The Last Post of 2008!

Today, as I suspected, it was incredibly hard to stay focused. The
last day of math class for 2008. We played our stand up/sit down
game... with our multiplication facts! (And we need some more
practice!!!)

Yesterday we processed our days with the computers and Excel and the
kids practiced some multiplying and dividing decimal problems.

As a heads up, we'll come back from break, pick up where we left off
with decimals and soon thereafter it will be test time. If the spirit
so moves you, you can totally practice some decimal work over the
break! Check out: http://www.cfsnc.org/units/MS/math/summer/

See you in 2009!

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Wrapping up our Excel work

I just can't tell you how cool it has been to watch your children lay with and in Excel...  They've definitely got some of the basics down, which of course is just scratching the surface of what Excel can really do!

Today we talked about computing percent and finding the grand total.  And we printed out all of their work.  Who knows... maybe we'll find ourselves back in touch with these computers soon... :)  NO homework!

Excel Excitement!

Today we rocked and rolled some more with Excel up in the Mac Lab (as promised).  We reviewed using the SUM formula, learned more about the AVERAGE formula and the kids began creating a spreadsheet that we're going to use tomorrow to compute tax and tip.  Onward! (No homework.)

EXCEL!!!

Today we used the Mobile Mac Lab... for the first time! Yippee!

After washing our hands, handed out the computers, logged on, and hit up Excel.  Today was mainly an introductory tutorial to Excel... learning how to get around, what a cell is, and basic formulas.  For data, we created a table of our ages and found the sum of our ages and the average age of the class (throwing my age in there threw things off a bit ;).  We had so much fun, we're going to keep at it next week!

No homework!

Making computers do some work!

After our warm up (which took some time :)) we played around with using Excel to help us compute some of our sales tax and discounts.  We're going to do more of this tomorrow in class with the Mac Lab.  The kids do have some homework, though--6 decimal division problems--and the answers are already posted below. :)

HW

#s 1-6 HW Answers

1. 3.75
2. 1.96
3. 4.02
4. 27.5
5. 0.132
6. 0.411

HW

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Dividing Decimals...

Today after our warm up and checking homework, we took some quick notes on dividing decimals (see pics below).  The kids DO have homework--three problems that were written up on the board and are posted below. :)  Answers to those problems have also been posted... but I want to see their work!

HW Answers

(see the picture below)

1) 243

2) 8.1

3) 0.5

Ex 1-2

Ex 3-4

HW

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Almost forgot!

I almost forgot!

Today was our first day using a seating chart.  I told/asked the kids about this yesterday and told them that I had been considering it for sometime now and that I was committed to sitting down and completing one.  And I have to tell you... in the first 3 minutes of class I noticed a difference.  Whoohoo!  This is a pseudo-action research project for me... so things make continue to shift around, but as of right now, things seem pretty settled and the seats seem to be working.

Sales Tax and Tipping

One of the easiest (and most applicable) conversations to have when learning more about multiplying decimals is about sales tax and tipping.  Today, we (for real) did just that.  (I say for real because we actually took notes on it today... not just mentioned it in the abstract.)  You'll see pictures of the notes below.

Using the standard 7% sales tax, and a conversation about "socially acceptable" tipping, your children should now be armed to compute an entire dinner check in a snap!  (With or without a calculator!)

In addition to the notes, your children have homework -- eight problems on solely multiplying decimals.  I've posted the answers here below... they can get quite tricky and I want them to have something to check their work with!

1. 106.26

2. 0.3095

3. 596.44

4. 0.08536

5. 3.4595

6. 0.5364

7. 0.3984

8. 118.72

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Sales tax

Tipping

Oh where, oh where has Matthew been?

You may (or may not!) have been wondering about my whereabouts considering my lack of posting on the blog. :)

Last week was an incredibly full week--just beside myself busy.  You all know how that feels!

And to add to the mayhem, I was away at the North Carolina Educational Technology Conference in Greensboro on Wednesday and Thursday.  I cannot express to you what an amazing conference this is... you'll have to check out their website and read some of the session descriptions.  This trimester I am actually considered as part of the "admin" staff in the middle school--and my focus is technology.  I am blessed with the gift of time in the afternoons to learn about and offer workshops for other middle school staff members on technology.  This conference was a way for me to keep my thumb on the pulse of what's happening.  The newest buzz in the educational technology world?  GoogleDocs. :)  You should check it out if you've got some time. 

Anyways, last week your children worked heavily on place value of decimals, adding & subtracting decimals, and multiplying decimals.  The latter they actually worked on with Lisa Ray, parent of a CFS students, while I was at the conference.  Lisa helped introduce the kids to sales tax and tipping which has launched us into a conversation about percentages and world currencies.  Exciting stuff!

This week will see a move to dividing decimals... and onto our test next week before break on all of the decimal stuff we've done.

Whew!  Enjoy and have a lovely evening!

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Reminder!

HE

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Accurate vs Precise

The rule to rounding

Whole numbers and tenths

Rounding Practice Problems

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Can you make change?

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Can You Make Change?

Today we talked about money!  Well, making change in particular.  We only began our discussion today... we'll continue it on Monday when we return.

Have a great break!

Adding/Subtracting Decimals

Today we just spent some time practicing adding and subtracting decimals.  They needed to complete Adding - EVEN and Subtracting - ODD.  Whatever they didn't finish in class, I'd like them to complete for homework.

Can you say those decimals?

Man, did we have fun today!

We started with a warm up on comparing and ordering decimals.

And then we checked our homework...

And then we played a game!

Today focused primarily on SAYING all of those numbers correctly, without hesitation.

For example, to avoid any confusion, to say the following it goes like this:

42.847 = forty-two AND eight hundred forty-seven thousandths

Note that the AND is what you would use to denote the decimal, not "point" -- I was corrected a few years ago and now I make sure to teach the AND to my kids!

I'll have you know that they did magnificently!  Have a great weekend!

Answers to HW

Decimals!

First I must apologize for not posting yesterday. (And not just not on-time... not at all!) So this post will cover yesterday and today.

We've wrapped up fractions and we are totally in Decimal-land!!  We've processed our tests, done corrections, and we're rolling up our sleeves in our next unit.

Yesterday and today have all been about review... and man have we taken some notes!  You'll see pictures of all of them below.

Tonight they will have a sheet for homework called #80 First Decimal HW -- on place value and comparing decimals.  We'll check that tomorrow, as well as wrap up all of our more "review" skills. :)

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ALL the notes

Exs 1-2

Exs 3-4

Decimals Notes

Line up the decimals!

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Getting on the same page

Getting back on the same page...

Today we just needed to all get back on the same page.  I took up their Decimal work from yesterday (yes! we're on to decimals!), and we went over the transition from Trimester 1 to Trimester 2... and a new, NEON green Checklist!

Plus, and probably the most exciting, the kids got their Fractions test back today and their homework was to make corrections to the questions that they missed on a separate sheet of paper.  Close to half of the kids made their corrections and won't have any homework tonight.

Test Day!

Today we took our test on Fractions!  The kids will get this feedback on Monday--and you will see it on their first trimester evaluation.  Enjoy the weekend!

Borrowing, borrowing!

Today was just a practice day... borrowing from one fraction and then another. :)

Homework was just to finish the SIDE of the sheet they were working on.

Test Tomorrow!!

Tomorrow we will have our Fractions test!

Today?  We checked our reviews.

If you've been wondering about using some practice problems, check out our online (summer) review packet at http://www.cfsnc.org/units/MS/math/summer/m6.html -- it's a great place to start.

Or you can make your own at: http://www.aplusmath.com/Worksheets/Fractions.html or http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/fraction/

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Fractions Skills Check-in

Hey all--

Late post on the Fraction Skills Check-in sheet.  I've just posted it on my wiki: http://cfsmatthew.wikispaces.com/classdocs

Now, it's not as good as the real thing (the REAL thing has examples on it! :)) -- but it's better than nothing and should help you know what's coming on this next test (Wednesday).

Gettin' Ready for the Test!

Today, after another confusing warm up, the kids were asked to complete two tasks:

(1) Continue working on their review WHILE updated their Fraction skills check-in sheet

and

(2) Cleaning up/organizing their notebooks.

They could choose to work on either one, knowing that BOTH must be completed when they walk in the door tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will review... Wednesday is the test and notebook check!  I'll post a list of skills this evening (most likely late evening).

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Week overview

Those stinking borrowing fractions...

After our warm up we took more notes today, trying to wrap our minds around this idea of borrowing from the whole number to solve subtracting fractions problems.  Most of us are on the way there, or there already--but there are some who have lost their map, compass, and shoes.  We're working on it. :)

No homework over the weekend.

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Borrowing notes

Borrowing ex 1

Ex 1 answer

Ex 2

Checking In

We used part of our time together today to check in skill-wise on fractions.  The kids completed a rubric of sorts that let them plot where THEY felt they were with regards to mastering the skills for the fraction unit.

Afterwards, they began working on a review that they SHOULD NOT work on tonight that we'll continue to work on in class tomorrow.  Fractions final coming soon!

Election Math!

Many of you may not know that while I am trained as a math teacher, I am also trained as a social studies and language arts teacher -- and I could not pass up the opportunity to use today's election to talk about the electoral college and the math behind the elections.

The highlights of today were talking about the ins and outs of the electoral college and playing with the electoral map of the United States.  Here are some websites that we used:

• 2008 Electoral College Ball... Go Team! (a blog by a dad!)
• The New York Times Interactive Map

Tonight's homework is to pay attention to one of the most important events in your child's life thus far!

All Operations with Fractions!

Today we processed my absence and all the work they did, and review all that they know now... they know how to do all of the operations with Fractions!  How cool is that?

Now, its just time to fine tune. :)

For homework, I asked the kids to finish the Dividing Fractions work that they were working on during class on Friday.

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Operations chart

What's Up with Matthew not posting??

Well, I'm typing this post from the eighth floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Denver, Colorado where I'm busy preparing for two presentations that I will be leading with Toni at the National Middle School Association's Annual Conference.  And, as you can imagine, it took quite a bit to pull everything together to leave this morning!

So, for the last few days, you've seen tons of pictures pop up on here without any explanation as to what we've been doing!  Ha!

Well, overall, the kids and I have been engaged in a conversation about multiplying and dividing mixed fractions--in fact, that's what they'll be working on while I'm gone.  When I return, obviously, expect much more detailed blogs updating you on all I've learned and what's on the horizon for Math 6.

Have a great weekend!

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Fractions, comparing

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Mult mixed numbers steps

Ex 1

Ex 2

Ex 4

Ex 3

What happened to our brains??

Today we discovered something anew about being away from each other for so long... sometimes we forget things!  So today was all about, YES, you actually DO remember how to multiply fractions! Ha!  No homework tonight but lots of practice coming tomorrow. :)

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