G-Block update due to snow

Since G-Block lost the first day of Investigation 3, and we need to finish that Investigation plus do two Summarize/Check Your Understanding things on Monday, please get through at least half of Investigation 3 on  your own.

Starting Course 3 (and the quiz retake)

First, the quiz retake.  You may retake the quiz but will need to show me all of the completed homework from the investigations and the handout.  You will also need to explain to me why you had difficulty.  This is to keep you from retaking it before you have actually corrected your misunderstandings.  If you received less than a 2 then you must retake the quiz because this is material that you need to know and I cannot let you glide along without it.

Second, starting Course 3.  We will be taking home the purple Course 3 books.  You have to cover them (I will make this a middle-school type homework grade if there is difficulty accomplishing this - the books are too pristine to get messed up).  You will need to bring the book to class every day (sorry but there is no online version this time). We will be doing Unit 5, lessons 1 and 2 (and maybe 3).  Each lesson has 2-4 Investigations and an On Your Own section of homework.  You will be required to finish the investigation's accompanying homework when we finish the investigation.  Some take one day, some take two.

Until vacation, Lesson 1 -  Polynomial Expressions and Functions
Day 1  Investigation 1, questions 1-3
Day 2  Investigation 1, questions 4-7  HW p.336-345/A1,2; C9;
                                                            E17,198; Rv21,22
Day 3  Investigation 2, questions 1-6  HW p.337-346/A3; C10;
                                                            R14; Rv 23,24,2
Day 4  Investigation 3, questions 1-7
Day 5  Investigation 3, questions 8-9  HW p.337-346/A4-6,8; C12,13;
                                                            R15,16; E19,20; Rv28,29
Day 6  Quiz on Lesson 1
Day 7  Christmas Eve - enjoy vacation, see you on January 6th.

The latest problem set

You can download the latest problem set here.  You have until next Thursday.  Make sure your graphs are on graph paper, they are big enough to see, and I don't have to count any boxes to make sure things are graphed correctly.

The pdf of the unit

I have uploaded the pdf of the unit into the conference.  You don't have to go online, you can just use that. Or download it from here. This should solve all of the problems. (Note: If there are contents links on the side, you may not be able to click on them - use actual page numbers at the top).

Reviewing Quadratics with the Course 2 books

We are starting the new books with their investigative focus.  I am proposing a syllabus but it may need changing (because I am not used to these books either).  I know there is a field trip but people missing class will have to make up the missed investigation  either at home or after school in groups (where I will be available to answer questions).  After each investigation we will summarize the results and I will collect the "Check Your Understanding" to check  your understanding.

Day 1  Investigation 2/all pp.332-334
              HW pp.346-357/A 7-10; C 17; R 28,29; Rv 43-45, 4
Day 2  Investigation 3/1-7 pp.336-337  HW see day 3
Day 3  Investigation 3/8-12 pp.337-339  
               HW pp.348-358/A 11,12; C 18-23; R 30; E 37,38; Rv 48-50
Day 4  Investigation 4/1-5 pp.340-342  HW see day 5
Day 5  Investigation 4/6-9 pp.342-343
               HW pp.348-358/A 13-15; R 31, 33; E 39, 40; Rv 51, 52

On the 6th day we will see where we are and what needs going over.
On the 7th day, probably a quiz.

Getting ready for our investigations

The book we will be testing is available to you online (you will not be getting a book to take home). Here are the directions for access:

1. Using Safari or IE (Firefox seems to have issues), go to the Glencoe site at: http://www.glencoe.com/sites/massachusetts/teacher/mathematics/index.html

2. Select the link for Contemporary Math in Context (Core-Plus Mathematics Project) and then choose Contemporary Mathematics in Context Course 2 © 2008. Make sure you choose the right edition (2008, not 2003).

3. Select Student/Parent Center.  There are 4 options.  Click on Online Student Edition. It will bring you to another page and you have to select Online Student Edition again. Then enter the following access code:  E5E2FA9328
IMPORTANT: After entering the access code, the website initially says it is an invalid code but if you wait about 5 seconds, it loads in the PDF of the textbook.

4.  Select Contents at the bottom of the page.  Choose Unit 5, Lesson 1.  We will be using this book for Investigations 2, 3, and 4. On page 331-2 of the text, there is a summary of what was learned in Investigation 1.  This is all material that we have already learned this year.  Read "Summarize the Mathematics" and "Check Your Understanding" to make sure you are ready to go tomorrow.

5.  During step 3, above, there were 4 options.  One option was to access the textbook.  Another option was CPMP-Tools.  You should download this [free] software.  It is a great program that will help you see and understand many of the concepts that we will be learning.  It is easy to use and has online help.  Play around with it.  Get used to it.  Your calculator can do a lot.  This can do more.