• Syllabus-Mathematics in Mr. Yessick’s classroom  Geometry (Algebra 1b below)


    Your grade will be determined by these measures:

    Homework                                                                           

    Participation                                                                       

    Quizzes                                                                          

    Big tests/ power standards/ projects                      

    There will be an end of course exam covering the entire year.  We will talk about this in class.

     

    Homework: I will always check homework and will sometimes pick it up and grade it- especially if I feel some are blowing it off or are just putting down answers without work. We will talk about this in class.  ANY TIME THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE… in class work counts as homework!!!!! I DO NOT ALLOW MAKEUPS FOR SUBSTITUTE HOMEWORK.

    Participation: This is determined by your responses, exit slips, and group participation.

    I also use note cards that you must carry through the week.  If you attend class and behave without trying or doing anything (bump-on-a-frog sort-of-speak) you will usually receive a minimum of 50 points (rarely a zero).  However, If I give 10 stamps for 10 class efforts plus a bonus for a thoughtful answer you may receive 110%.  If you receive 8 stamps, l pro-rate them to 50 or 60 points depending on the number of stamps and you may receive a 90%.   In this example I take 100-60 which is 40; 40/10 which is 5 points per stamp and I take off 10 points for the two missing stamps.  If I give 15 stamps I may make them 3 points each and so on.  The idea is that if you participate 75% of the time, (normal expectation of 50 to 80 minutes) you will receive 90/100.  However, if you are participating only half the time the grade will reflect 80/100 and so on.

     

    Quizzes and Projects: We will discuss this in the first day.  Each quiz and project will carry the same weight.  For example if we have 3 quizzes and projects each will carry 30%/3. (I will give you the extra points if it does not come out even).  If we have 6, then each will carry a total point value of 30%/6.  I think you get the point.  These well usually cover minor standards.

    Big Tests and Power Standards:  Each big test (9 week or 4 week semester) will be successively comprehensive.  As I mentioned, there will be a year-end comprehensive test and it will benefit you to see the course built in a comprehensive nature.  All power standard tests will be included in this category.

    My Philosophy of Geometry is to “do” to learn.  This includes even the building of definitions.  I believe we learn and forget much of the information we learn; however, if we strive to circle back and ‘relearn’ what we once understood, it comes back faster and faster and our understanding gets deeper when we lace the concept into other concepts.  I also strongly believe (and research confirms) that we learn best in collaboration of struggle.  When we figure out something on our own we learn better, deeper, and with a higher retention rate.  We also learn best by “teaching” others.  Therefore, by verbalizing/writing our answers out thoughtfully and with as much accuracy and detail as we can muster, we make knowledge our own with great reward.  So have a desire to stay on task, struggle and to write and work with others!

    You will be expected to carry your notes in a binder so that you can utilize them in any open-note quizzes during the year that will be comprehensive in nature.  We will discuss how we will order our notebooks in class.

    There will be no passes out of class and all school rules will be followed. 

    Topics to be covered this year:

    1: Probability- specifically how it relates as a function of area

    2: Constructions- specifically the basic definitions and conjectures of common sense we need to know

    3: Congruence- proving what shapes are exactly alike (will include lots of Algebra)

    4: Concurrency- we will look at four different ones

    5: More congruence- we look at parallel lines and transversals (will include lots of Algebra)

    6: Coordinate Geometry- remember all the first part of algebra?  It’s about lines all over again.

    7: Isometries- specifically, transformations, reflections, and rotations.  We will touch on dialation and symmetry

    8: Similarity- ways to prove, using ratios to solve problems ending in the geometric mean (Algebra)

    9: Circles- a look at circles, their conjectures, and problem solving.  (Lots of Algebra)

    10: Special triangles- review of radicals and looking at the properties of 2 different triangles (Basic math with Pythagorean Theorem)

    11:  Trigonometry- really painless as we get to use the formulas.  Lots of Practice!

     

     

    Geometry Supply List

     

    Must have a binder and paper- 1” to 1.5” would be nice. You will be allowed to use your notes on tests!

    Must have a compass by week two, pick one with a large nut to tighten or with a spring and screw.

    Must have a ruler

    Need to have a protractor; pick one without a swing arm and with centimeters included.  I have few and students who share this item struggle.

    TI 30 XS Multiview- available from $15-$20 depending on where you purchase.

     

    Algebra supply list:

    Must have a binder and paper- 1” to 1.5” would be nice. You will be allowed to use your notes on tests!

    TI 30 XS- available from $15-$20 depending on where you purchase.  If student is college oriented, it is recommended to have a graphing calculator.  We will occasionally use the TI 83 in class.  I can help a little with TI graphing calculators including the n’spire series.  Do not buy the CAS version of any calculator as these cannot be used on the ACT.  The         TI-n’spire (non-CAS) can be used to carry notes into the ACT if so desired (~$150).  If your child is interested in engineering, computer science, or finance (mathematically enhanced degrees) a graphing calculator is advised. 

     


     

     

     


    Syllabus-Mathematics in Mr. Yessick’s classroom  Algebra 1b [second half of Algebra 1]

    Your grade will be determined by these measures:

    Homework                                                                         

    Participation                                                                     

    Quizzes                                                                         

    Big tests/ power standards/ projects                  

    There will be an end of course exam covering the entire year.  We will talk about this in class.

     

    Homework: I will always check homework and will sometimes pick it up and grade it- especially if I feel some are blowing it off or are just putting down answers without work. We will talk about this in class.  ANY TIME THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE… in class work counts as homework!!!!! I DO NOT ALLOW MAKEUPS FOR SUBSTITUTE HOMEWORK.

    Participation: This is determined by your responses, exit slips, and group participation.

    I also use note cards that you must carry through the week.  If you attend class and behave without trying or doing anything (bump-on-a-frog sort-of-speak) you will usually receive a minimum of 50 points (rarely a zero).  However, If I give 10 stamps for 10 class efforts plus a bonus for a thoughtful answer you may receive 110%.  If you receive 8 stamps, l pro-rate them to 50 or 60 points depending on the number of stamps and you may receive a 90%.   In this example I take 100-60 which is 40; 40/10 which is 5 points per stamp and I take off 10 points for the two missing stamps.  If I give 15 stamps I may make them 3 points each and so on.  The idea is that if you participate 75% of the time, (normal expectation of 50 to 80 minutes) you will receive 90/100.  However, if you are participating only half the time the grade will reflect 80/100 and so on.

     

    Quizzes and Projects: We will discuss this in the first day.  Each quiz and project will carry the same weight.  For example if we have 3 quizzes each will carry 30%/3. (I will give you the extra points if it does not come out even).  If we have 6, then each will carry a total point value of 30%/6.  I think you get the point.  These well usually cover minor standards.

    Big Tests and Power Standards:  Each big test (9 week or 4 week semester) will be successively comprehensive.  As I mentioned, there will be a year-end comprehensive test and it will benefit you to see the course built in a comprehensive nature.  All power standard tests will be included in this category.

    You will be expected to carry your notes in a binder so that you can utilize them in any open-note quizzes during the year that will be comprehensive in nature.  We will discuss how we will order our notebooks in class.

    There will be no passes out of class and all school rules will be followed. 

    Minimum requirements to pass class:  I have a minimum expertise (mastery) on certain skills.  This is necessary because a student cannot pass future classes without these basic skills.  Understanding linear equations and their forms is a must.  The ability to graph any equation accurately. The ability to rearrange linear equations between the different forms/ solving multistep equations in one or two variables.  Understanding the rules of exponents.  The ability to solve a system of equations.  Many of these are 8th grade topics and Algebra 1a topics.  We will review these to make sure we master these skills.  Hopefully we will master these and more, and many conceptual ideas along the ability to think, evaluate and write an answer!

     

    The concepts that use and build from these skills are found heavily on the ACT.  We will cover the following topics:

    1: Collection of data, linear functions and extrapolation

    2: Linear functions and solving equations in one and two variables

    3: Exponential functions

    4: Domain and range of functions and non-functions

    5: Systems of equations: linear, exponential, and quadratic. Solutions! To be or not…

    6: Polynomials (running amok?)

    7: Quadratics; solving or not, max/min, WHYs? Whens? Ways to factor

    8: Probability and statistics

     

    We will add smaller topics and projects in between these big topics.

     

    My Philosophy of Algebra is to “do” to learn. Struggling to understand WHY something works and how it relates to what we know strengthens intelligence and improves how smart we are. I believe we learn and forget much of the information we learn; however, if we strive to circle back and ‘relearn’ what we once understood, it comes back faster and faster and our understanding gets deeper.  When we lace a skill into a concept and the concept into other concepts we build information and this improves our “smartness”.  I also strongly believe (and research confirms) that we learn best in a collaboration of struggle.  When we figure out something on our own in a small group, we learn better, deeper, and with a higher retention rate.  We also learn best by “teaching” others.  Therefore, by verbalizing/writing our answers out thoughtfully and with as much accuracy and detail as we can muster, we make knowledge our own with great reward.  So have a desire to stay on task, struggle and to write and work with others!