April+22,+2008

April 22, 2008 - Inservice 1pm - 3pm

1. Common Notation - Feedback from PLC's
 * Goal Analysis**
 * //General Form//: Ax + By = C 
 * //Graphing Form//: Slope-intercept & Vertex Form
 * //Parentheses//: Usage in class demonstration - reinforce usage when discussing how reasonable an answer is, when simplifying fractions, when simplifying equations, etc.
 * //Quandrangle:// Discourage use of this word for any 4-sided figure
 * //Describing Distributions Numerically:// Shape(unimodal/bimodal/skewed), Center(Mean, Median, Mode), Spread(Standard Deviation and IQR)
 * Use mean and standard deviation together
 * Use Median and IQR together
 * Common notation will be distributed to 7-12 Math staff (Laminated 8.5x11 for each staff member by beginning of year next year)

2. Higher Level Thinking Strategies - Promote higher level thinking strategies in all classroom 3. Development of AP Questions - to be incorporated into "Higher Level Thinking Strategies" 4. Develop graphing calculator skills for each class
 * Compile teacher resources for using higher level thinking strategies
 * Sample lessons for higher level thinking strategies
 * Question banks
 * Individual lessons for each course (Geometry, Alg. II, Alg. I) to teach particular topics
 * AP Problems
 * Curriculum Overlap (between 7th and 8th grade Pre-Algebra)
 * Raise skills to next level in succeeding courses
 * What will be done for higher level students in 8th Grade Pre-Algebra
 * Are there areas within curriculum to expand on to prepare students for Algebra I in 9th grade?
 * Subgroup will meet to discuss what will be done to alter curriculum
 * Add parentheses usage to list of graphing calculator skills
 * Meeting before end of the year (after school) to develop a list of graphing calculator skills by course
 * Develop a set of "exit-level" skills
 * Examples of different lessons to be brought to meeting creating the list

5. Math Department's philosophy on summer assignments
 * Anecdotal evidence of student achievement from previous years
 * Remediation of skills for current course that should have been mastered in previous years
 * What courses will be develop summer packets for? All courses - intensity level of summer packets appropriate for course level
 * Materials created for students entering Algebra II 5.0 and Algebra II 4.0 first, followed by Algebra I into Geometry...
 * Summer packet grading is standardized - tested within the first 2 cycles of school
 * Students supported over the summer by video lessons - Where will students go to access videos?