SOLs Covered: 6.13 & 7.7 Classification of Quadrilaterals; 6.12 & 7.6 Congruency & Similarity
Math Dictionary Sections: (30) Quadrilaterals; (31) Polygons; (32) Congruency & Similarity
Upcoming Assessments: Math 6 SOL Sim. Test (Mon. 5/7); Quadrilaterals & Similar/Congruent Combo Quiz (Thurs. 5/10); "You Can Do It!" Quiz #5 (Fri. 5/11)
In between working on the simulation SOL test in bits and pieces throughout the week, we continued working with quadrilaterals. We've had to "fix" a few misconceptions students carried over from elementary school as many had faulty definitions stuck in their heads. For example, defining a rhombus as being "like a square that's been run over by a truck" doesn't work for sixth grade, especially since students are responsible for identifying quadrilaterals by their technical/mathematical characteristics and comparing the similarities and differences within the quadrilateral family. One of the trickier concepts for sixth graders is the idea that squares are a type of rectangle as well as a type of rhombus. To help with this, I continue the family analogy by stating that Daddy Rectangle and Mama Rhombus pass their traits onto Baby Square. Baby Square gets Daddy Rectangle's "eyes" (his 90° angles) and Mama Rhombus' "ears" (her congruent sides). This was paired with Venn diagrams showing these two traits and where each shape falls inside the circles; we continued with this idea using some of the other quadrilateral traits for other diagrams. By the middle of the week, we started our congruency and similarity unit by combining it with quadrilaterals (ex. opposite sides congruent in a parallelogram, all squares are either congruent or similar to each other, drawing a diagonal in any parallelogram will form two congruent triangles). The congruency and similarity unit will continue next week after the simulation test has concluded.
Thursday, students took the fourth "You Can Do It!" mini-SOL quiz and started inputting their answers for the simulation test on Friday. Since we'd been working on a few questions everyday for the simulation test through this week and last, most students were able to finish Friday, giving them time to practice using the various tools on the VDOE's Grade 6 Math Practice Items. Those students who still have a bit more work to do will be able to finish on Monday and still have enough time to practice the online tools as well, while the rest of the students get in a bit of review on TenMarks and DimensionU. The quizzes should wrap up next week (possibly the beginning of the following depending on time), at which point the students will start their own item analysis and identifying their personal areas of strength and weakness. Details on this should be in the next Weekly Class Summary along with electronic copies of the review packets students will start working on next week.
In closing this week, I'd like to share a news segment that aired last Friday highlighting one of Chesterfield's students. Meadowbrook student Huyen Nguyen memorized 1,200 digits of Pi π. Her motivation and ambition should be seen as an inspiration for all of our students. While I never taught the student myself, I am incredibly proud of her and her drive to be successful. She is an excellent example of the great work being done in our district! Thank you NBC12 for highlighting this student!
2 comments:
Some more problems to try.
http://fivetriangles.blogspot.com
@Five Triangles, thank you for sharing your site! The problems you have posted thus far look like they'd work great with the increased level of rigor that we're looking for now.
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