• We have been working in stations related to Lesson 9- Ratios involving Complex Fractions this week (from Unit 2- Ratios and Proportional Reasoning). Students have been practicing how to write rates involving fractions, then solving to find the unit rates.

• Some students still needs to “catch up” on missing assignments. (i.e. NEWSELA and Khan Academy-3 assignments from early December)

• Marking Period 2 ends on Friday. I’m still working on entering scores in the gradebook, in particular, the 3 riddle practice sheets and quiz retakes and late work.  Grades will be updated by Friday!

Homework
1) Finish work from stations: worksheet #10 (unit rates), CER, Khan Academy (Rates with Fractions)

Important Dates:
Friday, January 18 — 1/2 Day of School (End of Semester 1)
Monday, January 21 — NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 22 — 1/2 Day of School (Beginning of Semester 2)
Wednesday, January 23 — 1/2 Day of School (Teacher

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

• We started Lesson 9- Ratios involving Complex Fractions this week (from Unit 2- Ratios and Proportional Reasoning). Students are reviewing how to use double number lines or bar models or simply writing the ratios/rates as fractions to help them figure out unit rates.

• Any students that would still like to retake any quizzes (lesson 5, lesson 6, or lesson 7) can make time to do that before the marking period ends. We will review the lesson by reviewing their quiz mistakes and then completing a retake. I am available after school on Thursday 1/10, Friday 1/11, or Tuesday 1/15!

• Some students still needs to “catch up” on missing assignments before the end of the marking period next Friday (i.e. NEWSELA and Khan Academy-3 assignments from early December) 

Homework
1) Practice and Problem Solving book p. 89-90

Important Dates:
Friday, January 18 — 1/2 Day of School (End of Semester 1)
Monday, January 21 — NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 22 — 1/2 Day of School (Beginning of Semester 2)
Wednesday, January 23 — 1/2 Day of School (Teacher Professional Development in PM)

I hope that everyone enjoys time with their family and friends during the winter break, and finds time for some rest and relaxation! See you in 2019!

• Students took the Unit 1 Test this week.

• On Thursday and Friday, students worked on an “Article of the Week” about Ratios on newsela.com   If your son/daughter did not finish the article activities and annotations (talking to the text), he/she should complete it during the winter break.

• When we return from winter break, we will begin Unit 2 – Ratios and Proportional Relationships

• Today students followed a shortened class schedule in order to be able to enjoy watching a movie for the December PBIS Celebration during the last two hours of school! I think the students would agree that it was a great way to end our week before break!

Homework
1) Finish NEWSELA article- Ratios

2) Extra Credit Opportunity- Khan Academy
-Type “nwea” in the search bar
-Select “MAP Recommended Practice”
-Choose one of the 4 subtests (I recommend “Real and Complex Numbers” or “Operations and Algebra”)
-Choose any skill(s) to practice. For each hour of skill practice during the winter break, students will earn extra credit points.

Important Dates:
Monday, December 24- Friday, January 4 — NO SCHOOL – Winter Break
Friday, January 18 — 1/2 Day of School (End of Semester 1)
Monday, January 21 — NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 22 — 1/2 Day of School (Beginning of Semester 2)
Wednesday, January 23 — 1/2 Day of School (Teacher Professional Development in PM)

• The past week we did a brief overview of how to use approximations to estimate answers to problems involving rational numbers and how the estimate will help you know if your actual answer is reasonable (Lesson 8). This was the final lesson in Unit 1.

• We will begin the Unit 1 test on Monday. It will probably take two class periods to complete. 

• In addition to the Unit 1 Review (see link under Homework), students that are interested in additional practice to prepare for the Unit 1 test can choose any of the following suggestions:
1.  Review the Unit 1 practice problems in Practice & Problem Solving book p.79-80
3.  Review/Retry any of the Khan Academy assignments from Oct-Dec  
4.  Review any resources you put in your spiral notebook…focus on knowing the integer rules since they are the same sign rules for fractions and decimals.
    *What do you do if adding the same sign (a negative and a negative)? 
                    – ADD absolute values and KEEP the sign negative
    *What do you do if adding different signs (one positive and one negative)?
                    – SUBTRACT absolute values and take the sign of the bigger absolute value
    *What do you do if you see subtraction? – Keep, Change, Change
    *What is the sign when multiplying/dividing two negatives?  1 negative and 1 positive?
                    – Draw the “tic tac toe” or the fact triangle 

Homework
Complete this Unit 1 Review (The Number System)
Review for Unit 1 test!

Important Dates:
Monday, December 24- Friday, January 4 — NO SCHOOL – Winter Break
Friday, January 18 — 1/2 Day of School (End of Semester 1)
Monday, January 21 — NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 22 — 1/2 Day of School (Beginning of Semester 2)
Wednesday, January 23 — 1/2 Day of School (Teacher Professional Development in PM)

• Today we we began stations for Lesson 7 practice. Stations will continue on Monday.
The stations are:
1.  adding positive and negative fractions (assignment #8)
2.  4 vocabulary word maps 
3.  Instruction Book pgs. 58-61
4. Khan Academy (3 assignments)

Homework
Past Due Assignments (Some students still need to finish these and turn in for credit)
*Practice and Problem Solving book p. 61-62
*Assignment #7 (Multiplying and Dividing Fractions- Riddle p.C67)
*Assignment #6 (Terminating/Repeating Decimals- Riddle p.C72) 

Important Dates:
Wednesday, December 5 – Field Trip
Wednesday, December 12 — Late Start
Monday, December 24- Friday, January 4 — NO SCHOOL – Winter Break

• On Tuesday, we started Lesson 7: Adding and Subtracting Rational Numbers…students should have brought home the “Family Letter” the other day. (If not, please ask them about it. It is in their Practice and Problem Solving book pages 57-58.)

• Today students took notes in their spiral notebook to review skills:
     –the rules for adding and subtracting fractions
     -the rules for adding and subtracting integers

• Tomorrow we will begin stations for Lesson 7 practice

Homework
Past Due Assignments (Some students still need to finish these and turn in for credit)
*Practice and Problem Solving book p. 61-62
*Assignment #7 (Multiplying and Dividing Fractions- Riddle p.C67)
*Assignment #6 (Terminating/Repeating Decimals- Riddle p.C72) 

Important Dates:
Wednesday, December 5 – Field Trip
Wednesday, December 12 — Late Start
Monday, December 24- Friday, January 4 — NO SCHOOL – Winter Break

• We are wrapping up Lesson 6: Multiplying and Dividing Rational Numbers.

• Last week students took notes in their spiral notebook to review skills from previous grades:
     -how to change improper fractions to mixed numbers and mixed to improper fractions
     -the rules for multiplying and dividing fractions
     -the rules for multiplying and dividing decimals

• Students have been using their notes, along with the integer rules, to practice multiplying and dividing fractions or decimals with negatives during stations. Finish up the stations work….we will finish going over the work before the quiz. 

• Lesson 6 QUIZ will be tomorrow!

Homework
*Finish stations work:
     – Instruction book p.49 (#15-16), p. 50 (#17), p. 52 (#1-3)
     – Practice and Problem Solving book p. 51-52
     – Multiplying/Dividing Fraction riddle (p. C67) – don’t worry about the actual riddle if you don’t understand the directions, just solve the problems!

Important Dates:
Wednesday, Nov. 21- Friday, Nov. 23 — NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving
Wednesday, December 12 — Late Start
Monday, December 24- Friday, January 4 — NO SCHOOL – Winter Break

Thank you to all the families that were able to attend conferences last week! It was a pleasure to meet with you!  If you were unable to attend conferences and you have a question or concern about your child, feel free to email me:   furlowd@dearbornschools.org

•Today:  We finished Lesson 2. The quiz is on Monday 10/1!

Homework
*assignment #3 (front only- subtracting integers and finding distance)

*Vocabulary (write on looseleaf- look up the words in your Instruction Book or online)
          -integers
          -additive inverses/opposites/zero pair
          -inverse operations

*Study for Lesson 2 QUIZ! (Review SLOT, Instruction Book and Practice Book)

Important Dates:
Friday, October 12 — 1/2 Day of School
Wednesday, October 17 — Late Start
Tuesday, November 6 — NO SCHOOL – Election Day
Wednesday, Nov. 21- Friday, Nov. 23 — NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving