Tuesday, April 27th

Sixth Grade

The class took a test today. Tomorrow, we won't have class because of a house tournament. I will be on a field trip with 7th grade on Thursday, but the class will have Lesson 97 as the assignment. I'll see you all in class again on Friday!

Seventh Grade

Spelling - Unit 33 is due on Friday.

Grammar - We didn't have time to review for the test, so I have postponed it until Thursday.

Literature - We read another chapter of Tom Sawyer. We will read one more chapter tomorrow and have an assignment.

Math - We spent the majority of our class time together reviewing for the math test. I gave the students a yellow piece of paper that is about the size of a 4x6 index card. They can write as many notes as will fit on the paper and use it as a "cheat sheet" on the test. I didn't want them stressed out about remembering the formulas and different parts of the percent proportions. I wanted them to remember how to put the information into a formula or proportion in order to solve. So...be sure your paper is readable and has enough information on it to help tomorrow! And go over everything....

Eighth Grade

Pre-Algebra - Lesson 10-4. Circumference and Area of a circle. Most students finished in class, but if you didn't, just remember, to find the circumference, multiply the diameter x pi (using 3.14 for pi). If the problem gave you the radius, remember to double it before multiplying by pi.

To find the area, remember to multiply pi times the radius squared. First, square the radius, (remembering to cut in half the diameter if that is what you are given), then multiply by pi. You are rounding the nearest tenth on all of them but #26. On that one, just write the answer. Do #2-9, #14-16, and #26.

See you tomorrow!

Mrs. Swickey

Monday, April 26

Sixth Grade

Today, we worked on a practice test. There will be a test tomorrow. Also, you need to complete Supplemental lesson 95 for tomorrow.

Seventh Grade

Spelling - Complete the first two pages of Unit 33.

Grammar - We reviewed for a test over the chapter about fragments, run-ons, and misplaced modifiers. We will continue to review tomorrow and the test will be on Wednesday.

Literature - We read more from Tom Sawyer, but there is no homework tonight.

Math - Lesson 7-13. #2-18. Remember the formula and for each problem, you will just plug in the information you are given and solve the formula. It is:

I = p x r x t

I = Interest earned or owed
P = principal (amount borrowed or deposited - also the original amount)
r = rate which means PERCENT!
t = time in years (remember, if you are given part of a year, be sure to change it to a decimal)

For #2-6, you will be finding the amount of interest and the total amount earned. This means that you deposited a certain amount of money (the principal) and will earn interest on it for a certain amount of time for a certain percent. Here is an example:

Here is another example:


For #8-12, you will be finding the rate - which is a percent. Remember, just plug in the information you know into the formula. Here is an example:


For the problems on the back page, you will be doing the same thing as above, except you will be finding the time. Remember to change the percent to a decimal before plugging it in the formula.

Eighth Grade

Lesson 10-3. For this lesson, you will be using three formulas. Area of parallelograms, area of triangles, and area of trapezoids.


Just plug in the numbers into the formula and multiply. Remember for both triangles and trapezoids to divide by 2! Do #2-18.

See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Swickey

Thursday, April 22nd

Sixth Grade

Lesson 95. Changing decimals to percents. Just move the decimal TWO places to the right!

Seventh Grade

Language Arts - Grammar worksheet over misplaced modifiers. Just follow the directions.

Spelling - Unit 32 is due tomorrow! Be sure you have completed the entire unit, including the challenge page, and have studied for the test!

Literature - We read another chapter in Tom Sawyer today. No homework.

Math - 7-11, continued. Today, do problems 10-13 and the Critical Thinking box. Remember, when you do a markup problem, you are still just dividing the difference by the original price. Now, the wholesale price is the original. Just subtract the wholesale price from the list price and divide that answer by the wholesale price. Remember to move the decimal two places to the right to make it a percent and round to the nearest percent. In the Critical Thinking box, remember to IGNORE the formula they give you. Just find the DIFFERENCE and divide it by the original price. Also, identify each of the problems as a discount or a markup. (If they price goes down, it's a discount...if it goes up, it's a markup.)

Eighth Grade

Algebra I did not have a new assignment today.

Pre-Algebra took the makeup test for Chapter 9. Also, there is a new assignment. #2-24 from Lesson 10-2.

For #2-9, you are just finding the length of each side of the polygons. Since they are all regular polygons, then each side is the same length. Just divide the perimeter by the number of sides.

For #11-24, you will be finding either the length, the width, or the perimeter of a rectangle. Remember that the formula for finding the perimeter of a rectangle is:

P = 2l + 2w

Perimeter equals twice the length plus twice the width. So, if you are given any of the parts of the above formula, you can just plug them in and solve!

Be sure to notice if the dimensions are different. If they are convert the LARGER dimension (meters are larger than centimeters) to the smaller dimension. Here is an example:

See you tomorrow!

Mrs. Swickey

Wednesday, April 21st

Sixth Grade

Lesson 94 - Reducing units before multiplying. Remember that you can cross off units just like you can cancel numbers.

Seventh Grade

Literature - We read from Tom Sawyer today. Remember to define the vocabulary words for Chapters 16-21!

Spelling - The unit is due on Friday! Be sure you are completing it. Also, I passed out a Spelling worksheet. Be sure to have that finished for tomorrow.

Math - Lesson 7-11. Discount. #2-8 and #13-14.

To find the discount amount. Multiply the list price by the discount rate. That is how much you are saving. To find the sales price, then subtract that amount from the list price. That is how much you would pay. Here is an example:


To find the discount rate, you will take the discount amount and divide it by the list price. Be sure to find the discount amount first by subtracting the sales price from the list price.
Here is an example:

Eighth Grade

The students taking the placement test have an assignment to complete that is review for the test.

Pre-Algebra needs to study their tests and Geobooks tonight for the makeup test tomorrow! I will average the two grades together.

Lesson 10-2 will be due on Thursday. I will blog examples tomorrow night.

See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Swickey

Tuesday, April 20th

Don't forget...there are house meetings in the morning! Wear your shirts and bring your point sheets!

Sixth Grade

Lesson 93 - Changing fractions to percents. Today's lesson included changing fractions that have a denominator that doesn't go into 100 evenly into percents. Here is an example:

Seventh Grade

Spelling - Unit 32 is due on Friday. Be sure you are working on the unit!

Literature - We read from Tom Sawyer today and the class took a quiz over chapters 10-15.

Math - Lesson 7-10, #2-15. Finding sales tax. For #2-12, remember to first change the percent to a decimal by moving the decimal point two places to the right. Then multiply by the amount. Here is an example:


After you've found the sales tax, you will then find the total cost by adding the sales tax to the marked price. In the above example, you would also have $37.40 as the total price as part of the answer. There are two parts to each problem on #2-12!

For the pecents that have a fraction in them, you will do this:



For the problems on the back, just look up the price in the table to find what the sales tax is. Just add this to the price! It's easier as you don't have to multiply your percent.

Eighth Grade

The Pre-Algebra class took a test over Chapter 9 today. Algebra I continues to work on the placement test. Tomorrow, there will be an assignment over some of the problems from the practice test.

See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Swickey

Monday, April 19th

First, I know it's been awhile since I've posted and I'm sorry for that! I will be more consistent for the rest of the school year.

Sixth Grade

Lesson 92 - Expanded notation with exponents. To do these, you are going to do the same thing as regular expanded notation replacing the powers of 10 (10,000, 100, 100,000) with the number 10 and an exponent. How you know what exponent to use is to count the number of numbers after the digit. For example, in the number 56,000, you would write (5 x 10 to the 4th power), by writing the 4 as an exponent to the 10. You know it's 4 because there are 4 digits after the 5. Then, you would also write + (6 x 10 to the 3rd power) with the 3 as an exponent to the 10 since there are 3 digits after the 6. (I can't do exponents with regular typing on the blog!

Also, don't forget that when you raise a fraction to a power (a fraction to an exponent), you are multiplying the fraction by itself however many times indicated by the exponent.

Seventh Grade

Literature - There is a quiz over Chapters 10-15 of Tom Sawyer tomorrow. Be sure you are studying the vocabulary.

Grammar - pages 177-181. Exercises A & B. Follow instructions. Remember, it is a misplaced modifier if there is a phrase that is out of place and describes something it shouldn't describe.

Spelling - This week's unit is #32. Be sure you are working on it and studying each night!

Math - Lesson 7-9. Percent decreases. Remember, you first find the amount of change by subtracting the two numbers. Then, write it over the original number, which will be the first number listed. Make this equal to p over 100. Here is an example:



For the problems on the second page, you will be writing the cost on the bottom of the first fraction. You do not know the loss, which in these problems is the same as the change. Make it equal to your percent over 100. Here is an example:


Your assignment is #2-18.

Eighth Grade

Pre-Algebra. Study your Geobooks tonight because there is a test tomorrow over the material in it!

Algebra I - We have been working on the placement test for the last week. We will continue working on it this week and I will be giving assignments that review the material on some days.

See you tomorrow!

Mrs. Swickey

Tuesday, April 6th

Sixth Grade

Today, the class helped Mr. Brady from the church office with a project. The class turned in the Supplemental assignments from last Thursday, but there was not time for a new assignment!

Seventh Grade

Spelling - Unit 30. This unit is a review over Units 25-29. The entire unit is the assignment this week.

Vocabulary - Unit 14. We discussed the words for the unit. Write each vocabulary word on an index card with the definition and on the back of just TEN of the cards, either draw a picture that relates to the word, find clip art that fits the word, or cut out a magazine picture that illustrates the word. The cards are due on Thursday.

Literature - Define the vocabulary words from Chapters 5-9. Due tomorrow. We will read Chapter 9 tomorrow and you will be answering questions.

Math - Lesson 7-3. Percents greater than 100% and less than 1%. Remember to follow the exact same rules from changing percents to decimals to fractions! Do all the front page and evens on the back to #42.

Eighth Grade

Pre-Algebra - We began chapter 9 today which is two dimensional geometry. Each student made a GeoBook which will contain drawings and information about the various topics covered this chapter. Today's lesson was 9-1. Do #2-9 on the front. Use the information you wrote down in your Geobook to help you answer the questions.

Algebra I - Finish the second half of the assignment from last Wednesday. Solving quadratic equations by factoring. Also, complete the first page of the papers I passed out today. More quadratic equations. Do not do the second page. You can do it tomorrow!

Remember these steps:

1. Get all of the terms on one side of the equation and zero on the other side.
2. Factor out any common factors. If all the terms are divisible by two, factor out a two. If all the terms have at least one "x", factor out an x.
3. If you still have a trinomial, factor it into two binomials. Then set each binomial equal to zero and solve for the variable.

If the coefficient of first term is greater than 1, you will have to use it to factor as well. I don't have the mimio pad with me to do an example. If you are still having trouble, you can ask me tomorrow.

See you then!
Mrs. Swickey