9/29/18

        Equivalence is something students need practice with in all grades.  The MCAS 2.0 problems related to this topic have been difficult for our students in middle school .   By the time they get to 11th and 12th grades there still is confusion about and   .  Students assume that both equations are equivalent. I know this is a fine point and beyond the math standards for 10th grade.  

Here are some MCAS 2018 “equivalence” examples from this year’s MCAS.  

5th Grade:   Our Lane School students on #5 scored 87% correct and on #4 scored 56% correct, a full 12 points above the state average.  

6th Grade:  67% of our students answered this one correctly, which was 7% above the state average.  

6th Grade:  28% correct and we were below the state average by 6 points.  

7th Grade:  54% correct on this one, 6 points above the state average.  Notice MCAS isn’t concerned with the answer, but an equivalent expression.    

7th Grade:  31% of our students got this one correct.  The MCAS is stepping up its game for sure.  

8th Grade: 73% of our students got this one correct.

10th Grade: 81% correct for BHS students vs. 63% correct for the state.

10th Grade:  85% correct vs. 70% for the state.  

I love the resources at Philips Exeter.  

Here’s a random equivalence problem I found using radicals. Could your students handle?  8th Grade?  

Onward…

PMM