Midterm #7

Parents,

Here is one that I am concerned about for the midterm.  It's about the horizontal shifts of a graph left or right.  I taught it a few different ways, but some students are still not confident with vertex form.

Your child has a problem set called the "Easier Task" which is good practice for the midterm. Each class also has a review sheet for more practice.  The review sheet answer keys with worked out solutions are on Dropbox.  Check in with your child if they've completed these two documents.  Most should have already done the easier task (and I already checked it for HW).

The midterm is coming and I am really hopeful and excited for my students to show me how much they've learned this semester!

My Best,

Patrick Morrissey

p.s. If this mailing of problems was good, bad, annoying, burdensome, etc. Let me know.  How could I make it better?

Trig/Stats Midterm Answer Key

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s178/sh/f536e607-72f0-45cc-a1b3-f7ade2881877/df7fe875ad51f92c64eb0573e742218e

Midterm #6

January 12, 2014

Here is our next installment of midterm practice.  Your child will be getting review materials for the midterm this week.

Enjoy the day.

Patrick Morrissey

Midterm #5

January 9, 2014

Parents,

Remember, these emails will lessen in frequency in about a week.  This is a pilot program.

Are there zero, one, two, or more more than 2 real roots?

My Best,

Patrick Morrissey

Midterm #4

January 8, 2014

Parents,

Here is yet another question important for our final.  It's function notation.

All the best,

Patrick Morrissey

Midterm #3

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Thank you so much for so many of you sharing the problem with your child.  Keep it up!  I am hopeful it will spark some good conversation.  If you son gets the problem correct ask him how he knew he was right as it's always good to explain your thinking.

Question #3

As always, let me know how your child did, if you have questions, etc.  After midterms the emails will lessen significantly.

My best,

Patrick M.

Midterm #2

January 6, 2013

Thanks to all the parents who wrote to me. Please keep it up.  If you have a question or a comment by all means reply.

I hope it wasn't a burden.  In the past I've written a 1-2 posts  a month, but this year, with the midyear approaching, I thought to try more frequent, quicker tasks.

So here is the second quick question.  The answer is in your email.

This should be another quick, 30-second problem.  A calculator is not necessary.

My Best,

Patrick M.

Midterm Question #1

January 5, 2013

Dear Parents,

Show this problem to your child. This should not take more than 30 seconds.  If you got my email you already know the correct answer. This is a question about function notation.  More practice can be found at https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-eighth-grade-math/cc-8th-relationships-functions/cc-8th-function-notation/e/functions_1.

If you'd like, share with me what your child said.

My Best,

Patrick M.

Ask your child...

January 2, 2014

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Thank you for verifying your email address with me. My goal is to have at least one parent/guardian for every student I teach. I am almost there!

One way I want to use this blog is to give parents ways to support student learning at home, while making sure the experience is as painless and stress free as possible.

For your first task,  I ask you to show the screen shot below to your son or daughter.  Ask if he or she agrees or disagrees that the "x intercepts" are 3 and -3.

The hope is your son or daughter will say the student did not divide by the 6 that is in front of the "n," and the answer is actually 1/2 or -1/2. This is a really common error.

If you think your child needs more practice check on factoring check out http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Classes/Alg/Factoring.aspx#Pre_Fac_Ex1_c

Email me with any questions...

All the best,

Patrick Morrissey

p.s. If your child had math today they have an assignment called "Challenging Task" that is due next Friday, January 10th.  It is great, yet challenging, practice for the midterm.