I started spiraling my grade 10 applied math class a number of years ago and have written daily blog posts for the course twice. The second time, which starts here, also contains links to all the resources I have used.
Every time I teach this course, I tweak and adjust based on the group I have. This semester I have decided to give homework that supports the spiraled approach I take with this course. I am creating one double-sided page of homework per week. Each homework set contains a little of what we are doing in class that week, along with previously learned topics so that students stay on top of the material. So far I am pleased with how it is going.
Here is the link to my Google sheet. There is a column with links which is where you can get the homework sets if you are interested. They are PDFs as I know some people have trouble seeing equations I create using MathType. If you would like the Word files, feel free to send me an email. There are also tabs for the last couple of years so that you can see an overview of what each cycle looks like.
This is now my 4th semester using feedback forms at the start of each course to help me get to know my students. The idea came from Sara Van Der Werf and you should head over to her blog and read all about it - here is the link.
I thought I would share the tweaks I have made this time around as I really like them. They weren't my idea either - my colleague started doing feedback forms in September and it was her idea to add each student's picture, room for them to write how to say their name correctly along with sibling information (thanks, Kara Lee!). I've also shortened it a little so that they write to me 4 times and I reply 3 times. (The first time I did feedback forms I replied each day but then the students kept the sheets - I wanted to keep them to refer to them later.)
This is what mine look like(with an actual picture of each student).
I have already discovered that a student that I taught all of last semester is actually the little brother of a student I had 8 years ago - how did I not know that?!? Anyway - I love these forms and think they are a great way to get to know students. Adjust as you see fit! I have a couple of versions here and here.
