6th Grade Math

Mr. Gerdin

Experience

• Education:• M.Ed Education (Loyola)• BS Chemical Engineering (Wisconsin)• Masters Engineering Management (Northwestern)

• Experience:• 9 Years 6th grade math teaching at The Joseph

Sears School• 15 years professional engineering experience

Great Mathematicians

Newton Euler Noether Your Child ?!

Common Core Standards

• Math Practices outlined in CCSS• Always been part of good math

instruction, now will be more emphasized

• Calls for more depth, less content

Practices - Focus

• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

• Reason abstractly and quantitatively• Construct viable arguments and critique

the reasoning of others • Use appropriate tools strategically • Attend to precision.

Placement

• Utilized a number of metrics • Placement so that instruction is

appropriate to student’s current ability and aptitude

• This course typically leads to an introduction to algebra in 8th grade

• Historically - placement by matrix has been accurate

•

Placement cont.

• Criteria include MAP, COGAT, Unit Test Scores, SCRS, EOY

• Student placement re-evaluated near end of first trimester and monitored beyond

• Highest weight to standardized results• NT has confirmed that there is NO

correlation between math placement and ability to get in “best” universities

Supplies

Bring to Every Class • Positive Attitude/Open Mind• 8-1/2” x 11” Loose Leaf Paper (Lined and Grid)• Pencil w/eraser and Red Pen• Calculator, Protractor & Ruler • Executive Functioning Binder w/Math Folder• Complete Homework and Current Notes

Homework

• About 20 - 30 Minutes Expected Daily• Use Daily Class Notes & Videos as Guide• Notes & Videos posted on Gerdin Website• Work must be SHOWN as directed• Homework Plan on Website BUT student

responsible for writing it down in class• Homework may include text book problem

sets and extensions of concepts

Student Absent

• Phone a friend in the class• E-mail me• Check website (HW Plan, notes, video)• See me upon return of multiple day illness• Number of days to complete = number of

days absent

Example HW

Math Homework Help

Students need to develop their own skills and make a concerted effort to solve problems prior to seeking help.

• Review Class Notes and videos• Math Lunch – Rm 218• Ask Classmate(s) /Ask Parent (w/notes)• Ask Teacher (in class homework review)• Drop - ins• Still Struggling? – Teacher Conference

Grading

• Homework – effort vs. accuracy• Quizzes and Tests (<72% rework/retake)• Problems/Colaborative Tasks• Scoring/Grading Per Sears Policy• No Extra Credit

TEXT

• Middle School Math – Course 2 (Scott Foresman/Addison-Wesley)

• 1 Copy to Keep at Home. Classroom set of textbooks for use in class

• Additional copies available for use at math lunch and homework club

• Other resources – MIF, Explore Learning, IXL, Connected Math, Mathalicious, etc.

Content

• 6th Grade Common Core• Moderate Pacing (but challenging!)• Mastery of Skills• Application of Concepts to Solve Problems• Techniques, Strategies, Algorithms• Communication• Modified as appropriate

Curriculum

Problem Solving • Explicit Instruction – 4 Techniques• Apply Techniques to Core Content• Assessments – novel problems

Curriculum, Continued

• Integers, Coordinate Plane, Reflections, Inequalities

• Algebraic Formulas, Expressions, and Equations

• 3x – 5 = 17 • D = R x T

• Decimals and Fractions• 0.25 = ¼• 0.25 x 4 = 1

Curriculum, Continued

• Operations with Fractions• 1/3 + 2 1/3 = 2 2/3• 4 ÷ ½ = 8

• Geometry and Measurement• Area of polygons• Surface Area and Volume of Prisms and Pyramids

Curriculum, Continued

• Ratios, Rates, and Proportions• 9/12 = ¾• 300:150; 150:75• $365,000/yr = $1000/day

• Dimensional Analysis• 5 ft/day x m/3.28ft = 1.52 m/day

Curriculum, Continued

• Percents• 25% off $79.99 = $20• 4 is 2% of 200

• Graphical Data Representation– Dot and Line Plots– Histograms

• Statistics (Measure of Central Tendency)– Mean, median, mode

Technology

• Technology (calculators/spreadsheets, apps) not a substitute for knowing concepts and mastering skills.

• Technology will be integrated into work – especially using calculator to check work

• Mental Math is important and techniques are incorporated into lessons.

Class Work

• Record Homework• Correct work/Perform work• Student demonstrations• Direct Instruction• Colaborative Activities• Learning Objective Summary• Logic/Math Games• Example Problems

Credits

• All photos courtesy of www.flickr.com