North Carolina Math 1

Spring 2018
Instructor: Jennifer Smith
Room: 2316
Email: jsmith26@wcpss.net
Website: jsmith26.weebly.com
Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:30-3:30 or by appt.

Welcome to Math 1. I am very excited and honored to be working with you and your student this
semester. I have high expectations for each student. I sincerely hope that we will have a successful and
positive experience. Through using the new the new math resources, Mathematics Vision Project, my
goal is to help the students become critical thinkers, provide a solid foundation for high school
mathematics, and the End of Course test.

What is a typical lesson like? The MVP classroom experience does not look like the traditional math classroom
that students may have experienced in the past. In the MVP classroom the teacher launches a deep
mathematical task and then allows students time to work with a partner or small group on solving the task.
The teacher circulates among students and encourages them to explore, question, consider, discuss their ideas,
and listen to the ideas of their classmates. Then the teacher brings the whole class back together to discuss
different solution pathways and the mathematics involved. Therefore, the teacher’s role continues to be of
utmost importance and central to the successful implementation of the MVP curriculum materials.
Required Materials: Three-Ring Binder Dividers Pencils Colored Pen/Pencil
Loose-Leaf Paper Highlighters Graph Paper TI-83 Plus or TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator
Grading: Math 1 has an “End-Of-Course” Exam
Grading Scale:
Tests/ Performance Tasks 55% A 90 – 100
Quizzes 20% B 80 – 89
Classwork 15% C 70 – 79
Homework 10% D 60 – 69
F Below 60
Final Grade = 0.40(First Quarter Grade) + 0.40(Second Quarter Grade) + 0.20(EOC)
Tests will be announced one week in advance if at all possible. Review problems will be given as
homework on the night preceding a test.
Performance Tasks Performance tasks apply the mathematics students have learned. They may be
individual or group in nature.
Quizzes will be done throughout each unit. Students will be informed at least one day in advance if
they have a quiz. Students should study their notes by reworking problems from notes, and homework
assignments, especially problems they missed or were difficult in order to prepare for the quizzes.
Doing, not looking, is the best way to study math. Math takes practice.
Class work will be given daily. When the class work is collected it, will randomly be graded for
correctness (accuracy), and count as a class work grade.
Homework will be given nightly and discussed the following day. Homework will be checked for
completeness daily. Every problem must be attempted to receive full credit. It is not okay for a student
to leave a problem blank and say, “I didn’t understand”. I know there will be times that students are
confused or need extra help. If a student does not understand a problem, they need to make an effort
to look back at their notes or online. If the student is still confused they can write a sentence about
what is giving them trouble.
Extra Help: Tutoring will be available Tuesdays 2:30- 3:30 in room 2316 or by appointment. Also, the
Math Honor Society holds tutoring sessions twice a week 2:30-3:30 on Tuesday and Wednesday in
room 8407.
Make-up Work is work resulting from excused absences. You will miss something if you are absent. It
is the responsibility of each student to make up work in a timely manner. It is also the responsibility of
any absent student to make an effort to learn the material that he/she missed in class. This will require
getting notes from a classmate, and/or using the internet. If a student is absent he/she will have one
day for each absence to make up missing assignments, after which time it will be considered “late
work” (see below). Students who are absent the day before a quiz or test will be expected to take the
quiz/test if he/she is present on the day of the quiz/test if no new material was covered during the
absence.
Late Work: Late homework, although frowned upon, will be accepted and marked down one letter
grade per day late.
Retest Policy: Students are allowed to retest any test provided they met the following conditions:
1. Attend at least one tutoring session prior to taking the retest. You must sign up to attend
tutoring during lunch. You will need a pass in order to be able to leave the commons.
2. The higher score will be the score that is entered into the gradebook for that unit test, with a
maximum score of 90.
Communication:
Website: jsmith26.weebly.com, will be used regularly to post work done in class, homework, notes,
and videos.
REMIND: This is a great way to receive class information and reminders. Students and parents should
text @276ag to the number 81010.
Email: Please feel free to email me for work or with any questions or concerns, jsmith26@wcpss.
Students must use their wcpss email to contact me.
PowerSchool: Unexcused late work will be marked as missing and assigned the grade of a ‘0’. It is up
to the student to change the grade in accordance with the late work policy. If the assignment is
excused make-up work the assignment will be marked as missing but not assigned a grade. It is up to
the student to make up the work in a timely manner in accordance with the make-up work policy.
Conduct Expectations:
Be On Time
 Being on time is means a student is in their seat ready to go when the bell rings.
Be Prepared
 Please be sure to take care of all personal business before you arrive in class.
 Have a writing utensil. Sharpen your pencil at beginning of class if needed.
 Have your homework on your desk ready to be checked at the start of class. If I have to wait to
check homework it will be counted late.
Be Productive
 Begin the warm-up activity as listed on the board
 Participate in the class and group discussions
 Ask for assistance when needed
 Dispose of trash on your way out of the classroom
 Upon return to class from an absence, please be sure to check the absent folder for
make-up work and ask a neighbor for notes.
 Be on task, NOT on your device doing non-class activities
Be Respectful
 Follow the Golden Rule
 Take care of the classroom and supplies.
 Do not have earbuds in ears at inappropriate times. I will let you know if the time is
appropriate.
 Clean up after yourself
 Do not disrupt other by getting out of your seat at inappropriate time or by eating or
drinking in class.
Each student is required to follow all class, school, and county expectations.
Classroom Consequences:
1st Offense: Student will receive a warning and be given a chance to correct his or her behavior.
2nd Offense: Students will receive a 10-minute lunch detention, and parents will be notified.
3rd Offense: Students will receive an after-school detention, and a parent-teacher conference will
be requested.
th
4 Offense: Students will receive an office referral, and parents will be notified.

Any highly disruptive offense, such as fighting, violent outbursts, or extreme cases of disrespect,
will result in immediate removal from the classroom and an office referral.