Course Content
This course serves as a bridge between the very concrete concepts of Math 7 and the considerably more abstract requirements of Math 9. A strong foundation in the basic skills of numeracy will be needed to experience success moving forward. The following topics will be explored during the course of this year:
Materials
Each and every class, students will be expected to bring the appropriate materials: an organized binder with paper, a pencil or two, an eraser (even I make mistakes), a calculator (not the one on your phone), a ruler, a math text book, and a willingness to learn. Some other materials that will be needed on an occasional basis include coloured pencils, a protractor, scissors, glue, a USB or Flash drive, and some creativity.
Assessment
The purpose of this course is to develop proficiency with each of the prescribed learning outcomes. Consequently, the assessment tools used throughout this course will attempt to measure progress toward those outcomes. Traditional assessment often relies on calculated averages, which penalize students for any initial struggles, regardless of eventual mastery. In this course, assessment will be of the highest level of demonstrated proficiency to date. All students learn at their own pace, and their assessment should be independent of that difference. The assessment in this course is based on the rubric below (and available here) using a five-point scale. Each score is linked to a specific learning outcome so that students, parents, and I can all see areas of strength and/or weakness.
Assessment tools used will include anecdotal observation, practical challenges, paper-and-pencil quizzes and tests, and projects. There will be cumulative exams at the end of each term, including a final exam at the end of the year. All of these will be preceded by ample opportunity for practice and review. No assessment should be viewed as final, until the final report card is issued. Students and parents are welcome to discuss progress with me at any point during the school year.
This course serves as a bridge between the very concrete concepts of Math 7 and the considerably more abstract requirements of Math 9. A strong foundation in the basic skills of numeracy will be needed to experience success moving forward. The following topics will be explored during the course of this year:
- Fractions
- Square Numbers and Roots
- Cube Numbers and Cube Roots
- Pythagorean Theorem
- Proportion
- Percentages
- Linear Relations
- Expressions and Equations
- Surface Area and Volume
- Three-dimensional Views
- Central Tendency
- Probability
- Financial Literacy
Materials
Each and every class, students will be expected to bring the appropriate materials: an organized binder with paper, a pencil or two, an eraser (even I make mistakes), a calculator (not the one on your phone), a ruler, a math text book, and a willingness to learn. Some other materials that will be needed on an occasional basis include coloured pencils, a protractor, scissors, glue, a USB or Flash drive, and some creativity.
Assessment
The purpose of this course is to develop proficiency with each of the prescribed learning outcomes. Consequently, the assessment tools used throughout this course will attempt to measure progress toward those outcomes. Traditional assessment often relies on calculated averages, which penalize students for any initial struggles, regardless of eventual mastery. In this course, assessment will be of the highest level of demonstrated proficiency to date. All students learn at their own pace, and their assessment should be independent of that difference. The assessment in this course is based on the rubric below (and available here) using a five-point scale. Each score is linked to a specific learning outcome so that students, parents, and I can all see areas of strength and/or weakness.
Assessment tools used will include anecdotal observation, practical challenges, paper-and-pencil quizzes and tests, and projects. There will be cumulative exams at the end of each term, including a final exam at the end of the year. All of these will be preceded by ample opportunity for practice and review. No assessment should be viewed as final, until the final report card is issued. Students and parents are welcome to discuss progress with me at any point during the school year.