Mr. Johnson’s Common Core 7 & 8
Email: [email protected] Phone: 440-893-7695 ext. 4310
Welcome to Core 7&8! I am very excited for this school year and am looking forward to working together! Core 7 & 8 will cover all of the seventh grade math content standards. Some of the material will be new and challenging, but with a positive attitude and a little hard work, together we can get it done!
Supplies: The following items will be required for class daily: Binder with 4 dividers (Math Notes, Class work, Homework, Learning Log) Loose leaf paper and Graph Paper (keep in binder) Scientific Calculator (TI- 30XIIS is recommended) Chromebook Planner Textbook (make sure it is covered!) Pencils with erasers (don’t use pen!)
Classroom Rules: 1. Be in your seat at the bell and ready to work. 2. Be respectful of all others and their property. 3. Come prepared to class with your materials. 4. Follow directions the first time. 5. Be on task. 6. Remain in your assigned seat unless given permission by the teacher to move or get up. 7. Hall passes will be given on a limited basis. Responsibilities should be taken care of between classes. 8. Obey all school rules.
Team Work Rules: 1. Only talk about math. 2. Do not talk to other groups. 3. When you are stuck, ask everyone in your group before asking the teacher. 4. Everyone should be working on the same problem at the same time. 7 Habits of Highly Successful CPM Students 1. Engage in group discussions. 2. Ask a good question when you don’t understand. 3. Listen to team members. It is helpful to learn from multiple perspectives. 4. Stay current with your homework. Assignments are designed to help you understand the next lesson. 5. Complete and study your Learning Logs and Math Notes. Their purpose is to help you remember essential facts. 6. Always check your work from the homework answers, homework help and/or team members. You need to know if you are making mistakes. 7. Read all questions carefully. Your book is designed to help you walk through each mathematical concept. If you skip steps, you will miss out on valuable learning.
Grading: Grades will follow the middle school grading scale, which can be found in the handbook, and will be weighted in the following manner: 65% Individual Assessments- Individual tests/quizzes.
20% Graded Resource Assessments- Team tests, partner quizzes, presentations etc.
15% Coursework– Homework, participation, notebook checks, etc.
Individual Tests (cumulative): one per chapter Each individual test will be composed of approximately 40% new material and 60% old material. If students are absent from a test, they are expected to make it up the day they return to school. Students may re-take one individual test per semester if their coursework average is at least 80%. Re-takes must be scheduled and completed within one week of test. Team Tests (cumulative): one per chapter (approximately 1 week before the individual test) If students are absent from a group test they will take the test individually. Students have the right to have their work graded individually if they disagree with their team. To do so, they need to notify the teacher before handing it in. Homework Some assignments will be collected and checked for completion. Some assignments will be collected and checked for quality. No work shown = no credit. Late work is accepted up to one day late, but only for a maximum of half credit.
Future Coursework: Following the completion of Core 7, students will take Core 8 as 8th graders, and then Algebra as freshmen. Core 7 and Core 8 give students the foundation they need to be prepared for algebra. Attendance: If students miss class it is their responsibility to know exactly what work they need to make up and to get it turned it. All assignments can be found on the class schedule posted online, and any handouts or worksheets can either be printed offline or picked up in class. The teacher will not seek out missing work from absent students, as it is the students’ responsibility to complete it and turn it in.
Any assignment that was due on the day of the absence should be turned in the day the student returns to school. If students are absent on the day of a test or quiz day, they will be expected to take the test or quiz on the date of their return. If students are absent for an extended period of time, generally more than three days, they should see the teacher to make a plan to complete their work.
Good attendance is very important for achieving success in this course, so I would encourage students to try not to miss class if possible. Keep in mind that it is impossible to make up discussion, participation and interaction with classmates.
Extra Help and Resources: CPM student support website: http://cpm.org/student.html It is strongly recommended that students use “Homework Help” to assist them with their homework if needed, or to use this site to help them check their work upon completion. If there are particular topics that students require more practice with, the “Extra Practice” page provides worksheets with examples and sample problems that students can do on their own.
Math Notes: these are inserted throughout the textbook and provide examples and explain big ideas. Students are assigned an accompanying handout to fill out as they read the math notes, which should be done nightly along with homework
Online textbook: http://textbooks.cpm.org
Homework answers: posted online to use to check.
Meeting with the teacher for extra help: If students are still struggling with certain material after seeking help from the resources outlined above, then they are welcome to schedule a time to meet with Mr. Arundel during lunch or recess. Once a meeting is scheduled, students need to be prepared to come with specific questions in regards to the topics that they need help with.
A Special Note about Homework: Completion of homework plays a critical role in achieving success in this class. Homework is where the material is truly practiced and mastered, and it is what prepares students for the individual and group tests. If a student is not getting the proper and necessary practice through their homework, then it will most likely lead to them struggling on assessments. It is imperative that students do not abuse the homework resources available to them. These resources are meant to help and clarify things for students, not to serve as a substitute for actually doing the work themselves. Such abuse of homework resources cannot always be monitored by the teacher, but will most likely lead to poor understanding, low test scores, and low overall grades. Students are encouraged to use all resources available to them, only in the proper way. Please fill out this form and return it to Mr. Johnson
Core 7 & 8
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