Algebra 1 Unit 2: Structure of Expressions Interactive Notebook

Still teaching from Engage NY curriculum but now transitioning into making my own INB pages and using their materials for handouts.

I'm confused by the way Engage NY introduces the distributive property by multiplying polynomials.

This page came from Engage NY. I really liked the concept of flow chart proofs and the students took to it pretty well.

I got this sorting activity from here and I really adore the neither column. It had some subtle differences that students had to look twice at.

 Using perimeter is one of my favorite ways to practice adding polynomials.

Another sort (my favorite!) from here, but maybe not the best idea since students can just multiply the first two terms and figure it out. This was at the end of a lot of practice so I already felt confident that students knew the process.

Here are the files:

Algebra 1 Unit 1: Graphing Stories Interactive Notebook

I'm trying out the Engage NY Algebra I curriculum this year, by my own choice. I'm doing a pretty terrible job and going at a snails pace but I'm really trying to stick it out for the year. I want to see if it makes a difference. So everything below is straight from their materials, found here.

I couldn't really bring myself to write captions because none of this came from me. I'm basically showing you how I used it in an INB.

Here is a folder of the files, again, all from Engage NY, just remixed a bit to fit my style. And because I can't leave anything alone.

Trig: Unit 2 Right Triangle Trig Interactive Notebook

Page 23-24 introduced the trig ratios used in right triangle trig. The triangle manipulative was made with transparencies and was stolen straight from here.

I made the bottom flaps myself.

These neon envelopes came from the Dollar Tree and I only have 8 trig students so each student got their 3 envelopes. I used Pam's trig ratio cards and wrote symbols in each corner. Students sorted into their envelopes. I later showed them the answers and they wrote the correct symbols on the envelopes so that they could later go back and quiz themselves.

Page 25-26 The LHP starts with students setting up the ratio without solving anything.

The RHP has them set up the ratio and solve.

Page 27-28 LHP Students set up the ratio for an angle without solving.

 RHP Students set up the ratio for an angle and use the inverse ratio to solve for the missing angle.

Page 29-30 LHP Students read the word problem and match it to the correct diagram, then write the variable in the correct place.

RHP Students draw their own diagram, write the variable in the correct place, and then choose the correct ratio and solve.

Page 31-32 We wrote what students might be given on baby post-its and then what method to start with underneath.

The actual solving triangles part of this was given to be by @rawrdimus. Thanks!

The right hand page was just me helping them to organize their work.

Here are the files.

Word Problems with Hints

In our second unit of trig, we were doing right triangle trig which of course includes word problems. As predicted, the hardest part for them was converting  the word problems to diagrams. Second hardest was knowing where to put the variable.

We did notes in our INB over them, did a worksheet of 10 more problems as a class, and then I thought of this idea.

I found word problem worksheets that already had diagrams. I copied the words into powerpoint.



I printed out each one and placed it in a page protector. Then I made index card 'hints'.

The first was a picture. I cut out the diagrams from the original worksheet and taped them to index cards. Next hint was which trig ratio to use. I just wrote sin, cos, or tan on each card, nothing more. The third index card was the answer.

I put all the index cards into an envelope and put the envelope in the back of the page protector.

I stood them up along the white board and let students pick. Students were separated into pairs and I gave them a sheet to show their work.



My idea was that students could have ownership- they decided if or when they needed hints, how many hints they needed, and if they needed my help or not.

And of course every teacher's favorite- self-checking!

Quiz Retakes Formerly Known as SBG

If you've read my blog at all I'm sure you've already read something I complained wrote about SBG before.

This is my best idea yet.

For our first test in each of my classes, I allowed them to use their INB. But of course I didn't tell them this until the test started.

Some of my older students were used to me offering test retakes in former years...even though most of them never actually did them. So when they asked about it this year, I kinda felt like a butthole to say no.

Here's what I decided. They can retake quizzes as many times as they want, but no notebook. No retakes on tests, but they can use their notebook.

This has been like magic for me. Quizzes are much easier to make multiple versions of and much easier to grade. Which eliminates a lot of hassle for me. It's almost like every quiz is a formative. It shows them what they know and then they make an informed decision about their satisfaction with their knowledge.

I do it right during class which eliminates the need for students to come in on their own time and makes me feel less guilty about not having time to work with them.

It motivates studying because once they get their original quiz back, they look back in their notebook to see what they missed and why. I could never get them to do that before.

What I've seen is students asking for retakes that NEVER have in the past. Students asking why they got something wrong and arguing their thinking. Students who want to retake more than once. Students who failed a quiz improving their score to passing.  I call that perseverance.

For tests, I think letting students use their INB is more of a comfort to them than they realize. I know exactly what is in the notebook so I can choose to make my tests in whatever way I want for them to show me their knowledge. It also increases ownership of the notebooks.

I feel like tests are more a show of retention and application while quizzes are more skill based.  By students repeatedly retaking the skill based quizzes, I think they are more prepared for the application on a test.

The best of both worlds.

I do have to say that I'm not grading with a rubric which I feel guilty about but...baby steps.