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Algebra 1 Syllabus 2013 - 2014 Ms. Zhang

Room: 306 Office

Hours: Ms. Zhang – Wednesday

School Phone: 312-265-9925 Ext. 4306 Ms. Hedding – Monday School Email: yzhang@goldercollegeprep.org Ms. Rosman – Tuesday  Welcome to Freshman Algebra! We are here to learn as much as we possibly can from one another, build persistence, and put you on the right path for college. Course Description Algebra 1 builds the foundation for all higher-level math classes, so you will be introduced to core concepts and tools for problem solving. Loosely speaking, algebra is about examining the relationships between numbers to see if there are any patterns and whether those patterns can be useful to us. In that spirit, we will start by reviewing pre-algebra concepts, and then dive into a study of variables, expressions, equations, functions, systems, and polynomials. We will end the year with introductions to Statistics, Geometry, and Algebra 2 classes. Math College Readiness Standards: We will focus on mastering the ACT College Readiness Standards (CRS) in preparation for the EXPLORE assessment at the end of the year. The interims will be used to measure your progress with a combination of multiple choice and open-ended response questions that assess your critical thinking skills. On the open-ended responses, you are expected to use complete sentences and math vocabulary to clearly explain your thinking.

BIG GOALS 1. We will beat last year’s average scores on all INTERIM tests.

2. We will grow 3 points on the math section of the EXPLORE Test. Textbook Larson, Ron. Algebra 1. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell, 2007. **You are responsible for having your book at school every day to use in lab and office hours. However, you do not have to carry it to class unless told in advance by a teacher. Materials: Students are expected to bring the following items to EVERY class: • Organized Math Binder (2 inches with 5 dividers and plenty of loose-leaf paper) • Mechanical Pencil WITH LEAD • Scientific Calculator (If you have a graphing calculator, that is even better!) **NOTE: TI-30Xa calculators are PROHIBITED because students consistently get confused with the parentheses and negative numbers, producing wrong answers. We recommend the TI-30XIIS scientific calculator or a graphing calculator. If you have questions about your calculator, please see us right away. See the images below for help:

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2 Evaluation Criteria:

Category Description % of Final Grade

SMART Points

Students will start each quarter with 50 out of 100 points. Whenever a student is unprepared for class (i.e. missing a calculator) or not working with a sense of urgency, he or she will lose 2 points. However, students will earn points by participating in class by asking questions, making connections, challenging classmates, or presenting to the class.

15%

Homework Completion

For full credit, homework must be 100% complete, completed in pencil only, organized, and all work must be shown. Failure to do any of these things WILL result in a loss of homework points and possibly LaSalle. Students will start off with 100 homework points and will lose up to 5 points every time homework is not completed. **Homework is ALWAYS accepted late for 3 points, but it must be turned in by 8:00am in the LaSalle folder. We recommend completing missing work in office hours that day.

5%

Graded Assignments

Graded work will consist of many different assignments that will be graded for accuracy and effort. This includes:

- Projects - Class Work (This could be graded individually or as a group grade) - Binder Checks (These will occur on review days before tests) - Graded Homework (Approximately once a week, homework will be graded for

accuracy in class.) - Exit Slips (Graded once a week, but collected every day)

**All assignments will be accepted late for half credit.

25%

Assessments Tests will consist of quizzes, unit tests and quarterly interim assessments. Test grades could include points for showing work or checking your answer, not just accuracy. Students may NOT retake tests, so studying will be crucial for this class. However, after every test, students can turn in test corrections for a second chance to demonstrate growth of the material and earn back up to half credit.

25%

Growth Growth is different from assessments because it is only assesses the ACT College Readiness Standards (CRS). Each CRS will count for 10 points. Students will be tested multiple times on the same CRS throughout the quarter on Growth Do Now’s every Thursday. Unlike assessment grades (which always stay), growth points will replace based on the most recent assessment of the CRS. If a student achieves growth in class, he or she will earn 8/10 points. However, a student can lose this growth in the future if the CRS is not mastered on a later assessment. **Outside of class, students can also earn growth points by coming to office hours to retake growth quizzes. They can earn a 10/10 by applying the skills they know to more rigorous problems.

20%

Final Exam There will be a cumulative final exam at the end of every quarter.

10%

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3 Class Procedures and Policies: Start of Class Students are expected to be in their seats with all classroom materials on their desk BEFORE

the bell rings. Once you walk in the door, there is absolutely NO TALKING. Students must pick up any sheets from the turn in bin, get prepared, and start working quickly and silently on the Do Now. When finished with the Do Now, you should be checking your homework or organizing your binder.

Dismissal Ms. Zhang dismisses the class, not the bell. We will copy down the homework and all pack up together at the end of class. On you way out, you must turn in the exit slip in the turn in bin.

Office Hours Office hours are time after school to retake growth quizzes, get extra help, or work on Algebra homework. Freshman Math teachers will hold three office hours each week. Here is the schedule—we recommend writing this into your agenda: Mon: Ms. Hedding (Rm 216) Tue: Ms. Rosman (Rm 216) Wed: Ms. Zhang (Rm 306) Note: In order to attend office hours, you must sign up in advance.

Academic Integrity

Cheating is a serious and punishable offense. Students will receive a zero on the assignment and an automatic four demerits (first offense) or more severe penalty if the cheating continues. We do not distinguish between those who seek to cheat off others and those who allow others to cheat off them.

Absences Students who are absent are responsible for getting their homework from the folder outside of the door and updating their binder. Work due the missed day must be turned in the day the student returns. For long absences, students must come to the teacher to work out a different due date. Absent work should be turned in to the teacher. If absent work is not made up, it will be a 0 in the grade book.

Make-Up Tests/Quizzes

You are expected to see the teacher for any make-up quizzes or tests upon your return to school. We will schedule your make-up quiz or test for a day within 1 week of your absence. If you do not make up your quiz or test by the one week deadline, it will be a 0. You will not be reminded to take the missing assessment.

Heading To ensure everyone writes his or her name on every sheet of paper, we will have a standardized heading. In the top right corner, write your first and last name and the date. On the top line, all students will write the unit and day, as well as the title of the assignment. In the top left hand corner for notes, students should put the correct page number according to the title page. This organization will be CRUCIAL for binder organization and quizzes. For example:

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Year Long Plan

Unit Key Topics Test Date

Unit 1: Number Sense SWBAT classify numbers SWBAT simplify a radical SWBAT identify properties and why they work SWBAT locate a number on the number line SWBAT identify place value SWBAT round to a given place value SWBAT order real numbers SWBAT find the absolute value and opposite of a number SWBAT add and subtract negative numbers SWBAT multiply and divide negative numbers SWBAT determine whether a number is prime or composite SWBAT apply divisibility rules SWBAT complete the prime factorization of a number SWBAT find the GCF of a list of numbers SWBAT find the LCM of a list of numbers SWBAT solve factor and GCF word problems SWBAT describe what a fraction is and create equivalent fractions SWBAT simplify fractions by using the GCF SWBAT order fractions in ascending or descending order SWBAT convert between improper fractions and mixed numbers SWBAT add and subtract fractions SWBAT multiply and divide rational numbers

9/27/13

Unit 2: Expressions and Equations

SWBAT evaluate an expression using order of operations SWBAT evaluate a variable expression given an input SWBAT translate verbal phrases into algebraic expressions SWBAT write expressions to model real life scenarios SWBAT simplify expressions by combining like terms SWBAT use the distributive property to simplify expressions SWBAT simplify complex expressions SWBAT solve a scenario by backtracking SWBAT solve a two-step equation by backtracking SWBAT solve and set up proportions SWBAT solve percent problems using proportions SWBAT solve equations with variables on both sides SWBAT solve multistep equations SWBAT solve for a missing value in an average SWBAT solve for a variable SWBAT solve basic absolute value equations

10/31/13

Unit 3: Percents and Conversions

SWBAT convert between percents, decimals, and fractions SWBAT use a percent sentence SWBAT solve percent problems with tax and discount SWBAT solve multistep percent problems SWBAT convert units in the English system

11/20/13

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5 SWBAT convert units in the metric system SWBAT convert rates in both the English and the metric systems SWBAT solve proportions that require rate conversions

Unit 4: Inequalities SWBAT graph a solution set of inequalities SWBAT identify points in a solution set SWBAT solve one and two-step inequalities SWBAT solve and graph multistep inequalities, including those with no solution or all real numbers SWBAT graph compound inequalities SWBAT solve and graph compound inequalities SWBAT solve and graph compound absolute value inequalities

12/9/13

Unit 5: Slope and Graphing

SWBAT graph points in the coordinate plane and identify quadrants SWBAT explain what slope is and if it is positive, negative, vertical, or horizontal SWBAT find the slope of a line from a graph SWBAT find the slope of a line from two points SWBAT explain what a function is and identify the domain and range SWBAT graph a function by making a function table SWBAT determine the x- and y-intercepts and graph line using them SWBAT graph a line from slope-intercept form SWBAT graph a line from any form

1/15/14

Unit 6: Writing the Equation of a Line

SWBAT write the equation of a line from a graph SWBAT write the equation of a line from a point and a slope in point-slope, standard, and slope-intercept forms SWBAT write the equation of a line in any form from graph or point and slope SWBAT write the equation of a line from two points SWBAT write the equation of parallel and perpendicular lines SWBAT graph linear inequalities in two variables

1/31/14

Unit 7: Systems of Equations

SWBAT test whether an ordered pair is a solution to a system SWBAT solve a system via graphing SWBAT solve a system via substitution SWBAT solve a system via substitution when neither equation is already solved for SWBAT solve by elimination SWBAT chose best method to solve a system of equations SWBAT graph a system of inequalities SWBAT apply word problems to systems

2/21/14

Unit 8: Data Analysis SWBAT find the mean, median, mode, and range of a set of data SWBAT find the weighted average of a set of data SWBAT find the missing value in a weighted average problem SWBAT read pie charts, bar graphs, and line graphs SWBAT create bar graphs SWBAT create pie charts SWBAT analyze line graphs SWBAT analyze tables

3/12/14

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6 Unit 9: Probability SWBAT use Venn diagrams to answer word problems

SWBAT use the counting principle SWBAT find the probability of a single event SWBAT find the probability of a single event with “or” SWBAT find the probability of a compound event SWBAT solve ideal probability problems

3/28/14

Unit 10: Exponents and Polynomials

SWBAT simplify products and quotients by expanding SWBAT simplify exponents with rules and explain what a negative exponent is SWBAT simplify expressions with negative exponents SWBAT simplify expressions with power of a power SWBAT classify polynomials SWBAT add and subtract polynomials SWBAT apply polynomial knowledge to Geometry SWBAT multiply polynomials SWBAT factor out a GCMF SWBAT factor trinomials with leading coefficient one SWBAT factor special case polynomials

4/30/14

Unit 11: Quadratics SWBAT graph a quadratic from a function table SWBAT solve a quadratic by taking the square root and sketch a graph SWBAT solve a quadratic by factoring and sketch a graph SWBAT solve a quadratic using the quadratic equation and sketch a graph SWBAT graph linear and quadratic equations using graphing calculators

5/23/14

Finals Review

6/10/14

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7 Dear Ms. Zhang, Guardian’s Initials I heave read this syllabus for my own information. ______ I have read this syllabus with my child. ______ I have written down Ms. Zhang’s contact information. ______ I understand that my child will be required to attend LaSalle if he or she does not turn in his or her homework, and that the consequence for not attending office hours is a detention. ______ I understand that my child will be required to stay for office hours if he or she does not have 80% growth of all standards, and that he or she will be expected to continue to attend office hours until he or she shows 80% growth of all standards. ______ Signed: ______________________________________________ Date: __________________ I can be reached at: Day Phone: ________________________________ Preferred times: ________________ Night Phone: _______________________________ Preferred times: ________________ Email: _____________________________________ Check if you prefer email over phone: _____ (Note: An Algebra newsletter will be emailed to parents and students once a month) Dear Ms. Zhang, Student Initials I have received and read this syllabus. ______ I commit to giving this syllabus to my guardian and reviewing it with them. ______ I agree to attend LaSalle any time that I do not turn in my homework in order to complete the assignment, and that the consequence for not attending office hours is a detention. ______ I agree to stay for office hours if I do not have 80% growth of all standards on so I will earn all my growth points. ______ Signed: _________________________________________________ Date: __________

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