It is Sunday night and things seem better than the last time I wrote - I have spent the weekend contemplating our next math unit which will be Data Analysis and Statistics. I seldom use our text anyway, since it is Connected Math, which while it is great for problem solving and writing, does not seem to be very effective at teaching MATH, or at least not with the kids I have. The text assumes students are proficient at things they have never even been exposed to and I spent so much time pulling away from the text to teach "side" lessons I have gotten to where I actually supplement with CMP rather than the other way around.

But with Data... I am going to try to let the kids use data they gather for almost the entire unit - I have set up some computer lab research time and we will be able to go into the lab for 2 days to get some info. We will also gather some data about their AR pages read, compare individuals to class and grade level pages read. We will also work on their individual grades. I wish we could get enough lab time for them to spreadsheet their entire marking period of grades. We are also going look at things like their height vs. foot length and other more "personal" things that may be more interesting to them - If I were just a bit more knowledgable about sports stats we could try that but I have never understood baseball averages!! I love hockey and it is big around here - maybe we could compare shots on goal, goals made, etc...hmmm.... I will have to think about this aspect more!

But the point here is I feel a bit more inspired to go back to school tomorrow- hopeful as we start this new unit at the end of the week things will get into the "groove" after parent teacher conferences.... This week will be crazy just because of all the "stuff" going on - it is Red Ribbon Week, with dressup days every day, and assembly for RRW Thursday, a guest speaker for social studies on Wednesday, Tuesday 1/2 day for PTC.... It will go by quickly and then it will be the weekend again... and I can look back and contemplate. I know that I can get through to this group - the question is how...