Math 7
Course Information
Meetings:
M700a
Mon:
1st period (8:30 – 9:15)
Wed:
1st period (8:30 – 9:15)
Thurs: 2nd period (9:15 –
9:55)
Fri:
1st period (8:30 – 9:15)
M700b
Mon:
3rd period (10:10 – 10:55)
Tues: 2nd period (9:20 –
10:05)
Wed:
3rd period (10:10 – 10:55)
Thurs: 1st period (8:30 –
9:10)
Text: Math 7; Pre-algebra and
Problem-Solving, Lakeside Middle School, 2009.
Instructor: Granya
O’Neill
440-2970 (school)
granya.o’neill@lakesideschool.org
Materials: spiral notebook, binder paper
(not torn from a notebook), graph paper (also not torn from
a notebook), pencils, correcting pen, scientific calculator (please
make sure that you have a TI – 30XIIS), and
textbook. You must
bring your math notebook, paper, several sharpened pencils, a pen,
and calculator to class EVERY day. You will be told when additional
items (for example, laptops or graph paper) are
required.
Classroom
participation: You
are expected to be in class, on time, with the appropriate
materials every day.
You should be prepared to discuss the previous day’s
assignment as well as to contribute to class discussions of new
material. You should
be an active participant in Math 7 at all times, both as an
individual class member and as a member of a small
group. You should
listen attentively to the instructor and to your peers, ask and
answer questions, and make a serious attempt to solve all problems
that are posed. Most
importantly, you are expected to treat your classmates with
respect.
Extra Help: This class moves quickly and each
day we build on the ideas of the day before. If you are confused or have
trouble with a particular concept or assignment, please come see me
during your lunch or free periods. The Brain and Learning Lab is
also an excellent place to go with questions.
Mental Math: Most class periods start with a
set of five mental math questions. The questions during the first
three class meetings of each week are for practice; during the last
meeting of the week I collect and correct your
answers.
Homework: Homework is assigned daily and is
due at the beginning of the following class meeting. Daily homework ensures that you
have an opportunity to review the concepts and practice the
techniques covered during one class prior to starting new
material. Homework
assignments are announced in class and can be found on the class
website.
You are
allowed (and encouraged) to seek help from other students and
adults when working on your homework. It is understood, however, that
any assistance is designed to help you learn to eventually complete
the problems independently.
You will
correct your own assignments in class prior to handing them
in. You may be
required (or you may choose) to redo homework problems that you got
wrong. In this case,
do the problems on separate paper and turn them in promptly,
attached to the original assignment. All homework for a given chapter
should be completed prior to that chapter’s test.
There is no homework over Thanksgiving, winter, mid-winter, or
spring breaks.
Quizzes: You will take regular short
quizzes, both announced and unannounced in Math 7. All unannounced quizzes are very
basic and require no extra preparation. Some quizzes are “partner
quizzes.” The
guidelines for these will be explained in class.
Tests: We will have a test at the end of
most chapters; each test will be announced at least one week in
advance. Tests will be
comprehensive – any topic covered since the beginning of the
year may be included on any exam.
Test corrections are due two class days after each test is
returned. You are
required to completely redo every problem on which you did not
receive full credit.
Corrections should be turned in with your original
test. Test corrections
do not change your score on a test, but are considered an important
assignment.
You are required to retake any test on which you did not earn a
score of 75% or above.
In addition, you are allowed and encouraged to retake any test on
which you are not satisfied with your performance. Your final test score is the
average of your two scores.
Other
assignments: In
addition to homework, quizzes, and tests, you will be expected to
complete a variety of other assignments. These assignments may simply be
problems which require more time than is available during a regular
class period or may involve using your laptop, writing about the
history of mathematics, or presenting a short topic to the
class.
Student
absences: If you
are absent, please come see me out of class time. Except for brief reviews which
would benefit the entire class, I cannot use class time to repeat
material for a student who was absent.
Grading: Grades are determined by
considering the following factors:
·
Mastery of the material as
demonstrated on tests and quizzes
·
The consistency and quality
of your homework assignments
·
The consistency and quality
of your homework corrections
·
The quality of any additional
assignments
·
Participation in class
discussions and activities
| 