Math News- February 2008

Math News- February 2008

High School Math Curriculum

In preparing for next year, I’d like to clarify a few issues with some of the more popular curriculum choices.

Teaching Textbooks: This new publisher seems to be growing in popularity within our school. As a general curriculum (not a-g), it has some very appealing qualities (audio, video, and written components) and user-friendly step-by-step solutions. However, it should be noted that these textbooks are NOT aligned with CA standards. Supplementing with other materials really SHOULD be done to give students the best opportunity to shine on the STAR exam.

Saxon: The Saxon High School series doesn’t exactly line up with CA standards or course scope and sequence either, though it is a rigorous curriculum. It gets a little confusing after Algebra 2. High school Geometry is embedded in the Alg 1, Alg 2 and Advanced Math books. Students can receive HS Geometry credit with Saxon, just by continuing with the series. Here is an excerpt from our a-g course outline that explains it best.

Saxon Advanced Math

ISBN: 1565771273

This text/program is a two year program!

Student can move to Saxon Advanced Math upon satisfactory completion of Saxon

Algebra 2 (2nd or 3rd edition only). Student must complete all 129 lessons in entirety

and satisfactorily complete all tests in course to move on to the Saxon Advanced

Math program.

a-g Geometry credit is granted upon completion of lesson 90, which is year one

of the two year Saxon Advanced Math program where the student completes one

lesson every 2 days (odd numbered problems one day, even numbered the next).

a-g Trig/PreCal credit is granted upon completion of year two of the two year Saxon

Advanced Math program. At the beginning of year two, student should go back to

lesson 60 (repeating lessons 60-90) and complete lessons 60 through 127 of the

Advanced Math Text, completing one lesson every 2 days (odd numbered problems

one day, even numbered the next). During the last 9 weeks of the Trig/PreCal

course, the student will move on to Saxon Calculus completing at least 27 lessons of

the Saxon Calculus program. Student should be prepared for Calculus upon

satisfactory completion.

**NOTE**The typical sequence course sequence for Saxon Math is:

Saxon Alg 1 8th grade (or 9th)

Saxon Alg 2 = a-g Alg 2 9th (or 10th)

Saxon Adv Math, year 1 of 2 = a-g Geom 10th (or 11th)

Saxon Adv Math/Calculus year 2 of 2 = a-g Trig/PreCal 11th (or 12th)

Saxon Calculus = a-g Calculus 12th

It can be difficult for students to move in and out of the Saxon curriculum. For students who are successful with Saxon through Algebra 1, I suggest they continue all the way through. If they would like a more traditional curriculum, then I suggest they exit the program before or after Algebra 1 or 2, but not try to re-enter the series after that.

Course Offerings for 2008-2009

The Math Department is currently planning the math course offerings for next year. The following are tentative courses for both online and at the learning centers. Because of low numbers of some classes this year, there are some courses that are not scheduled at this time.

HQT Online Courses:

CAHSEE Prep

PreAlgebra (Saxon ½)

a-g Alg 1 (Saxon)

a-g Alg 2 (Saxon)

Saxon Advanced Math (a-g Geometry)

General Algebra 1 (McDougal Littell, Concepts and Skills)

General Geometry (McDougal Littell, Concepts and Skills)

a-g Geometry (McDougal Littell, 2007)

Ceres Learning Center:

PreAlgebra

General Algebra 1(McDougal Littell, Concepts and Skills)

a-g Algebra 1(non-Saxon; TBA)

a-g Algebra 2 (McDougal Littell: Applications, Equations and Graphs)

Modesto Learning Center:

a-g Algebra 1(McDougal Littell)

a-g Geometry (McDougal Littell, 2007)

Math Course Survey: Please take some time to complete the attached survey so that we can get an idea of additional needs (or changes we should make) for next year. If you have already received and completed a similar survey from me, then do not complete another one (unless you have other students to add). Thank you!!