Here is a foldable for x and y intercepts.

Graphing Inequalities in Two Variables Card Sort

I don't know why, but graphing linear inequalities in two variables is one of the hardest topics for Algebra I students to wrap their minds around. Even when you think they've finally got it, you will revisit it weeks later only to find most the students are completely clueless about the process. This year, after teaching the topic we will be doing a journal entry into our interactive notebooks. This entry will be in the form of a card sort. Students will be given a mat with the inequality symbols in each quadrant and a sheet of inequality graphs. The students will cut out the cards and sort them onto the appropriate place on the mat. After checking their answers, they will glue or tape them down and then place the entire graphic organizer into their interactive binder. If you would like to download the Graphing Inequalities Card Sort, feel free!

Determining Whether a Relation is a Function Sort Activity

In addition to foldables, I will also be using various types of graphic organizers in my Interactive Notebooks. One activity which I have found to be beneficial when students are learning new material is a card sort. When students learn to sort items into examples and non-examples, it helps them to process the information into their long term memory. The activity I am sharing today is a simple Card Sort where students are given a mat titled Function/Non Function and a set of cards. They will be asked to sort the cards and lay them in the appropriate place. After students are finished, we check the answers and then they can glue them down and place into their notebooks. The picture below shows the finished product. Normally, I would print this on colored paper, but I thought it would show up better if I just use regular copy paper for the picture. Feel free to download the Determining Whether a Relation is a Function activity here and edit to suit your needs.

Slope Foldable

I have used foldables in my classroom many times. There are things I like about them and things I don't. One negative aspect of foldables is the amount of time it seems to take to put them together. No matter how carefully I give the directions, some students struggle with where to fold and where to cut. I end up spending valuable learning time on just the mechanics of putting the foldable together. As I journey into the world of interactive notebooks, I have been trying to create foldables to summarize the main topics we will be studying in the first semester of Algebra I. I plan on using these foldables to either introduce or summarize whatever topic we are studying. I have created some templates that I think will solve the problem of students being confused about where to fold and where to cut. This Slope Foldable is the first one I created. The dark lines are fold lines and the dash lines are cut lines. You are welcome to download this foldable and edit it to fit your needs.

2012-2013 Goal: Incorporating the Interactive Notebook

Every summer, I try to set new goals for the upcoming school year. My goal for the 2012-2013 school year is to implement interactive notebooks. I have always been a big notebook person, but this year, I am going to work on incorporating more foldables, graphic organizers, group activities, warm-ups, etc into the notebook. My plan is to create a resource that will not only help students learn and process the information now, but one that they can take with them when they move on to the next level. There are many resources on the internet about how to incorporate interactive notebooks in your classroom so I am not going to go into great detail about how to get started. If you are interested, the teacher in this video does a great job explaining how to set up the notebook with the students at the beginning of the year. In future posts, I will be sharing some of the resources I am working on this summer that will become future journal entries in our notebooks.