David Murphy; 7th Grade Mathematics & Social Studies

Let me begin with a HAPPY THANKSGIVING.  We can not even fathom all that we have of which to be thankful.  We are truly blessed!!!!

Social Studies: I took up the notebooks today, and I hope that they are rather surprising.  It seems that the students are getting into a creative/dedication/preparation lull.  More and more are asking if assignments can be turned in for late grades, or they are not turning in at all.

Math: Well the tests were not as good as I had hoped.  I foresee a large number of retakes on this one.  However, we are not going back, but rather forward.  I will continue to incorporate proportions and slope into the coming units, except for the next one.  The classes were all rather close on mean scores.  I did, however, curve the grades so that a 20 of 23 became a 100% score.  One student ended up with a 105% and 3 students received the 100%.  The mean (average) score on the test was a 75%.    This is about 10% less than I had hoped for going into the test.

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Is it Thanksgiving already?  Geeze this year is flying by.  This week will be short but important as far as grades go.  So, keep up with your assignments, and make sure that all of them are complete.

Social Studies: We tested today on Korea and various economy terms.  I ended up curving the grades upward, because I used a different teacher’s test.  Although we covered the same material, she must have worded things different than I did.  Thus, grades were not as well as I had hoped.  Don’t forget that the NOTEBOOKS are DUE TOMORROW!!!

Math: We are covering two sections today, scale drawings as well as Direct and Inverse variations.  The assignment is Pg 310: 2-12 even and Pg 315: 1-5 all.  The TEST over CH 5 is tomorrow.

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Social Studies: We are tackling Scarcity and Opportunity Costs.  Over the past couple of days, we have been working on this as a whole group, in small groups, and tomorrow it will be individually.  Yesterday, we read a passage and answered questions over it.  Today, the students went on an African expedition and had to determine what to bring.  Scarcity of space only allowed the teams to bring eight items.  We discussed the opportunity costs associated with choosing certain or not choosing certain items.

Math: Similarity is the focus of the day.  Determining similarity is more precise an explanation.  Yesterday, we did pages 289-290: problems 2-50 even.   Today, the assignment is pages 302-303; problems 1-20 all.

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Social Studies: We began writing letters to our troops over seas.  Regardless of how we may feel about what our government is doing over there, the troops are still there doing what they do to make certain that we have the right to feel the way we feel about what our government is doing over there.  I know that it is a run-on sentence, but I am using literary license to make a point.  We also read a memorial to a Copper Hill veteran of the Korean War.  He was a POW during the Korean conflict.  He served other POW’s and cared for them without complaint, and when his captors tried to use him for propaganda, he would never say anything but, “God Bless America.”  I must admit that I could not finish reading the memorial, and had to get a student to finish it .  Yes, I was to the point of tears.  I may never die for my country, but I will certainly cry for her.  God Bless America!

Math: We returned to 5-3: Slopes and Rates of Change.  We worked several problem on the board and went much slower into the content.  I believe that the students did understand it better today.  I hope so, because we are quizzing tomorrow over it.

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I know that this is way to late to post, because all of you little kiddies went to bed at eight o’clock.   None of you will read this tonight, but I will post today’s info anyway.  Oh, if you are reading this tonight, GO TO BED!!!

Social Studies: We watched a video on Veterans’ Day.  Following that we took a quiz that was open notes.

Math: We went over 5-3: Slopes and Rates of Change.  I thought that this would be easy, but it wasn’t from the way everyone was carrying on about it.  The assignment was Pgs 280-282; Problems 1-26 all.  I suppose that tomorrow will be more of the same.  There is no reason to move forward until everyone has this under their proverbial belts.

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Social Studies: We completed the video on the Korean War and read the first few pages of “The Clay Marble” again.  The students will create a children’s book of the story with illustrations.  This will count for 2 test grades.  Thus, it is a big deal for them to complete it.

Math: Today was more of the same from yesterday.  We simply moved to rates and unit rates.  The assignment is Pgs. 276-277; Problems 1-27 (all).

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Social Studies: We watched the fist part of a United Streaming Video on the Korean War.  Tomorrow will be much of the same.

Math: No, the tests are not all graded yet.  It is my hope to finish at least one class tonight.  Which one you ask?  I really don’t know; I suppose the one that I grab from my computer bag.  It’s like Christmas that way.  It makes life a little more fun, don’t you think?  However, we started Chapter 5 today.  We reviewed ratios and how to write all three forms, (this/that, this to that, this : that).  The assignment is pages 272-273, problems 1-19, 21-26.

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Social Studies: I am proud of the students on this test.  The class average is an 80%.  Now, we are moving northward to the Korean Peninsula.  Students read pages 678-679, 691, and 710-711.

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Math: We are grading the HW from last night.  It will be taken as a Daily Grade rather than HW, because this is the 2nd day that we have covered it.  Following the HW check, we will do a study guide.  The assignment is Pg. 255, 1-6 and Pgs. 258-260; 1-28.   Don’t forget the TEST tomorrow.

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Social Studies: We graded the chapter review. The worksheet will be due tomorrow before the test.  YES!!!, we have a test over chapter 22 tomorrow.

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Math: I did not count the assignment from last night.  I wanted the students to realize that they did not understand.  This is sometimes the best way to get their attention.  We modified the assignment for tonight.  Students are to work pages 244-245; every other odd problem, i.e., 1, 5, 9, 13, … After they complete the homework assignment, they need to determine what the 1407th term of the homework sequence is.

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Social Studies: We completed the end of the chapter 22 review today, or at least we were supposed too.  This should have been completed for HW.  We will spend Tuesday reviewing and getting ready for the TEST on Wednesday over Vietnam.  We also have a worksheet that compares Vietnam and India.  Believe it or not the two countries have quite a bit in common.

Math: Today was a day of blank stares and starry gazes.  I could almost hear the crickets chirping at times.  The content in question is section 4-5: Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences. This is a difficult concept to get them to understand.  However, I never said that the concept itself was difficult.  Rather, it is pretty simple.  The students just wig out, because they do not understand the relevance.  This too will come pretty soon. The assignment is Pgs. 244-245; Problems 2-40 even.  We will certainly go over the problems tomorrow before we check the HW.  Following that, The students will get a study guide to work for the Test on Thursday.  Yes, I put it off one day.

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