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Topics:

1.  Major Units of study

2.  Class Goals

3. Expectations/Nobody's Perfect Pass System

4.  How Grades Are Determined

5. Retake Policy

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Units of Study:

Prealgebra:

·        Creating and interpreting different types of data displays and graphs.

·        Mastering operations with integers, fractions, and decimals

·        Writing, solving and graphing linear equations

·        Applications of proportions including similar figures and scale drawings

·        Applications of percents

·        Square Roots and the Pythagorean Theorem

·        Perimeter, Area, and Surface Area (of 2 and 3 dimensional figures)

·        Probability

·        Transformations (translations, reflections, rotations, tessellations)

·        Mental Math Strategies

Algebra:

·        Writing, solving and graphing linear equations and inequalities

·        Creating and interpreting different types of data displays

·        Applications of various algebraic properties, with emphasis on the Commutative,

      Associative, and Distributive Properties

·        Applications of Slope

·        Graphing and solving systems of linear equations and inequalities

·        Applications of exponential functions (exponential growth,

           exponential decay, and compound interest.)

·        Laws of Exponents

·        Operations with radicals/Pythagorean Theorem

·        Polynomials

·        Solving and Graphing Quadratic Equations

·        Mental Math Strategies

Content Reading and Applications

(Real world applications of student’s math and reading skills with an emphasis on personal finance.)

·        Managing and reconciling a checking account

·        Savings accounts/calculating interest/filling out deposit slips

·        Calculating paychecks after deductions are taken out

·        Income taxes

·        Calculating car loans and mortgages

·        Budgeting

·        Creating and using spreadsheets

·        Reading quality literature (Accelerated Reader Points will be 20% of grade)

General Class Goals

Every student will:

•  be actively engaged in class activities.
   

•   work and achieve to his/her maximum potential.
   

•   find the course content  to be meaningful, interesting, and applicable in a variety    

             of  “real world” situations.

•    experience a sense of security, respect, and comradery in the “T.E.A.M.”
    (Together Everyone Achieves More) atmosphere will encourage.  
   

•  become more adept at mental math techniques, relying less on calculators for basic

           operations.

• become more organized in their study habits and will become more independent learners.
   

• become more adept at communicating their mathematical knowledge orally and in writing.
   

•  become more critical in their thinking and more confident in their problem solving abilities.

Expectations/ Mrs. Wilde’s Nobody’s Perfect Pass System:

     In eighth grade, part of our responsibility is to help students with their transition from middle school to
high school.  In order for students to be successful, students need to develop their organizational and study skills and take more personal responsibility for their learning. Part of this means that homework is expected to be completed and turned in on time.  In addition, students are expected to come to class prepared with all necessary materials, and bathroom/drink needs should be taken care of before class. I realize, however, even the most responsible students have special circumstances come up where they: just couldn’t get their homework completed, couldn’t make it to the bathroom and still get to class on time, or goofed and brought the wrong notebook.  For these special circumstances I give the students a sheet of passes that can be used to avoid any disciplinary or grade lowering consequences.  Please note, per our house late work policy, the maximum number of late assignments accepted will be 2. (1 for full credit, one for ½ credit.)

There are also incentives for being responsible and not having to use these passes

How final Grades are Determined