Meet the Longdivision Family

Meet the Longdivision family: Dad, Mom, Sister, Brother, and their dog, Rover. They give 6th graders a way of remembering the steps necessary to work through the traditional long division algorithm.

Click on the link below for a more formal introduction to this helpful family.

http://apps.gcsc.k12.in.us/blogs/jellars/files/2010/08/Meet-the-Longdivision-family.pdf

Week of January 30-February 3

This week's assignments have been posted to the Maxwell site at
http://apps.gcsc.k12.in.us/blogs/jellars/files/2010/08/January-30-February-3.pdf

We'll do little more work on division with fractions on Monday before moving on the integers. On friday, we outlined the following steps for the fraction division algorithm:

(1.) Make sure everything in the problem is expressed in fraction form. (Change any whole numbers or mixed fractions to all fraction)
(2.) Copy the dividend (that's the first number) without change.
(3.) Change the sign from division to multiplication.
(4.) Write the reciprocal of the divisor. (Flip that second number upside down)
(5.) Multiply

Students who had a good understanding of that algorithm had the opportunity to explore why that works by examining complex fractions. (Something most of us didn't even know existed until one of our high school math classes) Some of the students also learned an even shorter way of dividing fractions by using cross multiplication.

Tips on basic computation with integers (positive and negative numbers) will appear on this blog as we cover the material this week.

Unit 5 Test

Students recently finished the test over the Unit 5 material covered immediately before the two week Christmas break. Scores were extremely low and after working with the students today, I've come to the conclusion that I don't have enough confidence that the test and the instruction received were well matched. I simply don't feel comfortable in assigning grades on this material without that confidence.

For that reason, I have deleted that evaluation from their scores and have removed it from Power School. Before deleting I did give students who did well the benefit of their successful completion of the evaluation by replacing a prior lower grade with their score on the Unit 5 exam if that score was higher.

I will be evaluating the Unit 5 material in small segments throughout the next month or so.

Week of January 23-27

Assignments for this math class are also online at the Maxwell Intermediate School website. Just navigate to the Maxwell site (http://apps.gcsc.k12.in.us/blogs/mis/) and click on "Team Sites," then "6th Grade Gold Team," and finally "Mr. Ellars."

Assignments for January 23-27

Monday, Jan 23
1. Finish the Unit 5 test
2. Distribute the Journal, Volume 2

Tuesday, Jan 24: Multiplication with fractions and mixed numbers
1. Journal pages 205-206 (class work)
2. Homework: Journal page 207

Wednesday, Jan 25: Division with fractions and mixed numbers
1. Journal pages 208-209 (class work)
2. No homework tonight

Thursday, Jan 26: Division with fractions and mixed numbers
1. Introduce complex fractions
2. Homework: Journal page 210

Friday, Jan 27: Reviewing operations with integers
1. Journal pages 211-212
2. Challenge problem
3. No weekend homework
__________________________________________

Throughout the week, RTI groups will be working on basic operations with fractions and mixed numbers, station activities, and a game of Fraction Bingo at the end of the week.

Finding Total Cost

Today's math lesson centered on adding sales tax or a tip. We looked at two ways to work through these problems:

Two Step Method:
1. Find the tax (or tip) by multiplying the base cost by the percentage changed to a decimal.
2. Add the tax to the base cost.

Example: What is the cost of a $25 item with 7% sales tax?
.. $25.00 * .07 = $1.75
.. $25.00 + $1.75 = $26.75

One Step Method:
1. Multiply the base cost by the total percent of the purchase by adding the extra percent to 100 percent converted to a decimal.

Example: What is the cost of a $25 item with 7% sales tax?
.. $25.00 * 1.07 = $26.75

Citizenship Grades

Over the past weekend it became clear that there was a problem with the first semester citizenship grades for my three math classes. It seems that the scores (1 - 5) were inadvertently reversed. It must have been a real shock to see such a sudden change in student behavior. Scores should be interpreted in reverse:

5 = 1
4 = 2
3 = 3
2 = 4
1 = 5

I certainly apologize for any confusion and/or consternation this mix up may have caused.

Week of January 16-20, 2012

There is no school on Monday, January 16 as we celebrate Martin Luther King Day.

A test over Chapter 5 is scheduled for Friday, January 20 at the end of the week.

On Friday, January 13, our class participated in a state-wide dry run of the ISTEP+ Test to make sure the systems downloading the test to local schools is able to handle a capacity load. Thanks to all the sixth graders for their patience and cooperation during this important activity.

Lesson Outlines: January 16-20

Monday, January 16
- No school - Martin Luther King Day

Tuesday, January 17
1. Finish angle quiz as needed
2. Adding sales tax to a price
3. Chapter 5 Review (Chapter 5 Test on Friday)
4. Home Assignment - Sales Tax Worksheet

Wednesday, January 18
1. Review homework
2. Constructing parallelograms
3. More angle relationship practice
4. No homework (Chapter 5 Test on Friday)

Thursday, January 19
1. Chapter 5 Practice Test
2. Review Practice Test
3. Home Assignment: Take Practice Test home as study guide

Friday, January 20
1. Chapter 5 Test
2. No weekend home assignment

Friday, January 13, 2012

On Thursday, the math classes reviewed angle relationships by looking at these rules:
1. Opposite angles are always equal.
2. Adjacent angles always add to 180 degrees.
3. The angles of a triangle always add to 180 degrees.
4. The angles of a quadrilateral always add to 360 degrees.

Lesson Outline - Friday, January 13
1. Review angle relationships
2. Whole class work on Journal pages 197-198
3. Short quiz over this week's work
4. No weekend homework (Whenever possible, I try to avoid weekend homework)

Thanks to all the sixth grade classes for making my first week back at Maxwell so enjoyable! Have a good weekend and try to stay warm and dry!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

On Wednesday, our classes worked on constructing congruent lines and triangles using a compass and a straightedge. We also were using a new type of compass called a Geo Tool. This is brand new and is bound to be confusing at first...Don't give up. We'll have plenty more practice soon!

Thursday Lesson Outline
1. Review the homework (Journal 190)
2. Section 5.9 (Parallel lines and angle relationships)
3. Student Reference Book pages 163 and 233
4. Journal pages 194-196 (Group work)
5. No Homework Tonight!!!


RTI groups are continuing work on fractions, decimals, and creative problem solving.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

We spent more time than originally planned on organization Tuesday. For that reason, there is no homework assignment for Tuesday evening and the following outline has been scheduled for Wednesday.

Compass & Straightedge Constructions
1. Read and discuss SRB pages 188-190
2. Learn how to use the Geo Tool compass
3. Do Journal pages 188-189 together
4. Homework: Journal page 190 (Due Thursday)

(RTI groups are beginning work on fraction review.)

______________________________________________________

Let's turn Friday the 13th into a Good Luck Day this week. - Since the sixth grade mini economy starts on Wednesday, January 11, any student who prints out this page and brings it to class by Friday, January 13 will receive $25 in Maxwell Money to deposit in their mini-economy account.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Lesson Outline for January 10, 2012
Compass & Straightedge Constructions
1. Read and discuss SRB pages 188-190
2. Learn how to use the Geo Tool compass
3. Do Journal pages 188-189 together
4. Homework: Journal page 190

(RTI groups are beginning work on fraction review.)

Lesson Plan - Monday, January 9, 2012

Monday, January 9, 2012
Review Lesson 5.6 - Congruent Figures

1. Definition Sheet: Add “congruent” (same size, same shape).

2. Review Journal p. 184: Concentrate on why D, E, & F are not congruent.

3. Review Journal p. 185: Constructing Congruent Figures. Review page and demonstrate construction procedures on board and overhead.

4. Group Activity: Groups of three use 1” tiles to construct as many different non-congruent pentominoes as possible. Sketch on paper. Share and discuss.

5. Outside Assignment: Math Boxes 5.6 on Journal p. 187 (Due Tuesday, Jan 10)

Assignments Coming Soon

Be sure to check back here regularly for assignments, announcements, and any other information about what's going on in the Room 218 math classes.

Welcome to MAX Math

Parent Update / January 9, 2012

Welcome back to the second semester. I hope your Christmas break was both restful and enjoyable and that everyone is re-energized as we start the final push toward the conclusion of a very successful sixth grade year.

I am personally very happy to be back at school and am looking forward to continuing the fine work with our students that Mr. Burris brought to Maxwell while I was recovering from surgery during the first semester of this year. I am now completely recovered and am very anxious to
return so that I can share my enthusiasm for mathematics with all our students.

I want all of you to feel comfortable being involved in what we’re doing here at school as much as you possibly can. I understand that work schedules are often difficult to change, but please feel
free to come in whenever you wish. I would be available for private conversations and conferences on Blue Day mornings during our prep period from 8:00 to 9:00 and most days after 2:00 for as long as we need to meet. Just let me know by phone or e-mail in advance so I can make sure the time convenient to you is clear.

I am also at school early most mornings and late most afternoons and am usually available for individual or small group help on math difficulties. I’ll have a more definite schedule sent home by the end of January.

You are also invited to come in and visit a math class at any time. Just let me know ahead of time if you’d like to be there for lunch so you can be included in the lunch count for the day.

Finally, I’m excited to get back in the classroom to begin the next five months of work
toward reaching our student’s goals in math. Any changes in the procedures that Mr. Burris has already established will come gradually in order to achieve as smooth a transition as possible.

And everyone will need to exercise some patience while I struggle to learn everyone’s name!
Again, please feel free to get in touch and/or visit as often as you wish.

Jim Ellars
Sixth Grade Math
jellars@gcsc.k12.in.us - 326-3121 ext. 1035