Introduction to Math and Technology

Dear 8th grade families,

I know most of you from last year, but to those who are new, welcome! I look forward to meeting you and working with your child in math.

This will be an exciting class, and your child will be engaging in math in a variety of ways. The curriculums I will mostly draw from are called Discovering Algebra and Elementary Algebra. These curriculums are both very rich in teaching skills for abstract thinking. I will also be providing handouts from other sources.

In the first semester, students will learn to set up and solve linear equations. We will begin with an intensive review of fundamental operations that will lead to our study of functions and graphs. This unit is called Data Exploration in which students will use graphs and statistical measures to organize and make sense of data.

This year, students will also be working on a semester long Algebra project called The Free Agents Almanac Project, and along with the Algebra skills, it will focus on three 21st century skills: Collaboration, Project Management and Presentation. The objective of this project is for students to design a proposal that would convince the coach of a professional sports team to pick the players that each group selects based on statistical analysis. More information on this will be given in class.

Please refer to the blog http://bms8-2math.blogspot.com for any ongoing announcements and for daily assignments. Should you have any questions feel free to email me at Skanchwala@bmsonline.org or call me at BMS, extension 257.

I look forward to a great year!

Sincerely,
Sheila Kanchwala
BMS Middle School Math Teacher




Dear Families,

The year is off to a great start, and with it are some new technology developments that I am excited to share with you. Over the summer, the school has purchased a brand new lap top cart with 28 transportable MacBooks. These laptops will be a shared resource across the middle and upper grades and will be integrated into the curriculum at each level. The school has also purchased two Smart Boards, which are interactive white boards that can be connected to computers to display the screen and can be written on similarly to a white board. The concept is similar to an LCD project that displays what is on the computer, however, with a Smart Board, we can also write digitally onto the screen. More information about Smart Technology can be found at: http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-us/.

As we move towards using more technology in the classroom, we are asking students to create Google email accounts. The purpose of this is to be able to use Google’s collaboration tools for project management and documentation. Email accounts can be created at www.gmail.com. The format of their email address should be first name.last name, for example, Sheila.Kanchwala@gmail.com. Throughout the course of the year, we will be asking students to think about how technology can enhance or simplify our work. In math this year, students will be working on group projects that call for online collaboration and documentation. I will then be able to review their work and provide feedback on the same document. This will eliminate a great deal of paper waste and promote the school’s value of being green. More information on the projects and their use of technology will be provided in the upcoming weeks, and worry not, the technology skills necessary will be taught in class.

Related to media literacy, students will explore ways in which technology can be used effectively, but also misused, leading to potentially dangerous activity. Students will learn about safety on the Internet and how to dissect the messages of media on the Internet and elsewhere.

Technology is ever changing and we as adults are digital immigrants. It is okay to find that your child knows more than you. They are the digital natives in this field. Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Sheila Kanchwala and the MS Team