Math Is... Beautiful...

I have taught the Theodorus Wheel Project for three years now, and I have never seen the quality of work that I saw this year! The work of these children was so outstanding, I just had to share it! For those who don't know, the Wheel is another way of teaching the concept that irrational numbers can be found on a number line. What we did was start by making an equilateral right triangle (both legs were an inch long). We then found the length of the hyponenuse of this triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem. then we made another right triangle using the hypotenuse from the first right triangle and another 1-inch leg. We found the next hypotenuse and repeated the procedure. After every triangle we drew, we used a compass to draw an arc back to our initial number line. Where the arc touched the number line showed where that irrational number falls on a number line. The interesting thing is that as we continued this procedure, a visual and numerical pattern emerged, like a spiral staircase. The task I gave the students was to keep drawing triangles until they got all the way back around to the number line, and then to create a new picture from the design they saw. Like I said, they did a fantastic job applying this concept. But, the pictures are above. You can see it for yourself!

This week, we will start working on the first of our algebra concepts, solving equations in one variable. We are getting closer and closer to the CRCT with each passing day. You should know that ALGEBRA makes up about 50% of the items covered on the test, so let's work hard going forward, guys! See ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

The Big Wheel Keeps On Turnin'...

Hi guys! I know you are enjoying your time off (I certainly am!) but I thought I would go ahead and recap the past week and let you all know what we will be doing when we return from the break.

As I said in the last post, I was somewhat disappointed in the test scores for my Pythagorean Theorem Test when I administered it on November 13th. So we reviewed that test this past Monday and I gave a retest on Tuesday. We did better (an average of 4 more questions right than we did the first time, for an average increase in score of about 14 points), but we could have done even better than that. On the plus side, I had a lot more "A's" than I have had in recent memory, and we welcomed FOUR new members of the 100 club (J. Ware, D. Franklin, A. Rudd, and B. Spikes)! Congratulations!

After the test, we spent the rest of the week working on the Theordorus Wheel Project. This is a combination of art and mathematics, where the students make a series of right triangles that rotate around a single point. This project also illustrates where irrational numbers fall on a number line. The first triangle you drew was an equilateral right triangle (both legs are 1 inch long), but after that, one of the legs gets longer and longer. The effect looks like a spiral staircase if you are looking straight down on it. Several of you are in different stages of completing the wheel, but remember, you must have a minimum of SEVEN triangles with SEVEN math problems on the back of your sheet and SEVEN properly drawn arcs in order to get a minimum passing grade. To get a "B", the "wheel" must make one complete revolution, and you need a matching number of math problems on the back of your paper as the number of triangles it takes to get your wheel all the way around. If you want an "A", the wheel must be colored in, and if you want an "A+", you will make your wheel a part of a larger picture that you draw in. Remember that this project is worth TWO test grades, so this is your opportunity to make or break your grade in my class.

When the week ended, we weren't quite finished with the wheels, so Monday of next week will be dedicated to getting the work finished. Tuesday is the deadline to get this work completed. The best wheels will be laminated and posted outside my classroom for all the other students to see! After that we will begin our preliminary efforts in algebra, looking at solving equations in one variable. Remember that when we get back, there are only three more weeks remaining until the Christmas Break. That's three more weeks to get your grades up as high as you want them to be. Let's get after it, Knights! Let me add that this week, you may go to http://www.myskillstutor.com/ and start working on the concepts we have taught thus far that you may have been having trouble on. Your user name is your GTID number, and you know your password. Remember the site name is ecma01. Let me know if you have any questions. I hope you and your families have a blessed, safe and truly wonderful Thanksgiving! Have a LOT of fun and be ready to get back to work on next Monday. Until then, see ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Getting RIGHT with TRIANGLES

Last week, we got more into our study of right triangles. We learned that the Pythagorean Theorem is used to find the missing length of a side of a right triangle. If you have to find the length of one of the legs, you have to turn the Pythagorean Theorem into a subtraction problem, but if you are finding the length of the hypotenuse, you use the Theorem in its original form. Remember to take the square root of the sum or difference! If the radical is not a perfect square, you must attempt to simplify it! We have been using our "bullets" (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 10) for some time now, but we have also introduced our "small squares" (4, 9, 16, and 25) in our attempts to simplify the radicals we have been coming up with. You use the small squares after you have gone through all the bullets. Remember also, that when you are simplifying radicals, your goal is to pull the greatest perfect square out of the radical you are simplifying, take the square root of that perfect square, and express your answer as a multiplication problem of the square root and the bullet you used (now expressed as a radical). For example, the "square root of 75" is not a perfect square, so it must be simplified. 75 is the product of 25 x 3, so you would change the radical to "the square root of 25 x 3". Then you give each factor its own radical, and the problem becomes "the square root of 25 times the square root of 3". Then you take the square root of 25 (when you use it, you lose it!), and your answer (the simplified form) is "5 times the square root of 3".

In addition to all that, we reviewed the concept that the interior angles of any triangle always add up to 180 degrees. This is important because if the measure of any of the angles is missing, you can find what it is by simply adding the other two angles and then subtracting the sum from 180. In the case of right triangles, it's even simpler! Since a right triangle has one 90 degree angle, the other two angles have to add up to 90. So to find the missing angle in a RIGHT triangle, you just take the measure of the acute angle that you see and subtract it from 90, and that will give you your missing measure! (See how much stuff we did last week?)

The week culminated with a test, and I must say that we as a team did not do as well as I would have liked, so we will be working more on these concepts on Monday, and for those who wish to do so, I will have a retest on Tuesday. THEN we will begin one of my FAVORITE projects in the 8th Grade curriculum, the THEODORUS WHEEL! Wait until you see it (and create one of your own!)! It is SO cool, and it will help you understand the concept of irrational numbers even better than you do now. So, until next week, see you in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

Triangulating Pythagorus

Hey guys, another week has come and gone! Doesn't it seem like the year is just flying by?

This past week, we moved from working exclusively on radicals to the Pythagorean Theorem, where we will be for the next few days. This theorem was named after the mathematician who first formulated it, Pythagorus. He correctly surmised that the sum of the squares of the legs of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse. In other words, as we say the formula in class, "a squared plus b squared equals c squared". You can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the missing length of any side of a right triangle. I want to reiterate that the Pythagorean Theorem only applies to right triangles. It doesn't work with the other kinds of triangles.

While we were working on the Pythagorean Theorem, we did take a day to review the other types of triangles (obtuse, acute and equilateral) in teaching the fact that the sum of the interior angles in any triangle is 180 degrees. This is useful information because if you don't know the measure of one of the angles, you can easily find it by adding up the measures of the other two angles and subtracting from 180. In the case of a right triangle, you have to remember that the other two angles add up to 90 degrees, since a right triangle already has one 90-degree angle. So if it's a right triangle, all you have to do is subtact the missing angle from 90.

Besides this new information, we continue to review all that we have learned about probability, outcomes, exponents, and radicals. I'm repeating again, for the benefit of you who read this blog regularly, that there WILL be a test coming up this week (Friday the 13th!) on everything that we have covered up to this point, so start studying now so you will be ready for it. This coming week, in fact, will be about reviewing for this test. Remember that tests count for 40% of the overall grade, and the better you do on your homework, classwork, and quizzes, the better you will do on the tests!

As a final note, this Wednesday is Veteran's Day, and there will be no school on that day. While I know you are glad about that, you should know that this holiday holds a particularly special meaning for most of your teachers on Team 801. Mr. Shelton and I are veterans of the US Army. Mrs. Jones, your reading teacher, served in the US Navy, along with her husband, who teaches Naval JROTC for Central High School in Phenix City. Mrs. Tolbert is a veteran of the US Air Force. Mrs. Myers' husband is currently serving in the US Army as a Lieutenant Colonel (he's a high-ranking officer). Since I went to West Point, ALL of the young men and women with whom I went to school have served in the Army, and several hundred of them are still in uniform. The men and women who wear the uniform have given up a lot so that you and I can live in the freedom and comfort that we do. While you are enjoying your day off on Wednesday, be sure to think about them, and if you get the chance, thank one of them for what they do for us. I know that a lot of you have parents who are serving in the Army, so when you get a chance to see them, Wednesday is an opportunity for them to get an extra-big hug from you. Believe me, they will appreciate it.

Well, that's all I have for now. As always, I'll see you in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

By the way, Congratulations to Mrs. Myers for being named Teacher of the Year for East Columbus for the 2009-2010 School Year!!!

RADICAL Mathematics!

What a week we had last week! I think that this was the most challenging week of instruction we have had so far this year, but I am confident that you all will learn the concepts we have taught, as long as we keep practicing and working at it! This past week, we learned how to simply radicals that are not perfect squares, and how to add and subtract, and multiply and divide, expressions which contain radicals in them. Remember, when you are simplifying radicals, you are not trying to put things together, you're trying to take things apart. There is a perfect square in the radical you are simplifying, and your job is to find it and bring it out so that the radical is simplified into a smaller form. Remember also that when adding or subtracting radicals, the key thing is for the radicals to match. If they don't match, you have to simplify the radicals first so that they DO match, and THEN you can add or subtract the numbers in front of the radicals. Multiplying and dividing the radicals is a different matter, though. All you have to remember there is "Inside Inside, Outside Outside". That means multiply or divide everything OUTSIDE the radical with everything OUTSIDE the radicals, and everything INSIDE the radicals with everything INSIDE the radicals. Then simplify the radical if you have to. Parents, I know this might sound a bit confusing, but if you ask your children to show you the notes I have had them copy and have given them, it may just clear up the confusion a bit. I know this concept has been challenging this week, but I assure you, we are not done working on this standard. We will keep practicing at it.

Now coming up this week, we will be working on the Pythagorean Theorem. Now before you go tying your tongue up in a knot trying to pronounce those big words, I'll make it simple for you: this week we are going to start working on right triangles! We will be working on finding the lengths of the sides and the interior angles of these triangles, based on information that we have been given beforehand. The tool we will use to get these answers is the Pythagorean Theorem. If I've peaked your curiousity, but you still have no idea what I'm talking about, come see me in class and I'll show you. Parents, while I'm on this point, I would like to appeal to you to make sure your children are in school and on time. That way, they won't fall too far behind if they miss anything. I'm not advocating that you come to school when you are sick or anything like that! I'm just saying that I can't teach you if you are not here, and I miss you when you're gone! So with that, I'll see ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

Of squares and roots...

Another week has come and gone, and I'm sure you all enjoyed this past week, if for nothing else because it was a SHORT one! To recap, last week, we got more into our study of squares and square roots. I taught you all the following points: every positive number has two square roots, a positive one and a negative one. Secondly, I taught you three situations that you would see which would require you to simplify square roots. We also continued to work on and study exponents, scientific notation, and all the standards in probability which we studied before we got into square roots. The week culminated with Test-takin' Thursday (I didn't know that all of my colleagues had also scheduled tests for that day, but I'm sure you all did fine).

This week, we will learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide expressions which have square roots, and then we will get into our next GPS Task for this nine weeks, exploring what we have learned about exponential powers of 10. See ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!

We're Baaaaack!

Hey guys, sorry it's been a minute since I last posted. I get home and my weekends get so busy that I sometimes run out of time to recap and preview on the weekends. That's why I am doing this posting now, before I even leave the school!

This past week, we left our study of scientific notation and turned our attention to square roots. To recap, scientific notation is a shorter way of writing very LARGE or very small numbers. You do so by writing a factor (a number) that is greater than or equal to 1 but less than ten, and then multiplying it by power of 10. The key thing to remember is that the exponent of that power of 10 does NOT signify how many zeroes are in front of or behind the numbers. The exponent ONLY means how many times you have to MOVE THE DECIMAL. Remember also that you DO have to move the decimal, or you have not truly rendered the number in scientific notation. If you need to review this a little more, come see me after school on Wednesday of next week.

From scientific notation, we moved into the beginning of our study of radicals and square roots. Again, let me clear up a common mistake: the square root of a number is NOT just taking it and trying to cut it in half. You have to ask yourself, "What number can I multiply BY ITSELF to get the number under the radical?" For example, the square roots of 25 are 5 and -5, because 5 x 5 = 25 and (-5) x (-5) = 25. Remember that when you see the radicand sign, you are only supposed to name the POSITIVE square root of the number. We spent a little time having you all make a chart of your perfect squares and square roots all the way out to the number 25. Make sure you don't lose that chart! You will need it for some time to come! One last review point I want to make here: remember that the square root of a perfect square is the length of one side of the square. This information will come in handy for you later on in the year.

Next week, we will pick up where we left off. We'll learn how to find radicals on a number line, how to simplify expressions that have radicals, and how to add and subtract radical expressions. This is where the school year gets REALLY interesting, so make sure you are here to get in on all the fun! See ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

Wow, What a Week...

This past week was very hectic! We learned many things about exponents, but a lot of other stuff was going on as well. Nonetheless, I'm just going to review what we taught in my classroom. Exponents are a shorter way of showing repeated multiplication. When an expression is written in exponential form, it is shown with a base and an exponent. The exponent tells you how many times to multiply the base by itself. So, if you saw "four to the third power", the base would be four (that's the big number) and the exponent would be three (that's the small number above the base and to the right). That would tell you to multiply four by itself three times, as in 4 x 4 x 4, which would be 64. Get it?

After we got a good understanding of how exponents work, we taught on the properties of exponents. There are several that we covered. Whenever the exponent is 0, the answer is always 1, regardless of what the base is. If the exponent is negative, you have to take the reciprocal of the base before you evaluate it. When you are multiplying expressions that have exponents, if the bases are the same, you keep the base and add the exponents. Conversely, if you are dividing expressions which have exponents and the bases are the same, you keep the base and subtract the exponents. When you are raising a power to a power (we call that "power power"), you will see one base with two exponents, one exponent will be in the parentheses with the base and the other will be outside the parentheses. In this case, you keep the base and multiply the exponents. And if you see a product (or more than one thing) in the parentheses and an exponent outside the parentheses, you distribute the exponent among everything inside the parentheses. Whew! That's a lot of stuff we covered last week, isn't it? At any rate, all that stuff we covered is setting us up for what we will do next week, which will be....

... covered when I do my next post tomorrow! See you then!

Thinking Exponentially...

Coming up this week, we will continue to study exponents. Our intent will be to study the properties that govern exponents, specifically what you are supposed to do when you are multiplying or dividing exponents, raising a power to a power, and what you have to do when the exponent is negative or 0. I'm looking forward to working with you this week! See you in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!

Proceeding Exponentially...

This past week, we took a moment to review the test I gave before last week, on which most of the team did not do well. However, after I gave the entire team a retest (on Tuesday), I saw an average gain of 20 points team-wide, and we got another member of the 100 Club! Great job guys, and congratulations to the latest of my students who have reached the highest standard of excellence!

The rest of the week, we reviewed how to add, subtract, multiply and divide integers, and we also began a review of/new instruction in how to multiply exponents. I also began pushing my gifted and magnet students to do more challenging work and complete the harder assignments.

To all of you, I would remind you again, that you MUST read and study your notes if you wish to achieve success in my class. You can do it if you really want to! I know you can! Still, I am very happy to be your teacher, and overall, you guys are doing great! Let's keep pushing to get better and better! I hope to remember to do my next post tomorrow! (sheepish grin)

The Week That Was...

Hi guys! I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

This past week, we wrapped up our study of probability by discussing whether games can be FAIR or not. For the record, the fairness of games does pertain to the study of probability and outcomes because if the same rewards and consequences do not apply to all the participants of a game, then the game is not fair. We then took another test on this issue,... and the test scores were NOT what I was looking for! I have to admonish and advise you all to really STUDY YOUR NOTES FOR THE TESTS! I am working to put you ALL in a position to succeed! I need for you all to really try to do your part! I'm here with you and for you and we WILL get it done!

OK, that's going to do it for now! I'll post again tomorrow!

Coming up this week...

Hi guys, sorry I'm late, but I'm tired from a long college football weekend! I know you all enjoyed yourselves too!

This week we are going to finish our project "Heads Wins!" We'll do that Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, we will review everything we've studied about probability and finding the number of outcomes, and then on Thursday, we will take our second test of the year. On Friday, we will be in the Computer Lab all day to take our first STAR Math Assessments.

By the way, for those of you who failed the first test of the year, you will be able to take your retests this week. It's important that you are prepared and that you study for tests count for 40% of the grade in my class! I'm giving you every chance and opportunity to succeed! Take advantage of it! See ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!

Short Week This Week!

Hope you all have had a wonderful three-day weekend! You already know how mine has been going. As of this post, I got one of my chores done. In this weather, I'm debating whether or not to go get some "grillage" for my new propane grill. If I do get anything today, it'll just be hamburgers, hot dogs, and, of course, BRATWURST! You haven't grilled until you have cooked a Johnsonville Brat. You just have NOT...

(sigh)

Anyway, besides trying to decide whether or not to grill, I have to finish up grading your papers and doing your journals, and then we'll get ready for next week. And speaking of next week, here's what's coming up...

We've studied probability for four weeks now, and now it's time for us to show what we know. There are two projects coming up: Mrs. Love's Children will allow you to demonstrate your ability to create and list a sample space, and articulate your arguments for the number of outcomes available in this project. Heads Wins! will allow you to show whether a potential game is fair in terms of possibly winning to everyone who chooses to play it. We will start these two projects this week, and finalize our study of permutations and combinations. Also, be advised that your first schoolwide progress reports come out THIS week! That means you have about four weeks left to get your grades up to the point where you want them. I want to see everyone get an 'A'! Is that what you want?

See you in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!

Week In Review, Week 4

Hi guys! Sorry I'm late in posting this time, but it's been a bittersweet day. I went to a funeral this morning, and came back home to see my beloved Georgia Bulldogs start out great but end up sputtering and falling to Oklahoma State, 24-10. But as of this post, MY college team, Army, is currently leading Eastern Michigan by almost two touchdowns! So it might not be a total loss after all!

At any rate, let's get to the week in review! We continued our study of simple probability, compound independent events, and we began studying permutations, combinations and factorials in earnest. To review, a factorial is the product of all the numbers from a given number down to 1. For example, 6! (the exclamation point means "factorial") is 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1, which equals 720. We use factorials to solve permutations and combinations, just like a carpenter uses a hammer to drive a nail. We'll get more into these concepts next week, just like we will also... wait, that's the post for tomorrow. You'll have to come back then and see what's up for next week!

On this past Thursday, we took our first test of the year. The test was a big momentum changer for a lot of kids on the team. Some who were failing my class (can you believe that anyone would fail MY class?) were passing the class afterwards, because they passed the test! Others who WERE passing my class going into the test are now failing the class because they failed the test! Guys, you have to remember, the tests count for 40% of the grade in my class! I would recommend that even if you don't have any homework, that you still study your notes and go back over what we studied in class. Your level of preparation will impact your chances of success. As always, I will give you a chance to redeem yourself if you failed the test. Remember, if you make an 'F', don't TAKE an 'F'. I will let you know when and how you can retake the test if you failed it next week.

So that's it for now! My next update comes either tomorrow or Monday, since we have the three day weekend! Keep checking back for updates! I hope you all have a great weekend! I'll probably fire up my new grill on Monday! See you all soon!

Coming UP Next Week!...

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

First off, I will be out of the classroom on Monday, Aug. 31. Mr. Walker will be your substitute teacher. I will leave some work for you all to get done, and I expect you all to be on your best behavior! I know you will make me proud!

Now, what will we be working on this week? Well, for starters, we will continue to learn what we got started on Friday, factorials. We will also learn what permutations and combinations are, and how we use them. We will finish the projects we started to make your own probability problems for your neighbors to solve, and some of them will be posted up on the walls. Then we will take the first test of the year for my class on Thursday, Sept. 3rd. Make sure you are studying your notes! On Friday, Sept. 4th, we will begin our next project, "Mrs. Love's Children". Make sure you are in class and on time to get the full benefit of the instruction.

By the way, while I have you here, let me take a moment to encourage you to do your homework, turn in your homework, and if you should get a grade below 70, go ahead and fix your errors and get the corrected work back to me. DO NOT be willing to accept failure if you don't have to (and trust me, you DON'T HAVE TO!). If you don't turn in your homework, those NTI's (Work that has NOT been TURNED IN) will drag your grades down. You all are way too smart to allow that to happen. Get with me for the help you need, and get this work done! I want to see you all achieve at the highest levels, and this is my goal for the year. Let's get it done together! See ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

Open House Pt. 2/Week 3 In Review

We have completed our third full week of school! Where does the time go? I apologize for the late post, but I was at the Carver-Spencer game last night! I saw many of my students there, past and present! For those of you who didn't go, Carver won, 34-6. I guess Spencer got a moral victory of sorts, though; they scored a touchdown on offense against the Tigers for the first time in three years! The halftime show was entertaining, as both bands did a tribute to Michael Jackson. The Carver band ended their show with the dance to "Thriller", while the Spencer band capped off theirs with the dance from "Beat It." I think the tradition continues of Carver winning the game and Spencer winning the halftime, but conspiracy theories abound! Who was spying/copycatting on whom? Let the debate begin! At any rate...

I made a slideshow of pictures I took from the Open House this past Thursday (Mr. Shelton took the shots with me in the photos). I hope you enjoy them! The school was PACKED with parents, teachers, and students. I think it was the largest crowd for an Open House that I can remember. Such parental support is truly fantastic, and I cannot thank you parents who came out enough for being there with us that night.

As for my class, this past week we focused on two aspects of the standards we are covering. I noticed that my children were facing a challenge in remembering the differences in finding the number of outcomes related to a given event, and calculating the probabilities of the event happening. They also were still processing the difference between simple events (only one thing is happening) and compound events (more than one thing is happening). When the children see the word "probability", they should remember now that their answer should be in the form of a fraction, decimal or percent (mainly a fraction). If they see the word "outcomes", then their answer should be a whole number, and they should multiply all of the ways to get those outcomes to come up with the solution to the problem. As the week closed, I began to teach them a little about what we will be covering next week, and I challenged them to begin working on their own probability problems, many of which will be on display once they have finished them.

Well, that's all for now! Many thanks to my dear friend and college classmate Lisa Steptoe, for being my inspiration to take all these pictures and make a slideshow out of them!

Open House! (Part 1)

Tonight is the first of our school's PTSA Meetings and Open House! I'm very excited to meet the parents of my children! I'm looking forward to working closely with all of them!

Earlier, I made a post about the fact that this year we are doing much more journaling than we have before. My kids have really begun to get into it (and they are asking for even more feedback than I was giving them before, believe it or not!), and so for tonight, I have included some pictures of the children completing their journals before the end of the period today. You will see some examples of their work on the walls outside my door when you visit!

Look for the recap of tonight's Open House by Saturday!

On Tap for Next Week...

Hi guys! I hope you have had a great weekend! Mine was just fine. I finally got that lawn mowed! LOL!

At any rate, here's what's on tap for next week: as you know, we ended this past week by getting into calculating the probabilities of compound events (that is, more than one event happening). As we enter this week, we will pick up where we left off, and study not only compound independent events but also compound dependent events (by the way, did you know we did a compound dependent event on the very first day of school? Can you think of what it was? Hopefully, by the end of the week, you'll recall what I'm talking about and why it fits this classification, and you'll be able to tell me about it in your journals!)

Also coming up this week, we will get a visit from home! By that I mean our OPEN HOUSE will be this Thursday, August 27th, 2009 from 6 to 7:30 PM. I am very much looking forward to meeting or reconnecting with your parents this Thursday night! I plan to show them my room, my SmartBoard, and my blog. YOU should plan on showing them some of your work, and entries from your journal. One other thing we will do to get ready for their arrival (and to begin something we will do for the rest of the year) is the first of our class projects. Remember when I told you all how you REALLY have learned something? You know you REALLY know something when you can explain it. Another way you know you know something is if you can CREATE something new from that which you know. Well, in that vein, we are going to work to create new simple and compound probability problems for our guests. We will display them on the walls inside and outside my room, and challenge our guests to figure out their solutions. Then, when they are good and stumped, we will explain to them not only the answer, but how to come up with the solution. (Yoda voice) "Easy it will be, my younglings, for know the secret we do..."

"If you remember the rules, see the patterns, and take the steps, you can never get a math problem wrong!" (Bwaannnng)

See ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

A Few More Pictures...

Here are a few more pictures from this past week...

All's Well that Ends Well!

Check out these lovely pictures! Some of you students know that I told you that I had lost my camera, but as you can see, I have these great pictures up here. Wait until you hear THIS story...

As you know, I posted my blog for the week, but I did so with a bit of melancholy, because...

Last night, I went to the 5th Annual Lonnie Jackson Benefit. I'm also serving as the Chair of the Executive Board of CCSC, Inc., a community service organization that was founded by the late Lonnie Jackson. I had been working on getting this benefit together for some time now, and now that the big moment had arrived, I was very excited! I grabbed my digital camera and my lovely wife, and off we went to the big ceremony! It was a great evening, and I grabbed a few pictures to commemorate the event. Then we began to head home. I got my wife into the car, took off my suit coat so I could drive comfortably, put the car in gear and proceeded safely home...

...and forgot that I had left my digital camera sitting on the top of my car! (AGGH!!!)

Needless to say, I was very upset! I had been taking pictures of the kids since the beginning of the year! I had been taking pictures just this week to include in my blog! I had a lot of great images that I was going to save for my end-of-the-year video yearbook! Now the camera was gone! What was I to do?

Well, I first called down to the Convention & Trade Center, to see if anyone there had found my camera. They called me back a few minutes later to tell me that no one HAD found it (Bummer!). So I resolved to leave as soon as I could after school today to try and retrace my steps and see if I could find it. It was still in my camera case, so I was confident that it may not have been badly damaged, but if it fell off in the street, and some car ran over it, not even my case could have protected it. I bet you can imagine the images that thought generated in my mind! (UGH!) At any rate, I said a quick prayer, asking for the grace to find the camera, and went back to teaching my great and wonderful children. I was REALLY bummed, though, because the thought of having to start all over really disturbed me.

So the school day ends, we get all the kids off campus, and it's after 4 PM, so I'm free to go. I gathered all my paperwork together for the weekend, packed my bag into the car, and got ready to pull out of the parking lot. All of a sudden, my cell phone rang. On the other end was a nice lady who had also attended the benefit yesterday evening. She told me that she had tried to call the other members of our organization's leadership, and was also trying to get to me, because she had found a camera in the parking lot, and wondered if someone was out there trying to find it!

(HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY HAPPY HAPPY JOY!!!) Whoo Hoo! You talk about a HAPPY Mr. Armstrong! IwasampedIwasstokedIwasgeekedIwaspumped! O Boy O boy O boy O boy!!! (Can you tell I was happy? LOL)

So the lady tells me where to meet her, and I drive to that location. When she arrived, she gave me my camera (and I gave her a big thankful hug!). And guess what? The camera was undamaged! All the pictures were safely on the memory card! I got my camera back!!!

So, I am now able to do what I wanted to do with my earlier entry this evening. As you know, this week, we studied tree diagrams. As the children learned how to do the diagrams and how they work, I gave them the opportunity to come to the SmartBoard and show me what they were learning. Please enjoy the attached pictures of my children working at the SmartBoard! All is truly well that ends well! See you Sunday night!

Week In Review, Week 2

What a week! This week was full of action and exploration. I began teaching the kids how to do tree diagrams and what they are used for. Tree diagrams are used to list all the possible outcomes of an event. They are very similar to sample spaces (which do the same thing), but the tree diagram shows how the outcomes came to be, whereas the sample space is just the list or number of the outcomes. Furthermore (and this is the key point here), the difference between tree diagrams and sample space is while the tree diagram does show all of the possible outcomes, you don't need the tree diagram to calculate probabilities. On the other hand, you can't calculate a probability without knowing the sample space.

By the way, this week we also studied the Fundamental Counting Principle, which is a faster way to determine outcomes without having to draw a tree diagram. As the week came to a close, we began to study compound independent events, and inclusive events. I like the enthusiasm that I see in my kids! They seem to like being in my class, and I must say, I like having them here! They are a great bunch of children, and I love the fact that so many of them have a real desire to learn. They have taken to the lessons and with the journals in a surprising way!

I'll have the preview of next week's lessons on this blog on Sunday Afternoon! See you then!

Coming Up Next Week...

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. You already KNOW I did. My birthday was so nice, I had to celebrate twice. It was a lot of fun, but I sure was tired by Saturday night! But all good things must come to an end, so it's time to look ahead to the NEXT good thing coming up: another week in my class!

Have you ever been in a restaurant and had so many choices available to you that it made it hard for YOU to choose? Have you ever awakened in the morning and had difficulty deciding what to wear, because of all the options available to you? (Thanks, Mom!) Believe it or not, there is a way to examine this dilemma mathematically: you can do it by the use of tree diagrams.

If you remember our discussion of sample space from last week, you know that the sample space is the list or the number of all possible outcomes. Well, using a tree diagram will also allow you to examine and list all the possible outcomes from all the choices you have available. It allows you to see the outcomes, to count them, to be aware of all the options you have in any given situation. We will study tree diagrams this week, leading us up to one of the next key terms you must know in the study of Data Analysis and Probability: the Fundamental Counting Principle. I'd tell you what that is, too, but why spoil all the fun? Come to class this week and find out for yourself!

See you all in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!

Birthday Hat!

Look what I got for my birthday!

Week 1 - Week In Review

Well, we got through the first week! This is now my third time beginning the school year with classes of 8th Graders at East Columbus, and in many ways, it has been the best. There are some challenges, to be sure, but all in all, I can say that if the rest of the year goes like this week went, we are going to have fun and learn like never before!

For one thing, I've got my SmartBoard up and running! The SmartBoard is a piece of interactive technology that allows you to do everything from running the computer from it to writing on it to using interactive software. As we studied simple probability this week (I'll get to that in a minute), I was delighted to watch my students come up to the Board and spin a spinner or roll dice, simply by touching the Board! And they loved it too! I have known of this technology and have desired to have it for ten years now. To finally have it in my room and be using it is literally a dream come true!

As we have begun the year, I started something else that I had been wanting to do for a while now: journaling. I've kept journals myself for years, but I wanted to have the kids start journalling so that they could put their thoughts on paper as they learned new concepts. The results have been significant, to say the least. I would say that my kids fall into three categories: those who are still trying to write as little as possible, those who know WHAT they want to say but don't know HOW to say it, and those who are not only willing but very able to express themselves in writing. With each of the kids in each of these categories, I would have them write down their impressions of the day's lesson, what they learned, how they felt, etc. I intend for it to be not only a reinforcement of the lessons they are learning, but also a long-running conversation between each of my kids and me all year long. My ultimate goal is to have this journal be a resource for them when they go to high school next year. Their high school teachers will not have the time to review what I have had to teach them, so by writing it all down now, the kids will essentially have me as a "tutor" to remind them of what they learned this year, NEXT year. I thought it would be a great idea, but it has come at a cost: I didn't quite realize the amount of time it would take to read and respond to 85 journals! But I'm making the adjustment. Some of the conversations I have begun with these incredible kids have been truly amazing. I can't wait to see the "finished" product at the end of the year!

As I said earlier, this week, we learned about simple probability. Probability is a number between 0 and 1 which gives the likelihood of an event happening. It can be expressed as a fraction, a decimal, or a percent. This number is found by taking the number of outcomes you are looking for and dividing it by the total number of outcomes there are. We studied this concept and the concept of sample space by exploring my "bag full of...stuff." You'd have to ask my kids about that. I'm sure they would love to tell you about it. What I will say here is, expect much more interactive use of manipulatives as we go through the year.

The week culminated on yesterday, which also happened to be my birthday! My children made it so special for me! They serenaded me with the traditional rendering of "Happy Birthday To You," and followed it up with Stevie Wonder's version of the same! It was a happy day all day yesterday, and I was REALLY keyed up about it even after the school day had ended! I sent the kids home with their first homework assignment; to write in their journals their own summary of what we learned this past week. I can't wait to read their responses on Monday!

Come back tomorrow night for the preview of next week! See you soon!

Now the REAL fun begins...

OK, so we got the first couple of days out of the way, and mostly they were about the classroom rules and procedures. Starting tomorrow, we get to work. The book you were issued on Friday will now be scanned out to you and will be your responsibility for the rest of the year. Look ON MY DOOR before you come to class to see what I want you to have with you when you walk into my room. Be prepared to go to work when you hit the door tomorrow. We will start by getting you acquainted with your textbook. Then, we begin working on our first unit: probability.

I must say, I wish that I had been taught probability back when I learned it (in college) the way you all will learn it here. It would have been much more enjoyable for me. As it is, I hope you will learn how probability helps us plan for the future and anticipate outcomes! The journey of your life begins TOMORROW! Let's go!

P.S. If you don't mind, could you log on and let me know that you are following the blogs? I'd like to know who's out there reading these posts, and while you're at it, if you have a comment or two you'd like to share, by all means, fire away! See ya in the Red Hallway, Knights! 801, SECOND TO NONE!!!

Want Some Extra Credit?

Who couldn't use a few extra credit points here and there, right? Would you like to know how you can receive a few of these points in my class? Well, there are two ways to do it...

First, declare your vision. If you intend to go to college years from now, confirm that intention by bringing in a college pennant that I can put up on the wall. That way, you will see that pennant every day when you come into my classroom and be reminded of the promise you made to yourself. Doing so will add some significant points to your grade later in the semester. Can't find a college pennant? Then while you're here online, find a college's web page (I can't think of any college nowadays which does NOT have a website), and capture their logo or crest. Print that out on a sheet of paper with your vision statement, "I am GOING to college!", and sign it. Then bring your statement to me. Instant points! I'll post your vision to the wall in my classroom, and hopefully, it will help you stay focused and determined to reach that goal.

Secondly, look like where you are going. My hopes and dreams for you are BIG. As such, I would like for you to dress for success at least once a week. Here on Team 801, we dress up on Wednesdays. For the boys, that means long sleeved dress shirts, neckties, dress slacks, and dress shoes. For the girls, it means blouses, skirts (within dress code), dress slacks, and dress shoes (low pumps are preferred; if you wear heels, the heel must be within the dress code. See your student handbook for details). Ladies, for more points, wear a nice tea-length dress or business suit.

Doing these two things will add a point or two to your overall grade, and will confirm that you are on your way to high school and future success! I look forward to seeing how well you all are dressed up on Wednesdays! Look for the pics on this blog as we go through the year!

The First Day...

The first day of school was a blast today! I have another great group of children! When I think of everything I desire to accomplish this year with them, it boggles the mind! Nonetheless, I want to share with you the secret to successful math that I shared with them.

Math is about pattern recognition. In fact, I would submit that math is simply the analysis of patterns and how they work together. Algebra, which is what we will study this year, takes the student outside the most basic and concrete patterns which they have been studying up to this point, and expands their study to identify patterns in the abstract realms. The other thing I like about math is that there is usually only ONE right answer, which, if you follow the rules, you can always find. So, my philosophy regarding math, and the secret to math success, is fairly simple:

"If you remember the rules, see the patterns, and take the steps, you can NEVER get a math problem wrong..."

It will be interesting to once again see the kids coming to this realization for themselves this year! Great start today! See you tomorrow!

Welcome!

Allow me to be among the first to welcome you to Team 801, East Columbus Magnet Academy! This page will be one of many ways I communicate with you, the parents and students as we navigate through your 8th Grade year.

The 8th Grade is one of the more significant grades you will experience during your academic career. It is a time of great transition and growth. If you enter this time with enthusiasm, determination, and focus, you will position yourself to have more positive options available for you in the future. That certainly is my hope and the hope of all of the other teachers on my team, that you will be educated, socially aware and prepared, and equipped with better options for your future.

I teach Math for Team 801. In my class, we will study probability, Data analysis, some number sense, topics related to the Pythagorean Theorem, and number operations. A significant portion of the year will be devoted to teaching algebra, the algebra your parents learned when they were in 9th Grade. Math is not as hard as some of you may feel it is. I have condensed my philosophy about math down to one sentence: "If you can remember the rules, see the patterns, and take the steps, you can NEVER get a math problem wrong." This year we will have much more collaboration and interaction in class. I will allow everyone the chance to learn from me and from each other, as you will have plenty of time to talk to your teammates about the concepts we are learning as the year progresses. It is important that you hard to master the standards we will be teaching you, for as I am sure you are aware, you must pass the CRCT in reading and math in the 8th Grade to get promoted to 9th Grade. If you work with me and your classmates, I can almost guarantee you that will happen.

For those of you in my homeroom, we will be joined every day by Mrs. Merritt, one of the academic coaches at ECMA. She and I will work together to teach you the standards as the school year goes along. For all of you, make sure you come to class each day prepared with all materials, organized neatly, and a desire to work and learn. I am extremely excited about the opportunity I have to get you all ready for high school. Welcome to ECMA! Welcome to the 8th Grade! And welcome to Team 801, where our motto is "801! SECOND TO NONE!!!"

~ Mr. Armstrong