Sunday, April 30, 2017

Getting into Alg 2 / Trig this fall …

Back in late January, I posted my recommendations for your math class for the 2017-18 school year.  I used the following guidelines when making these recommendations:

* Recommendations are based on a combination of factors, most notably a student's score on the algebra assessment administered last May and your performance in Geometry class during the fall semester.


Several students have expressed an interest in enrolling in Alg 2 / Trig in the fall, even though I have recommended against it.  To address their concerns, the Math Dept. has adopted the following process:

* A follow-up assessment will be administered during the first week of school in the fall in ALL Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 / Trig classes.  Based on the results of this assessment, your teacher in the fall may adjust your math recommendation AT THAT TIME!  I will NOT be adjusting my recommendations this Spring.

*  Please note:  Some students may be given the opportunity to move from Alg 1 to Trig.  Conversely, some students will be highly encouraged to move from Trig back to Alg 1.  Ultimately, our goal is to place students into the Math course that best fits their DEMONSTRATED mastery of algebra concepts. Departmental guidelines do NOT allow Sophomores to register in Algebra 2.

For those wanting to change your math recommendation this fall and move from Alg 1 to Alg 2 / Trig …

* I highly encourage you to complete the ALEKS review program over the summer to prepare for the follow-up algebra assessment during the first week of school in the fall.  Your performance on this assessment will be the final factor in determining whether or not you can enroll in Alg 2 /Trig in 2017-18.

*  ALEKS is a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system that uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine what a student knows and doesn't know in a particular course.  ALEKS courses are complete in their topic coverage and do not use multiple-choice questions to assess a student’s understanding of a concept.  Their products are currently used by hundreds of thousands of students in over 50 courses at thousands of K-12 schools and higher education institutions, including the University of Illinois.

Information regarding registration for the ALEKS review program is attached below.  If you have any questions, please contact our Math Department Chairperson, Dr. Kevin Thompson, via e-mail at kathomp2@ilstu.edu.  Complete the following steps to enroll in the summer ALEKS review program:

*  A 3-month subscription to the ALEKS program costs only $25.00 when purchased through University High School.  Please return the completed registration form and a check made payable to University High School to Mr. Sondgeroth by the end of 3:00 pm on FRIDAY, MAY 5. 

*  On Monday, May 8, Mrs. Welter will purchase all summer subscriptions in one block.  This purchase should be processed by Thursday, May 11.  Mr. Sondgeroth will complete the registration process for all students who have purchased the ALEKS summer review program and provide them a login and password during class on Friday, May 12.  We will encourage all students to spend some time in the program over the weekend of May 13 – 14 to insure that they have no issues getting into and using the system.

*  Students who miss the May 5 purchase date must contact our principal, Mrs. Markert.  She usually sets up a summer review program for incoming freshmen and may be able to submit your registration with that group.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE REGISTRATION FORM. 

Friday, April 28, 2017

Friday, April 28

Geometry - We worked on the first part of our Ch. 10 Test covering surface area and volume.  We will complete the assessment in class on Monday, May 1.

HW for Monday - Please read Sec. 11.1, reviewing several basic terms/concepts associated with circles.  Use this sheet to organize your notes for Sec. 11.1.  Additionally, in the text please complete pgs. 751-752  #1-7 and #18-25.

Assessment Alert - We will complete the Ch. 10 Test in class on Monday, May 1.  When preparing over the weekend, you may want to review the answers to the Ch. 10 Practice Test that we discussed in class on Thursday, April 27.


College Algebra - We continued our discussion of equations involving trig functions, focusing on verifying identities and solving equations (Sec. 7.2 - 7.3).

HW for Monday - The Sec. 7.2 HW in MyMathLab is due by 1:00 pm TODAY. The Sec. 7.2 HW (part 2) in MyMathLab is due by 1:00 pm on Monday, May 1.

Thursday, April 27

Geometry - We completed our in-class review for the Ch. 10 Test.

No HW for Friday, other than to prepare for tomorrow's summative assessment.

Assessment Alert  - We will complete the Ch. 10 Test in class TOMORROW - Friday, April 28.


College Algebra - We continued our discussion of equations involving trig functions (Sec. 7.1 - 7.2).

HW for Friday - The Sec. 7.1 HW in MyMathLab is due by 1:00 pm TODAY.  The Sec. 7.2 HW in MyMathLab is due by 1:00 pm tomorrow, Friday, April 28.


Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Wednesday, April 26

Geometry - We concluded our discussion of density and began our in-class review for Friday's Ch. 10 Test.

HW for Thursday - Complete the Ch. 10 PRACTICE Test that was distributed in class today.

Assessment Alert - We are tentatively scheduled to complete the Ch. 10 Test in class on Friday, April 28.


College Algebra - We continued our discussion of basic trig identities and definition (Sec. 7.1).

HW for Thursday - Complete the Sec. 7.1 HW posted online in MyMathLab.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Tuesday, April 25

Geometry - We extended our discussion of the volume of 3-D figures to the concept of density.

HW for Wednesday - Complete pgs. 2 - 3 only of the density worksheet packet that was distributed in class today.

Assessment Alert - We are tentatively scheduled to complete the Ch. 10 Test in class on Friday, April 28.


College Algebra - We continued our discussion of basic trig relationships, focusing on common definitions and identities (Sec. 7.1).

No HW for Wednesday.

Monday, April 24

Geometry - We continued our discussion of the measures of 3-D figures, focusing on formulas for finding the surface area and volume of spheres (Sec. 10.8).

HW for Tuesday - Complete the Sec. 10.8 Reteaching worksheet that was distributed in class today.

Assessment Alert - We are tentatively scheduled to complete the Ch. 10 Test in class on Friday, April 28. 


College Algebra - We completed our quiz covering Sec. 6.4 - 6.6.

No HW for Tuesday.

Friday, April 21

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Thursday, April 20

Geometry - We completed our in-class review of Sec. 10.4 - 10.7 in preparation for tomorrow's quiz.

HW for Friday - Complete the review packet(s) that were distributed in class today.

Assessment Alert - We will complete a quiz covering Sec. 10.4 - 10.7 in class on Friday, April 21.  Please note that this is a Schedule A day, so periods will be shortened to 40 minutes ... COME TO CLASS PREPARED FOR THIS ASSESSMENT!!!!!


College Algebra - We completed our in-class review in preparation for tomorrow's quiz covering Sec. 6.4 - 6.6. 

No new HW for Friday other than to prepare for the assessment.

Assessment Alert - We will complete a quiz in class on Friday, April 21.  Topics to be covered include:
- Sec. 6.4 - Graph tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant functions
- Sec. 6.5 - Write equations involving sine and cosine that model a given situation or data set.
- Sec. 6.6 - Solve basic trig equations involving inverse functions.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Wednesday, April 19

Geometry - We continued our discussion of measurements associated wit 3-D figures, focusing on the surface area and volume of pyramids and cones (Sec. 10.5, 10.7) in 7:00 and the volume of pyramids and cones (Sec. 10.7) in 8:00 / 12:00 / 2:00.

HW for Thursday - Complete the worksheet(s) that were distributed in class today.  For 7:00, please download this worksheet.  If you would like to view my answer key (with work) for this worksheet, click here.

Assessment Alert - We will complete a quiz covering Sec. 10.4 - 10.7 in class on Friday, April 21.  Please note that this is a Schedule A day, so periods will be shortened to 40 minutes ... COME TO CLASS PREPARED FOR THIS ASSESSMENT!!!!!


College Algebra - We continued our discussion of basic trig functions, reviewing the inverse sin / cos / tan functions in the context of a restricted domain (Sec. 6.6).

HW for Thursday - Complete the Sec. 6.6 HW posted in MyMathLab.

Assessment Alert - We will complete a short quiz on Friday covering Sec. 6.5 - 6.6.

Tuesday, April 19

Geometry - We continued our discussion of 3-D figures, calculating the surface area and volume of prisms and cylinders (Sec. 10.4, 10.6) in 7:00 and surface area of pyramids and cones (Sec. 10.5) in 8:00 / 12:00 / 2:00.

HW for Wednesday - Complete the worksheet(s) that were distributed in class today.

Assessment Alert - We will complete a quiz covering Sec. 10.4 - 10.7 in claSs on Friday, April 21.  Please note that this is a Schedule A day, so periods will be shortened to 40 minutes ... COME TO CLASS PREPARED FOR THIS ASSESSMENT!!!!!



College Algebra - We continued our discussion of trig graphs, writing equation to model and solve application problems (Sec. 6.5).

HW for Wednesday - Complete the Sec. 6.5 HW - Apps poset in MyMathLab.

Friday, April 14 - Monday, April 17

No School

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Thursday, April 6

Remember ... we are on Schedule A tomorrow ... 7:00 am class begins @ 9:00!!!!!

 Geometry - We began our discussion of 3-dimensional figures such as polyhedron (Sec. 10.1).

HW for Friday - Complete the guided notes worksheet for Sec. 10.1 that was distributed in class today.


College Algebra - We continued our  discussion of basic trig graphs, focusing on the cotangent and secant functions. 

No HW for Friday.

Wednesday, April 5

 Geometry - We completed the Ch. 9 Test covering basic area in class today. 

No HW for Thursday.


College Algebra - We completed a quiz covering the graphs of the sine and cosine functions in class today.  We also began our discussion of the graph of the tangent function.

No HW for Thursday.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Tuesday, April 4

7:00 Geometry - We completed our in class review ahead of tomorrow Ch. 6 Test.

Click here for the answer key to the Sec. 9.3 - 9.6 Quiz.

HW for Wednesday - Study for tomorrow's summative asessment over Ch. 6 - Basic Area Formulas

8:00 / 12:00 / 2:00 Geometry - Check out Ms. Brauer's HW blog - msbrauersmathblog.weebly.com - for an update of what went on in class and what HW was assigned.

Assessment Alert - For all sections of Geometry (both Sondgeroth AND Braur), we will complete the Ch. 9 test / summative assessment in class on Wednesday, April 5.


College Algebra - We continued our discussion of the graph of basic trig functions, focusing on "complete" graphs for the sine and cosine graphs.

HW for Wednesday - Prepare for tomorow's quiz covering the graphs of the sine and cosine functions.

Monday, April 3