Madeira High School. Ms. Julie Speelman Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,

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1 Madeira High School Ms. Julie Speelman Dear Parents/Guardians and Students, My name is Julie Speelman and I will be your child s Advanced Geometry instructor this year. I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Mathematics and Secondary Mathematics Education from Lee University and a Masters of Education from Miami University. I am very excited to be starting my seventh year teaching full-time at Madeira. I have included in this packet one copy of the Syllabus, Rules, Consequences, and Procedures I will be using. Please sign, detach and return the signature section. Feel free to contact me about any questions or concerns you may have either on the phone or through . You may check your child s grades using Progress Book. I will do my best to post grades for assignments in a reasonable amount of time for the particular task. I look forward to working with you in order to provide your child an exceptional educational experience. Thank you very much for your time. Sincerely, Ms. Speelman

2 Madeira High School Advanced Geometry Course Syllabus Instructor: Ms. Julie Speelman Phone: Room Number: 208 Textbook: Discovering Geometry (Key Curriculum Press) Course Description: The student will be introduced to the language and symbolism of geometry. Topics include angle relationships, constructions, triangle properties, polygon properties, circle properties, transformations and tessellations, area, volume, similarity, trigonometry and problem solving. Grading Procedure: 10% Class Readiness 10% Class Activities 15% Homework 25% Quizzes 40% Tests Classroom Readiness: Two points will be given each day for this grade. One point will be deducted a student does not bring an item to class. The items a student needs to bring to class everyday are: 3-ring binder, paper, writing utensil, and calculator. One point may also be taken off this grade if a student s behavior is disruptive or detrimental to the learning environment. If a student s behavior continues to be disruptive after this point has been taken away other disciplinary measures will be put into place. Classroom Activities: Participation in all class activities and discussion is essential to classroom success. Journals and portfolios will be equally weighted with other work that is completed in class. Homework Each homework assignment will be graded out of 10 points and the score will be written on the homework sheet. The grade will be distributed as follows: five points for timeliness, two points for correctness, two points for understanding and one point for presentation. The scores will be averaged to acquire the homework grade. Quizzes All quiz grades will be weighted equally and averaged for this grade. Students may earn back half of the points they missed on a quiz by doing quiz corrections. This involves three steps for each question they missed and would like to earn points back on: explain what they did wrong in words, rework the entire problem correctly, and explain every step on the reworked problem in words. Journals and portfolios will be counted as quiz grades and will be averaged in with the other quiz grades.

3 Tests All test grades will be weighted equally and averaged for this grade. Students may earn back half of the points they missed on a test by doing test corrections. This involves three steps for each question they missed and would like to earn points back on: explain what they did wrong in words, rework the entire problem correctly, and explain every step on the reworked problem in words. Any projects assigned for this course, individual or group, will be counted as one test grade and will be averaged in with the other test grades. Extra Credit Two points extra credit will be given on each test for getting it signed by a parent and returned the day after it was returned to the student or at a specific date designated by the instructor. Two points extra credit will also be given for completing the Improving Your Skills sections of the textbook. They must be turned in by the time the class finishes the chapter in which they are contained. Materials: Each student will be required to have the following materials in class every day: 3 ring binder with the following items: o Sections entitled: o Homework o Starter/Notes/Work o Tests/Quizzes/Projects o Conjectures/Definitions/Theorems As long as this section includes only conjectures, definitions and theorems, students may use it on the 1 st and 2 nd Semester Exams. Writing utensil Loose leaf paper Graph paper Protractor Metal Compass TI-Nspire calculator 1 pack of AAA batteries 1 tissue box

4 Rules for Ms. Speelman s Class 1. Be in your seat When you come to class, go directly to your seat and be seated when the bell rings. Do not get out of your seat without permission. 2. Be polite and helpful Students will be courteous and considerate of others. They will provide assistance to and behave in a way that benefits their fellow classmates and teacher. They will also show a willingness to cooperate in the classroom. 3. Be respectful Students will exhibit courtesy and respect toward all other students at all times. This classroom will be a safe environment, we will not laugh at one another or make any comments that do not encourage or uplift one another. Hateful comments concerning race, gender, sexuality, political views, appearance, or of any other type will not be tolerated; this applies to serious as well as joking comments. Consequences in Ms. Speelman s Class If you choose to behave in an insubordinate or inappropriate behavior a detention will be given immediately or you may be sent to the office immediately. If you choose to display a behavior that is less severe, but in violation of the basic rules of the class it will be dealt with by losing your Classroom Readiness point for the day. If the behavior continues you will be placed on the following Minor Misconduct Plan. First Level Misconduct: Third Level Misconduct: Fourth Level Misconduct: Further Misconduct: Teacher discussion for 15 minutes after school. Teacher detention and parent contact. Additional teacher detentions or referral to Office Referrals to Office Procedures 1. Entering Class You should enter quietly and orderly. Please pick up Nspire calculator and sharpen pencils before class and have materials ready to begin work. Place completed homework with notebook open on desk for me to circulate the room and grade, also place all materials for the supply check on your desk so I can easily see if you have them. Once you have done this immediately begin working quietly on the assignment on the board. 2. Asking a question Raise your hand and wait for me to acknowledge you or come to your desk. 3. Heading on your paper First and last name, course, class period, and date. This should be placed in the upper right hand corner of your paper. 4. Instruction Have paper ready for starter/notes/work. Focus on the lesson. Listen carefully to and follow directions. Ask sensible questions at an appropriate time. Place starter/notes/work in the appropriate section of 3 ring binder. 5. When you are finished with your work Review your work, work on incomplete assignments or silently read from a book of your choice, if you did not bring a book, find an interesting topic in the text. 6. Coming to class late Please bring your pass to me, if you do not have a pass do not come to me and explain your situation, go directly to your seat. Quietly open your books and join the class at its present point. If you have already missed the starter for the day or the grading of

5 homework, quietly get out your notebook and begin the lesson where we are, leaving space for the section you missed. During individual work time, raise you hand, I will come to your desk and you can show me your homework and explain any situation regarding your late arrival to class. 7. Coming to attention When I want your attention, you will see me stand with my hand up. Or I may tap a bell because some of you will not be able to see my hand while you are working in a group. When you see my hand or hear a bell, the procedure is to freeze, turn and face me, pay attention and keep your eyes on me, be ready for instruction. I will have something to say. 8. When phone rings for teacher I will answer the phone. Please continue with what we are doing, if we are taking notes, sit quietly and wait until I am finished. 9. When a school wide announcement is made You are expected to be quiet during all announcements. 10. Responding to a fire drill or severe weather alert Line up quietly and quickly. Go to the designated area and continue to be silent. 11. When leaving the classroom to go to an assembly Line up quietly and quickly. Wait until I give the signal and proceed quietly and in a single file line to the destination. 12. When visitors are in the classroom Be courteous and quiet 13. Make-Up Work Scheduling of make-up work, including tests, needs to be discussed the student s FIRST day back to school. The student will have the same number of days in which absent to make-up the work. Failure to make-up the work assigned will result in a grade of zero. 14. Late Work - A student will be permitted to turn in assignments late; however, ten percent of the grade will be deducted from the total possible score for each school day it is late. After five days work will not be accepted. 15. Extra Handouts If you need a handout, because you were absent or just lost your first one, go to the file folders under the Assignment List for your class and find the appropriate folder. Do not ask me for handouts, go straight to the folder. 16. Leaving Class Place your textbook on your desk and your Nspire calculator in the appropriate place. 17. Using the Bathroom and Going to Locker The bathroom may only be used in emergencies. A planner pass is needed for leaving the class. Do not ask to use the bathroom or go to your locker before class begins, just go before you get to class. Anyone late for any reason, without a pass, is late. If there is time at the end of class, you will be permitted to leave the class, with a planner pass, to go to the bathroom or your locker one person at a time. You will not be permitted to leave class without a planner. Procedures may be changed or added by the instructor with the appropriate notice. NUMB3RS In an effort to enrich our math curriculum by using the many resources available through the internet and television, I am planning to use the CBS television series NUMB3RS as class activities. We will watch the episode and then do a corresponding math activity. I would like to have your authorization to show the television show to your student. If you would like some information on the activities and episodes feel free to call or me or you may visit the following website:

6 Please tear off and return to Ms. Speelman: Advanced Geometry Ms. Speelman I have read and understand the above Syllabus, Rules, Consequences and Procedures. Student Signature: Date: Parent Signature: Date: Student s Name: Parent Phone: Parent Student Circle the best answer: I check my daily two or three times a week weekly monthly The best way to contact me is: I give my child permission to watch episodes of the television series NUMB3RS. Parent/Guardian Signature:

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8 Dear Parents/Guardians, Our mathematics curriculum this year is called Discovering Mathematics. The program was designed to teach powerful mathematics to all students and to help all students develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. The curriculum is probably quite different from the one taught when you were in high school. It uses hands-on group activities, consistent with the way most people learn. It asks students to explain what they did and why they did it, thus deepening their understanding of important concepts. And its investigations help students make sense of mathematical ideas as they learn what mathematicians really do. Perhaps the aspect that makes Discovering Mathematics most different from traditional programs is that it poses problems for students to investigate before it tells them how to solve the problems; it asks students to look for patterns and make conjectures without stating the theorem expressing the relationship. This approach is effective because it gives students the confidence and ability to look for patterns, to induce relationships, and to tackle any problem they are faced with, not just relationships that are memorized or problems that are similar to problems they have solved before. When students discover a solution method for themselves or when a solution method is presented to them after they have had sufficient time to explore the problem, the method makes more sense to them and is easier for them to remember and apply. Research on students who have learned mathematics in this way shows that they perform as well as or better than other students on standardized tests and that they significantly outperform other students on tests of creative problem solving and inductive reasoning. In this course, students will spend a lot of time working in groups. There are several reasons for this. First, combining the ideas and insights of several people allows students to solve more difficult problems than they could if they worked alone. Second, students understand concepts better if they see them from a variety of perspectives. Third, students learn cooperative skills that are important in their life outside of school and in their future careers. Throughout the course, I will be coaching students on group skills. The fact that students work in groups, however, does not mean I expect them to learn all the mathematics from each other. Students cannot teach each other new terminology, and it is not often that students discover the most efficient solution method on their own, without my guidance. There is still plenty for me to do! On the other hand, students can help each other make sense of ideas and see different approaches for thinking about and solving problems. Parents are sometimes concerned that when students work cooperatively one or two students in a group will do all the work. One of my responsibilities is to make sure that each student participates and is held accountable for his or her group s result. I do not plan to give the same term grade to an entire group. At times a group might be given a grade on a group project, but even then each student must demonstrate that he or she is contributing to and understanding the work.

9 Your teenager s homework assignments may look somewhat different from those you are used to seeing. But even if you are unfamiliar with the concepts and techniques in the problems, there are ways you can help. The most important thing you can do is ask, rather than answer, questions. Even if you don t know whether your teenager s answer is right, ask questions until you are convinced it is reasonable and that your teenager can explain it well. The most reasonable answer is often the correct answer! Also, keep in mind that there are a lot of ways to solve a problem. Students should not get stuck on a problem because they don t recall the right way to solve it. Encourage your teenager to be creative and try a variety of approaches. We will not only be using an exciting new textbook this year, we will be using online textbooks. Currently this is the only class at Madeira High School using online textbooks. Students will use a paper textbook while they are in class, there will also be a few in the Media Center and in the Resource Room, but students will primarily use the textbook online. Each student will receive their own login and password so they can view the textbook using any computer with internet access. They can print the lesson out, but the goal is to help them adjust to using the internet for reading and homework. They will experience this type of learning in college, and we would like to do our best to prepare them for that now. There are many wonderful resources available on this website and I encourage you and your student to use them frequently. I also have a website where I post the SmartBoard files for the students. Students can print the notes off beforehand so they do not have to write them down during class or if they are absent they can use the notes to catch up with what we are doing in class. I have attached a step-by-step guide for navigating the Discovering Geometry website and my website. I hope you will be able to share with your teenager some of the excitement of doing mathematics this year. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. Ms. Speelman jspeelman@madeiracityschools.org

10 Discovering Geometry Navigation Guide You can use this direct link or you can go to Select the Parents, Mentors, and Students link.

11 Select the blue Discovering Geometry Third Edition book.

12 This takes you to the Discovering Geometry page.

13 Online Textbook Navigation Guide Students login to the textbook by going to the Discovering Geometry page and following the red, Click here to enter your ClassPass link.