Course Structure & Materials

REQUIRED MATERIALS:
  • eBook – Core Connections, Course 2 (and Course 3 for periods 1 & 9) 
  • Core Connections Toolkit(s) - provided by Mrs. Hoffmeister
  • Pencils
  • 3-inch three-ring binder with one set of tab dividers (used for all core classes)
  • 3-hole punched folder
  • 3-hole punched graph paper notebook
  • Calculator
    • 1st and 9th period: TI-34 Multiview Scientific Calculator 
    • 5th and 8th period:  Texas Instruments TI-108 Basic Calculator – the same calculator used in 6th grade math 
  • Ruler (must have inches on one side and centimeters on the other side)
  • Protractor
  • Compass (for 1st and 9th period only)
DAILY HOMEWORK:

You should expect to have math homework Monday through Thursday.  You will have access to online homework help for each problem, and should plan to spend about 30 minutes on each assignment. You will receive an answer key for each unit so that you can check your answers at home and revisit any problems that you miss. Daily assignments will be checked for completion, work shown, and that you've corrected your work using the answer key.  We will spend time each class period discussing homework problems as needed, and you may also ask your study team for help on any problems you weren’t able to figure out on your own.  

DIGI TICKETS:

Two to three times a week you will receive a short DoIGetIt? (entrance) ticket upon entering the classroom.  The problems will be similar to one of the homework problems you completed the previous night, or it may be a topic previously learned.  You will complete the DIGI ticket without help from your peers.  This will allow me (and you!) to see how well you understand the concepts we are learning in class.

TESTS:

We will have a team test and an individual test for each unit.  Team tests act as unit closure and are a great way to help review for the individual test.  About half of the individual test is comprised of material from the current unit (the formative portion of the test) and the remaining half is comprised of material from prior units (the summative, or review, portion).  This allows you to further practice your math skills as they continue to develop and to achieve mastery over time.  If you have questions on the homework or on DIGI tickets, be sure to ask them when they arise so that any confusion is cleared up prior to the unit test.  

LATE WORK:
I expect you to make every effort to complete assignments on time. For each day an assignment is late, your score will drop by one point.        
CORRECTIONS ON ASSESSMENTS:
My goal is for you to understand the concepts we discuss in class.  If you earn less than 70% on a test, you are required to successfully complete corrections on the questions you miss in order to bring your test grade up to a maximum of 70%.  As a homework assignment, all students are required to successfully complete corrections on missed test questions.

 

CPM PARENT GUIDE:

Our publisher, CPM, offers a resource for parents to help their students at home throughout courses 1-3.  It includes guidance and extra practice.  For parents interested in purchasing a copy of the CPM Parent Guide, please click here.  The parent guide can also be downloaded through each student's eBook.