Slope-Intercept Form versus Point-Slope Form

Watch the video(double click to watch in full screen mode).

Try the Module(make sure you sign in)
http://www.khanacademy.org/exercise/line_graph_intuition
http://www.khanacademy.org/exercise/converting_between_point_slope_and_slope_intercept

Example

"Equations of Lines in Images" Mini Project

Here are the links for today's project.
"Equations of Lines in Images" Video Tutorial

"Equations of Lines in Images" Description and Proceedures

- Mr. Mac

Geogebra Test

Sorry, the GeoGebra Applet could not be started. Please make sure that Java 1.4.2 (or later) is installed and active in your browser (Click here to install Java now)

Sorry, the GeoGebra Applet could not be started. Please make sure that Java 1.4.2 (or later) is installed and active in your browser (Click here to install Java now)

Algebra Semester Project Description and Organizer

A project is a way for you to learn and demonstrate knowledge about a subject.  It allows you to choose something you find interesting so you can demonstrate your creativity and effort.  Do not submit something that is incomplete or poorly done.  Your work is a reflection on you, take pride in the work you submit.  This Project Organizer is to help you start your project and set goals in order to complete it thoroughly and on time.  If you need help you should ask.  Your teacher is a valuable resource.

For your project you must:	Due Date
1.       Complete the “Project Organizer”.
2.       Submit a rough draft
3.       Complete “Peer Review” of rough draft.
4.       Submit final project including all supporting material, 1-3 above, and this “Description Sheet”.

Grading Rubric	Grade
All parts completed and submitted (organizers, drafts, peer reviews, final) Organizer completed Rough draft completed Peer Review completed	/5 /5 /5 /5
Project was completely thoroughly and accurately as to the description	/10
Neatness/Organization/Presentation	/10
Effort (how much effort did you put into your work)	/10
Creativity (Take an original idea and express it effectively)	/10
Late (you will lose 3 points out of 60 each day late)
Total	/60

Project Possibilities to Peruse

Textbook Publisher – Take a concept that you have learned in math this year and develop a textbook lesson.  Include: 1.       an introduction of the concept 2.       definitions of vocabulary 3.       key concepts 4.       example problems, easy, medium, difficult 5.       several exercise problems with solutions 6.       It should be attractive and creative with a least one image and one table, graph, or figure created from Geogebra or SkethchUp 7.       Make PDF of final Helpful Ideas A.      Look at textbooks for examples.  What do you like and not like? B.      Use internet resources to find interesting facts and information to make your material more interesting.	How to video – Take a concept that you have learned in math this semester and make a 2-4 minute video tutorial of that concept.  Include: 1.       Story board, outline of sequence 2.       Clear video showing step by step process 3.       Narration or subtitles 4.       Appropriate music 5.       Several worked out examples Ideas: Helpful Ideas 1.       Go on Youtube, TeacherTube and SchoolTube to get ideas. 2.       Find a way to make the material presented interesting.  3.       Explore timelapse videos. 4.       Khan Academy 5.       Use art, cartoons, and images.	Graphic Novel Short Story (Cartoon) Create a graphic novel that tells a short story of math from your character’s perspective.  It could be about a concept learned this semester or about an historical event in the history of math.  It could be funny, dark, mysterious etc.  Be creative. Consider: 1.       Story line 2.       List of characters 3.       Style of drawing 4.       Content/concepts covered You must research how to make a graphic novel.  Here are some resources. Resources: http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Graphic-Novel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMVzYltH2kU
Infomercial– Chose one of the math concepts or ideas that you have learned and make a fictitious product (concept) that you try to sell in a 35-50 second commercial.  1.       Include a story board (outline of sequence) 2.       Show a product that demonstrates a math concept 3.       Should be well edited 4.       Include music and titles	Math Blog – Make a math blog focusing on one particular area of study that we have learned this semester.  In the blog include: 1.       Vocabulary/definitions 2.       Worked out examples 3.       Links to helpful resources, videos 4.       Real world examples The blog should include a majority of original material created by you and include other sources created by others.	Other Ideas – Present a written proposal to me on what project you would like to do and we can discuss it.

Project Organizer                                                             Name _____________________________________

This organizer is intended to help you divided the project into smaller pieces to make its completion more manageable.  Each section needs to be thoroughly completed.

Project Name:                                                                                                   Due Date Final:

Due___________1.   Objective of Project:  state in your own words what you will accomplish in this project including what it will contain, how long it will be, and the media used.  You must have 3-5 sentences.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due___________2.  Materials:  Create a list of materials needed and make sure you obtain those materials (include drawing materials, electronics, software etc).

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due___________3.  Resources:  List Resources used for research and for idea mining (include books and internet sources used, must use at least three).

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due___________4.  Intro:  Write introductory for your project and/or explain the theme.  If it is a drawing assignment explain what the content and style of the drawing to be made.  What specific examples will you use as a model? (3-5 complete sentences)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Due___________5.  Rough Draft:  Complete rough draft/rough drawing.  It should contain at least 75% of the full content.  Written content should be typed.

Due___________6.  Peer Review: Peer must fully review your project and write notes or mark content to correct errors and include constructive criticism to be used to improve the project.  A poorly done review by peer will result in lower grade for peer.  You must seriously consider peer reviewers comments and appropriate changes.

Peer Reviewer’s Name _________________________

Due___________7.  Final Project:  Include all supporting material from this organizer (intro, rough draft/drawings, peer review).  Make sure I can receive any electronic media on time either through email or other suitable means.

Geometry Class Expectations

Email: jmacdonald@millerschool.org  - www.millerschoolmath.blogspot.com - Phone: (434) 823-4805 ex 250

Course Description: This class emphasizes two- and three-dimensional reasoning skills, coordinate and transformational geometry, and the use of geometric models to solve problems. Concepts are introduced in the context of real-world problems in order to increase the conceptual development of the student.  A variety of application problems and problem-solving skills are included.  This course covers properties of geometric figures, definitions, informal proofs, trigonometric relationships, logic, and justification techniques. Our textbook is Geometry Prentice Hall Mathematics.

Materials for Class:  Students are required to come to class everyday with:

1.    A binder, which includes the following sections:

o   Notes

o   Homework

o   Quizzes

o   Projects/Drawings

2.    Computer (with required software)

3.    Pencil, protractor, ruler, and compass (preferably with wheel adjustment)

Student's Material Check Off 
Daily Work Flow Chart 

Participation: Because learning is an active process, every student is expected to show active participation in class. Participation includes answering questions during class, making relevant comments and suggestions during class, helping other students, and group work. Participating also means being prepared.

Lateness: You are expected to arrive to class on time and prepared to work every day.  Read the Miller School Student Handbook about more information on this topic.

Absences: When you miss a class, you are expected to complete all the work from that day and keep up with any note taking/outlining.  A syllabus will be provided for all assignments and my math blog will have updates.  Email me at the address above if you need clarification.  If you miss a quiz, we will set up a time for you to take it.  You are responsible for submitting work missed.

Classroom Behavior: Please respect your classmates, your teacher and their property. I expect you to be polite and courteous to your classmates and your teacher to promote the best possible learning environment.

Homework:

·        Homework will be assigned daily from your syllabus.  It may consist of problems from the text, on-line problems, outlining and note taking, journal writing, watching tutorial videos or other project work. Always record the homework in your planner and know where to find the syllabus online and how to access the math calendar.

·         Homework should always be completed in pencil in the required format. Check all odd answers in the back of the book. I expect you to correct the rest of the answers from your homework as we go over it in class. Making mistakes is important in how you learn.

·         Maintaining your notebook will be a critical part of the class and notebook checks and notebook quizzes may be given.

·         Homework and class work is all about reinforcing important concepts.  It will be graded on effort, organization, neatness and your participation in group work.  If you miss an assignment you will be responsible for getting the work completed.  Difficulty with completing assignments on time will result in mandatory Help Session or Saturday Study Hall. You get half credit if you turn in an assignment late.

·         Computer:  A computer is mandatory for this course and should be brought to class charged with required software daily.  We will be using the Khan Academy site and occasionally using Google SketchUp and Geogebra software which are free downloads from the internet.  You will also need you computer to have access to the Miller School Math Blog.  You must check you school gmail account daily.

Grading:  The semester grade will be computed by the following percentages

Quizzes                                 35% (Quizzes on material will be announced and covered smaller portions of the material. Outline quizzes are unannounced and test how well you have taken notes on a particular reading.)

Projects                                  30% (There will be small projects and writing assignments as well as one or two large projects each quarter.)

Homework/Class work       35% (Homework is checked and graded daily. Preparation is also included as a part of homework which means all required materials are brought to class daily.  Note taking/Outlining is also homework as well as any writing assignments. Many assignments need to be completed during class. Use your class time effectively)

We have two semesters. They are averaged to give you your final grade. Each semester has two quarters that are worth 40% each and a semester exam worth 20%.

Help: One of the great aspects of MSA is the availability of teachers to work with you one on one. I am frequently available for extra help during 7^th period. If you have questions about the homework, any upcoming quizzes, projects, or anything about the class please stop by. You can make an appointment with me or just drop in, but please be on time to help sessions which begin at 2:50pm.           

- Mr. Macdonald

Algebra I Class Expectations

Email: jmacdonald@millerschool.org - www.millerschoolmath.blogspot.com- Phone: (434) 823-4805 ex 250

Course Description: This course serves as the first in the sequence of college preparatory mathematics.  Concepts are introduced in the context of real-world problems in order to increase the conceptual development of the student.  This course covers graphs in the coordinate plane, linear equations and inequalities, radicals, polynomials, quadratics, and data analysis. The concept of functions is emphasized using graphical, verbal, numerical, and algebraic methods.  Our textbook is Algebra I, McDougal Littell 2007.

Materials for Class:  Students are required to come to class everyday with:

1.    A binder, which includes the following sections:

o   Notes

o   Homework/Class work

o   Quizzes

o   Projects

2.    Computer (with required software) and power supply

3.    Planner

Student's Materials Check List
Daily Work Flow Chart 

Participation: Because learning is an active process, every student is expected to show active participation in class. Participation includes answering questions during class, making relevant comments and suggestions during class, helping other students, and group work. Participating also means being prepared.

Lateness: You are expected to arrive to class on time and prepared to work every day.  Read the Miller School Student Handbook about more information on this topic.

Absences: When you miss a class, you are expected to complete all the work from that day and keep up with any note taking/outlining.  A syllabus will be provided for all assignments and my math blog will have updates.  Email me at the address above if you need clarification.  If you miss a quiz, we will set up a time for you to take it.  You are responsible for submitting work missed.

Classroom Behavior: Please respect your classmates, your teacher and their property. I expect you to be polite and courteous to your classmates and your teacher to promote the best possible learning environment.

Homework:

·         Homework will be assigned daily from your syllabus.  It may consist of problems from the text, on-line problems, outlining and note taking, journal writing, watching tutorial videos or other project work. Always record the homework in your planner and know where to find the syllabus online and how to access the math calendar.

·         Homework should always be completed in pencil in the required format. Check all odd answers in the back of the book. I expect you to correct the rest of the answers from your homework as we go over it in class. Making mistakes is important in how you learn.

·         Maintaining your notebook will be a critical part of the class and notebook checks and notebook quizzes may be given.

·         Homework and class work is all about reinforcing important concepts.  It will be graded on effort, organization, neatness and your participation in group work.  If you miss an assignment you will be responsible for getting the work completed.  Difficulty with completing assignments on time will result in mandatory Help Session or Saturday Study Hall. You get half credit if you turn in an assignment late.

·         Computer:  A computer is mandatory for this course and should be brought to class charged with required software daily.  We will be using the Khan Academy site and occasionally using Google SketchUp and Geogebra software which are free downloads from the internet.  You will also need you computer to have access to the Miller School Math Blog.  You must check you school gmail account daily.

Grading:  The semester grade will be computed by the following percentages

Quizzes                                 35% (Quizzes on material will be announced and covered smaller portions of the material. Outline quizzes are unannounced and test how well you have taken notes on a particular reading.)

Projects                                  30% (There will be small projects and writing assignments as well as one or two large projects each quarter.)

Homework/Class work       35% (Homework is checked and graded daily. Preparation is also included as a part of homework which means all required materials are brought to class daily.  Note taking/Outlining is also homework as well as any writing assignments. Many assignments need to be completed during class. Use your class time effectively)

We have two semesters. They are averaged to give you your final grade. Each semester has two quarters that are worth 40% each and a semester exam worth 20%.

Help: One of the great aspects of MSA is the availability of teachers to work with you one on one. I am frequently available for extra help during 7^th period. If you have questions about the homework, any upcoming quizzes, projects, or anything about the class please stop by. You can make an appointment with me or just drop in, but please be on time to help sessions which begin at 2:50pm.           

- Mr. Macdonald

Check out the Slope on that Number!

Lego Man Project

Follow the link to the instructions of the Lego Man Project.

Lego Man Project Instructions

SketchUp Intro Designing a Simple House

1. First download Google SketchUp. The link is on the right side of the blog.

2. Go to the link below and follow instructions on how to design a simple house.

3. Animate the house and export as an avi. file with your first initial last name and house intro included.
EX: jmacdonaldhouseintro.avi

4. Send the avi file to me as an attachment. My address is jmacdonald@millerschool.org

Due Thursday 09/02/2010

http://www.youtube.com/user/SketchUpVideo#p/search/2/gsfH_cyXa1o

The Story of Math: Episode 1, Part I “The Egyptians”

1. What discipline led the way to certain knowledge about the physical world?

2. Name a reason why ancestors studied math.

3. Why is it important to understand patterns?

4. When did the Egyptian New Year start?

5. Why did people need to count?

6. What was the Egyptian unit of measurement and why was it used?

7. Why would a farmer receive a rebate?

8. What was the drawback of the Egyptian number system?

9. What ancient system of counting does our computing system use?

10. How did Egyptians use fractions to show a geometric series?

11. What is Pi and how did the Egyptians approximate it?

12. What is the Golden Ratio?

13. What did the Egyptians use to form perfect right triangles in their construction?

14. What formula did the Moscow Papyrus show and why is this significant?



Journal Entry: How does math affect your everyday decisions? DUE ________________

You have watched the first part of “The History of Math” and have seen how the ancient Egyptians used math practically to solve everyday problems. Now it is time for you to think about how you have used math.

Whether we are trying to figure the best payment plan for our new Droid cell phone, figure out how much paint and screen to buy to fix the beach house porch, or chemical ratios used to mix into the back yard pool; math is inextricably used in our everyday life. It’s even hardwired into our brains like when we look both ways when crossing a busy city street calculating mentally the speed and direction of oncoming traffic so we know when it is safe to cross.

Type a one page narrative in the first person about three or four specific examples of how you have used math in your life. You may have used it for a summer job at the supermarket, a building project with your parents or church, or a service project with your school or the scouts. Describe what specific kinds of math you used to solve the examples you will state.


Here are the steps we will use for this writing project.

Part I: Brain storm - Come up with several good ideas that you may use to explain how you used math.

Part II: Topic intro - State why math is important in everyday and set up some of the practical examples you will describe.

Part III: Heart of your journal - Describe in the first person the examples of how you used math and how it made your task easier.

Part IV: Write a conclusion statement or paragraph summing up your experiences.

Part V: Reread, proof for grammar and spelling.

Part VI: Share with a peer to get suggestion on how to make it read more easily.

Part VII: Rewrite.

Part VIII: Submit.

Algebra I Class Expectations

Course Description: This course serves as the first in the sequence of college preparatory mathematics. Concepts are introduced in the context of real-world problems in order to increase the conceptual development of the student. This course covers graphs in the coordinate plane, linear equations and inequalities, radicals, polynomials, quadratics, and data analysis. The concept of functions is emphasized using graphical, verbal, numerical, and algebraic methods.

Materials for Class: Students are required to come to class everyday with:

1. Textbook,
2. Spiral Notebook (for note taking/outlining)
3. A binder, which includes the following sections:
o Homework
o Tests/Quizzes
o Projects/Drawings
4. Computer (with required software)

Participation: Because learning is an active process, every student is expected to show active participation in class. Participation includes answering questions during class, making relevant comments and suggestions during class, helping other students, and answering homework questions.

Lateness: You are expected to arrive to class on time and prepared to work every day. Read the Miller School Student Handbook about more information on this topic.
Absences: When you miss a class, you will be expected to complete all the work from that day and keep up with any note taking/outlining. A syllabus will be provided for all assignments and my math blog will have updates. Email me at the address above if you need clarification. If you miss a test or quiz, we will set up a time for you to take it. You are responsible for submitting work missed.

Classroom Behavior: Please respect your classmates, your teacher and their property. I expect you to be polite and courteous to your classmates and your teacher to promote the best possible learning environment.

Homework:
• Homework will be assigned daily from your syllabus. It may consist of problems from the text, outlining and note taking, journal writing, or other project work. Always record the homework in your planner and keep your syllabus with your materials.

• Homework should always be completed in pencil in the required format. Check all odd answers in the back of the book. I expect you to correct the rest of the answers from your homework as we go over it in class. Making mistakes is important in how you learn.

• Maintaining your notebook will be a critical part of the class and notebook checks and notebook quizzes may be given frequently.

• Homework is all about reinforcing what you learn in class and will be graded on effort, organization, and neatness. Rewrite the original problem from your textbook and always show your work. You will not receive credit for answers alone. Homework will be graded daily out of 5 points. If you miss a homework assignment you will be responsible for getting the work completed as we go over it in class and you will be given an additional assignment as well as mandatory Help Session or Saturday Study Hall.

Each assignment should have your:
1. Name
2. Date
3. Page and numbers assigned
4. Original problem
5. All required steps for solving
6. Final answer clearly stated

Computer: A computer is mandatory for this course. We will be occasionally using Google SketchUp and Geogebra software which are free downloads from the internet. You will also need you computer to have access to the Miller School Math Blog.

Grading: The semester grade will be computed by the following percentages:

Quizzes 35% (Quizzes on material will be announced and covered smaller portions of the material. Outline quizzes are unannounced and test how well you have taken notes on a particular reading.)

Tests 30% (Tests will be announced in advance and will cover larger portions of the material.)

Homework 30% (Homework from the text book is checked and graded daily. Preparation is also included as a part of homework which means all required materials are brought to class daily. Note taking/Outlining is also homework as well as any writing assignments.)

Participation 5% (Students are expected to contribute to the class discussion daily.)

Help: I am always available for extra help during 7th period. If you have questions about the homework, any upcoming tests or quizzes, or anything about the class please stop by. You can make an appointment with me or just drop in, but please be on time to help sessions.

- Mr. Macdonald