Geometry
*** HERE'S THE 2006/07 WRITE-UP REGARDING NOTES, WHICH ARE THE EASIEST 10% OF YOUR MATH GRADE ***
THE 6 WEEK GRADE CYCLE ENDS this Friday.. PLEASE NOTE: The grade won’t
be official until Tuesday October 11 at 5 PM. As such, the grade MAY CHANGE
over the weekend due to Saturday grading and data entry.
NOTEBOOK REVIEW: This is the LAST CHANCE students will have to impact their 6 week grade. Notebooks are 10% of the students grade for the semester. This review will be worth 5%, as it is a ‘first look’. It can probably raise/lower the students grades +/- a notch.
WHAT IS REQUIRED IN TERMS OF STUDENT NOTES THIS ROUND? The following items
MUST be present in student notes to obtain at least a C. Failure to have this
COMPLETE LIST of items will result in a grade below a C.
1) Chapter 1 Vocabulary (40 terms) on page 60
2) Chapter 7 Vocabulary (15 terms of 19 required – all advisable) pg
446
3) Chapter 2 Vocabulary (19 terms – all required) page 118
4) Chapter 1 Postulate DRAWINGS should be located in back of notes (teacher handout given)
5) Chapter 7 Postulates/Theorem DRAWINGS, taped in back of notes (teacher handout given)
6) A separate 8.5” by 11” sheet of Chapter 1 and 2 theorems/postulates
should be available in a binder for teacher inspection ALL semester
SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT CAN HELP A STUDENTS NOTE GRADE:
Q: Are notes ‘Cornell Style’ as explained by teacher? If not, start taking Cornell style notes for the week 6 through 12 grade cycle…
Q: Is there a ‘Table of Contents’ for the first 3 pages? If not, Tape in an addendum in the front or the back with a easy-to-read/easy-to-understand table of contents
Q: Are the Geometry Standards taped in the back of the notebook? Are they on the very last page as directed? Attention to detail is not a trivial issue – it’s critical!
NOTEBOOK INTANGIBLES THAT WILL MATTER MORE AT 12 WEEKS:
ALL DRAWINGS should make use of a ruler. I sell them for 50 cents during student break time. There is NO EXCUSE for sloppy lines in notebooks
VOCABULARY DRAWINGS do not have to be works of art, but must be clean. DO NOT skip out on vocabulary drawings, as Geometry is a symbolic language.
COLOR is not required. This is not a coloring contest. But color can assist in notetaking and does often communicate pride of workmanship…
COMPASSES are required. Students can continue to use my old-fashioned worn out ones if they can’t afford $2.09 to buy a decent one at Office Depot. But sloppy compass drawings will NOT BE ACCEPTABLE – the standards demand clarity.
ALSO NOTEWORTHY: Parents can help students by encouraging them to ‘review’ their notes per the Cornell Philosophy. Cornell notes are a college level skill that will serve any/all students well wherever their educational path takes them
BOOK REVIEW: It is a rare student who knows how to effectively use a Geometry book to his/her benefit. It will take the entire year to truly learn this skill. Students should ‘look at the pages’, just learn to run the images in front of your eyes at a minimum. If you LOOK at the section BEFORE the lecture, you WILL find this material easier. We will find a way to teach students how to read a math book, but this seemingly simple task requires faith from students and patience from parents.
VOCABULARY REVIEW: The students should be able to explain any/all chapter KEY VOCABULARY shown in the preview section (example: see page 128 in the text for chapter 3). If they can do that, they probably can speak Geometry lingo.
A QUICK WORD ON PROOFS: We will be starting on simple proofs Weds 10/5. IF
the student has done the above listed items in his/her notes THEN they have
a real shot at understanding Geometry. **** AS SUCH, ANY NOTE ITEMS not completed
by this Friday are expected to be complete by/before the next grade cycle.
A WORD OF THANKS to all parents who attended back-to-school night.
A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT to all students whose Geometry grade is exceeding their Algebra grade – congratulations to you …now remain focused.
FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING: Now is not the time to run from math. If you are persistent, you will not only pass but exceed your expectations.
*** Best Regards,
Mr. Follis – Pioneer Math/Geometry
THE
FOLLOWING ARE SOME SIMPLE COLORFUL EXAMPLES OF GOOD NOTES. IT IS IMPORTANT
TO KNOW THAT ‘COLOR’ WAS NOT REQUIRED TO RECEIVE AN ‘A’.
COLOR, HOWEVER, DOES COMMUNICATE PRIDE OVER THE INTERNET. ENJOY THE WORKMANSHIP
SHOWN FROM A STUDENT ENGAGED IN THE LEARNING PROCESS THROUGH GOOD NOTETAKING.
