7th Grade Gifted Mathematics / Mathematics Grade 8
1st Nine Weeks: August 7 - October 15, 2009
Transition Unit:
This transition unit offers a review of comparing and estimation rational
numbers, solving real-life problems including percentages less than 1 or
greaater than 100. Students will begin by classifying real numbers.
(natural-counting-whole-integers-rational-irrational-and real) Fractions,
decimals, and percentages will be used interchangeably with emphasis placed
on percentages greater than 100% and less than 1%. Absolute values will be
defined, identified, and compared. Real-life applications of estimating
fractions and decimals will be used to retain concepts. Further
investigation will be done to reflect inequalities. The objectives of this
unit have been introduced prior to 8th grade. It is recommended that enough
time be provided fro re-teaching any topic covered in this unit in order to
strengthen concepts students may not have mastered.
Unit 1: Data & Statistics
This unit offers a review of statistics concepts introduced and reinforced in
prior grades. Students begin with an introduction to box-and-whisker plots
as a tool for comparing data sets. In the remaining investigations, students
explore what samples are and how they are related to populations, ways to
select samples, and the use of random samples. Issues of representation and
bias in data analysis are also addressed. Statistics is the science that
relies on question, collecting the data, analyzing the data, and interpreting
the results. Students' recognition and use of the process of statistical
investigation is important in working with statistics. We continually want
to focus their attention on the process even as we work with them to develop
strategies that are part of the process, such as computing measures of center
or spread and making graphs.
