So I ended up adding more back to my INB on equations, especially after their quiz results from Friday!  Look a different note sheet that says the same thing!  Maybe the will listen if I say the same thing 100 different ways! :)

So then we did some word problem practice!

And these were the bellwork problems and how we solved them!  The second pictures shows whether you move the variable to the left or right side (preferably the left) if you follow the steps you will still get the right answer!

Yes, I understand I'm teaching freshman and that coloring and cutting and glue sticks are usually reserved for elementary school buuuuuuutttttttt, WHY CAN'T MATH BE FUN?

We had sooo much fun this past Friday as the "Broke The Code" in a completely interactive game day based upon the Breakout Games. That to me is what math should be like - problem solving, logical thinking etc. So I like to color and have fun in my class.

Now that hat being said, I truly believe in the INB as a tool that we are building for student success. Not just in my class but possibly the rest of high school and into college. So breakout the glue sticks because here we go!

Below is an example of what my students did today. Files are predominantly available thru Sarah Hagan's Math Equals Love blog as she is phenomenal and I follow her religiously!

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Some of this didn't come from Sarah's blog (usually if it's not as pretty, it's mine!) but most of it did. She does an amazing job of explaining it all. If I have a chance I will try to explain how I use it if differently!

Students/parents - we build these in class and extra papers are available in the make up work bin should students be missing a page!!!

This post is going to be more or less a notes dump - so sorry!  Once again I get all this greatness from MathEqualsLove Blog and Sarah Hagan - she is amazing!!!  Notes and examples are pretty self-explanatory so pictures in order will follow!  The kids thought it was super easy until the variables were added in the last two pictures - but after some more practice they will be fine!

This past Thursday a student sat beside me working on a quiz as I led the rest of the class through adding notes to our interactive notebook (INB).  This was all done through the ELMO (which for those of you who don't know what that is - don't worry I didn't either until I got back into education - it's a fancy technologically advanced overhead projector :) ), so the kids were following me step-by-step as we created our notes.

Well my good friend taking his test noticed that I was following someone else step-by-step on my computer and asked "Mrs. Snell, are you cheating?"

Below is a picture of Math = Love's blog post on exponents that I was working from!

My response was "Nope, I'm using my resources wisely!"  and he seemed content with that.  You see I have on my white board a place called "Resource Bank" and underneath of the heading are a list of resources that I encourage the kids to use when they encounter a problem that they don't know how  to solve.  One of the things that I want my kids to do is struggle a little (don't take that in a mean, sadistic way) and learn ways to find the answer to their problems other than the obvious answer of the teacher.  Some of our resources include their notes, their bellwork problems, their homework, their partners, our website, their parents, Google, Khan Academy, etc.  Of course they can not use these resources at every problem, like on a test, but some of them they can use on a test like their brain dumps.  

Brain dumps are the tips, formulas, ets. that we try to review before a test, or even homework, and what I encourage them to write down at the top of their papers once they've received the test.  This is a skill I'm encouraging them to use now and later on ACT, Compass, etc. to be successful!

​There is a trend referenced in Psychology Today, read about it here, that colleges are seeing a decline in student resilience.  Absolutely they are, I see it every day in the classroom.  You'd think I am a four-eyed fire-breathing mean monster when I won't answer a kids question right away but instead ask them to see what their notes say or maybe the bellower problems we just went over.  It's become some much like a broken record in my class, I believe it's actually starting to sink in.  "Mrs. Snell, how do I.....?" "What do your notes say?" "ahhhhhhhh, uggghhh, grrhhhhhhh!" but they grudgingly get them out or ask a partner.  

Most of these kids don't know how to struggle, seek and find answers.  This leads to less resilience and a fear of failure because they don't know how to use their resources.  As a new teacher I could have quickly let this overcome me.  I didn't have years worth of knowledge and resources to pull from but instead of wallowing in that struggle and throwing up my hands in defeat, I have learned to use my resources to seek and find answers.  I've found some amazing online resources such as Khan Academy, 
TenMarks, ThatQuiz, blogs such as Sarah Hagan's Math = Love, Pinterest boards, and many, many more.
And I'm learning and perfecting as I go.  So I will continue to use my resources wisely and teach my kids the skills to do the same! 
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So the "this is so easy Mrs. Snell! We learned this in 7th grade" slope and slope intercept quiz didn't go exactly as they or I planned.  The class average was a 60% for all 5 classes.  

This teacher was not happy. 

It was a Monday quiz after our Friday scare below, so in theory some of the kids may not have seen me for almost a week.  If they con't see me it's like math magically disappears..... and then poof it's there to ruin their lives again.

So this week instead of moving on to Point Slope we are going back over Slope and Slope Intercept again with just a dash of Parallel and Perpendicular lines.

They have to understand slope and equations to leave Algebra 1 - no ifs, ands or buts about it.

So these were the updated notes we added for the upcoming quiz.  All of these ideas come from Sarah Hagan's - Math Equals Love Blog.

Standard Form and Examples

Parallel and Perpendicular Lines and Examples