Student Notes (Desmos Math 6-A1 only)
Each lesson includes optional student notes, which can be found at the bottom of the lesson page.
Student notes serve as a reference throughout a unit or course where students can record their formalized thinking and have a correctly worked out example of the learning goals of a lesson and any new vocabulary.
Notes:
In Desmos Math 6-8, the notes are single sheets linked to each lesson. In Desmos Math Algebra 1, the notes are in one document per unit because some notes are appropriate for a range of lessons.
In Amplify Desmos Math, every lesson contains a Summary that students and families can refer back to throughout the unit and course.
Teachers Talk About Student Notes
It helps to go through the lesson with the notes in mind to make sure you are purposeful. Aside from thinking of when to pause and how to restrict screens, I also think [about] when we will pause to use our notes.
–Kristen McGehee, American School of Dubai
I use [student notes] with my collab classes to help build background knowledge and capture main concepts/vocabulary!
–Megan Houchins, Warren County Public Schools, Frankfort, KYDepending on the lesson, I used the notes before, throughout, or after the lesson. We discussed the goal before starting each day. I also used notes to [support] absent students.
–Tina Schlarman Mertz, Midwest Regional ESC, Sidney, OHI have been using the 8th grade notes as part of our interactive notebooks. I use them to summarize at the end of lessons. I do the notes after [the lesson], sometimes on a different day.
–Leeanne Branham, Clovis Unified School District, Clovis, CA
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use the notes with my students?
Teachers use student notes at different points throughout the lesson. Some use it as a summary after the lesson is over or as an opener for the next class period. Other teachers invite students to pause during the lesson and write down relevant information on their notes sheet, or to use the “My Notes” area as a place to record their thinking during digital lessons.
How can notes support students who are absent?
Each lesson includes a completed copy of the notes. Some teachers invite students who miss class to annotate this completed copy with their questions and big ideas in order to support them in learning the material that they missed.
What sorts of things should I expect my students to write in the "My Notes" and "Summary" section of the notes?
Desmos Math 6 and Math 7 student notes include sections titled “My Notes” and “Summary” to match the Cornell Note Taking System. This is space for students to annotate the questions on the right and write their own thoughts, as well as to summarize the most important ideas in their own words. Some teachers invite students to use the “My Notes” section to record parts of conversations they want to remember or as a space to do work throughout the lesson.
Practice Problems
Practice problems give students a chance to practice what they’ve learned from a lesson and be creative.
In Desmos Math 6-A1, practice problems are available in digital and in print.
In Amplify Desmos Math, practice problems are available in the Student Edition and as a PDF on the lesson page.
Teachers Talk About Practice Problems
I used the practice problems as asynchronous work this year. I liked that we had paper versions for those with me in person as we could all work outside and off the screen for part of the lesson.
–Kimberley Moody, Woods Charter School, Chapel Hill, NCFinal slide gives feedback and has a reflective prompt that I just love. Helps me see the heart of my students and focuses them on what they are accomplishing.
–Leanne Branham, Clovis Unified School District, Clovis, CAMy classes are 90 minutes, so usually I do 45 min main lesson and 45 min practice. Sometimes if the main lesson ran over, I assigned the practice problems for HW.
–Tasbiha Chowdhury, The Bronx Latin School, Bronx, NYWe use the practice problems with our intervention classes to reteach, reinforce and practice with the content from the lessons.
–Nicole Johnson, East Irondequoit CSD, Rochester, NY
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the digital and paper practice problems in Desmos Math 6-A1 the same?
Yes! They are the same content in different formats.
Are the practice problems spiraled?
Yes. Practice problems are intentionally spiraled so that they contain opportunities to revisit recent content within the same unit and content from previous units throughout the year. In addition, warm-ups often are used as an opportunity to practice number-sense thinking that will be helpful to students in upcoming lessons.
What are the “explore” questions in the Desmos Math 6-A1 practice sets and who are they for?
They are for everyone! Explore questions invite students to extend the math they’ve learned in a different and interesting way. Mastery of explore problems are not necessary for success in a lesson or unit, though they support the development of mathematical practices and problem solving skills. Consider celebrating students who attempt these problems both when correct and incorrect and/or inviting students to choose a subset of explore questions to tackle throughout a unit.
What can I do if I only want to assign some questions in the practice?
Some teachers use the hide screens feature to only assign certain questions.
