Week of April 27 - May 1st

Thank goodness that vacation stuff is over...I was beginning to get so bored :)
Welcome Back...get ready to work hard!

Math 7
Do you remember how to find the slope of a line. Good. We will use this and our new information about y-intercepts as clues to help us determine the linear equation of a graph that is already drawn...It will also provide us with a shortcut so that we can draw the graph of a linear equation without filling out a table. How cool is that? Homework each time you come.

Math 7 Honors
The peasant still has not been paid...the queen and the financial advisor get in on the deal. Will he ever get paid? We will be comparing exponential equations and linear equations this week. We'll look at their graphs and y-intercepts (remember those?) At the end of the week you will be assigned a project about creating a physical model to demonstrate exponential growth and decay. Start thinking about it. Homework each time you come.

Week of April 13th - 17th

We will do the RCSD Benchmarks on Monday and Tuesday...No Homework those nights :(
Progress Reports will be mailed home this week!

REMEMBER!!! Extra Help is available EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! Be there!

Math 7 Honors:
The king of Monterak's reward of 1,000,000 ruppies is counter-offered by the peasant. The peasant proposes that the king put one ruppie on square one of a checkerboard...2 on the sencond square...4 on the the third square...8 on the fourth...etc for 64 squares? What is the better deal? What would the algebraic expression look like that would describe the doubling as it relates to the square number? Look forward to a project over break on exponential growth and decay :)

Math 7:
What is the slope of a line? Why do we care? How is a linear equation coded with the slope? What's a y-intercept? Why do we care? What clues are in a linear equation that tell us what the graph will look like?

April 6th - 9th

Math 7 Honors:
Alejandro cuts a paper in half, he stacks them and then cuts that stack in half...he stacks them and cuts them in half....How many pieces of paper will he have after 10 cuts? 20? 50? x?
We begin our unit on exponential growth and decay!

Math 7:
Monique is saving for a new mp3 player...she has already saved $10 and plans on saving $5 per week. How much would she have in 1 week? 2weeks? 10 weeks? 20 weeks?
We can use linear equations to express Moniques savings. We can also show it with a table or a graph.

Week of March 23-27

Math 7 Honors: Morehouse (T and Th), Vassar (M, W, F)We continue our work with operations and exponents...how to add, subtract, multiply and divide them. We have introduced polynomials...Ask youself...what is a monomial, binomial or trinomial! We will be adding and subtracting polynomials. Homework is given each day. Quiz next week.

Math 7: Harvard (T and Th), Columbia (M, W, F)We continue our work with patterns and functions. We can plot coordinate points with confidence. We are using substituion in our work with functions and beginning to graph linear equations. Homework is given each day.

The RCSD will be hosting an Academic Showcase of Student work on April 4th at the Convention Center...Plan on coming down!

Week of March 16 - 19th

All classes will get a turn in the Computer Lab reviewing some websites about Math. They are a great resource to practice skills needed for higher level math. The homework was to find me a website that I didn't have that the students wanted to recommend to others.

In the Honors class we are beginning our work with polynomials focusing on how to multiply and divide exponents.
In the 7th grade classes we beginning our work on Linear Equations by reviewing how to plot points on a coordinate plane.

Week of March 2nd - March 6th

STATE TEST MARCH 10TH AND 11TH!!!We will be taking the 7th grade test (honors too!)
Part 1 is on the 10th and consists of 30 multiple choice questions
Part 2 is on the 11th and consists of 8 extended response questions. In this section scholars need to show every little bit of work! We will be working on how this part is scored and the students will take a crack at scoring answers from previous years.

THERE WILL BE A REVIEW SESSION FOR THE TEST THIS SATURDAY FROM 8:30- 11:30. We will review and practice some common assessment questions. Any one who attends will get extra credit (as well as some extra smarts)

This week in class we are reviewing:
Key Vocabulary
Scientific Notation
Ratios
Proportions
Scoring
Two-step Equations
Venn Diagrams
Exponents
Rational/ Irrational Numbers

In the link section to the right I have posted a link to previous years tests. Many of the games are a great review for the test!

Week of Feb 23 - 27th

Welcome back from Winter Break!
Ready to get to business?
All of my classes will be reviewing for the New York State Math Test - Grade 7. Our expectations are that everyone do their best to show how much they have been learning. We will be reviewing all sorts of 7th grade topics...

3-D Geometry: Area and Volume
Factor Trees
Scientific Notation
Rational and Irrational Numbers
Probability
Venn Diagrams
Pie Graphs
LCM/GCF
Solving Two-Step Equations
Integers
Ratios

I have lots of copies of old tests, if anyone would like one just ask.
We will be doing some of our reviewing in Centers. This is when the class is broken up into thirds and has to complete different tasks in each station. Most of the work is hands on.

There will be Saturday school to review for the NYS test each Saturday for the next 2 weeks. PLEASE come...It promises to be a more interactive and fun review. If you need more info call or e-mail Ms. Drake

Week of December 8 - 12th

December 8 - 12th

This week Math 7 and Math 7 Honors collide. We will both be studying Ratio's and Proportions. The honors class will also be studying the work of American artist Alexander Calder. He worked with mobiles and metal sculpture. Extra Credit to any one who creates a mobile with at least 5 elements. Also check out the Calder Virtual Mobile Link.

It's the first week of the new marking period, so everyone has straight A+'s. Keep it there by doing homework, and practicing/reviewing your notes.

Ask Santa for a calculator if you don't already have one!

Week of November 17-21st

D O Y O U L O V E M A T H ?

Math 7 - We are in the second half of the marking period. This week we have Binder Checks at the end of the week (Columbia Thursday and Harvard Friday). If you need help getting them together PLEASE come during lunch or after school.
We are working on solving One-Step Equations this week and solving them by using the inverse to "undo" the operation and get the variable (aka: grumpy old man) all alone.
Next week we continue this work to include Multiplication and Division of the Variable.

Math 7 Honors - We will have Binder checks at the end of the week (Vassar Thursday, Morehouse Friday). We started the week figuring out the different ways to express a linear relationship (equation, graph, table of values, story, slope and y-intercept). We begin work on the Pythagorean Theorum. You know...a squared plus b squared equals c squared. How cool is that.
Next Week we continue with Pythagoras and how to use his ideas in the "real" world/

Harvard and Morehouse are gearing up to say goodbye to Mr. Brenner our student teacher from the University of Rochester. His last day is November 25th. He has offered endless amounts of extra-help and encouragement to all of the scholars in those clusters. We will truly miss him.

Week of November 3rd - 7th

We begin our third week of the second marking period...Mr. Brenner, our student teacher from the University of Rochester will be doing a great deal of the teaching in the Morehouse and Harvard group. He will be with us until Thanksgiving break.

EXTRA HELP is always available the first 15 minutes of lunch! I encourage scholars to stop by and make sure they know what is going on.
Math 7 Honors:

This week Vassar will have classes on M,W,F and Morehouse will be T and Th. We are working on graphing algebraic expressions, creating a table of values and continuing our work with writing expressions. We will learn about linear equations and how to use them to make predictions...start thinking about words like slope and y-intercept. There will be homework each time we meet. There will be a quiz Friday and next Monday.

Math 7:

This week Columbia will have classes M,W,F and Harvard will be T and TH. We have mastered adding integers, are still trying to get our head around subtraction of integers, and think that multiplying and dividing seem pretty easy. Now...if we could just use the right strategy for the right problem, we would be all set! We have been doing a lot of practice problems, and games to help us get the integer thing down. There is homework each time that we meet. There will be a quiz on Friday and next Monday

As always, please contact me if you have any questions, concerns or ideas!

Week of October 27 - 31st

Apologies for not posting last week!

Math 7 Honors: I will have the Morehouse group (M, W, F) and the Vassar group (T and Th). As always, there will be homework assigned (Yes...even on Halloween!) We have a test on Monday/Tuesday about Solving One-Step, Two-Step, and Multi-step equations as well as combining like terms. We continue our work with real world problems and how to write them algebraically. Stuff like...
"Jalani rents speakers for a party. He needs to leave a $100 deposit and pay $15 per hour that he rents them" Write an algebraic expression to describe the cost of the speaker rental. (Answer: 100 + 15h). We will also be graphing the equations.

Math 7: I will have the Harvard group (M, W, F) and the Columbia group (T and Th). As always, there will be homework assigned (Did you think that I wouldn't give it for the Halloween Weekend?..HA!). We have a quiz on adding integers, absolute value, and number lines on Monday/Tuesday. We will continue our work with subtraction of integers. This is probably one of the hardest things we will work on this year. If the scholars get this we will be golden. There is a video link for addition and subtraction of integers. There are also practice problems there. The only way to get good at them is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Week of October 6th- 9th.

Surpise...in math class we are doing the RCSD benchmark testing. It is comprised of two one-hour exams. It is designed to give an idea of how well scholars would do if they took the NYS 7th grade test today instead of March. Originally we were going to take it in homebase but we took it during Math class instead.

Beyond the test, Ms. Drake tried to sneak in some lessons:
Math 7 Honors (Vassar and Morehouse): We played around with algebra tiles and solved two-step equations. Scholars had a take home test that was due on Monday/Tuesday.

Math 7 (Columbia and Harvard): We played around with integer chips and began working on adding integers.
There is a quiz on Wednesday/Thursday

Everyone should have handed in there binder and made up any make up tests/work by now. The first marking period ends on October 17th!

Week of September 29 - October 3rd

Math 7 Honors:
Binders are due this week (Vassar on Tuesday, Morehouse on Wednesday)
There is a Take Home Test due first thing next week. Students may use a variety of resources EXCEPT for another students answers.
We are continuing our work with Algebraic Equations and Inequalities. It is really important that the scholars set up and solve problems the way they were told in class. This will give them a well established strategy when the problems get "ugly".

Math 7
Binders are due this week (Columbia on Thursday, Harvard on Friday). There will be a test on Order of Operations, Subtituting Expressions and Scientific Notation. It will be first thing next week.

Week of September 22 - 26th

I've been getting quite a few e-mails and phone calls from parents about homework. I see each class every other day. On the days I do see them I ALWAYS assign homework (even if it is the weekend, a test or a holiday). Beyond the first two or three problems, we do not use class time to work on the homework. Sooo...chances are they DO have homework. Homework is collected and graded and accounts for 10% of the Marking Period Grade. Homework can be handed in late (with a point deduction), but anything over 2 weeks will not be accepted. Also, I only give out the homework paper once. It a student looses it, I will not replace it. I am trying to encourage students to be responsible for themselves.

What are we working on in class?
Math 7 Honors: We are working on solving algebraic expressions and solving them in the correct format. Many of the scholars are SO smart that they just see the answer, Unfortunately, they have to work on a strategy to help them out when the problems become much more complicated (think fractions and decimals for coefficients). Everyone wants to impress me with the answer but no one wants to show me the work!! No work, no credit! There is a vocabulary test on Thursday and Friday. I will be checking Binders next Monday and Tuesday...this is also 10% of the MP Grade.

Math 7: We have worked on translating alebra expressions into words. We are also working on converting measurements in the metric system. (How many grams are there in 1.2 kilograms?) We continue working on order of operations. There is a vocabulary test on Thursday and Friday. I will be checking Binders next Monday and Tuesday...this is also 10% of the MP Grade.

Week of September 15 - 19th

We are off to a great start in the STAR Cluster. We have offered an incentive program to keep our scholars making good choices. We are targeting students to be in class, on time, working on bell work and ready to learn. Hopefully all the of the classes will earn the PIZZA party.
We have renamed our classes to help us keep them straightened out. We have named them: Vassar, Harvard, Morehouse and Columbia. Ask your child what "college" they are in.

Math 7 Honors: We will have a quiz on 9/19 and 22. We are reviewing integers, order of operations, Algebraic Expressions. If your scholar is having trouble, please have them give the videos a try.

Math 7: We will have a quiz on 9/17 and 18. We are reviewing Factor Tree, Greatest Common Factor, Least Common Multiple and Order of Operations. If your scholar is having trouble, I have begun posting video help. Check it out!

Week of September 2 - 7th

Welcome to Ms. Drake's Website.
My intention is to post weekly. I will describe what we will be working on in class each week. I will also include links to any of the activities we used in class.
There is ALWAYS homework assigned!

This week we will work on Classroom Expectations and Procedures as well as develop the skills needed to work as part of a small group. Students were given papers to have signed by parents. Scholars are expected to have their supplies by Tues/Wedn of next week. We will begin putting our binders together. These will serve as our major source of reference throughout the year.

The Star Cluster e-mails out weekly bulletins with any information parents/students may want to know. PLEASE send me your e-mail address so I can mail it to you. Students are encouraged to give us their e-mai too!

These are some of the things we went over in class this week.

What are our expectations for your behavior in this class?

In order for everyone to benefit from this experience, the following expectations must be followed. Students must:

- Be on Task

- Be Cooperative

- Show Initiative

- Respect the other members of the class and their possessions.

- Show Common Sense

(If a scholar misses a class due to illness, instrument lesson, etc … It’s the student’s responsibility to get the assignment from the back wall,
If your child misses several days in a row, Please contact the school counselor for work)

When can you get extra help?I am available Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursday during your lunch period. You need to come to my room in the beginning of the period. I am also available at different times during the day and after school on other days, but it needs to be set up ahead of time. If you stay after school you must get prior permission from your parents/guardians in order to stay.







How can you get an A?Grades will be calculated for each of the six marking periods as follows
In general, assignments will have the following percentage values:

Homework 10 % of grade
Tests and Projects 50% of grade
Binder 10% of grade
Classroom Participation 10 % of grade
Classwork 20% of grade

Grades will be assigned as follows:
95%-100% A+ 90%-94% A
85%-89% B+ 80%-84% B
75%-79% C+ 70%-74% C
65%-69% D Below 65% F


How can your parents/guardians get in touch with me?
I encourage all parents to feel free to contact me with any questions. We are all trying to achieve the same goal…a good quality education for you. That’s why we’ve all chosen Wilson! I can be reached during the school day at 463-4100 ext 252, or I can be e-mailed at laura.drake@rcsdk12.org. I will gladly give out my home phone number but would rather not post it on the internet. I use e-mail a great deal to contact parents, so PLEASE send me an e-mail from your web address so I can keep you informed.
Please feel free to connect with to meet if you have any questions/concerns!

August 25th - September 1st

Are you ready for school?
For Math 7 and Math 7 Honors you will need
A 1-1/2 inch binder (a 1 inch is NOT okay)
Five Dividers
A TI-30XS Calculator
Graph Paper (3 hole punched)
Pens and Pencils
School Starts on Wednesday September 3rd...See you then!