System of Inequalities quilt part 1

These were my two examples for my quiz today. Monday, I will take a picture of the final product along with a link to the activity.   This week, we pushed forward on graphing systems of inequalities and they finally got it. At least the majority did. So instead of a test or quiz, we did a scrapbook inequality project. Man, it was a blast!  I was thrilled in how most caught on after doing one together. It was easy to grade and now I have beautiful artwork for my classroom!

Do you move on?

We are currently working on systems of equations with of inequalities. Here is the link for the foldable above.  Today as a teacher I feel a bit defeated and wanted some insight from other teachers. My students today acted as though they could not graph a linear equation. As if we have not spent the past for months doing all things linear!  Geez. Yes there were a few that made me relieved to see that I did in fact teach.  But I found it completely irritating that they could not graph. So I asked my colleagues how their kids did and the reply was the same. The kids acted like they could not graph, so they have moved on. I feel stubborn, but I am giving it until the end of the week. I feel like factoring and linear equations are 90% of algebra and if a child has not mastered these 2 concepts that they are not ready to move on or I have failed somewhere along the way.  So here is my question, would you move on or keep pushing?

My final class made me feel even worse when I asked a child to tell me if the angles or sides were marked on the picture and they told me angles on a SSS congruent triangle. All I did was ask her to get out her notes and she had to hold back the tears. I was probably closer to tears after feeling more like an entertainer than a teacher. 

Compound inequalities

So sorry for my absence I have been switching schools. But I had an epiphany this week while we were working on inequalities with absolute value. First, I teach them the one that is a slanted L is <ess than and the backward L is greater than. It seems to stick better than the gator eats the greater. 

Then we came to absolute value inequalities. When is it and/or?  All the problems in the textbook have the x on the left and some of my kids can't plug in answers to see which ones work so then it hit me. GreatOR than and less thAND. It worked!  Even my lowest levels were able to answer and graph a mid level absolute value equation. I have been wanting to have the time to post it because I couldn't just keep it to myself. 

Puzzle builder

I had forgotten about this program until searching on pinterest for algebra 1 activities.  This was a great activity you can use for any topic and any subject.  I plan on changing it a bit because some of my lower level students may have needed part of the puzzle to be solved for them.  Basically, you choose the number of questions you want to be solved based on the puzzle.  Then, you type the question and solution into the input category.  It produces a table of the questions and answers, along with a key for the puzzle.  Awesome activity.  I was able to walk around the classroom more today, than on others.  Tarsia is the name of the program and it is a free download!

Inequalities: Flipping the sign

So my kids love the interactive notebook and were pouting that I didn't have some cool new foldable for this most recent unit.  The first reason being that one step and multi-step equations are practically the same methods for solving inequalities.  But I knew that I wanted to find something awesome to drive home when to flip the inequality sign.  After searching Google for at least three days, I found it!

Changing Image Tutorial  They include images for a tutorial on how to put it together and include a template.

I am slightly afraid my children with ADHD will be lost for the rest of the day as they make the sign flip, but at the same time they should be brainwashed by the time is all said and done.

This took a bit longer than anticipated, but the kids really enjoyed the final product.