(Continued from page 14)

Pre-Algebra - Mrs. Johnson
•  After learning the language of algebra by translating words into expressions, Pre-Algebra students have identified coefficients and like terms in order to simplify algebraic expressions.  They have entered ordered pairs on the graphing calculator and graphed scatterplots.
•  The students have recently begun solving addition and subtraction equations.  Their goal has been to restore the value of the variable.  They will soon also be using the operations of multiplication and division.  In showing the algebraic steps and required checks, students have presented their problems on the board for class discussion.  The chapter will extend their work into solving and graphing inequalities.
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Informal Geometry - Mrs. Johnson
•  This geometry course began with studying points, lines, and planes by naming, drawing, and comparing their locations and possible intersections.  The second chapter provided experience in measurement and coordinate graphing along with the formula for determining the midpoint of a line segment. 
•  The students will soon encounter different types of angles located in triangles as well as those formed by the intersection of two parallel lines and a transversal.  They will then apply their algebra skills in order to determine unknown measurements in geometric figures.
•  Algebra I - Mrs. Johnson
•  The course's textbook is a product of the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project designed to strengthen the students' mathematical background.  Besides algebra, the text includes geometry, statistics, and probability involving real-world applications.  The use of technology appears throughout the course and proves to be a support for the students' work and understanding.  It is required that the textbook be carefully read.
•  The first two chapters have focused on using algebra to describe and explain mathematical patterns and expressions.  Students have discovered how to use graphing calculators to find absolute value, store lists, verify the mean, access a table, graph, determine the mean absolute deviation of a set of data, and test the equivalency of expressions.  Recently, the students have begun using the distributive property to simplify expressions, combine like terms, and also test equivalence.
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Spanish II - Mrs. Kippley
•  The Spanish II students have really retained a lot of their Spanish vocabulary from last year!  We have just finished a thorough review of everything they learned

(Continued on page 16)