Eighth Grade Video!

8th Grade Examples

Wednesday, September 15th

Sixth Grade

Literature - You need to finish the questions from Dragon, Dragon that I posted yesterday. These are due tomorrow! Also, I passed out worksheets that go along with the story. These are also due tomorrow. Even though we don't have Literature class tomorrow, you will turn them in during math.

Spelling - The class took the pretest for Unit 4 today. Unit 4 will be due next Tuesday! The students will get their Spelling books back tomorrow during math class.

Math - The class took Test 2 today. I also taught Lesson 16. This is due tomorrow! The new concept was very easy for the students. Rounding, estimating, and bar graphs. Remember when you round a number to a specific place, that you underline the number in that place, and draw an arrow to the number AFTER it. The number with the arrow tells you what to do to the number underlined. If the number with the arrow is 5 or greater, the number underlined goes UP one. If the number with the arrow is 4 or less, the number underlined STAYS THE SAME. The numbers after the number underlined turn to zeros. For example:

Round 237,025 to the nearest ten thousand. First, you need to figure out which number is in the ten thousands place. Using a place value chart, you can see that the 3 is in the ten thousands place. Underline the 3 and draw an arrow to the 7. Since the 7 is greater than 5, it makes the 3 go up one. Then the 7 and the rest of the numbers to the right turn to zeros. So your answer would be: 240,000

Seventh Grade

Literature - Answer the following questions from Rikki Tikki Tavi. Thinking About the Selection #1-8 and Analyzing Literature #1-4. Be sure to use complete sentences for each answer! This is due tomorrow.

Writing - Write a paragraph describing your object from class today. Be as descriptive as possible! We will begin editing our first drafts tomorrow.

Spelling - Unit 4 is due tomorrow! The test is also tomorrow, so be sure you are studying!

Math - Lesson 14. Parts of a whole. Everyone really understood today, so I won't do any examples. If you need help, please EMAIL ME!

Eighth Grade

Pre-Algebra. Lesson 15. Remember, to change fractions into decimals, you just divide the bottom number into the top. If the decimal repeats, write a bar over the repeating numbers. To round a repeating number, first identify how many places you need in order to round to the given place. So, if you are rounding to the nearest hundred thousandth, you would need 6 places after the decimal. (The hundred thousandth place is the 5th place, so you need one number past it.) Write your repeated digits until you have 6 numbers. Underline the 5th number and look at the 6th number to see if you need to round it. For example, if you are given the number 25.6464...
(the 64 repeats), you would write 25.646464

Now, look at the 6th place. It is a 4 so it would make the 6 that is in the hundred thousandth place stay the same. You would have 25.64646 without a bar over anything.

Algebra I - Lesson 15. Surface Area. I made a video, but it's going to take awhile to upload and convert to the right format. If I can't get it uploaded by 8:30, I'll do examples like I usually do. Whenever the video works. I'll still post it, but it might be much later. I'm sorry! Hang in there and check back in an hour.

See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Swickey

Tuesday, September 14th

To All Parents: The first PTC meeting is tonight! If you attend, your child will get a free jeans day, plus you will learn about what is going on at St. Charles.
I hope to see you there!

Sixth Grade

Spelling - The class took a test over Unit 3 today. I will assign Unit 4 tomorrow!

Literature - The students finished reading "Dragon, Dragon" in class today with the substitute. Actually, I think the class finished reading the story. If not, you need to finish it in order to answer the following questions: Thinking About the Selection #1-9. Analyzing Literature #1-4. For the Analyzing Literature questions, you need to put the answers on a plot chart as shown on the bottom of page 23. Draw the chart large enough so that there is enough room to write the answers onto the chart.

Math - Practice Test 2. There will be a test tomorrow! Be sure you go over the practice test. I will answer any questions before the test begins tomorrow. The homework for tonight is Supplemental 12 on page 689.

7th Grade

Spelling - The unit is due on Thursday this week! Remember that you don't need to do the Vocabulary Connections this week.

Literature - No homework today.

Grammar - The class took a test over pronouns today.

Vocabulary - The class took a test over Unit 2 today.

Math - Lesson 13. Equal Groups. If you have questions about how to solve these, I will answer them tomorrow! I don't have time to put examples on the blog. Sorry!

Eighth Grade

Pre-Algebra - Lesson 14. Reducing Fractions and Expanding Fractions. If you don't remember how to do these, please send me an email. I will be happy to answer your questions this evening! I don't have time to do examples. Sorry!

Algebra I - Lesson 14. Evaluating Expressions. The trick with these is to make sure that when you plug in the value for the variable, that you don't forget about the signs. That's where these problems trip people up. Here is an example:

Evaluate: xy - (x+y) when x = -2 and y = -3

You would plug in -2 and -3 for x and y.

(-2)(-3) - ( -2 + -3)

6 - (-5) (change minus a negative to plus a positive)

6 + (+5)

11

Take your time on these and let me know if you have any questions!

See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Swickey

Monday, September 13th

Sixth Grade

Literature - Today, we read part of the short story, "Dragon, Dragon". We will finish reading it tomorrow!

Spelling - Unit 3 is due tomorrow and the test is tomorrow! Be sure to have the unit completed and don't forget to study.

Math - Lesson 15. Equal groups. Remember the equal groups pattern:

# in each group x # of groups = total # in ALL groups

For example: There are 240 chairs in the auditorium. The chairs are set up in rows of 20 chairs per row. How many rows are there?

First, recognize that the 240 chairs is the total # in ALL groups.

Second, recognize that the 20 chairs per row is the # in each group.

Third, recognize that you need to know the # of rows which is the same as the # of groups.

By putting those numbers into the pattern, you get:

20 x N = 240

Now you can see that you need to divide to find out how many rows there are. 240 divided by 20 is 12. So there were 12 rows.

Seventh Grade

Literature - We finished reading Rikki Tikki Tavi. There is no assignment. We will talk about how to answer the questions in the morning and they will be homework for tomorrow night.

Spelling - The class took the pretest for Unit 4 today. You do not have to do the Vocabulary Connections this week since it is a short week. The unit is due on Thursday and the test will be Thursday.

Language Arts - We reviewed the pronouns worksheets that I sent home yesterday. The test is tomorrow!

Vocabulary - The test over Unit 2 is tomorrow. Be sure you are studying both the words and the idioms!

Math - Lesson 12. Problems about comparing and elapsed-time problems.

Anytime a question asks "How many more?" or "How many fewer?" or "How much less?", it is asking a comparing problem. You will always subtract the smaller number from the bigger number to get the difference between the two. Make sure you label correctly by reading the question.

For elapsed time, you will be asked the difference between two dates or asked what the date was a # of years before. For example: Jackie was 28 in 1992. What year was she born? You would subtract 28 from 1992 to get 1964.

Eighth Grade

Pre-Algebra - Lesson 13. To find the common factors OR the Greatest Common Factor of two numbers, you can do two different things. First, you could just make of list of the factors of the two numbers and circle the common factors and label the largest the GCF. Second, you can use your knowledge of factor trees. This is especially useful when the numbers are larger. Here is an example:


Algebra I - Lesson 13. Remember to work these problems by symbols of inclusion, starting with the innermost symbols first. Here is one example:


See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Swickey

Thursday, September 9th

Sixth Grade

Literature - Book Report Information was passed out to the class today. Be sure to ask questions if you don't understand something! Please have a book picked out by Monday, September 13th. I will need to approve your selection.

Spelling - Unit 3 is due on Tuesday! Be sure you are working on it.

Math - Lesson 13. Larger-Smaller Difference and Later-Earlier Difference Story Problems.

When a problem is asking for "how much greater" or "how much less" or "how many fewer" of something you have, then that is a larger-smaller difference problem. You will need to subtract the smaller number from the larger number. Remember to label your answer! Go back and READ the question to find out what it is asking. For example:

There are 128 boys and 145 girls at the school. How many fewer boys than girls are there?

Since it is asking "how many fewer" this is a larger-smaller difference problem. You would subtract 145 - 128. The answer is 17. Since it asked "how many FEWER BOYS?" you would write "17 fewer boys" as your answer.

Later-earlier difference problems involve years. For example:

How many years were there between 1776 and 1945?

Since these are years, you would write the later year on top and subtract the earlier year from it.

1945 - 1776

The answer is 169 years. The question asked, "How many YEARS?"

You would do the same thing for finding the age of someone. Subtract the year he/she was born from the year he/she died.

Seventh Grade

Vocabulary - Unit 2 is due tomorrow! So are the cards, so please don't forget!

Spelling - Unit 3 is due tomorrow! The test will also be tomorrow. Please go over the words!

Literature - We are reading Rikki Tikki Tavi in class. No homework! The information about book reports went home today. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Math - Investigation 1. Use your fraction manipulatives to answer the questions. You do not have to do #13 tonight (unless you can figure it out). Do problems #1-30.

Eighth Grade

Pre - Algebra. Finish the practice test. Check your answers with the following answers:

12) 0.738273

13) 710.655

14) 0.05

15) 0.20 (or just 0.2)

16) 783.71

17) 9.866

18) D

19) 3.5568 (don't worry about estimating)

20) D

If you don't understand one of these answers, please let me know!

Algebra I - Please finish the practice test, if you haven't yet, and check the answers with the answer sheet I gave you. (For those that served the funeral and reception.)

See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Swickey

Wednesday, September 8th

Sixth Grade

Spelling - Unit 2 was due today and the class took the Spelling test. Because of the weird schedule this week, we also started Unit 3 today! Unit 3 will be due next Tuesday, as usual.

Literature - We talked about book reports today and the kids had a lot of questions. I will give them a handout with all of the dates and information they need to complete the book report tomorrow. The first report is due on October 12th. This means that they need to finish reading hte book before October 12th so they can do the assignment! Students should have picked out a book during Library class this afternoon. If they did not find one, they will need to choose one from a book at home, my class library, or Mrs. Baer's class library. I don't have as many books as Mrs. Baer does, but both of us are willing to let the kids check one out for a report. It is important that they chose a book that is an appropriate reading level. Mrs. Brett and I will help them with finding the right book. Let me know if you have any questions about the reports!

Math - Lesson 12. Place Value. Use the place value chart on page 53 to answer these questions. Remember, if you can SAY the number, you can write it in words! Also remember to use place holder zeros when necessary.

On the multistep problems, just think about each part separately and then it will make sense.

For example:

What is the difference between the product of 10 and 2 and the sum of 10 and 2?

First, you are finding the difference between two things - the PRODUCT and the SUM. So, first you need to find the product and the sum. Once you have those numbers, you will subtract to find the difference.

The product of 10 and 2 is 20.

The sum of 10 and 2 is 12.

The difference between THOSE two numbers is: 20-12=8

Seventh Grade

Spelling - Unit 3 is due on Friday. Be sure you are completing the unit and studying each night!

Vocabulary - Unit 2 is due on Friday. The cards are also due Friday so be sure you are working on it some tonight as it is a lot of work to complete in one evening!

Literature - We talked about book reports today. The students were given a chance to check out a book during Library class this afternoon. Some students did not check out a book and will need to find one at home, from my class library, or from Mrs. Baer's class library. You will need to have chosen a book by Friday so you can begin reading! The first report is due on October 12th. The students will get a handout with details about the report tomorrow.

Math - Lesson 11. Problem Solving. In this lesson, you have to identify a word problem as following either an addition pattern or a subtraction pattern.

Here are a few examples:

At 10:00, there were 25 birds sitting on the wire. Some more landed at 10:15 (none had flown away). Now there are 72 birds sitting on the wire. How many birds landed at 10:15?

First, recognize the pattern as an addition pattern. There were birds on the wire and some more came. Now there are more birds on the wire.

Second, write an equation representing the story.

25 + B = 72

25 birds + some more birds (B) = 72 birds

Now, solve the problem by subtracting the 25 birds that were originally there from the number of birds that are now there.

72 - 25 = 47

Go back and read the QUESTION. It said, "How many birds landed at 10:15?"

Now, label your answer! 47 birds

Eighth Grade

Lesson 12.

Pre-Algebra - Prime numbers and factor trees. Again, this is a pretty easy lesson for everyone. Take your time though and please write if you get stuck!

Algebra I - Today was just more easy stuff. You are all doing a terrific job! Just take your time with the signs, being sure you aren't adding or subtracting before you multiply.

See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Swickey