Sorting It Out

Students have been busy in math class.
After designing a staircase with a slope that met building codes,
They are trying to conquer the slope-intercept equation and how it matches up to graphs on the coordinate plane.

Today, students sorted through graphs, equations, table of values, slopes, and y-intercepts.

What is slope?
What is the y-intercept?
What does the equation look like in slope-intercept form?

Cockroaches Teach Us Algebra

As the cockroaches scurry along any given line,

Students must kill them using their weapon of choice

By writing the correct algebraic equation.

If more than 16 cockroaches get to running along the line

The cockroaches win!

A Slippery Slope

8th grade students are busy learning about slope.
Using an interactive website, they are creating their own understanding of how to find slope.
Guided by questions to help move their thinking,
Students are not only "hands-on" but "minds-on" as well.

When questions arose, and students got stuck,
Students knew they could have a mini session with Mrs. McCabe to help get their thinking back on the move again.

Dinner Table Questions:
1.  What is slope?
2.  How do you find slope?
3.  Where is slope found in the world outside of the classroom?

Time To Catch Up!

Wow!
We have been busy since returning back to school!
So what has been taking up our time?

8th graders have been learning their way around Pythagorean's Theorem.

Questions to ask your 8th grader?
~ What in the world is the hypotenuse?!
~ What are the other parts of the triangle called?
~ What is this famous theorem?
~ How do you use Pythagorean's Theorem?
~ What kind of triangle can this theorem be used with?

Algebra students are totally immersed in Functions.

Questions to ask your Algebra student:
~ How is a function similar to an equation?
~ Besides an equation, what two other ways can a function be represented?
~ Can you show me an example of a function?

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  

Blocking the Door on Hunger

I was blocked again this year!
Students brought enough food to block my door so I couldn't teach.

We had to be creative this year in stacking our food.
I made a replica of the door on the wall instead of the floor.

In an attempt to get enough food, students measured the area of food items to match them to the open spaces in our "door".
Thus, the Xs on the wall.

Since we didn't have math classes today, we passed the time by solving various logic problems.
One of the favorites was the Knight's Move.
Click here to play it online!  (This version is playing against the computer).
Related to the previous problem, is this awesome Christmas logic problem called, The Knight's Tour.

We also played a little Krypto.
Using only the numbers 13, 8, 8, 9, 13 and adding, subtracting, multiplying, and/or dividing, we had to arrive at the answer of 2.
It took quite a while but we finally got the answer!
I can't post the answer on here...that would make it too easy.
But if you've been working for a while, you can scan this QR code to find the answer.

Wishing everyone a safe and relaxing Christmas break.

See you in January!

Sign Up NOW for January Family Math!

Oh the weather outside is frightful

But inside it's so delightful

For we have a place to go

Family Math is calling soooo....

It does show signs of computing

There really is no disputing

January 10th will be so neat

So sign up to save a seat!

When we finally call it a night

And we hope there won't be a storm,

We'll have some hot chocolate

To keep us nice and warm.

I'm looking ahead to January 10th.  Please sign up before Christmas break if you are planning on attending.