Today we finished our first voicethread. Keep checking the website, there will be more coming. Remember the days when we would take our work home from school and mom would put it on the refrigerator? Now you can view the work from anywhere. Nice job to Josh, Fareen, David and Venessa!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Webmasters in training!
We have recently started using wikis in class. For those of you who are unfamiliar, a wiki is basically a webpage or collection of webpages that are collaborative. This means that students can work together on projects. The fact that the wiki is online makes this resource available to students 24/7. Currently, classes are working together to create a common vocabulary page and the Geometry class has created a page where students can add the different theorems as we learn them in class.
Today students finished their examplar assignment. In an exemplar assignment, students are required to state the standard, re state the standard in their own words, create a problem that uses the standard and explain the steps necessary to solve it. Finally, students are adding hyperlinks to other web resources that will help other students learn the standard.
It is amazing how quickly these students can pick up on technology.
I highly recommend you explore your students wiki work. You can do so by clicking on your student's period below.
Period 2
Period 4
Period 6
Today students finished their examplar assignment. In an exemplar assignment, students are required to state the standard, re state the standard in their own words, create a problem that uses the standard and explain the steps necessary to solve it. Finally, students are adding hyperlinks to other web resources that will help other students learn the standard.
It is amazing how quickly these students can pick up on technology.
I highly recommend you explore your students wiki work. You can do so by clicking on your student's period below.
Period 2
Period 4
Period 6
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Students of the Month: September
It is hard to believe that we are already finished with the first month and a half of school. Students have been working very hard, but there are a few students who have stood out amongst their peers. The following are the students of the month of September:
Period 2/3
Pranavi Yalamanchili
Period 4/5
Jose Palacios
Period 6/7
Austin Kittrell
Congratulations to Pranavi, Jose and Austin. You have been doing great. Keep up the good work.
Period 2/3
Pranavi Yalamanchili
Period 4/5
Jose Palacios
Period 6/7
Austin Kittrell
Congratulations to Pranavi, Jose and Austin. You have been doing great. Keep up the good work.
Update Week of 9/29
Period 2/3
Class is currently working on Standard NS 1.5. This standard requires students to convert from decimal to fraction and fraction to decimal. Early indications show that they will do very well on this standard.
We just started a class wiki. This will allow students to collaborate on projects and create a class "toolkit" , if you will.
Period 4/5
We recently took a post test on standard 6.0. This standard involves finding x and y intercepts and graphing linear equations as well as inequalities. The class average on the pre test was just over 70%. The post test average was well over 80%. They are showing growth but need to improve confidence which seems to be linked to motivation.
Period 6/7
Class is doing great. They challenge me everyday...I love it! We are currently working on Standard 2.0 which deals with number sense. The tough part of this standard involves the exponent rules...specifically the rational exponents. Encourage your student to explain to you what a rational exponent is.
We have created a class wiki. Students are currently working on a project for standard 4.0. The wiki is a website that students can edit. At the end of the year, we will have a product that was created by everyone. It is pretty exciting.
Class is currently working on Standard NS 1.5. This standard requires students to convert from decimal to fraction and fraction to decimal. Early indications show that they will do very well on this standard.
We just started a class wiki. This will allow students to collaborate on projects and create a class "toolkit" , if you will.
Period 4/5
We recently took a post test on standard 6.0. This standard involves finding x and y intercepts and graphing linear equations as well as inequalities. The class average on the pre test was just over 70%. The post test average was well over 80%. They are showing growth but need to improve confidence which seems to be linked to motivation.
Period 6/7
Class is doing great. They challenge me everyday...I love it! We are currently working on Standard 2.0 which deals with number sense. The tough part of this standard involves the exponent rules...specifically the rational exponents. Encourage your student to explain to you what a rational exponent is.
We have created a class wiki. Students are currently working on a project for standard 4.0. The wiki is a website that students can edit. At the end of the year, we will have a product that was created by everyone. It is pretty exciting.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Update Week of 9/22
Progress reports have been mailed home and some of you may have questions. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.
Period 2,3
The 7th grade class is doing very well. We are currently working on NS 1.2. This standard encompasses many skills involving numbers. Students will need to know everything from addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of integers and fractions to exponents. Take a look at the NS 1.2 worksheet that they have completed.
In algebra we are working on solving equations. We started out with simple one step equations and are now working on solving equations that require multiple steps. Check the website for examples.
How can you help at home? Ask your student to explain each step when they solve an equation. They should be able to tell you if they used the distributive property, combined like terms or used one of the four properties of equality.
Period 4,5
We are currently working on graphing linear equations using the x and y intercepts (Standard 6.0) and will soon be exploring the different forms of linear equations (Standard 7.0). Ask your student to explain to you how they can find the x and y intercepts of a graph. The more questions you ask them at home, the more prepared they can be when they come to class. Don't worry if you don't remember how to do the work...just ask them to explain what they are doing.
Period 6,7
Students have been doing very well with their algebra standards. We will be taking a pre test on Standard 6.0 today! This standard covers graphing linear equations and inequalities by looking at the x and y intercepts.
In geometry, we are learning how to test the validity of an argument and justify our steps. We have spent a couple of days on conditional statements and how changing the statement around changes the meaning. Ask your student to explain the laws of detachment and syllogism.
Period 2,3
The 7th grade class is doing very well. We are currently working on NS 1.2. This standard encompasses many skills involving numbers. Students will need to know everything from addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of integers and fractions to exponents. Take a look at the NS 1.2 worksheet that they have completed.
In algebra we are working on solving equations. We started out with simple one step equations and are now working on solving equations that require multiple steps. Check the website for examples.
How can you help at home? Ask your student to explain each step when they solve an equation. They should be able to tell you if they used the distributive property, combined like terms or used one of the four properties of equality.
Period 4,5
We are currently working on graphing linear equations using the x and y intercepts (Standard 6.0) and will soon be exploring the different forms of linear equations (Standard 7.0). Ask your student to explain to you how they can find the x and y intercepts of a graph. The more questions you ask them at home, the more prepared they can be when they come to class. Don't worry if you don't remember how to do the work...just ask them to explain what they are doing.
Period 6,7
Students have been doing very well with their algebra standards. We will be taking a pre test on Standard 6.0 today! This standard covers graphing linear equations and inequalities by looking at the x and y intercepts.
In geometry, we are learning how to test the validity of an argument and justify our steps. We have spent a couple of days on conditional statements and how changing the statement around changes the meaning. Ask your student to explain the laws of detachment and syllogism.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Back to School Night
Thank you all for attending Back to School Night. I wish we would have had more time to talk. I am sure that some of you may have questions about your student. Feel free to contact me via email or leave a message with the office and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you again for all of your support.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Thank you for your comments!
I really appreciate all of you who took time out of your hectic schedules to leave comments and/or post your email addresses. The email addresses will be entered into Aeries which will make it that much easier to send communications home. I don't know about you, but it seems that email is a much more convenient way of communication. I realize that there will be times when correspondence will have to be sent home by way of an actual handout. However, things like email, websites and blogs make communication that much easier.
There were two concerns that were raised in the comments that I feel I sould address.
1. What if a student doesn't have access to a computer and/or printer?
I have spoken to all of my classes about this. I realize that not everyone has access. I also realize that there are times when access is interrupted or the computer simply "doesn't work." In these cases, students are free to use the school computers before school, lunch and after school. They can usually print the pages that they need in the library. I am not assigning all of their homework on the web, I am simply making it accessible.
2. Leaving email addresses on a blog makes them public.
I completely agree with this concern. All of your email addresses will be deleted as soon as possible. If you have any other concerns, feel free to email me or leave a comment on the blog.
I plan to update once every week or so. Feel free to continue commenting; it helps keep me informed regarding the effectiveness of the communication.
Thanks again for all of you comments and encouragements.
There were two concerns that were raised in the comments that I feel I sould address.
1. What if a student doesn't have access to a computer and/or printer?
I have spoken to all of my classes about this. I realize that not everyone has access. I also realize that there are times when access is interrupted or the computer simply "doesn't work." In these cases, students are free to use the school computers before school, lunch and after school. They can usually print the pages that they need in the library. I am not assigning all of their homework on the web, I am simply making it accessible.
2. Leaving email addresses on a blog makes them public.
I completely agree with this concern. All of your email addresses will be deleted as soon as possible. If you have any other concerns, feel free to email me or leave a comment on the blog.
I plan to update once every week or so. Feel free to continue commenting; it helps keep me informed regarding the effectiveness of the communication.
Thanks again for all of you comments and encouragements.
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