Day 4: The Baseline

6th Grade Math Standards: All of them

After the baseline: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; Look for and make use of structure

The Learning Objective: N/A

Quote of the Day: “Circumstances we can’t foresee, understand, or desire can be - and are - imposed on us without warning; random acts happen to people and organizations out of the blue. In my experience, this is not the exception to the rule, but the rule.”

Assessment: The baseline will be used as a means of letting me know what these students are generally weak and strong with heading into this year. Not surprisingly students expressed confusion on the baseline today because the test consists of sixth grade questions.

I also corrected students homework from last night.

Agenda:

1. September 11th Pictures and Quote of the Day to connect to September 11th
2. Baseline Test
3. Challenge - Determine the missing numbers inside Pascal's Triangle

Glass Half-Full Take: The vast majority of class time was used for the baseline test. Like the past couple of years it took up almost two blocks of class time. That said, the students were very respectful of their peers and remained on task after completing the assignment. A good sign for a new group.

Since the students were occupied taking the baseline, I took advantage of the time by first going around and correcting homework from last night and then helping a couple students who expressed confusion navigate through the challenge question. In looking at the homework, it was apparent that students either forgot or did not know how to turn the question around in word problems. In helping them with the challenge question, I was extremely patient in helping students try to find patterns. I only asked questions and let them draw their own conclusions. That ultimately meant that nobody finished all day, which is ok with me. I told students to keep the problem in the daily section of their math binders.

One Regret: I just hope I get the chance to resume helping students with the challenge. Pascal's Triangle is so rich with patterns and I trust some students will enjoy uncovering the patterns.

Homework: None