Grading Information for Mr. Daly, 2014/15 Textbooks: 9th Grade Textbook: Due to the nature of this program we do not use a textbook; however Algebra 2 textbooks are available to borrow. Prentice Hall Mathematics Algebra 2 is the book used by many classes. The book is optional, if a student chooses to use one it may stay at home; it is used as a reference for the students. Text Book Website: If you would like to use an online text book please visit http://goo.gl/YqQcNR (link is also on my website) to access online help, activities, projects, videos, lesson quizzes and more. It is the companion site for the text listed above. Grading Policy: Grades will be calculated on a total points system based on the following: 1. Quizzes—these are often unannounced in order to emphasize the need to study every night, not just the night before a test. There will be approximately 4 or 5 quizzes each nine weeks’ worth 10 to 50 points each. When you miss a quiz due to an absence, you must make it up the day you return. 2. Tests—these are given at the end of each unit and are always announced well in advance. There will be 2 or more tests each nine weeks, usually worth 80 to 120 points each. If you are absent the day before a test or the day of a test you must take the test the day you return. If you are absent for more than a day we will make arrangements for you to take the test. Tests have the largest impact on a student’s grade. 3. Class Prep—each CP is worth 2 points and are due at the beginning of each class; they may not be turned in late or made up at a later time. In Math we are constantly building on ideas learned in the previous lessons so it is important to have the HW or prep done prior to the next lesson. If a student is absent he/she will not receive a grade for this, The CP (or HW) is designed to prepare students for the day’s lesson as well as reinforce material already covered in previous lessons. 4. Other Work—At times students will be assigned projects or investigations during class or outside of class, these grades will usually be worth between 10 and 80 points. In order to calculate your grade, add up all of the points you earned and divide by the number of points that could have been earned. Convert this to a percentage for your grade. There are usually 400 to 500 points that can be earned each marking period. Rounding of Grades: If a student receives 0.5 or higher for his term average/grade, it will round to the next number. If a student receives a 0.4 or lower, the grade remains the same. Individual assignments are not rounded. Zero Credit: If a student does not complete an assignment, the grade is immediately recorded as a zero. If the student has an excused absence and makes up the assignment within 10 school days of their absence, the assignment will be graded accordingly with no points subtracted for late work. However, if a student is present on the day in which the assignment is due and he/she turns the assignment (other than Homework) in late, we will subtract 10 points per day. If an assignment is due at the beginning of class, it is one day late if it is turned in at the end of class or the end of the day. I do not accept late homework (CP) at all; homework (CP) that is not turned in at the beginning of class is an automatic zero. Extra Credit: There will occasionally be extra credit questions included on tests or quizzes. There will be no individual extra credit project/assignments. If I offer extra credit, it will occur randomly throughout the semester, and it will be available for all students. On the last day of each grading period, if time allows, a cumulative quiz will be given. This quiz is optional; the number of points earned on it (usually up to 20 points) will be added to the total points earned during the term. This quiz will only be offered one day because it is a form of extra credit. If you are absent on that day, you will not be able to take it. Exams: There will be a midterm exam at the end of 1st semester; this is worth 20% of your semester grade and there are no exemptions. For 9th graders this is a county wide exam. There will be a final exam at the end of the 2nd semester; this year we are looking at piloting a cumulative assessment instead of a traditional exam. I will let all students know more about this prior to the end of the first semester. The final exam or cumulative assessment is worth 20% of the 2nd semester grade. Here is the exemption policy for second semester exams:  If we have a traditional exam students may be exempt from the final exam if they have no disciplinary issues and have a 90 year‐long average. Students earn a single grade this year; the grade will be the average of the first and second semester grades.  If we have a cumulative assessment all students will take it. It would be assigned at the beginning of May and due on May 31st. The majority of the assessment will take place in class over the course of May. Students would not have to come to school during our exam period unless they have not completed the assessment. SOL: All 9th grade MESA students will take the Algebra 2 SOL during the spring semester. Standards of Learning (SOL’s) covered during 9th Grade: Expressions and Operations AII.1 The student, given rational, radical, or polynomial expressions, will a) add, subtract, multiply, divide, and simplify rational algebraic expressions; b) add, subtract, multiply, divide, and simplify radical expressions containing rational numbers and variables, and expressions containing rational exponents; c) write radical expressions as expressions containing rational exponents and vice versa; and d) factor polynomials completely. AII.2* The student will investigate and apply the properties of arithmetic and geometric sequences and series to solve real‐world problems, including writing the first n terms, finding the nth term, and evaluating summation formulas. Notation will include and an. *Standard AII.2 will be assessed in the Functions and Statistics reporting category. (Revised March 2011) AII.3 The student will perform operations on complex numbers, express the results in simplest form using patterns of the powers of i, and identify field properties that are valid for the complex numbers. Equations and Inequalities AII.4 The student will solve, algebraically and graphically, a) absolute value equations and inequalities; b) quadratic equations over the set of complex numbers; c) equations containing rational algebraic expressions; and d) equations containing radical expressions. Graphing calculators will be used for solving and for confirming the algebraic solutions. The student will solve nonlinear systems of equations, including linear‐quadratic and quadratic‐quadratic, AII.5 algebraically and graphically. Graphing calculators will be used as a tool to visualize graphs and predict the number of solutions. Functions AII.6 The student will recognize the general shape of function (absolute value, square root, cube root, rational, polynomial, exponential, and logarithmic) families and will convert between graphic and symbolic forms of functions. A transformational approach to graphing will be employed. Graphing calculators will be used as a tool to investigate the shapes and behaviors of these functions. AII.7 AII.8 Statistics AII.9 AII.10 AII.11 AII.12 The student will investigate and analyze functions algebraically and graphically. Key concepts include a) domain and range, including limited and discontinuous domains and ranges; b) zeros; c) x‐ and y‐intercepts; d) intervals in which a function is increasing or decreasing; e) asymptotes; f) end behavior; g) inverse of a function; and h) composition of multiple functions. Graphing calculators will be used as a tool to assist in investigation of functions. The student will investigate and describe the relationships among solutions of an equation, zeros of a function, x‐
intercepts of a graph, and factors of a polynomial expression. The student will collect and analyze data, determine the equation of the curve of best fit, make predictions, and solve real‐world problems, using mathematical models. Mathematical models will include polynomial, exponential, and logarithmic functions. The student will identify, create, and solve real‐world problems involving inverse variation, joint variation, and a combination of direct and inverse variations. The student will identify properties of a normal distribution and apply those properties to determine probabilities associated with areas under the standard normal curve. The student will compute and distinguish between permutations and combinations and use technology for applications. T.2 T.4 T.9 The student, given the value of one trigonometric function, will find the values of the other trigonometric functions, using the definitions and properties of the trigonometric functions. The student will find, with the aid of a calculator, the value of any trigonometric function and inverse trigonometric function. The student will identify, create, and solve real‐world problems involving triangles. Techniques will include using the trigonometric functions, the Pythagorean Theorem, the Law of Sines, and the Law of Cosines. MA.1 MA.4 MA.9 MA.11 MA.13 MA.14 The student will investigate and identify the characteristics of polynomial and rational functions and use these to sketch the graphs of the functions. This will include determining zeros, upper and lower bounds, y‐intercepts, symmetry, asymptotes, intervals for which the function is increasing or decreasing, and maximum or minimum points. Graphing utilities will be used to investigate and verify these characteristics. The student will expand binomials having positive integral exponents through the use of the Binomial Theorem, the formula for combinations, and Pascal’s Triangle. The student will investigate and identify the characteristics of exponential and logarithmic functions in order to graph these functions and solve equations and real‐world problems. This will include the role of e, natural and common logarithms, laws of exponents and logarithms, and the solution of logarithmic and exponential equations. The student will perform operations with vectors in the coordinate plane and solve real‐world problems, using vectors. This will include the following topics: operations of addition, subtraction, scalar multiplication, unit vector; graphing. The student will identify, create, and solve real‐world problems involving triangles. Techniques will include using the trigonometric functions, the Pythagorean Theorem, the Law of Sines, and the Law of Cosines. The student will use matrices to organize data and will add and subtract matrices, multiply matrices, multiply matrices by a scalar, and use matrices to solve systems of equations.