After turning in signed syllabus forms, we discussed the Mathematician's Lament reading and how it can impact the learning process. Then we investigated distance by examining a map of China and using the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate distance. This concept then extended to the task on the coordinate plane, critiquing two reasoning arguments.
Homework: #1 and #2 on this task sheet
Tuesday/Wednesday
We started by doing our first Journal Entry with several warmup problems. Then we went over the homework assigned Monday (Coordinate Distance task), showing several students' different methods for showing why Louis and Donna's counting strategy was incorrect. It was important to write out, in a paragraph, exactly how and why their method was wrong and ours worked.
We then extended the Pythagorean theorem idea to that of the distance formula. One important note was that the difference in the x-values and the y-values allowed us to find the distance in both directions, which then unlocked the Pythagorean theorem.
We practiced these skills in an activity where each pair solved an assigned word problem and then demonstrated their method, as well as their reasoning, to the class.
Homework: textbook p. 60: 4, 5, 12-18 (omit 16), 35-37
book pages: 60 61 63
Thursday/Friday
A journal problem allowed for practice with the distance formula. After going over homework, we learned some new vocabulary including congruent. Points, lines, and planes were singled out as the key building blocks of the rest of geometry. We then looked at a new task about finding points equidistant (equally-distant...same distance apart) from two fixed points, namely two schools and wanting to place a playground so it's close to both schools.
Homework: p. 9: #3-33 (multiples of 3); worksheet
book pages: 9 10