The opening weeks are a chance to consolidate topics that students have learned in prior years. Since these topics are not entirely new, we take the opportunity to go a little deeper. This sets the stage for a year where students see that math is not a collection of arbitrary rules, regulations and algorithms, but a field that is supremely logical and beautifully ordered.
The seventh grade begins with a study of measurement units for lengths and areas:
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| Why don't we use units like this to measure areas? |
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| If there are 12 inches in a foot, why aren't there 12 square inches in a square foot? |
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| Two seventh grade students ponder this question. |
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| Similar questions arise with metric units! How many square centimeters in a square meter? |
Eighth grade students are remembering pre-algebra concepts as they enter their study of algebra, the science of reduction and comparison:
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| Discussing a new idea. |
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| Learning to write mathematical work in ways that minimize errors and support algebraic growth. |
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| Struggling with a tricky problem from last night's assignment. |
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| Students sharing their work and modeling good practices. These habits will pay off all year long! |
