and 5 - 12

Provide evidence/explanations for ALL problems! Bear in mind that any home nugget can be counted as a pop-quiz from this point forward.

Taking the Long View on Chapter 3

Home Nugget #11
Assigned on Monday November 19, 2012
Due on Wednesday November 21, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 179 # 21, 22

Page 181 Practice Test # 1 - 25

You Call them Word Problems, I Call them Context-Rich Challenges

Home Nugget #10
Assigned on Friday November 16, 2012
Due on Monday November 19, 2012

In Algebra textbook at the very end of the book, (end of chapter file for those who have the digital version),

Page 746

# 1 - 13 all problems are based on work from chapter 3 and are context-rich.

Please refer to the exemplar I provided in class today to stay aware of the kind of standard of quality I expect from you. Make sure that what you hand in on Monday is not a so-called 'rough or first draft' and that is reflects serious thought and consideration on your part.

Arithmetic Sequences Take Center Stage

Home Nugget #9
Assigned on Wednesday November 14, 2012
Due on Thursday November 15, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 168
# 12 - 18 even
# 20 - 21
# 22 - 26 even

Page 169
# 30 - 38 even

Digging Deeper into Linear Functions

Home Nugget #8
Assigned on Tuesday November 13, 2012
Due on Wednesday November 14, 2012

Page 159 # 33 - 35

Page 160 # 52 - 55

Expect your work on these problems to be projected so that we can discuss the different themes that show up in the course of solving.

Bring your textbooks to class this week!

A Take-Home Quiz Midway through Chapter 3

Home Nugget #7
Assigned on Friday November 9, 2012
Due on Tuesday November 13, 2012 (No school on Monday)

In Algebra I text,

Page 164 # 1 - 17

This lesson counts as a take-home quiz!

Using Identified Needs to Extract Linear Function Content

Home Nugget #6
Assigned on Thursday November 8, 2012
Due on Friday November 9, 2012

Given the copious notes we generated today on linear functions, it would be wise to review these tonight. This notion of reviewing your class notes is a habit that will serve you well if you do it regularly.

Examining a Particular Kind of Function: Those of the Linear Variety

Home Nugget #5
Assigned on Tuesday November 6, 2012
Due on Thursday November 8, 2012

In textbook,

Page 159 # 12 - 26

The Multiple Representations of Functions and Determining Which Relations are Functions

Home Nugget #4
Assigned on Friday November 2,  2012
Due on Tuesday November 6, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 146 # 12 - 17

Page 147 # 23 - 25 and 30 - 33

Page 152 # 15 - 20 and 30 - 35

Initiating Our Explorations with Functions with A Conversation on Concussions

Home Nugget #3
Assigned on Wednesday October 31, 2012
Due on FRIDAY November 2, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 56 # 1 - 9

Page 57 # 10 - 12 and 18 - 19

Last Remnants of Chapter 6 Content

Home Nugget #2 of the 2nd Term
Assigned on Tuesday October 30, 2012
Due on Wednesday October 31, 2012

In Algebra textbook,

Page 349 # 41 - 44

Page 351 # 1 - 17

Looking Back Over Chapter 6

Home Nugget #1 of the 2nd term
Assigned on Friday October 26, 2012
Due on Monday October 29, 2012


In Algebra I textbook,

Page 347 # 11 - 22

Page 348 # 23 - 33

A Journal Entry to End the 1st Term

Home Nugget #23
Assigned on Tuesday October 23, 2012
Due on Friday October 26, 2012

Math Journal due in its entirety. Bear in mind that this assignment alone counts for 10% of your term grade and can have a major positive or negative impact.

A Barometer for our Inequalities Exploration

Home Nugget #22
Assigned on Monday October 22, 2012
Due on Tuesday October 23, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 321 # 1 - 30

This mid-chapter quiz will serve as an actual quiz grade so pay attention to accuracy and to providing evidence for all of your solutions.

Inequalities Galore! From Multi-Step to the Compound Variety

Home Nugget #21
Assigned on Friday October 19, 2012
Due on Tuesday October 23, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 321

# 1 - 30

Solving Multi-Step Inequalities

Home Nugget #20
Assigned on Thursday October 18, 2012
Due on Friday October 19, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 311 # 14 - 19 and 22 - 25

Reflecting on How Effectively We Take Class Notes

Home Nugget #19
Assigned on Wednesday October 17, 2012
Due on Thursday October 18, 2012

Depending on how today's class notes quiz went for you, tonight is an opportunity to re-evaluate your class notes and think about improvements you might want to make. Furthermore, reading over and making sense of each day's notes is a habit that you should acquire and practice regularly.

Tomorrow, we will look over home nugget #18 which featured some challenging problems on linear inequalities and you should be sure to bring your absolute best work to class.

Problems to Stretch Our Ability to Deal with Linear Inequalities

Home Nugget #18
Assigned on Tuesday October 16, 2012
Due on Wednesday October 17, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 298 # 37 - 44

Page 306 # 35 - 45

ALSO,

We will have a class notes quiz tomorrow where you will be asked to substantiate how effective you have been at taking and maintaining class notes. Furthermore, we will have our chapter 2 summative exam tomorrow as well.

Allowing Today's Work to Shed Light on Tonight's Home Nugget

Home Nugget #17
Assigned on Friday October 12, 2012
Now due on Tuesday October 16, 2012

Considering today's work on lessons 6-1 & 6-2 (solving inequalities via addition,subtraction, multiplication and division), re-visit the weekend home nugget and make another effort to be accurate and thorough. Also bear in mind that all word problems must include a synopsis of the problem.

Comparing and Contrasting Linear Equations and Inequaltiies

Home Nugget #16
Assigned on Friday October 12, 2012
Due on Monday October 15, 2012

In Algebra text,

Page 297 # 21 - 31 and 34 - 36

Page 305 # 13 - 22 and 33 - 34

Taking Time to Process the Myriad Topics in Chapter 2

Home Nugget #15
Assigned on Wednesday October 10, 2012
Due on Friday October 12, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 131 # 8 - 20

Page 132 # 21 - 34

Page 133 # 35 - 40

A Core Algebraic Tool: Solving Equations for a Specific Variable

Home Nugget #14
Assigned on Friday October 5, 2012
Due on Wednesday October 10, 2012

In Algebra I text

Page 120 # 8 - 33

Classwork for my absence on Tuesday (due to a fieldwork)

2 - 8 Practice

Olympiad #7

Taking Another Look at Ratios and Proportions

Home Nugget #13
Assigned on Thursday October 4, 2012
Due on Friday October 5, 2012

Page 109 # 12 - 14, 15 - 17, 32 - 34

Page 110 # 38, 41, 42

A Theme with Untold of Applications: Ratios and Proportions

Home Nugget #12
Assigned on Tuesday October 2, 2012
Due on Thursday October 4, 2012

In Algebra textbook,

Page 109

# 9 - 11

# 18 - 23

# 27 - 31

Getting Much-Needed Practice on Solving a Variety of Equations

Home Nugget #11
Assigned on Monday October 1, 2012
Due on Tuesday October 2, 2012

From Sheets titled:

2-4 Word Problem Practice # 1 - 6

2-5 Skills Practice # 15 - 22

Much-needed Practice Solving Linear Equations with the Variable on Both Sides

Home Nugget #10
Assigned on Friday September 28, 2012
Due on Monday October 1, 2012

From Sheet titled 2-5 Study Guide and Intervention

# 2 - 20 even problems

All of our Past Experience Comes to Bear as We Solve Equations with the Variable on Both Sides

Home Nugget #9
Assigned on Thursday September 27, 2012
Due on Friday September 28, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 101 # 11 - 29 odd numbers only so that you can check your solutions in the back of the book.

The idea is to revise your thinking when needed until you arrive at the appropriate solution.

Test Today, Therefore no FORMAL assignment tonight...

However, know that we will be resuming our investigations of solving equations with the variable on both sides come Thursday. You would be wise to crack open lesson 2-5 and always have the option of trying out odd-numbered problems and checking your solutions in the back of the book.

Another avenue is to review your notes on what we've tackled thus far in chapter 2. We've been on an equation-solving spree and it would do you some good to review your class notes and reflect on how similar all of our problems have been to date.


(N.B. Tuesday night's Home Nugget was #8 in our series and was to study for Wednesday's chapter 1 test) 

Our Equation Solving Progression Leads to So-Called Multi-Step Equations

Home Nugget #7
Assigned on Monday September 24, 2012
Due on Tuesday September 25, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 89 # 38 - 46 even

Page 90 # 12 - 22 even

Solving Equations Strictly Relying on the Four Core Operations

Home Nugget #6
Assigned on Thursday September 20, 2012
Due on Monday September 24, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 82 # 20 - 30 evens only

Page 83 # 41 - 43

Page 88 # 14 - 19

Continuing to Test our Verbal Skills: Translating Sentences into Algebraic Equations

Home Nugget #5
Assigned on Wednesday September 19, 2012
Due on Thursday September 20, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 74 # 13 - 20 and 23 - 26

Page 75 # 39 - 44

Your Chance to Demonstrate Mastery of Content We've Tackled in Chapter 1

Home Nugget #4
Assigned on Tuesday September 18, 2012
Due on Wednesday September 19, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 65

# 1 - 14, 17 - 20, 22

The lesson will be collected from all students and at least 6 problems will be graded for accuracy.

Your Chance to Demonstrate Mastery of Content We've Tackled in Chapter 1

Home Nugget #4
Assigned on Tuesday September 18, 2012
Due on Wednesday September 19, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 65

# 1 - 14, 17 - 20, 22

The lesson will be collected from all students and at least 6 problems will be graded for accuracy.

Identity, Equality, and Distributive Properties in the Context of Word Problems

Home Nugget #3
Assigned on Monday September 17, 2012
Due on Tuesday September 18, 2012

From

1 - 4 Word Problem Practice # 1 - 6

1 - 5 Word Problem Practice # 1 - 7

Identifying the Properties that Govern or Rule Our Real Number System

Home Nugget #2
Assigned on Wednesday September 12, 2012
Originally due on Friday September 14, 2012,
now due on Monday September 17, 2012 (due to two days of district testing this week)

From double-sided sheet:

1 - 4 Practice # 1 - 12

1 - 5 Practice # 1 - 28

ALSO

Return your signed syllabus to class

Evaluating Numerical and Algebraic Expressions Using Order of Operations

Home Nugget #1
Assigned on Monday September 10, 2012
Due on Wednesday September 12, 2012

From Practice Sheets:

1-2 Practice Sheet # 1 - 29

1-2 Enrichment (all values: meaning write expressions for 1 - 50)


Home Nugget Criteria:

1. All home nuggets should be completed in your homework notebook. The sheet from which the lesson was assigned gets placed in your math folder.

2. Anyone who picks up your home nugget should be able to make sense of your arguments. Present your work clearly.

3. You must always provide evidence of your thought process, whether in sentences or the math involved, but most often a combo of both.

4. You must always attempt ALL problems. NO EXCEPTIONS.

 Home Nugget Criteria:

1. All home nuggets should be completed in your homework notebook. The sheet from which the lesson was assigned gets placed in your math folder.

2. Anyone who picks up your home nugget should be able to make sense of your arguments. Present your work clearly.

3. You must always provide evidence of your thought process, whether in sentences or the math involved, but most often a combo of both.

4. You must always attempt ALL problems. NO EXCEPTIONS.

 

Home Nuggets Can Be Assessed in a Variety of Ways: Here are three of them.

A. By virtue of being in class, I assume that you have the lesson and give you full credit worth 2 points.

B. You are asked to hand in the lesson and I grade it based on the criteria described above. Now the lesson is worth 3 times as much, that is 6 points.

C. I use a random number generator to solicit one or two home nuggets from the class and grade those lessons for all to see under a document camera. ALL students now receive the same grade as those random students. This is a mechanism meant to encourage collective accountability.

Welcome to the 2012-2013 School Year!

Materials:

I like to keep things simple in this arena. All you will need for class are:

*Two one-subject notebooks (about 70 to 100 pages college ruled should do) You’ll use one for class notes and one for homework, which is periodically collected
*A folder with two pockets for handouts and graded work
*A book cover for your text (I recommend a paper shopping bag)

Advanced Preparation:

A. It is 2012 and just about everything is online. Including your math textbook. Now is the time to get access to it. Here’s how:
1. The website or URL is www.algebra1.com
2. You will see pictures of two textbooks. Click on the blue one.
3. On the next page that loads choose student/parent center.
4. On the following page choose the link that reads Online Student Edition.
5. You should now be prompted for a student login: our code is E369489470
6. If all goes well, the book loads as a PDF file which can be opened using Adobe Acrobat software, which is free to download. You will also note that there is a toll-free phone number you can call to get technical help. Use it if you need to! I did and they were able to help me out.

On Monday I expect to see your class notes from Friday copied into the notebook dedicated to class notes.

Last Home Nugget of the Year Focuses on Chapter 8

Home Nugget #15
Assigned on Monday June 4, 2012
Due on Friday June 8, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Starts on page 462

# 17 - 20, 26 - 30, 34 - 36, 41 - 44, 47 - 51, 58 - 61

As has been the case thus far, we will grade this nugget as a 10 point quiz grade based on accuracy of solutions.

The Weekend Ushers in Our Chapter 7 End of Year Review

Home Nugget #14
Assigned on Friday June 1, 2012
Due on Monday June 4, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Starting on page 411

# 15 - 19, 25 - 29, 33 - 36

# 42 - 43, 47 - 48, 56 - 57

# 62 - 63

ALSO

The class voted that we have an assessment on lessons 11 - 1 to 11 - 3 (from Inverse Variation to Multiplication of Rational Expressions) on Monday prior to heading off towards 11 - 4.

Chapters 5 and 6 are on the Menu: So is an Independent Study for Half the Class on Lesson 11-2

Home Nugget #13
Assigned on Tuesday May 29, 2012

Part I due on Wednesday May 30, 2012 (for the half of the class that was assigned the lesson)

Read, synthesize and take notes on lesson 11-2 in your Algebra I text and prepare a mini-lesson that you can teach a classmate, without the use of the textbook as a resource.

Part II due on Friday June 1, 2012


Chapter 5 Page 286 # 13, 14, 18, 19, 23, 28, 29, 34

Chapter 6 Page 347 # 12, 13, 19, 20, 24, 26, 30, 32, 35, 42, 47, 50

Continuing Our Lesson by Lesson Review Work

Home Nugget #12
Assigned on Thursday May 24, 2012
Due on Tuesday May 28, 2012 (no school Monday)

Chapter 3

Starting on Page 178

# 15 - 19

# 21 - 24

# 29 - 32

Chapter 4

Starting on Page 243

# 11 - 14

# 19 - 21

# 34 - 37

# 41 - 44

# 54 - 55

As we did for Chapter 2, I'll select 10 questions to grade for accuracy and count it as a 10-point quiz. Given that this is a review or refresher, the expectation is that you are striving for accuracy.

With the Final Exams Looming in June, We Begin to Look Back at This Year's Content

Home Nugget #11
Assigned on Tuesday May 22, 2012
Due on Thursday May 233, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 131 - 134

# 8 - 52 Chapter 2 Lesson-by-lesson Review

Selected questions will be assessed as a quiz grade

From Mini-Coopers to Homer Simpson: Similarity in Mathematics and Beyond

Home Nugget #10
Assigned on Monday May 21, 2012
Due on Tuesday May 22, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 571 Practice Test

# 20 - 25 ( # 1 - 19) were previously assigned

This indicates that we are ready for a chapter 20 summative assessment

Solutions for the Open-Response Questions

For those of you who care to check your solutions to the six MCAS open-response questions I left for you on Friday, you can find them here at the following link.

MCAS SOLUTIONS

Home Nugget #9
Assigned on Friday May 11, 2012 (in my absence)
Due on Monday May 14, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 568 - 570 Lesson by Lesson Review # 9 - 48

Realizing that the Distance Formula is Simply a Derivation of the Pythagorean Theorem Where We've Solved for "c"

Home Nugget # 8
Assigned on Thursday May 10, 2012
Due on Friday May 11, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 557 # 18 - 20

Page 558 # 21 - 23, 26, 28, 30, 36

Applications of the Curious Relationship Among the Sides of a Right Triangle

Home Nugget #7
Assigned on Tuesday May 8, 2012
Due on Thursday May 10. 2012

From sheet titled "10-4 Practice Sheet"

# 1 - 11 odd

# 12 - 16 even

# 18 - 21 odd

Applications of Radical Expressions and Equations: the Pythagorean Theorem

Home Nugget #6
Assigned on Friday May 4, 2012
Due on Tuesday May 8, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 552 # 5 - 9, # 22 - 29

Page 553 # 36 - 40

Being Convinced of WHY We're MCAS-Focused, We Turn to HOW to be Successful with Open-Response Questions in Particular

Home Nugget #5
Assigned on Thursday May 3, 2012
Due on Friday May 4, 2012

Two parts:

A. Work through olympiad #22 with our usual focus on process and pathways so that we feel good about sharing solutions with our classmates.

B. Finish remaining MCAS Open-Response problems (likely to be # 29 on the cylindrical water tanks and # 39 on the 3 part Venn Diagram). We'll grade these first thing tomorrow.

A Good Time to Check Our Progress with Radical Expressions and Equations

Home Nugget #4
Assigned on Wednesday May 2, 2012
Due on Thursday May 3, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 548 Mid-chapter quiz ALL problems

Will count as a 20 point quiz

Solving Radical Equations with a Cautious Eye on Extraneous Solutions

Home Nugget #3
Assigned on Tuesday May 1, 2012
Due on Wednesday May 2, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 544

# 29 - 32

# 33 - 41

# 43 - 46

Trying to Make Sense of Radical Equations

Home Nugget #2
Assigned on Monday April 30, 2012
Due on Tuesday May 1, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 544 # 11 - 27

The Fifth and Final Marking Period of the Year is Upon Us!

Home Nugget #1 (of the 5th marking period)
Assigned on Friday April 27, 2012
Due on Monday April 30, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 538 # 12 - 30 even

Page 539 # 32 - 38 even and # 39

Please be mindful that as this nugget really sets the tone for your term 5 performance. Given the fast-paced nature and frantic standardized testing in store for you, use these lessons as anchors to proving your work ethic and commitment to quality effort.

Sinking Your Teeth into Simplifying Radical Expressions

Home Nugget #24
Assigned on Tuesday April 24, 2012
Due on Thursday April 26, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 531 # 1 - 7
Page 532 # 8 - 13, 15, 16

ALSO the vast majority of you needed additional time to complete the 'chance at redemption on chapter 9' summative Form 2D Test you started in class. We'll be grading the lesson in class tomorrow before you head off on your history field trip.

Narrowing the Focus of Your Final 4th Term Assessment

In creating questions for Tuesday's "Teach me a Lesson on ... " assessment I thought it might prove helpful to share the topics that you can expect to see. Bear in mind that we already decided that the content has to be extracted from chapters 7, 8 and 9. The link to the document that follows simply narrows the possibilities and should give you some peace of mind that there are a manageable number of themes. Good studying and see you on Monday! https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1Rj7BkMhwsrHdjb_9CHrQSf8GX4aK1X-qLOr5-WrtYHQ

An Exercise Designed to Impart Deep, Genuine Content Understanding

Home Nugget #23
Assigned on Friday April 13, 2012
Due on Tuesday April 24, 2012


Immerse yourself in the content and topics of chapters 7, 8 and 9 in anticipation of our "Teach me a lesson on..." assessment that is taking the place of the 4th term math journal. Remember that the objective here is to know the content well enough to be able to teach it to an audience (in this case the audience is me) and your medium for teaching is the sheet of paper I provide you with.

Your only resource on for this assessment is one side of a 9.5 by 11 inch paper where you hand write notes that may be a helpful resource for you when putting together the requested lesson.

The following should help to further understand the format criteria for the assessment:

Concept Introduction: lets the reader know what they are in store for. Can be an analogy, connection to a previous topic or exploration.

Concept Fundamentals: the heart and soul of a topic. This is the stuff that you simply need to know and understand.

Concept Applications: how can we apply the content in making sense of situations and solving problems? Give worked-out examples!

Taking Time to Really Dig into Exponential Growth and Decay

Home Nugget #22
Assigned on Wednesday April 11, 2012
Due on Friday April 13, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 513 # 5 - 12

Chapter 9 Draws to A Close and We Begin Our Preparations

Home Nugget #21
Assigned on Monday April 10, 2012
Due on Wednesday April 12, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 521 # 1 - 25

Accessing a Different Plane of Understanding When it Comes to Quadratics

Home Nugget #20
Assigned on Wednesday April 4, 2012
Part A due on Thursday April 5, 2012
Part B due on Monday April 9, 2012

TWO PARTS:

Part A: Finish/polish off today's classwork comprised of 8 problems on quadratic relationships.
Bear in mind that 4 points will be available for accurate solutions, while 4 points will be available for the evidence you provide and presentation you craft.

Part B: In Algebra I text,

Page 518 # 16 - 20, 26, 27

Page 519 # 30 - 33, 36 - 39

More Challenging Quadratic Functions That Bring Into Focus the Usefulness of the Quadratic Formula

Home Nugget #19
Assigned on Tuesday April 3, 2012
Due on Wednesday April 4, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 497

# 18 - 20, 21, 26 - 28, 31, 32

The Ultimate Tool for Solving Quadratics

Home Nugget #18
Assigned on Monday April 2, 2012
Due on Tuesday April 3, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 497 # 1 - 5 (solving quadratics using the quadratic formula)

AND watch Dr. Tanton's 'ridiculously easy way to graph quadratics' video that is posted on the margin of this blog

A Chance to See What Chapter 9 Hath Wrought Thus Far

Home Nugget #17
Assigned on Friday March 30, 2012
Due on Monday April 2, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 492 # 1 - 14 all

(this is a mid-chapter quiz)

Kindly focus on providing evidence for your work and on finding accurate solutions.

Ironing out the Complications That Can Arise When Completing the Square of a Quadratic Equation

Home Nugget #16
Assigned on Thursday March 29, 2012
Due on Friday March 30, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 489 # 13 - 19 odd and 23 - 28

Page 490 # 32, 34, 38

Completing the Square As Our 4th Official Strategy for Solving Quadratic Equations

Home Nugget #15
Assigned on Wednesday March 28, 2012
Due on Thursday March 29, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 489 # 1 - 11

Using Graphing to Solve Quadratic Equations/Functions

Home Nugget #14
Assigned on Monday March 26, 2012
Due on Tuesday March 27, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 483 # 1 - 9, 16

Ensuring a Good Graphical Foundation for our Upcoming Work with Quadratic Functions

Home Nugget #13
Assigned on Friday March 23, 2012
Due on Monday March 26, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 475 # 17 - 25 odd

Page 476 # 32 - 35 and # 39 - 41

Page 477 # 44 - 46 and 48, 51


After two consecutive days of MCAS ELA testing, we took a few minutes today to get a sense of what our comfort level with graphing quadratic functions is at present.

We found that while students seem to have a good general understanding of how quadratic graphs behave, there is ample room to solidify our content connections and as such, tonight's home nugget offers opportunity for this to happen.

The Quixotic World of Quadratics

Home Nugget #12
Assigned on Tuesday March 20, 2012
Due on Friday March March 23, 2012 (delay is thanks to the ELA MCAS scheduled for Wed. and Thurs)

Expect a chapter 8 summative test on Friday.

In Algebra textbook,

Page 475 # 16 - 24 even

Page 476 # 26 - 30 all

Thanks for the Sieve Eratosthenes, Now Pass the Circumference

Home Nugget #11
Assigned on Monday March 19, 2012
Due on Tuesday March 20, 2012

Write a final draft of your interpretation of how Eratosthenes measured the circumference of the world over two thousand years ago. Be sure to include copious diagrams/illustrations in order to make your message clear.

ALSO!

Be reminded that your Integrity essay/poem is due by Wednesday at the LATEST! This is an assignment required of ALL middle school students and will be submitted to Mr. MacLeod.

Thursday's CPS Practice Test Compels Us to Immerse Ourselves in Chapter 8 Content

Home Nugget #10
Assigned on Friday March 16, 2012
Due on Monday March 19, 2012

From sheet titled Chapter 8 Test Form 3 All problems

All work/evidence must be presented on a separate sheet of paper

Seeing All the Pieces of Chapter 8 Fall Into Place

Home Nugget #9
Assigned on Thursday March 15, 2012
Due on Friday March 16, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 465 # 1 - 20 Practice Test

Factoring Till We're Blue in the Face: (But Holding the Key to Loads of Polynomial Equations!)

Home Nugget #8
Assigned on Wednesday March 14, 2012
Due on Thursday March 15, 2012

In Algebra text,

Page 459

# 24 - 33 and # 37 - 43

Given the nature of this lesson (reviewing content from chapter 8) you can expect to be assessed on it in class. Accuracy is a reasonable expectation at this stage.

How Much Access Do You Have to Your Factoring Arsenal?

Home Nugget #7
Assigned on Tuesday March 13, 2012
Due on Wednesday March 14, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 458 # 2 - 10 even , # 11 and # 12 - 22 even

While the Focus is on Difference of Squares, We're Also Mindful of Applying Multiple Factoring Strategies to Individual Problems

Home Nugget #6
Assigned on Monday March 12, 2012
Due on Tuesday March 13, 2012


In Algebra text,

Page 450 # 10

Page 451 # 12 - 34 even

Trying to Wiggle Our Way Into Difference of Squares (Factoring)

Home Nugget #5
Assigned on Thursday March 8, 2012

Part One due on Friday March 9, 2012

Finish off word problems from 8-4 Word Problem Practice Sheet


Part Two due on Monday March 12, 2012

In Algebra text,

Page 445 # 11 - 37 odd

Given Today's Results, A Need Arises for More Practice with Lesson 8-4

Home Nugget #4
Assigned on Wednesday March 7, 2012
Due on Thursday March 8, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 445 # 35, 37 and 38 - 41

Page 446 # 42, 44 - 45, 46 - 53

Factoring Trinomials of the Form ax^2 + bx + c

Home Nugget #3
Assigned on Tuesday March 6, 2012
Due on Wednesday March 7, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 445 # 12 - 36 even

(expect to be assessed on these)

Digging Our Heels into Fundamental Factoring Techniques: Finding the GCF and Grouping

Home Nugget #2 of the 4th Term
Assigned on Monday March 5, 2012
Due on Tuesday March 6, 2012

From 8-2 Practice Sheet

# 2 - 18 even

# 19 - 29 odd

# 33

Factoring Fundamentals

Home Nugget #1
Assigned on Friday March 2, 2012
Due on Monday March 5, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 440 (Mid-Chapter Quiz) # 1 - 30 I expect a high degree of accuracy and lots of attention to your format and the evidence you provide.

Factoring Polynomials Using the Distributive Property and Our Ability to Identify GCFs

Home Nugget #25
Assigned on Thursday March 1, 2012
Due on Friday March 2, 2012

By tomorrow, you should have finished using the study guide I provided on Monday to make sense of lessons 8-2 and 8-3 and have solved all the problems that were assigned. I continue to reserve the right to check all of these problems (which should be found in your class notes) and to hold you accountable for the content you should have extracted on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Reversing the Process from Chapter 7 and Focusing on Factoring in Chapter 8

Home Nugget #24
Assigned Monday February 27, 2012
Due on Thursday March 2, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 423

# 17, 18

# 19 - 27 odds

# 28, 31, 33

Today in class, we put chapter 7 to bed (in reviewing Form 3 Practice Test and further discussing special products) and dug into lesson 8-1 on finding the GCF of monomials. Over the next two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, I will leave a study guide for you that along with the textbook, will help you both extract the relevant content and focus on certain problem sets.

When I return on Thursday, the remainder of the 3rd term journal will be due and we will grade it as a class. Furthermore, while I can fill in any content gaps you may have, I will expect you to have figured out the main themes of lessons 8-2 and 8-3. I reserve the right to collect any problems assigned over these two days.

3rd Term Math Journal is Assigned

Home Nugget #23
Assigned on Monday February 13, 2012
One due date is Friday February 17 while the other is Tuesday February 28

Questions 1 - 6 from the 3rd term math journal are due this Friday. I will be responsible for grading these six myself. The remaining questions will be self-assessed when we return from the February break.

Once More, Excessive BPS Testing Interferes with Our Content Explorations

No Home Nugget for the weekend or for Monday evening, thanks to the Boston Public School-mandated predictive assessments in Mathematics and English. Students spent a double-period taking the English portion today and will be subjected to the math portion on Monday.

Learning to Find Shortcuts to the Distributive Property

Home Nugget #22
Assigned on Thursday February 9, 2012
Due on Friday February 10, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Read pages 404 - 406 on special products and make the connection with multiplying polynomials.

The Distributive Property Delivers in th Clutch! We Can Find Products of Polynomials no Matter the Number of Terms

Home Nugget #21
Assigned on Wednesday February 8, 2012
Due on Thursday February 9, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 402

# 34 - 42 and 45 - 47

No Surprise, Having Added and Subtracted, We Now Set to Multiplying Our Beloved Polynomials

Home Nugget #20
Assigned on Monday February 6, 2012
Due on Tuesday February 7, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 393

# 36 - 50 even and 53

Setting the Bar for Problems Higher as We Get Better at Higher-Order Thinking

Home Nugget #19
Assigned on Friday February 3, 2012
Due on Monday February 6, 2012

Formally write up your solutions and thought process for the six AMC problems we tackled as teams in class today. Every opportunity you get to think through these types of problem sets is a chance to strengthen your grip on the content.

Identifying a Need for Combining Polynomials via Addition and Subtraction

Home Nugget #18
Assigned on Thursday February 2, 2012
Due on Friday February 3, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 380 # 54, 58

Page 386 # 17 - 24

Spending Time Focusing on Our Recent Math Olympiads

Home Nugget #17
Assigned on Wednesday February 1, 2012
Due on Thursday February 2, 2012

Now is the time to get a handle on Olympiads 11 - 15 in anticipation of an eventual assessment. As we have in the past, the best preparation strategy is to reinvent and solve problems to get an 'insider's' perspective on how these problems can change while staying the same content-wise.

Getting a Sense for Polynomials

Home Nugget #16
Assigned on Tuesday January 31, 2012
Due on Wednesday February 1, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 379 # 13 - 41 odd

Page 380 # 50, 56, 57, 58

As Today's Assessment Shows, More Exposure to Division of Monomials is a Must

Home Nugget #15
Assigned on Monday January 30, 2012
Due on Tuesday January 31, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 371 # 15 - 27 odd and # 31 - 39 odd

Page 372 # 50 - 52

Page 373 # 54, 56

It Was Bound to Happen...We Find Ourselves Dividing Monomials

Home Nugget #14
Assigned on Friday January 27, 2012
Due on Monday January 30, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 370 # 1 - 12

Page 372 # 42 - 44, 47

Carrying Out Monomial Multiplication With an Eye on the Power of Exponents

Home Nugget #13
Assigned on Thursday January 26, 2012
Due on Friday January 27, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 361 # 14 - 30

Page 362 # 38, 50 - 51

How to Extract Vital Content from Lessons in Mathematics

Home Nugget #12
Assigned on Tuesday January 24, 2012
Due on Thursday January 26, 2012

Complete study guide that we started in class today for all lessons in chapter 6. Keep in mind the format that I prescribed. This is yet another strategy for content mastery and assessment preparation.

With a Chapter 6 Exam Approaching, We Begin our Preparations

Home Nugget #11 (Considerable numbers of students were absent today in observance of the Chinese New Year and so the core component of the assignment has not changed)
Assigned on Monday January 23, 2012
Due on Tuesday January 24, 2012


In other words, home nugget #10 is still due but the following assignment was also given in class and will count as extra credit based on accuracy of solutions.

Page 351 Practice Test problems 1 - 24 (in anticipation of a summative chapter 6 exam)

End of Chapter 6 Signals Our Time to Reflect and Revisit

Home Nugget #11
Assigned on Friday January 20, 2012
Due on Monday January 23, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 347 # 11 - 22

Page 348 # 23 - 33

Page 349 # 34 - 37

Coping With Systems of Inequalities in Two Variables

Home Nugget #10
Assigned on Wednesday January 18, 2012
Due on Friday January 20, 2012 (due date changed because of English mid-year administered on Thursday)

In Algebra I text,

Page 343 # 5, 6, 10 - 14, 21, 22

Solving/Graphing Inequalities in Two Variables

Home Nugget #9
Assigned on Tuesday January 17, 2012
Due on Wednesday January 18, 2012

In Algebra I textbook,

Page 337 # 10 - 13 and # 20 - 22

Page 338 # 23, 24

More Absolute Value Inequalities

Home Nugget #8
Assigned on Friday January 13, 2012
Due on Tuesday January 17, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Same problems as last night on absolute value inequalities. Reason being we did not make the progress we wanted in class yesterday due to time constraints but were able to achieve a level of clarity in class today.

AND

Problems 1 - 5 of AMC math olympiad competition (we did problem #1 together to set the stage)

Absolute Value Inequalities

Home Nugget #7
Assigned on Thursday January 12, 2012
Due on Friday January 13, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 332 # 14 - 22 and 25 - 32

Taking A Break from the Core Curriculum to Pursue Our Olympiad Endeavors

Home Nugget #6
Assigned on Wednesday January 11, 2012
Due on Thursday January 12, 2012

Re-invent and solve all problems (10 in all) from olympiads 11 and 12.

Continuing to Plumb the Depths of Absolute Value Equations and Functions

Home Nugget #5
Assigned on Tuesday January 10, 2012
Due on Wednesday January 11, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 325 # 7 - 21 odd and 23 - 29 odd

Page 326 # 37 - 38 and 42 - 45, 47

Page 327 # 49, 50

Absolute Value Equations and Functions

Home Nugget #4
Assigned on January 9, 2012
Due on January 10, 2012


Independent study: read page 324 on absolute value and piecewise functions.

Page 325 # 1 - 9

A Chance for a Breather and Look Back Midway through Chapter 6

Home Nugget #3
Assigned on Friday January 6, 2012
Due on Monday January 9, 2012

In Algebra text,

Page 321 # 1 - 30

Compound Inequalites Open Up a World of Possibilities

Home Nugget #2
Assigned on Thursday January 5, 2012
Due on Friday January 6, 2012

In Algebra textbook,

Page 318 # 18 - 29 check odds to make sure you are on track!

Happy New Year and Welcome Back for the Start of the 3rd Term

Home Nugget #1 (of the 3rd term)
Assigned on Wednesday January 4, 2012
Due on Thursday January 5, 2012

In Algebra I text,

Page 313 # 51, 53 - 63

ALSO

Independent Study on Page 314

Read through and make sense of the content such that you are able to answer any of the questions that follow on the same page.