Welcome to Seventh and Eighth Grade Mathematics!
	The typical student at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal School is enrolled in Pre-Algebra in the 7th grade and Algebra I in the 8th grade.  Students at Saint Andrew’s are fortunate, however, to learn at their developmental level.  As a result, some students may advance in mathematics to Geometry, Algebra 2, or beyond.  All of the math textbooks are available online and students may access practice assessments online as well. Students have access to other sources of technology including: TI 83+ graphing calculators, the "Geometer’s Sketchpad" program on their laptops, and ALEKS.  We also supplement the curriculum by being actively involved with the national MATHCOUNTS® program. Saint Andrew’s Episcopal School has won the "small school" title five out of the last eight years.

	Pre-Algebra
	The goal of this class is to develop fluency with rational numbers and proportional relationships.  Students will extend their elementary skills and begin to learn algebra concepts that serve as a transition into formal Algebra and Geometry.  Students will learn to think flexibly about relationships among fractions, decimals, and percents and they will learn to recognize and generate equivalent expressions and solve single-variable equations and inequalities. Students will analyze mathematical situations verbally, numerically, graphically, and symbolically, and learn to apply mathematical skills to meaningful real life experiences.

	Algebra 1
	The main goal of this course is to develop fluency in working with linear equations. Students will extend their experiences with tables, graphs, and equations and solve linear equations and inequalities and systems of linear equations and inequalities.  Students will extend their knowledge of the number system to include irrational numbers, they will generate equivalent expressions and use formulas, they will simplify polynomials and they will begin to study quadratic relationships.  Students will use technology and models to investigate and explore mathematical ideas and relationships and develop multiple strategies for analyzing complex problems.  Students will apply mathematical skills to make meaningful connections to real life experiences.

	Geometry
	This course will help students develop communication skills, enhance reasoning, and make connections within mathematics to other disciplines and the real world.  In this course, students are engaged in problematic situations in which they form conjectures, determine the validity of these conjectures, and defend their conclusions to their classmates.  Students will use physical models and appropriate technology throughout this course in their investigations (all students have access to TI 83+ graphing calculators and the software program "Geometer’s Sketchpad" on their laptops).

	Algebra 2
	In Algebra 2 we will build on the basic concepts presented in Algebra 1 to encourage higher order thinking.  Algebra 2 students will represent and analyze mathematical situations.  The students will analyze and apply a variety of methods to model and graph linear and nonlinear equations and inequalities.  Students will also use algebraic, graphical, and numerical methods for analysis of quadratic equations and functions and polynomials and rational functions.  Exponential functions, logarithmic functions, data analysis, and probability will be explored in Algebra 2.   Students will use physical models and appropriate technology throughout this course in their investigations (all students have access to TI 83+ graphing calculators and the software program "Geometer’s Sketchpad" on their laptops). Teachers:  Mrs. Sherburne and Mr. Kunzel