Midwinter Break Assignments

Hello!

Here’s a friendly reminder that you have two assignments for midwinter break:

  1. Continue working on the Unit G DeltaMath assignment. As of this posting, only about 40% of you have started it. FYI, It isn’t due until we complete Unit G (probably during the week we come back), but don’t wait until the last minute…I will not be giving extra time to complete it.
  2. There is an additional assignment in DeltaMath that is full of review concepts. This assignment is due Sunday, February 26 at 11:59pm.

Questions or concerns? Let me know.

 

Mr. P

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Midyear Report Card…Grade Me!

Hey everyone,

It’s that time of year…first semester is coming to a close. This is one of the two times each year (the other is in June), that I will ask YOU to grade ME. You heard that right. You’re going to give me grades based on how you feel I’m doing as your math teacher. A couple things you should know:

  • Please complete the report card by this Friday, January 20. I want to use Regents week to digest all of your responses.
  • It’s anonymous, so please be honest and thoughtful. I’ll read each response.
  • If you give me all 5s or all 1s, I’ll know that you don’t care.
  • Please only take the survey once. I don’t want skewed data.

 

GRADE MR. PALACIOS NOW

To Those of You in Danger of Failing…

Those of you that in danger of failing marking period one should have received an email from me.

The marking period ends on Monday, October 24, so that means you only have next week (Tuesday and Wednesday) to retake any concepts that you would like to earn proficiency on. Tutoring happens in room 208 after school.

With that said, most of you only need to earn proficiency on 1-2 additional concepts to be considered “passing” for the marking period. So…be alarmed, but don’t freak out.

If you’re coming to tutoring, make sure you come prepared with the checkpoint covering the concepts you’re retaking as well as the appropriate VIP.

See you then.

Mr. Palacios

 

Worked out solutions for HW, video lessons, and blank VIPs

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Hi everyone! I wanted to update you on a few of updates on our class website.

Firstly, you now have access to worked out solutions to all homework problems. I have placed links on the algebra 2 page. Go to Unit B and you’ll see them under the appropriate concept.

Secondly, whenever you are absent, I have linked video lessons for you to watch to learn the concept that you missed. You can also watch these videos even if you were in class to relearn things. These videos DO NOT follow the notes from the VIP, but they are helpful. The lessons can also be found under each concept on the algebra 2 page.

Lastly, if you ever lose, misplace, or want a fresh copy of any VIP that I give you in class, they are now available on our website as well. Look for the link next the title of each unit on the algebra 2 page.

Hope these improvements help you. See you in class.

Mr.

 

Mathematicians Beyond White Dudes No. 2, Dorothy Vaughan

Dorothy Vaughan in her twenties.

Dorothy Vaughan (1910-2008)

Those who speak of NASA’s pioneers rarely mention the name Dorothy Vaughan, but as the head of the NASA’s segregated West Area Computing Unit, Vaughan was both a respected mathematician and NASA’s first African-American manager. She helped paved the way for NASA current robust and diverse workforce and leadership.

Dorothy Vaughan came to the NASA’s Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in 1943, during the height of World War II, leaving her position as the math teacher at Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, VA to take what she believed would be a temporary war job. Urgency and twenty-four hour shifts prevailed– as did Jim Crow laws which required newly-hired “colored” mathematicians to work separately from their white female counterparts. Dorothy Vaughan was assigned to the segregated “West Area Computing” unit, an all-black group of female mathematicians, who were originally required to use separate dining and bathroom facilities. Over time, both individually and as a group, the West Computers distinguished themselves with contributions to virtually every area of research at Langley.

She is considered to this day a “human computer” as she helped provide NASA with the raw computing power it needed to dominate the heavens.

 

 

Delta Math Issues

Hi everyone. First off, many of you have lots of work remaining for Unit A in DeltaMath. Use this weekend to continue working on the problem sets. Right now, Unit A is scheduled to be completed on Friday, September 30 – which is when the work will be due.

Some of you mentioned in class that you’re having issues with graphs not displaying. I mentioned three workarounds in class:

  1. Make sure your browser is up to date
  2. Try using DeltaMath with a different web browser
  3. Try using DeltaMath on your phone

I also reached out to the author of DeltaMath and he mentioned that if a graph isn’t displaying, first click “Show Example” near the top of the page:

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After the example displays, click on “Original Problem“:

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This should help. Keep me posted on your progress.

 

Mr. P

Graphing Calculators

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As you know, BCSM is NOT providing you with calculators this year.

If you don’t have access to a graphing calculator, the first thing you need to do is download Desmos to your phone or tablet for use at home. Desmos is an online graphing calculator. Obviously, you can’t use Desmos on any class exam or the Regents, but it is a GREAT tool to use for your homework and studying.

In the mean time, you should work on getting your own graphing calculator for use at school. I recommend getting either a TI-83 or a TI-84. I have one that I’m happy to lend out for the period.

They’re not cheap, but sometimes you can find deals on sites like eBay and Amazon. Staples occasionally runs sales. If anything comes my way, I will pass it along.

Mr. P

Delta Math homework

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Your homework this year will be twofold:

  1. Traditional paper and pencil checked everyday. It will be in your unit packet (V.I.P.) and it will need to be complete when you walk into class.
  2. Online using DeltaMath that will be checked at the end of each unit. Do this at your leisure, just make sure it is complete by the close of each unit.

*What you need to do ASAP:

  • Go to DeltaMath.com and create an account (unless you already have one…in that case, simply log in)
  • When registering for our class, use the class code 683779

Please let me know if you have any questions. The assignment for Unit A is posted!

Mr. P