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Mrs. Tinik’s Update

Grade 6th Math

 End of October 2018/Novemebr 2018

Just finished…

Students in 6th Grade math just finished with Topic 2.  They encountered negative numbers. Integers were introduced with the concept as opposites which indicate two numbers can have the same distance from zero on a number line.  The opposite of an opposite is the number itself.

So for example, -(-6) = 6   The opposite of negative 6 is 6.

Students extended the concept to understanding other rational numbers and located positive and negative integers, fractions and decimals on a number line.

Absolute Value and Ordering of Rational Numbers

Students learned to compare and order integers and then extended their understanding to rational numbers.  Because 3 is to the left of 5 on the number line 3 < 5. In the same way of opposites, the opposite of 5 (-5) is to the left of the opposite of 3 (-3) on the number line, so -5 < -3.  Then students learned that absolute value is the distance from 0 on a number line.

Locating Points on the Coordinate Plane and MORE!

Students who learned to graph in the first quadrant used their understandings of rational numbers to locate points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane.  Students then found distances between points on coordinate plane that had the same x- or y- coordinates. Students explored situations involving distances on the coordinate plane and applied that understand to finding the perimeter of varying shapes.

Coming Up...

Exponents

Students learn that exponents provide a much more convenient notation for writing repeating factors.  Students also learn the meaning of an exponent of 0. Understanding the notational exponents will help students throughout their mathematical education.

Understand Variables and the Relationship Between Numerical and Algebraic Expressions

A variable is a letter that represents an unknown number.  Use of a variable allows a problem situation to be generalized and easily solved for more than one possible value.  Students substitute values for the variable in an algebraic expression to generate numerical results.

Make Sense of Equivalency as Related to Algebraic Expressions

Students work with equivalent expressions.  Students realize that anything they can do with numbers, they can do with variables because the variable represents a number  - even if the number is unknown. The Commutative, Associative, and Distributive Properties can be applied to algebraic expressions to create equivalent expressions.

Students will solve real-world problems by finding the prime factorization of numbers, the greatest common factor of two numbers, and the least common multiple of two numbers.  Students write numerical and algebraic relationships in real-world contexts. It is important to specify which variable represents which unknown number or quantity within the context of a problem.

Grade 8th Math

Just finishing…

Students in 8th Grade math are just finishing up Topic 2.  

Students became fluent in solving equations with variables on both sides by collecting like terms and using inverse operations to solve for the variable.  Students demonstrated the importance of the y-intercept in solving linear equations and understanding that in a proportional relationship the y-intercept is always 0.  Students were able to graph a line when an equation was given or by providing the equation of a line when a graph was given.

Proportional Relationships

Throughout this topic, students apply their knowledge of ratios, unit rates, and tables to determine the relationship of different quantities.  They solved new problems in both mathematical and real-world contexts. Students applied their knowledge of proportional relationships to graph linear equations in the form of y=mx where m is the slope.

Coming Up...

Functions that Model Linear Relationships

In Topic 3, students will apply their understanding of linear functions as they construct linear functions to represent real-world situations.  They further apply their understanding of linear and nonlinear functions to determine whether a given representation accurately shows the behavior of two quantities.