Algebra 1 Class Info
Algebra 1 is the beginning and the basis of High School Math. Mastery of the algebraic concepts will help ensure success in future math classes, and help in most science classes.
Resources:
There are many web sites designed to help students succeed in Algebra. A few include:
www.phschool.com is the web site of the textbook publisher. Students can find puzzles, quizzes, vocabulary, lesson lectures, and practice tests correlated to the book. Codes printed in the textbook are a shortcut to some of these pages. To navigate to the textbook home page, put in one of the codes printed in the student book and "go", then select 2004 student home page from the top part of the window.
www.coolmath.com gives a different explanation of algebra concepts – very laid back – and lots of opportunity to practice skills. There are lots of ads to clutter up the pages, but that keeps the site free. You need to maneuver your way through to the types of problems we are currently doing. This site has practice problems at an Algebra 1 level through College Algebra. It also includes many math games.
Algebra 1 Parent Help is a parent study guide to help you, the parent, help your child in Algebra. We recognize that usually it has been awhile since you have studied Algebra, and this does a very good job of helping you to be able to help them.
Class grading and procedures:
Grades are figured with homework counting as 25%, quizzes as 25%, and tests as 50% of the final grade. Students may use their calculators on all homework, quizzes and tests.
Homework:
– Assignments on the assignment sheet (at this web site under Algebra 1 Assignments and student has a copy). I collect these usually 2 sections at a time. I grade selected problems and for completeness of the assignment. Students are encouraged to work together and to check their answers in the back of the book as they work.
– Opening exercises – As students come to class, I often have a few review problems for them to do and hand in. If they are tardy or unwilling to settle down to work, they miss the opportunity for these points. I enter them in power school collectively about every 2-3 weeks, If the student does them regularly, they will earn enough points to have extra credit.
– Extra credit. I occasionally offer extra credit papers. The student usually has about a week to do them.
Quizzes:
Students may use their homework and any notes when taking a quiz. The quizzes are usually short with problems very similar, or in some cases exactly the same, as their homework.
At the end of the 9 weeks, I drop one quiz score from the grade. This lets them have one “off” day without affecting their grade.
Tests:
At the end of each Chapter the students take a test. Usually no notes allowed. I will let the student take a different version re-take, once for each test, if they are not satisfied with their first test grade. This needs to be done outside class time. I will use the higher of the two grades when figuring their final grade.