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Gary Pease8th Grade Math209.835.3053 x 1108mailto:gpease@jsdtracy.com
8th Grade Math
Welcome 8th Grade Mathematicians. I am honored to be your teacher this year and look forward to all of us having a successful year. In order to have a successful year, you must be willing to work hard and demonstrate perseverance when the work is difficult. We have two 8th grade math classes here at Jefferson (8th Grade Math and our Jefferson District Algebra class, which has students from all 3 sites.
This will be the 2nd year using the math curriculum created by Illustrative Mathematics in collaboration with Open Up Resources. The IM math curriculum is “Problem Based”, which means you will be learning by using math in real-life applications. You will learn by doing, versus me showing. We will be emphasizing problem-solving strategies and collaborative situations to increase the learning opportunities. I am available every morning from 7:15-7:55 am if extra help is needed.
Our areas of focus this year will be guided by the California Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. Grades are weighted with a majority of your grades focused on assessing whether you know the standards. For many of the essential standards, we will be stressing practical applications of the concepts whenever applicable. For our class to be successful for everyone, it is extremely important for you to do your part by doing your best each and every day. Be responsible by being prepared for class each day and being an active participant in class discussions.
8th Grade Math OptionsAlgebra 1 Period 1 (Students from all 3 campuses)Text: Algebra 1 IMPublisher: KendallHunt https://im.kendallhunt.com/8th Grade MathText: Math 8 IMTEXT WEBSITE: KendallHunt https://im.kendallhunt.com/-
A typical IM lesson will have 4 phases and is timed to be 40 minutes in length.
- A warm-up (5-10 minutes)
- Helps you get ready for the lesson of the day.
- Work will be done in your textbook or notebook.
- One or more instructional activities. (15-25 minutes)
- This is the heart of the program, where a majority of the class time will be spent in class. The activities will be used to introduce topics and master the concepts at hand.
- Lesson synthesis (5-10 minutes)
- Help students gain insights into the lesson of the day, in the form of writing prompts in a notebook or me verbally posing questions about lesson
- Cool-down. (5 minutes)
- This will usually be in some form of an exit ticket where you will need to demonstrate how to use the concepts in the lesson.
- Practice Problems
- Each lesson includes an associated set of practice problems which will be assigned for homework and at times will be used as in-class activities.
For this to be a successful year we will need to work together and learn and practice various routines to help provide our class with an effective learning environment. This will require all students to actively participate in both large and small group settings. Be willing to share out if called upon or if you have information to add to the class discussion. Lastly, it is imperative that we keep up on all work to have a successful year. If you are prepared and master the concepts in the lessons, the assessments will be easy.
Classroom Responsibilities and Expectations
- Abide by the Jefferson Creed
- Listen to instructions when given
- Come to class prepared with required class supplies
- Homework is due when you enter class
- Respect others when speaking
- Always try your best
- No eating in class (nut-free zone)
Materials Needed:
1) Spiral Notebook
2) Pencils
3) Dry erase markers
4) Scientific calculator.
5) Graphing Paper, Binder Paper
6) Straight edge ruler - A warm-up (5-10 minutes)
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