Berkeley 87 Middle School Math Notes Cathy Shide, Math Coach

Math Notes 2013

Berkeley 87 Middle School Math Notes – Cathy Shide, Math Coach

November 13, 2012 I will send the math practice posters to help remind teachers of the math practices.

For all teachers

 We discussed the importance of the math practice standards. Students are having a hard time writing explanations, providing visual explanations, using the appropriate vocabulary, and understanding math concepts.

 Focus on the math practice standards. Lesson plans should have the content standards as well as the math practice standards.

Lab Teachers

 In reviewing the curriculum maps, the topics will need to be aligned with common core. However the math practice standards are always in play. In addition, solving problems will involve certain computations that are in the Number System domain.

8th grade

 The teachers gave a pre-assessment for the MAP lessons. We reviewed the student work. Students did not show any evidence of understanding the area models.

 Students need to know array models of multiplication for background

 Two digit by one digit, then two digit by two digit

 Showed the alge-block model for area

 Planning – students would begin with multiplication with arrays. Work with two digit by one digit. They show the expression of 38 x 6 as 6 (30 + 8) and build the array. Write a description of how they got the answer from the array model. Work on building to two digit by two digit problems.

 Once the students have this, move to area and perimeter and map out the understandings.

Area Perimeter Description Formulas Picture How to solve the problem  They could solve some perimeter and area problems and move to abstract figures.

 The other group did a pre-assessment with percentage increase and decrease. Common errors are understanding 6% is 0.06 not 0.60. The other class showed little understanding of percentage and how to figure it. Math Notes 2013  We discussed a unit plan that follows below.

 What is percent? How do I figure percent? These are focus questions. To build understanding with words – percent, percentage, multiple representations of the numbers, and symbols work on the example below. Student map out understanding of percent and representations. Provide some real life examples, like 50% of the class wears blue?

Percent % Percent means You can represent out of 100 or per percent as a number 100 – you can with the percent think about it as symbol as 50 %, as a a comparison – fraction 50/100 or how big 1/2, or as a decimal something is to 0.5 or 0.50. something else.  Then move to creating representations of different percents in a table below. Have different cells open so students have to build the different representations. Example below.

Percent Decimal Fraction(s) Grid drawing 5% 0.05 or

90% Math Notes 2013 9 %

_____ or 2/5

 Also can do a mystery graph based on 100 grid paper as this . Do not put in the letters or numbers, but just have students create a picture like this. Then students have to figure out the fraction, decimal, and percent of each color. This would be good on grid index cards.

 Bell ringer idea - The M2T2 activity in Number Sense in the 4-6 grade modules has a penny a day activity. The activity asks students to represent amounts of pennies with $0.05, 0.05, 5/100, 5%.

 From the M2T2 module do the activity with the Who We Are? Poster – do the benchmark % as 20% of the group has dark hair, etc.

 Idea was to do this on Jan. 15 when I am in the buildings. I can help teach this portion of the unit if needed. Have students work on the problems with the tape diagrams of % of discount figuring price. Also do the problems with increase in percent over 100%. Math Notes 2013  Do the tape diagram problems for a few days. Finish off with the % increase and % decrease activity. Give the post-assessment calculator activity back.

 Review how to put down the keys to figure out percentage. We can compare the work in February.

6th grade

 Teachers did the multiplication strings and moved to the array models for multiplication. Students are able to do the multiplication much better. Some teachers have moved to 3 digit by 2 digit.

 Once students understand the array model, they can move just to the boxes.

 We discussed doing division strings, moving to partial quotients. Begin with the array model.

 For January, we will be working on tape diagrams to solve percent problems. We can also do fraction problems. This will help students build a visual that is expected in the common core and 5th grade will be coming using this strategy.

Number talk progression

Develop 2 x 7 = strategies for 4 x 7 = multiplication 3 x 7 = 7 x 7 =

n – figure out where your kids are then keep moving in this pattern.