Holiday Project

Part I and II are due tomorrow!

Part III will be worked on in class.

Holiday Madne$$ project

PART 1 is due on Wednesday. Parts 2 and 3 will be worked on in class. The entire project is due on Thursday! Please bring magazines, catalogs, and print advertisements on Wednesday.

December 1, 2008

HOLIDAY MADNE$$
Proportions, Percents and Credit Cards

The 3 Parts of this project will be due on Thursday, December 4, 2008.


PART 1: Credit Card
Create a credit card that is proportional to a real credit card. Measure the width and length of a card and apply a scale factor to figure out a new size. It should be carefully and colorfully designed.



PART 2: Making Purchases
Look through magazines, catalogues, and on-line shopping sits to find stuff you would like to have. “Spend” up to $10,000 on your new credit card.

To make a purchase, simply cut the item out and record the item and its price on the tally sheet on the back of your envelope. Put the item in the envelope.

Example:

Item Price Price + Tax (8%)

Diamond tiara $1,049.00 $1,132.92

Snickers Bar $0.65 $0.65

Williams Sonoma Toaster $42.00 $45.36




PART 3: The Bottom Line
Imagine that you have a $3,000 credit card bill and that you are charged 1.5% interest each month on the unpaid balance. Consider how your debt would change if you paid $50 each month.
Your debt:
Month 1 Month 1
Initial debt $3,000
1st payment - $50
$2,950

Month 2 Month 2
$2,950.00
+1.5% + $44.25
$2,994.25
2nd payment - $50.00
$2,944.25

Month 3 Month 3

+1.5%

3rd payment


Month 4 Month 4

+1.5%

4th payment

December 1st POW

POW - Due December 7th - Email your work and answer to me at Skanchwala@bmsonline.org


Option 1:
On Black Friday, Denise woke up at 3am to make sure she was able to get to the store for the “early bird” special – 60% off all clothing in the store! If Denise paid $50.64 for a dress after 5.5% sales tax, what was the original price of the dress?


Option 2:
Sally has a coupon that she can use in addition to the sales at a particular store. Excited to stock up, she immediately finds two sweaters that are each 30% off and decides to use her “buy one get one half off” coupon to save even more. If the two sweaters were originally the same price, what single percent discount would have resulted in the same savings as Sally’s combined discount?

Option 3:
On Cyber Monday, Bill is able to get 20% off of TVs at his favorite online store. If one TV was originally $699.99 and the other was 749.99, what is the positive difference between the two prices after the discount is applied?

Holiday Homework

1.) Finish 4.4 page 46

2.) The ACE assignment that was due today is now due on Monday, Dec 1

3.) Project - Stretch/Shrink due Monday

4.) POW - this was due today. Please email me if you haven't already.

More Scaling

1.) Page 51, #10-14 and 23 - due Monday

2.) Pow - due Monday

3.) Look over Project description (see previous post). You will be given a revised description on Monday.

Stretching and Shrinking Unit Project

Name ________________ Date ________

7th Grade Stretching and Shrinking Performances of Understanding


You will complete the following 3 tasks to demonstrate your understanding of the Stretching and Shrinking unit, and specifically of these 3 concepts:

1. Similarity
2. Scale factor
3. Setting up and solving proportions.

Refer to the link http://connectedmath.msu.edu/parents/ss/help/7/stretching/concept.pdf and your book for problems that we have done in class and homework for help.

All of your must be completed neatly on a poster. Be ready to present your work after Thanksgiving Holiday, i.e. December 1st, 2008.

You will be assessed on your knowledge and understanding of the concepts we have studied in this unit as well as your presentation. See checklist below each task for point values.

Your presentation will be assessed on:

_______ Creativity (4 points)

_______ Preparedness (4 points)

_______ Neatness (4 points)

_______ Ability to communicate math concepts (4 points)

_______ Visual Elements (4 points)




1.) Pick any 2-dimensional figure. Draw a model (either enlarged or reduced) of that figure. The model must be mathematically similar to the original figure. You must be able to present the original figure and the model, showing the mathematical similarities that exist between them visually.

________ Original figure and model are shown (2 points)

________ Original figure and model are mathematically similar (5 points)

2.) Find 3 pairs of figures that are mathematically similar to each other in your everyday life. Take pictures of them and write descriptions proving how they are mathematically similar. You may send digital copies of the pictures to me if you cannot print them out. My email is Skanchwala@bmsonline.org. OR you may draw the 3 pairs of figures if you do not have access to a camera.

__________ 3 pairs of figures (6 pictures total) are shown (3 points)

__________ Description showing each pair is mathematically similar. Include scale factor and proportions to show this. (10 points)

3.) Pick a tall building or structure in your neighborhood or town. Using the shadow or mirror method, find the height of the building by setting up two similar triangles. Draw them out and set up a proportion to show what the height of the building would be according to your method.

_________ Building is identified and represented either by a picture or drawing (2 points)

_________ Two similar triangles are drawn to represent proportional heights (2 points)

__________ Proportion is set up correctly and solved using either the scale factor method of cross-multiplication to find a close approximation of the building’s or tall structure’s height (5 points)

4.) Using an atlas or a map from the Internet, pick any place in the world that you would like to visit, and using the map scale, calculate the distance from San Francisco, California to the destination of your choice. Include the map and calculation on your poster.

__________ Map used is on poster (2 points)

__________ Calculations are shown to figure out approximate distance (5 points)

Scaling up and down

page 50 - #9

page 55-56 - #21 and 22

page 57 #24-26

Scaling up

1.) ACE starts on Page 47

#1, #8 and #15

2.) Check the blog and make sure you have completed all assignments and POWs. I will be collecting your notebooks on Wednesday.

DUE WEDNESDAY

November 17 POW

In efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle, this week's POW will be electronic only. Please complete your work either in a document and email it to me, OR if you can't show your work while typing, you can complete it on scratch paper, and turn it in next Monday. Email or turn in by Monday, Nobember 24th.

Name _______________________________________ November 17, 2008

Choose one option. Please show all work on the back or on a separate sheet of paper.

OPTION 1:

a. Are a square foot and a square yard similar? If so, what is the scale factor from a square foot to a square yard? What is the scale factor from a square yard to a square foot?


b. How many square feet are in a square yard? Explain your reasoning.


c. The area of a room is 28 square yards. What is the area of the room in square feet?


d. The area of a backyard is 1800 square feet. What is the area of the backyard in square yards?


e. Compare a square inch with a square foot and a square yard. What is the scale factor from a square inch to a square foot? What is the scale factor from a square inch to a square yard?




OPTION 2:

Area is often measured in square centimeters and square meters.

a. Are a square centimeter and a square meter similar? If so, what is the scale factor from a square centimeter to a square meter? What is the scale factor from a square meter to a square centimeter?


b. How many square centimeters are in a square meter? Explain your reasoning.


c. The area of a room is 28 square meters. What is the area of the room in square centimeters?


d. The area of a painting is 1800 square centimeters. What is the area of the painting in square meters?

Study for Quiz

There will be a check up quiz on Monday. Please study the following:

1.) How do you know if two figures are similar?

2.) What is the definition of mathematical similarity?

3.) How do you find the missing length of a side, if given other side lengths and another similar figure?

4.) What is a scale factor and how can it help in determining a missing length?

5.) How can you use similar triangles in the real world?

Using Similarity

ACE page 48 #4-7 and 16-20

Using Mirrors to find Missing Heights

1.) Worksheet - Read front and do back

2.) Write 2 questions that you would like to ask Rex Evans about the economy

Credit Crisis Play

Please read the following Play before Thursday. Our guest speaker, Rex Evans, will be covering these topics:

http://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/~charvey/Crisis/Credit_Crisis_Play.pdf

Record at least 2 questions that you have from this play or about the current financial situation that you would like to ask him.

Credit Crisis Play

Please read the following Play before Thursday. Our guest speaker, Rex Evans, will be covering these topics:

http://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/~charvey/Crisis/Credit_Crisis_Play.pdf

Record any questions that you have from this play or about the current financial situation that you would like to ask him.

This week's POW

Only one option this week. Due Monday!

Find the pattern:

3 * 4 → 5
4 * 7 → 1
8 * 4 → 0
1 * 2 → 9

The challenge is to discover how the third number is obtained from the first two numbers. If you know the pattern, then you will be able to complete these statements:

5 * 5 → ?
4 * 1 → ?
6 * 2 → ?

Using shadows to figure out heights

ACE

Option 1:

page 64 - #2-4, 8 and 10


Option 2:

page 65 - #4, 6, 8, 10, and 16

Due Wednesday

Weekend HW

ACE

page 33-34 - #2-5

page 24-25 - #9 and 12

POW

This week's POW

Due November 10th:

Name _______________________________________ November 3, 2008

Choose one option. Please show all work on the back or on a separate sheet of paper.

OPTION 1:

The exclamation point (!) is also used as a mathematical symbol, as in 5! (read as 5 factorial), in which 5! = 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 120 and 7! = 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 5040. Find the quotient:

15! / 13!


OPTION 2:

My parents’ pizza restaurant, Rosati’s Pizza, has 10 different toppings for its cheese pizza: mushrooms, peppers, pepperoni, spinach, onion, anchovies, pineapple, olives, beef, and garlic. How many different kinds of pizza can be made by varying the combination of toppings? (Hint: Try the same kind of problem with 1 topping, then 2 toppings, and so on, and look for a pattern.)

Scale Factor

1.) Finish Self-Assessment Reflection (turn it in tomorrow if you have not already)

2.) Complete the front and back of the scale factor worksheet from Linda - due Monday

Self Reflection and POW

1.) Complete the self reflection (written and checklist)

2.) POW due Monday!

October 27, 2008

OPTION 1: Find the pattern:

3 * 4 → 7
4 * 7 → 1
8 * 4 → 0
1 * 2 → 9

The challenge is to discover how the third number is obtained from the first two numbers. If you know the pattern, then you will be able to complete these statements:

5 * 5 → ?
4 * 1 → ?
6 * 2 → ?


OPTION 2:

To the nearest thousand, how many pennies are there in one mile of pennies placed next to each other with their edges touching?

Wump Noses

1.) Finish 2.1 on page 16 and answer questions B and C (IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY).

2.) Finish 2.2 on page 19 and answer questions B - E.

3.) Business Plan Project is due on WEDNESDAY. Each group will have 5 minutes to present their work to the class!

The Wump Family

1.) Finish Drawing your Wump Family in problem 2.1. Then, answer questions B and C on page 16 (from the orange box).

2.) Business Plan Project is due on Wednesday.

Enlarging Images

1.) ACE page 9, #1, 5, 6

2.) Continue working on business plan project

Business Plan Project

Continue working on your Business Plan Project.

Due Wed, Oct 29!!

Business Plan Project

1.) Read the business plan project description.

2.) Call or email your group members and come up with a plan for managing this project. It is due in 2 weeks. Work on Step 1 with your group.

Equations, and Check up

1.) Math Reflection - page 63

2.) ACE - page 55 #14-19

3.) Study for Unit Check up

Writing 2 step equations

1.) Option 1 - #5-7, 8-9 and 44

2.) Option 2 - #5-7, 11-12, and 46-47

3.) Finish 3.2

4.) Optional POW - see below

Equations!

1.) Finish 3.1 Investigation

2.) ACE #3, 4 page 55

3.) Catch up with any missing assignments

Optional POW for the week:

October 6 – 10 is National Metric Week. Since the metric system is based on tens, National Metric Week is always during the week containing the 10th day of the 10th month.



If 2.54 cm = 1 inch, how many centimeters are in 2.54 feet? Express your answer to the nearest hundredth.

Rules and Equations

1.) Read pages 49 and 50

2.) Add Rule and Equation to your vocabulary list

3.) Finish your decimal/fraction packet. I will collect this Wednesday.

4.) If you have not completed your Handshake POW for this week, please do that and email it to me or turn it in by Tuesday.

Due Monday

1.) 2.3 if you did not finish it in class.

2.) Handshake POW - see below for the questions

3.) ACE - #23, 10-12 and 24 (24 is optional)

4.) Prepare for the second check up, which will be next week!

Analyzing Graphs and Tables

1.) ACE - starts on p35, #1, 4, 16

2.) Math Reflection - see below for questions. Email the answers asap

3.) Problem of the week, below - due on Monday! Show work!

Problem of the Week - September 29, 2008

There are 20 people in a room. If everyone shakes hands with everyone else, how many handshakes will take place?



Start by working on the problem. Can you convince a skeptic that your answer is correct? Can you generalize? What if there were 100 people in the room?


Try different strategies. Look for good representations. Justify your reasoning.

This problem is due on Monday, October 5th. Please complete it on a separate sheet of paper.

Due Monday, October 6th.

Math Reflection

1.) Finish 1.5 if you did not do so in class.

2.) Complete the front and back of the first page in the fraction packet.

3.) Email me the following responses at Skanchwala@bmsonline.org

a.) Describe the steps you would take in making a graph to show the relationship between two related variables.

b.) How do you decide which variable should be on the x-axis and which should be on the y-axis?

c.) What are the advantages and disadvantages of representing a relationship in a table, graph, written report?

See page 29 in your math book for these questions.

All Due Wednesday!

Interpreting Graphs

ACE - p17

#4, #6-9, #26

OPTIONAL -

#24, #27

Making Graphs

1.) Read 1.2

2.) Finish Graph from class if you have not already

3.) ACE p15, #1-3 and #18-19

Ace

Ace - Number 5, and 13-17

Pow due Wednesday

Rafting Project

Rafting Project is due tomorrow.

POW!

Rafting Project

1.) Rafting project - Fill out Table with New Coordinates. Make a number line on graph paper with new coordinates and letters labeled. Make sure the coordinates are spaced to scale.

2.) Obama and Mc Cain Pow due Monday, Sept 22.

3.) Full Rafting Project due on Thursday!

POW for Sept 15

Name ___________________________ Date ________________
Problem of the Week
September 15 – 19, 2008
The chart below shows the number of “mentions” we’ve seen of each issue by each candidate during this campaign season as of the afternoon of Thursday, September 4 (before McCain’s Convention Speech.) Use this data to answer the following questions.

Obama McCain
Iraq War 3571 2234
Economy/Budget 1827 1503
Abortion 790 505
Health Care 642 509
Environment 424 317
Immigration 350 324
Globalization 208 151
Education 115 47
Civil Rights 7 3

“Issue Coverage Tracker”. Washington Post. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates September 4, 2008.

According to the table, what percent of the total number of “mentions” between the two candidates have related to education? Express your answer to the nearest tenth.


Which candidate has devoted a higher percentage of their issue “mentions” to the issue of health care?



What is the positive difference in the percent of total “mentions” devoted to the Iraq War and total “mentions” devoted to the Economy/Budget? Express your answer to the nearest tenth.

Patterns, Tables and Formulas

Design 3 patterns on graph paper. Use color to make them pretty. (similar to what we did in class)

Make a tables for each pattern (3 total). Fill it in 1-5 and then a variable for any given number.

Try to come up with a formula for each table, using numbers, variables and symbols. Think algebraically!

Due Monday.

Remember: POW is due on Monday also.

Autobiography, Window Panes and POW

Due Wednesday:

1.) Autobiography (if you have not already turned it in). See previous post for guiding questions.

2.) Window Pane Problem. Hint: There are between 20 and 30 unique window combinations.

Due Monday:

1.) Chicken and Pig Problem of the week. See below:

Pigs and Chickens
Maria went to her grandmother's farm for Thanksgiving. Her grandmother raised pigs and chicken. Maria noticed that there were a total of 26 heads and 68 feet among them. How many pigs and how many chickens did her grandmother have?

First Week's Assignment

Your homework for this week is as follows:

1. Visit the blogspot with a parent and have them read the introduction and answer the questions about you. They can email me the answers at Skanchwala@bmsonline.org or you can print out a copy and turn it in to me.

2. Write your math autobiography (Due Sept. 17). Include your goals for the year. Here are some guiding questions:

How do you feel about math, and why?

What topics come easy to you and what do you find difficult?

What do you want others to learn about you as a learner of mathematics?

What supports your math learning?

What gets in the way of learning math?

Introduction

Dear 7th grade families,

I would like to introduce myself to you as your child’s math teacher this year and tell you a little bit about how math will be structured this year. First, a bit about me: I taught Spanish and Math Seminar for three years at the Little Red Schoolhouse in New York City before coming to the Berkeley Montessori School. This is my second year teaching here, and I absolutely love it! I have also taught math-reasoning course at the Center for Talented Youth through Johns Hopkins University and at the National Young Scholars Program. I am looking forward to another great year here at BMS!

This will be an exciting class, and your child will be engaging in math in a variety of ways. I have the highest of expectations of each student, because I believe that all students are capable of learning math. The curriculum I will mostly draw from is called The Connected Mathematics Project. This curriculum is very rich in connections, and is organized around interesting problem settings. Some of the mathematical content goals that we will explore include Number, Geometry, Measurement, Algebra, Statistics and Probability.

Our first unit is called Variables and Pattern, which is an introduction to algebra, specifically looking at variables, tables, graphs, and how to use symbols as representations.

The goals for the unit include:

- Identify variables in situation
- Recognize situations in which changes in variables are related in useful patterns
- Describe patterns of change shown in words, tables, and graphs
- Construct tables and graphs to display relationships between variables
- Observe how a change in the relationship between two variables affects the table, graph, and equation
- Use algebraic symbols to write equations relating variables
- Use tables, graphs, and equations to solve problems
- Use graphing calculators to construct tables and graphs of relationships between variables and to answer questions about these variables


I’d like to get to know your student as quickly as possible this year. Would you please answer the following questions and email them to me by Monday? My email is Skanchwala@bmsonline.org


About My Student



My child’s name (please print) _____________________________



My name ________________________________________________



1.) What is important for me to know about your child?









2.) How does your child feel about math?










3.) What do you feel is the most important aspect about teaching and/or learning math?





Please refer to the blog www. http://bms7math.blogspot.com/ for any ongoing announcements and for daily assignments. Should you have any questions feel free to email me at Skanchwala@bmsonline.org.



I look forward to a great year!

Sincerely,
Sheila Kanchwala
BMS Middle School Math Teacher