Math Pre AP/GT January 26, 2012

Note to parents and students:

PROJECT:  The “Recipe Project” was assigned this week and it is due on Friday, February 3.  Instructions and sample were sent home.  *THIS PROJECT HAS NOT BEEN ASSIGNED YET IN 7TH PERIOD. 

HOMEWORK:  Complete Chapter 6 (RATIO/PROPORTIONS, from Textbook 1) REVIEW:  Worksheets were sent home. 

TEST:  Chapter 6 ‘RATIO/PROPORTION” test will be on Wednesday/Thursday, February 1/2.

MAKE UP WORK:  Some students are scheduled to complete make up work.  Previous to completion of make up work, the student must complete a review on the concept.  Then, during lunch time/tutorial, the student will have completed the make up.  Please, verify with your child if he/she is one of them.  Any student with a grade lower than 75 must complete make up work. 

RECIPE MATH PROJECT –INSTRUCTIONS

1. Choose a finger food snack recipe that requires a variety of fractions as part of your measuring ingredients.  (5 or more different fractions).
2. Type your recipe with instructions in 12 font and single-spaced.  Make sure you include the title of your recipe; and your full name on the top margin of your paper.
3. Neatly prepare and decorate the cover with stickers, drawings, markers, pens, pictures, be creative…. (Do NOT print it out from your computer.)
4. Cook your recipe with verbal help/supervision from your parents/adult.  Parents/adults are encouraged to “add-to-the-lesson” by asking questions. 
5. Clean up is student’s responsibility!
6. Extra 5 points in your project if you bring a sample of your cooked recipe to present to your class and/or share with classmates.  IF you eat your sample BEFORE you present your project, you WILL NOT receive extra points.
7. Conversions’ page:   You MUST  include the right measurements for each ingredient if you want to prepare:

  a) Half of your recipe          

  b) double amount of your recipe

  c)  one and a half amount of your recipe 

Enjoy it and  HAVE A HAPPY SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY!!!!!!!

Your project MUST include:

1. 1^st page:  Cover/Title page:  (decorated, not printed from a computer).  Include your name, last name, class period, Title or your recipe, date)
2. 2^nd page:  original recipe with instructions typed.
3. 3^rd page:  Conversions (table)
4. 4^th page:  Calculations for your conversions (This page doesn’t have to be typed! These are your real calculations.)
5. 5^th page:  One page essay (typed)  The essay is a narrative of how did you complete this project and what did you learned from it.
6. 6^th page:  This instructions signed by your parents or legal guardian.

      The “calculations and conversions” used as a model in class must be included as part of the project.

 Date this project was assigned:  ___________________________________

Date this project is due:             ___________________________________

Student’s signature:  ________________________________ Class period:_______

Parent’s signature:    ________________________________ date_____________

  Stay focus on learning!

                                                                            

Relating Force and Motion

This week we will continue to focus on relating force and motion.  Speed machines is due on Monday/Tuesday; make sure to show all calculations to receive full credit.  Students should read Chapter 3 in the Science Explorer…we will talk about acceleration and graphing motion later this week.

Reading Log- New and Improved!

I am trying a new approach to reading logs starting Friday, January 27.  Students will now have the option to submit their reading log electronically. Reading logs are still due each Friday and students are still required to read for 150 minutes each week. However, they will now have the option for electronic submission by following the link below (or the one that will be posted in the sidebar of the blog).  As this is a new approach, I expect that their will be glitches to work out so I encourage students to continue recording their reading manually until we know that the system is working 100%.  Students will also notice that there is a section for a Reading Response at the bottom of the reading log.  For the rest of this six weeks I will be offering extra credit for these responses (one per week), however next six weeks they will be mandatory.

Electronic Reading Response Rules:

1. Make sure that every time you enter your name you enter it the same way (as it is in the grade book). ex. Don’t be “Bobby Smith-Jones” one week, “Bobby Smith” the next, and “Robert Jones” the next.
2.  Entries are dated and time stamped when I receive them. They must be submitted by Friday at midnight in order to be considered on time. Entries submitted after that will receive a 20% late penalty.
3.  If you read more than one book you will need to submit two (or more) Electronic Reading Logs. Don’t worry! I will combine your information and total your minutes.

Electronic Reading Response Link

MATH PRE-AP/GT January 20, 2012

Note to parents and students:

As of today we have completed the following concepts from Chapter 6 –Textbook 1:

–Ratio, Rates and Ratio Tables

–Algebra:  Solving Proportions (Determine if two ratios are proportional)

–Sequences and Expressions (Extend and describe arithmetic sequences using algebraic expressions.

–Proportions and Equations: ( Wrie an equation to describe a proportional situation.)

TEST:  We have reviewed:  Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying and Dividing Fractions; Writing Equations and Estimating fractions.  All these concepts will be tested next Wednesday/Thursday, January 25-26.   The REVIEW FOR CHAPTER 6 from Textbook 2 –pages 319-322–has been assigned.  It is important that all students complete this assignment in order to be ready for the test.  If there are any questions, students will have Monday/Tuesday to clarify the concept. Extra practice:  p. 323 Practice Test Optional!

HOMEWORK:  Chapter 6 Review (Textbook 2) AND worksheet Sequences/Proportions.

REMINDER:  TUTORIALS ON MONDAYS AFTER SCHOOL FROM 3:40 TO 4:20 P.M

Keep focus on learning!.. and have a great weekend. 

                                                              :-)

Character Analysis Paper

In English we have been collecting notes about characters in Freak the Mighty, and now it is time to begin writing our paper.  Parents, your child should bring his/her writers notebook home this weekend to finish the first draft.  On Monday/Tuesday of next week we will revise and edit.  The final draft is due Friday, January 27.

Parents, please ask your child if they have complete notes to help them with this paper.  They should have three charts about Max.  In addition, entry 8 will have instructions on how to get started, entry 9 will have a list of transition words they can use to make sure their essay flows from point to point, and entry 10 will have more instructions about structure.

Thank you  for all you do.

C. Geraci

Reading- Nonfiction Project

Students are currently reading nonfiction books which we checked out from the library last week. This six weeks, each student will give a presentation about their chosen topics. Projects are due January 30 (Blue) or 31 (Green). I will be giving time for students to work on project proposals in class on January 19 (B) and 20 (G) and we will have a workday January 25 (B)  or 26(G). Below, I have attached the project packet.

Nonfiction Project Packet

Also, several students have had questions about exactly what components they need to complete for their project (the chart in packet is a bit confusing…Sorry!). I have created another chart which I think will simplify the requirements of the project.

Nonfiction Project Chart

Scholastic Book Orders- Due to changes in the school’s money collection policy, I will no longer be able to accept cash or checks for Scholastic book orders (except in the case of special orders for class novels). However, I will continue to keep the book orders open online where you can order and pay for books using credit or debit cards. Scholastic Book Clubs allow us to keep our classroom library stocked with the latest and greatest books and I encourage you to take advantage of their great deals! The January order will be open through 1/28.

Scholastic Book Clubs Ordering Information
www.scholastic.com/bookclubs                        Class Activation Code: GMZZ6

World Cultures

We are back!  I hope everyone had a good, relaxing winter break.  Before break, we had our school-wide History Fair to determine who would be going on in the contest.  Competition was fierce this year!  Attached is a list of all the finalists for the school.  Congratulations to Ilona Altman for beating out 7th and 8th graders in the website division.  Good luck in the next round!

We have a busy semester ahead of us.  We started our unit on South and East Asia, focusing on economies and learning about the different types of major economies.  Then, we will move into political systems and learn about the different types.

MATH PRE AP/GTJanuary 6, 2012

To parents and students:

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!!

We just have begun CHAPTER 6.  Concepts to be covered are: 

–Estimating with fractions

–REVIEW:  Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers (Subtracting with renaming)

–Multiplying and Dividing fractions and Mixed Numbers

–Algebra:  Writing and Solving Equations

HOMEWORK due next Monday/Tuesday

Periods 3rd and 7th:  Worksheet Estimating Sums and Differences and Dividing Mixed Numbers

Periods 2nd, 4th, and 6th:  Textbook pages 315-316  Problem numbers 1 through 30 (Odd problem numbers only).  Check your work with “Selected Answers” on the back of your textbook.) 

Always verify your grades/assignments through Grade Speed.  If there is any missing work, turn it in ASAP (as soon as possible).  Any “late” equals 20 less points!

FRIENDLY REMINDER:  TUTORIALS ON MONDAYS @ 3:30 TO 4:30 p.m. 

Keep focus on learning!                                                    

The Home Stretch

We have finally made it to the last week of the semester and we are ready for a well deserved break. It is very important that students get all of their work completed and turned in this week as there will not be time when we return to make up any missing work.

Toy Drive- Thank you to everyone who has donated toys to our toy drive! Pin Oak’s toy drive directly benefits families in our school community. The toy drive has been extended to Monday so if you have a chance to pick up an item or two over the weekend, please bring it in Monday (also, we want to have a chance at winning the grade level ice cream party).

6C Cluster Celebration- We will gather together this Wednesday to celebrate the end of the first semester with a well deserved party. Students received a note last week and each “Home Base” has been assigned an item to bring:

• Ms. Parker’s Home Base- Juice boxes or pouches
• Mrs. Wilkin’s and Mrs. Baumgarten’s Home Bases- cookies, cupcakes, or brownies
• Mrs. Geraci’s and Mrs. Hernandez’s Home Bases- a bag of chips

Reading- Freak the Mighty Take Home Test and Movie

Take Home Test- This week students received their take home test for Freak the Mighty. Students are to choose and respond to two of seven possible essay questions. Response can be typed or handwritten and students must complete a graphic organizer to to plan their response. Responses are due Monday or Tuesday when students come to class.

6C Freak the Mighty Take Home Test

6C Freak the Mighty Take Home Test Graphic Organizer

District Benchmark- Overall I am very please with the scores on the district benchmark assessment students took this week. It is reasonably well aligned with the upcoming STAAR test and gives us a good idea of what concepts we are doing well on and what work we still have to do.  I am giving back points for two questions on students’ raw scores. One questions was worded in such a way that it was frequently missed and the other is a concept we need to continue to work on. I gave raw scores back to students Friday and students who scored less than 75% on their raw score need to see me Monday or Tuesday during lunch or T.E.A.M. time to complete corrections.

The Mighty Movie- Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we will be watching The Mighty, a film version of Freak the Mighty in order to compare the book to the film. The movie is rated PG-13 “due to mild violence and intensity.” Students received a permission slip which they need to return signed by Tuesday in order to watch the movie. Please contact me if you have any questions.

The Mighty Movie Summary