Miller Middle School Grade 8 Mathematics Course Syllabus Sally M. Moody, M.Ed smoody.Miller@bibb.k12.ga.us Room 302 Conference Hours: 1:50-2:50 (Tuesday’s) MMS Main: (478)-779-4050 Introduction Parents and Students, I am truly excited about another great year as a math teacher at Miller Fine Arts Magnet Middle School and for the new opportunities that it will bring. I have 9 years teaching experience with the Bibb County Board of Education of which I have had the pleasure of teaching mathematics to middle and high school students. My goal every year is teach students to build a foundation for success which will integrate into high school, post-secondary school and life. I believe that communication is very important for the success of our students. I want to build a strong teacher, student, and parent relationship through communication. The success of our students depends on it. Let’s plan to keep the lines of communication open. I look forward to working with each of you closely this 2O132014 school year. I will be implementing Edmodo this school year to aid with student-teacher communication and questions regarding assignments. Information on how to create Edmodo accounts will be provided in another document, along with this syllabus. In addition to a rigorous curriculum we will focus on our vocabulary development in math as well as writing. We will continue to implement Cornell Note-taking to help connect our classroom with home. Cornell notes provide a framework for taking notes as well as a way to summarize learning. I want our students to leave with a greater depth of understanding and application of knowledge. Course Description In Grade 8, instructional time will focus on three critical areas: 1. Formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling an association in bivariate data with a linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations. 2. Grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships; 3. Analyzing two‐ and three‐dimensional space and figures using distance, similarity, and congruence, and understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem. Prerequisites The prerequisite for this class is the successful completion of the 7th grade curriculum. Instructional Resources For the 2013-2014 school year the state of Georgia will be transitioning to a new curriculum called the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS). These standards provide a consistent framework to prepare students for success in college and the 21st century workplace. The standards define what students should understand and be able to do in their study of mathematics. The new mathematics standards are a balanced combination of procedure and understanding. We will be using a variety of instructional resources such as: Georgia Department of Education Framework Tasks Aims Education Foundation Concrete Activities Explorations in mathematics Online web-resources Cornell notes OMG: Outstanding Math Guide Avid writing strategies Grades/Grading Scale - Evaluation Student will explore math through a variety of projects, class work, writing assignments including journals, homework, quizzes, and unit exams. Grades will be assigned according to the grading policy in the Miller handbook. The following criteria will be assessed: Class work (quizzes) 50% Performance Based Assessments (Test/Task) 40% Homework 10% --- Weekly performance assessments and quizzes will be given. 100% Tutoring Sessions There will be ongoing opportunities for extra help and tutoring throughout the school year. These times and dates of opportunities will be announced in the near future. Supplies Large 3 ring binder with dividers (6) Wide –ruled loose leaf paper Dividers #2 pencils with erasers (lead pencils are OK) highlighters 2 boxes of Kleenex 1 bottle of hand sanitizer Glue/glue sticks Crayons, colored pencils and markers 1 ream of copy paper ¼ inch graph paper 2 pocket folders with prongs USB drive Classroom Expectations 1. Be in your assigned seat and begin warm up. 2. Do class work and homework daily; show your work. 3. Keep notebook current and organized 4. Be an active learner 5. Learn to communicate Math effectively through writing and speaking. 6. Remain seated at all times and raise your hand to speak 7. Demonstrate a progression of learning. Classroom Rules 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Follow directions the first time they are given Keep hands, feet, and other objects to yourself. Raise your hand to speak Use your inside voice. Treat everyone and their property respectfully. Consequences 1. Warning 2. Anecdotal Note/Parent Notified 3. Silent Lunch/Parent Notified 4. Cluster Conference/Student/Parent 5. Teacher afterschool detention/Parent Notified 6. Office Referral Thank you for taking the time to review the 8th Grade Math course syllabus. Please sign and return this portion of the syllabus to the Math teacher. Print Student Name: __________________________ Signature________________________________ Print Parent Name: ___________________________ Signature: _______________________________ Parent Contact Number: ______________________ Parent Contact Number: ______________________ Parent Email: ___________________________________ Student Email: ____________________________ Sincerely, Sally M. Moody Gifted Teacher, Grade 8 Mathematics