Current math homework and previous math homework is listed at http://www.schoolnotes.com/06762/mal.html, courtesy of Mr. Malinosky. Scroll down after you follow the link.

7th Grade Mathematics
Memorial School
Mr. Trusiewicz

Welcome to 7th Grade Mathematics at Memorial Middle School. Staying organized is an important part of your learning process. You should always keep your math notebook with you in class and then bring it home when you have a homework assignment. Your notebook should be divided into five sections and should contain all the mathematics materials you need. Please tell your parents how your notebook is set up.

Your Math Notebook
(1) Grades Section - Contains a list and graph of your current and previous grades including all the corrected Tests, Quizzes, and Preparation/Participation scores.

(2) Classwork/Homework Section - Contains your current homework paper, your completed homework papers, and all the class work you have completed in the current unit.

(3) Resources Section - Contains absence policy, homework policy, study buddies phone numbers, multiplication and division facts, grading system, and special notes on important topics.

(4) Graph Paper Section - Contains 60 sheets of blank graph paper

(5) Problem of the Day Section - Contains your corrected solutions to warm-up activities.

Your Agenda Book
Assignments are to be recorded in the agenda book (your planner). You should keep a record of your current homework assignment and the previous 4 weeks of assignments. You are responsible to record any assignment that you missed when you were absent.

Pencil Pouch and  Materials
Also clipped into the notebook should be a pencil pouch containing two sharpened pencils with cap erasers, a red pen for correcting and a calculator. A metric/standard ruler should be clipped into the notebook to complete the set.

Absence Policy and Study Buddies

If you are absent from school you should:

(1) On the day that you return to school, hand in the assignment that was due on the day you were absent, write any missed assignment into your agenda book, complete the classwork, problem of the day, homework, and do any correction activity conducted on the day(s) you missed.

(2) The next day, hand in the homework that was assigned on the day(s) you were absent.

Every assignment you hand in must include the date that it was assigned, the pages, and the period of your class. (Notice that you should not label it with the date you are doing it, nor with the date that you hand it in!) To assure that you receive proper credit without a penalty for lateness, write Absent Credit Please on top the top of your paper. It is your responsibility to make up missed work and hand it in the day after you return to school. If you are absent for an extended period, you may request extra days to complete the makeup. You should talk to a study buddy to find out what class work and homework you missed. Write the homework assignment into your Agenda book. If a worksheet is needed, get one from the teacher on the day you return to school. Verify that you have the right assignment by looking at another classmate's notebook.

Missing a Class While You Are in School
If you miss class because you are somewhere else in the school like a music lesson, for instance, you are responsible to do the homework and hand it in on the day that it is due. You should:

(1) During the school day, talk to a classmate or study buddy to find out what class work and homework you missed. Write the homework assignment into your Agenda book. If a worksheet is needed, copy the worksheet from a classmate so that you can do the assignment. Verify that you have the right information by looking at another classmate?s notebook. Complete the classwork and then do your homework, as usual, that night.

(2) The next day, hand in (a) the assignment that was due on the day you missed the class and (b) hand in the homework assigned that day, properly labeled, as usual.

Study Buddies
A study buddy is someone you can talk to when you need help in Math. The kind of questions that you might ask a study buddy would be: (1) What did we have for homework last night? (2) I was absent yesterday, can I copy your class notes? (3) I can?t remember how we solved the fractions problem, would you remind me how we did it? Talk to your study buddy in person, by phone, or by Internet. Show courtesy and consideration in all your communications so that you will be able to work well together.

Each student is to have recorded three study buddies in the resource section of his/her notebook. Your Study Buddies sheet should contain three classmates' names, phone numbers, and the best time of day to call.

Homework Policy 

Earning Credit for Doing Your Homework

Every homework assignment is worth 2 points. To earn the 2 points for the assignment, you must provide a written solution for each problem. Your solutions need not be correct to earn the 2 points since mistakes are normal as you are learning. However, if you skip a problem, leave it blank, or write answers instead of solutions, you will not receive the 2 points.

What if I Get Stuck on a Problem?

If you have trouble with a homework problem, you are expected to call your study buddies to ask for help. In the event that, after discussing the problem, you still are unable to grasp any method that would lead to any type of solution for a homework problem, you can still get credit for that problem by showing a good faith effort. This good faith effort is represented by writing me a note on your homework paper at the location where the solution might have been. In this note you must:

1.      Restate the problem in your own words.

2.      Explain what conclusions you can make so far.

3.      If possible, you should then state what information you think is missing or what part of the problem has you stumped.

Writing this note to me will have two immediate benefits: (1) you will get credit for the problem and (2) I will be able to help you very quickly because you have identified your thought process for me.

Homework Grading

Credit for homework is accumulated during each marking term. Each time you complete a homework assignment, you will receive 2 points no matter whether your solutions are correct or incorrect. If your homework contains some answers instead of solutions, you will receive 1 point or 0 points, depending on whether you have mostly solutions or mostly answers.

You are Required to Correct and Fix Your Homework Daily

During each class period, the previous night’s homework is discussed, illustrated, and corrected. It is your responsibility to compare your homework with the solutions discussed in class and decide whether your solutions are equivalent and correct or whether your solution is wrong or lacking in some way. When your solution is correct, you are expected to use your correcting pen to make a “C” near it. When your solution is incorrect, or when you have an answer rather than a solution, or when your solution is lacking in some way you are expected to use your correcting pen to write the full solution (or the part you are missing) on your homework paper. Each time you correct a homework problem, you are creating a resource for yourself. I will permit you to use your corrected homework on your quizzes and tests.

Filing Your Homework in Your Math Notebook

You are required to file your homework in the Classwork/Homework section of your notebook by date so that you can find each assignment quickly and easily. This will enable you to use the resources you have created while doing tests, quizzes, and other homework assignments. Correcting your homework thoroughly will also enable you to earn a maximum score on your Classroom Preparation and Participation assessments. These assessments give you credit for correcting your homework thoroughly each day, for writing assignments in the agenda book, and for fixing your tests and quizzes

Giving and Getting Help with Homework

Helping a study buddy interpret the meaning of a problem, learn a new concept, or perform a new procedure is an act of friendship and an excellent way to improve education at our school. I strongly encourage you to collaborate, share ideas, give help, and ask for help for the goal of learning math.

Copying Homework or Allowing Your Paper to be Copied

Asking a study buddy for his/her homework paper for the purpose of copying a solution interferes with the learning process. Giving your homework paper to a study buddy who wishes to copy one of your solutions also interferes with the learning process. Copying homework or allowing someone to copy your homework are both unacceptable actions that adversely affect the educational process and shall be handled according to the cheating policies in effect at Memorial Middle School.

Oops, I Didn’t Do My Homework!

In the unlikely event that you receive a zero for a homework assignment because you did not bring it to class, you are required to copy as many of the solutions illustrated in class as possible, and then finish any items that you might not have had time to copy. You can earn a point for the paper by handing it in the next day if (1) your paper contains completed solutions for every problem and (2) you write Late Credit Please on the top.