Math Blog

2-August-2010 Update

Welcome back to school

This Thursday and Friday (5th and 6th) are parent conference/registration days. Please stop by with any questions. Syllabii are posted for most of the classes this year. All students should be prepared with a three ring binder (especially important for geometry students) and a calculator. I recommend a TI-30, solar powered version. Available at Walmart. The calculators are for homework use. In class calculators will be available if needed.

Tutoring

Tutoring will continue to be available after school. This year it will work a little different than previously, but teachers have not yet been informed how it will work, so as soon as I know, I will update this.

Puzzle

The best way to start off the year is with a little extra credit, so an extra credit puzzle is already posted on-line. This should not be too difficult. The best method to work on these is usually to print off the page, and work right on your prinout. Then when you have it complete, hand it in. Good luck.

25-April-2010 Update

After School Tutoring

School sponsored after school tutoring is officially over. But, my tutoring continues, just like it existed before the school stepped in, the only difference is we have no official snack, and you must find your own transportation. Check the link on the left of the web site to see the dates I am available to stay after. This week I will stay at least the first three days of the week.

Final Exam Schedule

Finals will be given the last week of school (except for seniors). Math and science finals will be on Monday and Tuesday. The Algebra 2 final is moved up to coincide with senior finals, due to the large number of seniors in that class. Algebra 1 finals are also altered to accomodate the ECA schedule.

Puzzle

The final puzzle of the year is now on-line. I think this is a tough puzzle, so based on the number of correct answers, I may provide an extra bonus. Good luck, and please, use logic and reasoning to solve this one.

Settlers of Catan

This is the game we played during the Family Game Night at the school. I have listed it here as a reference for those interested. I highly recommend this fun game, and will gladly bring it in again for those who can stay after to play.

6-March-2010 Update

After School Tutoring

GQE Re-Test is this week, and ECA Re-Test is over, so... After school tutoring is now any student any day. Stay tuned, because we may go back to different days for different classes, but for now, if you need help, any day, it is available.

National Honor Society

All applications are in, and the fate of the finalists is in the hands of the distinguished faculty committee. As soon as they are complete, and the good Doctor schedules an induction ceremony, you will have the final verdict. Good luck to one and all.

New Puzzle

Check out the puzzle link for a new extra credit puzzle. This has returned by popular demand.

The world's Largest Tessellation

Work has begun on our "World's Largest Tessellation" I do not doubt that somewhere in the world, there is a larger tessellation, but in my opinion, it doesn't count unless it is in Google. You can be when we are done, we will show up in Google. Anyway, I am looking for help to cut out the pieces "tessy" as we have nicknamed them. Please help out during advisory or lunch. Wouldn't you like to have a hand in creating the world's largest something.

30-January-2010 Update

Tutoring Schedule Change

We have changed the tutoring schedule once again. On Mondays and Wednesdays after school, all regular classes may receive tutoring. The numbers have been low, so plenty of personal help is possible. Rumor has it that Mr. Hakim may even stop by to help out. Tuesdays and Thursdays are now reserved for GQE and ECA tutoring. These tests are requred for graduation, so this is serious stuff. If you are not in the select group working on this material, please be considerate and give them plenty of privacy to work.

More Pictures Available

Check out more pictures that have been aded to the website. See if you are in the pictures, or check out an event or class you missed.

Web Class Now Publishing

About 20 of your classmates (if not you) are enrolled in my web design class. All of their work is produced on the world wide web, for everyone to see. Feel free to check out what they have produced so far, but be kind, because they are still learning everything they need to know. The website is located here

Web Design Files now available

I continue to strive to have the web design class completely paper free. Last year we succeeded. This year I started by writing HTML how to files that would demonstrate the code needed for web pages, but to no ones surprise, I reverted back to powerpoint, so these files are now posted on this site, just like the math classes I teach.

Game Club

I have talked with a number of students about starting a game club. This would be for board games, but specifically ones that are not as common. If you played Khet in my room around Christmas, you know what I am talking about. Games that I would like to introduce include Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne. Let me know if you are interested.

27-November-2009 update

Bonus Puzzle

A new bonus puzzle has been uploaded. Due to the popularity of the last puzzle, this is of a similar design, and I again show the answer to a sample in color. You do not need to submit your answers in color, but so many seemed to enjoy the colorful aspects of the last puzzle I felt the need to keep a colorful option. If you succeed with the smaller puzzle, make sure you do not give up on the larger puzzle.

Pictures are Back

The link on the left hand menu, for pictures, has not worked all year. This holiday weekend, I loaded a new photo album program, and I am in the process of moving all the pictures I have from FCA to the website. Check it out.

Tutoring

Tutoring will continue through Christmas, with the same schedule. Algebra 1 is Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Everyone else is Monday and Wednesday. Please, feel free to ask for help before school, during advisory, or during lunch.

Final Exam Schedule

All math final exams will be on Wednesday or Thursday, December 16th or 17th. December 18th will be the only chance for make-up exams if you are sick. So, please try to not be sick.

03-November-2009 update

Bonus Puzzle

A new bonus puzzle has been uploaded. There is both a simple version of this logic puzzle, as well as a bigger and harder version. Give them both a try

After School Tutoring

After school tutoring is now every day except Friday. Algebra 1 is on Tuesday and Thursday, Other math classes are Monday and Wednesday. As always I continue to help before school, during lunch and advisory as available and as arranged between myself and a student.

Calculators on Tests

To help even the playing field, and to encourage basic computational competence, most math tests are now two part. One part is without a calculator, and the second part a calculator may be used. If you do not have a calculator, I will be happy to loan you one. This is thanks to the calculators purchased with a recent technology grant

SAT, or ACT

I continue to loan out graphing calculators for these tests. Make sure you are comfortable with the calculator before borrowing for the test. You don't want to be the Goober with a nice calculator who doesn't know how to turn it on, or get to a calculator window.

17-September-2009 update

Bonus Puzzle

A new bonus puzzle has been uploaded. This puzzle is a pure logic puzzle. Try your hand at solving this. If you run into problems, I may give hints at methods to solve these type puzzles

After School Tutoring

So far this year after school tutoring sessions have yet to result in more than two students at once. If you are struggling, do not wait until you are behind, get help early.

Technology Update

Thanks to a recent donation to the school, we will now have a new instrument probe that can be used with our calculators to connect real world information with our classroom data. Also, a grant the school received will boost our calculator and other related technology significantly. Stay tuned to a higher tech classroom coming soon.

Back to School Night

Thanks to all the parents who came to Back to School night. Several were interested in the information provided on this web site. Don't forget about the homework hotline, with links available in the link section. Check out the left hand menu.

09-August-2009 update

Bonus Puzzle

A new bonus puzzle has been uploaded, and the puzzle has now been upgraded so that it gets it very own place on the website. Check it out on the menu bar on the left. Then make sure you try and work the puzzle, because it will help your math skills, and it may help your math score.

06-August-2009 update

Welcome Back

I know, we all had fun and slept in during the summer. I did too, but that is over now, and we even start earlier this year. So, welcome back, I am ready to go, I hope you are too. Below I have included a few things that are different for this year.

School Homework Policy

No late homework will be accepted this year. This is a change from previously when I took off for every day that homework was late. This is a school wide policy, and one that will benefit math very much. Math is an incremental study, meaning we learn a little bit each day, and it builds on what we learned previously. Falling behind really hurts students. As the new school year starts, no one is "behind". We all start fresh, and by staying current with your studies you have a better chance of maintaining a high grade. Right now your grade is perfect in my class.

I am not heartless, if you sick and miss class, you will still have one day for every day missed to make up your homework. Full credit will be given. If for some situation occurs that absolutely prevents you from completing the homework, but you are still in class, let me know what is going on, and I will likely be gracious. Special situations should be rare.

Tutoring

There is no tutoring bus this year, but after school tutoring will continue. I will have regular after school tutoring for just one hour. Longer if needed. I will likely meet more often than previously, and if you really need help, I can continue to help through lunch, before school and later after school. Just let me know.

Flash Cards

I have created a new computer program that simulates flash cards. This is meant to stress the incremental nature of our learning in the math classroom. These files are stored seperately on the file portion of this website with "SWF" file extensions. If you download the file to veiw it, view it in an Internet Explorer window. Just click on the window to proceed. Each time you start over, all the questions will be shuffled and presented in a random order. If you want to repeat the exercise with less questions, click near the bottom of the screen to remove any one question during the next time through the stack of questions.

Quizzes

We will have quizzes nearly every day in class. These will often be "homework" quizzes. They may also be any material previously covered during the year. These will always be very short and quick.

Review Test Questions

I currently plan to include review questions from previous tests on most tests. These will be listed last on the test, and will be only one or two questions. Do not forget the material we have already covered.