For the past quarter students in both Seventh Grade Pre-Algebra and Math 6 have been working on Geometry. Geometry is a branch of mathematics that has a lot of hand-on activities and a lot of abstract concepts. We did constructions with a compass and a straightedge, “building” polygons and making designs from arcs in a circle. We measured angles with a protractor. And we sketched and labeled triangles and quadrilaterals. Then we had vocabulary, vocabulary and more vocabulary. A polygon with 4 sides is a quadrilateral (think “quarter” = quad). An polygon with 8 sides is an octagon (think “octopus” with 8 legs). A polygon with 10 sides is a decagon (think “decade” = 10 years). Next we worked with formulas. A = bh/2 What do those letters represent? What are they abbreviations for? Oh, a triangle has a base (b) and a height (h) and is 1/2 of a parallelogram (divide the parallelogram in 2). The introduction of variables in Sixth Grade Math is a path to setting up and solving equations in Pre-Algebra and a connection for students in Pre-Algebra to equations that they learned to solve with negative and positive integers.
Below are examples of the videos that students made with the Ipad using an App called Explain Everything.

Students learned to use Explain Everything App to demonstrate circumference of a circle – vocabulary, formula, sketch, labeling, and calculations

Math Olympians try to be the best of the best.  Here students focus on their first math test of the year on problem solving skills – using a table or graph, making an organized list, find a pattern – and on the rules for order of operations. Congrats to every one for scoring honor grades!