Welcome to Curriculum Night Math Instructor: Ms. Laura Christian Aprende Middle School Home of the Jaguars

A little about me… Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees from ASU! Married and have a new baby boy Max! Have 2 rescued dogs and 2 rescued cats Went to Pueblo and Corona Teach extracurricular dance and theatre Professional choreographer and dancer A few hobbies and interests: sci-fi / fantasy books / marvel books and movies, theatre, dancing, baking, the Olympics

Norms for Middle School It is a student’s responsibility to write down their homework assignments and get makeup work if absent. Assignments and test dates are written on board in class and also available on Ms. Christian’s website. This is the primary go-to reference for parents to get info on class. All students are expected to be in their 1st Period Class ready to learn with materials out. Bell rings at 8:25 and we begin at 8:30am everyday. Students must have all of their supplies with them every day.

Stay Informed at Aprende! Jagwire Weekly Newsletter Text Notifications

Communication Please update your email (and phone number) in Synergy gradebook system. We will have a Monthly 8th grade Newsletter emailed out by Mr. Nasuta using the email you have in Synergy. I will also email out information specific to my math classes occasionally.

Classroom Rules I have one main classroom rule and that is to be respectful. School’s NO GUM POLICY. You will be sent to ISI for gum and given a time out referral. Repeat offenders will face further consequences. Please drink all Starbucks type drinks, Arizona Iced Tea’s, etc. at home or before the first bell. You will be asked to throw away these kinds of drinks when you enter the classroom. Discipline Warning In Class Time Out / Refocus Area ISI / Conduct Referral / Parent Contact

Supplies 3-Ring Binder 1” or 1½ ” size 5 Tabbed Dividers LOTS of Loose Leaf Lined Paper LOTS of Pencils Erasers Pens Highlighters Optional: Sticky Notes/Flags Ruler Graph paper Scientific or Graphing Calculator

Classroom Requested Donations Please consider donating items to my classroom and for me to share with students in need! Anything is greatly appreciated -Individually wrapped candy -Highlighters -Hand Sanitizer -Graph Paper -Colored Printer Paper -Post Its -Kleenex -Colored Pencils -Dry Erase Markers -Markers -Clorox Wipes -Loose leaf paper -Pencils -Scissors (adult sized) -Rulers -Block Erasers

Show My Website http://www.kyrene.org/lchristian Great resource if you are absent or need help on HW Check my website for daily HW assignments and test dates. Use the “Weekly Assignment Calendar” page to look up daily hw if you forgot to write it down in class. You can find digital copies of worksheets to print if you lost yours. Use the “Notes and Help” page for additional resources and powerpoints with notes and concepts that we are covering in class to use for extra support!

Grading Grade Book 80% Assessment tests, quizzes, mathia, projects 20% Classwork homework, warmups, classwork Grade Book Check regularly. Very up-to-date! Missing work entered as 0 MI If due to absence, you need to grade and turn in and it will be replaced with full credit If not due to absence, you can complete the assignment for partial credit before that unit test.

Advanced Course Requirements This is an Advanced Class. It will have a rigorous pace and work load. You are required to maintain an 80% or higher at all times to stay in the course. If your grade falls below 80%, you need to seek help and raise your grade. If you do not raise it above an 80%, you will be placed in the appropriate grade level, non advanced, course and receive a schedule change. District Advanced Math Contract will be handed out the first few weeks of school.

Homework Expect homework 4-5 days per week.  It will usually take about 30 focused minutes to complete. If you don’t understand a problem or assignment, you still must attempt the problems showing work and effort. This is what it takes to avoid no credit if you are really confused.  On your homework, please show all of your work and all of the steps we discuss in class/write in notes.  Blank problem or No work =No points Homework will be graded for accuracy in class daily.  Some assignments are entered into the gradebook for completion credit and some earn points for accuracy.  Students are expected to grade assignments and correct wrong answers to keep as a study tool for tests.

Course Info Carnegie Textbooks Consumables Student Centered learning Inquiry Based and Direct Instruction Mix Mathia Carnegie’s Online self paced program that follows our curriculum 1 day per week during class time Additional work may be necessary as Homework Students must complete each unit as we take chapter tests in class and the percent score they receive on that unit in entered as a Mathia test score in the gradebook. If students do not score well on a unit in Mathia, they may recomplete the unit on their own time, inform me, and earn the new score

High School Algebra Outline (9th grade level math for advanced 8th graders) 1st QUARTER Functions Solving Equations in One Variable Solving and Graphing Inequalities Absolute Value Equations 3rd QUARTER Quadratic Functions Polynomials Factoring Completing the Square Quadratic Formula Linear Functions (equations, slope, intercepts, graphs, tables) 2nd QUARTER Solving Systems of Equations 4th QUARTER Real Number System Sequences   Data Analysis Properties of Exponents Exponential Functions and Growth and Decay Bivariate Data Scatter Plots Correlation

Linear Algebra Course Outline (8th grade level math for advanced 6th & 7th graders) 1st QUARTER Solve equations 3rd QUARTER Parallel lines cut by a transversal Functions Line and angle relationships Calculate slope Solve systems of linear equations Solve & graph linear functions      2nd QUARTER 4th QUARTER Rational and irrational numbers Exponents & scientific notation Find squares, square roots, cubes & cube roots Volume & surface area of prisms Data Analysis (bivariate data & scatter plots) Pythagorean Theorem Identify & verify various transformations Non-linear equations Congruence Dilations  

In Conclusion… I am here to partner with you to help your child learn all they can this year. If you have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please call or email me: Email: lchristian@kyrene.org Phone: 480-541-6352