Transcript Document

Aleks Presentation
How can using Aleks™ daily help you?
Aleks Presentation
You have probably heard
about the Algebra 1 Math
requirement, but may not
know what it is, or why it is so
important to you.
Aleks Presentation
The Los Angeles Unified
School District has raised the
requirements for high school
graduation.
You need to pass Algebra 1 to
graduate high school.
Aleks Presentation
A-G Requirements for most
colleges require the passing of
Algebra 1 with a grade of “C”
or better.
Aleks Presentation
What is Algebra?
Why do I need to take it?
Why do schools make such a big deal about getting
ready for it?
Why do my parents care if I pass, or get a high grade?
Isn’t it just another Math class?
Aleks Presentation
What is Algebra?
Algebra, for most students, can be thought of as a system
of brain puzzles that are common to all students around
the world. Solving the problems involves using rules that
you need to learn, memorize, and put to use when you
take quizzes and tests.
Aleks Presentation
Why do I need to take it?
Taking and passing Algebra 1 with a “C” or better, along
with other Math classes, is a graduation requirement for
all LAUSD high schools.
It is also a requirement for admission to California State
Universities.
Aleks Presentation
Why do schools make such a big deal about getting
ready for it?
The reason your teachers make such a big deal about
learning your math skills in earlier grades, and then
passing Algebra 1, is this:
Students who pass Algebra in Middle School or High
School almost always go to college, but students who
don’t almost never get to college.
Aleks Presentation
Why do my parents care if I pass, or get a high grade?
Your parents want you to be successful in school. Parents
want their children to someday be smarter in school, and
possibly more successful in careers, than they were.
Your parents want to be proud of you.
You want to be proud of yourself.
Aleks Presentation
Isn’t Algebra just another Math class?
No.
Passing Algebra 1, more than almost anything else you do
in school, is an indicator of the choices you’ll have in your
future. In The United States of America, you can decide
what future you’ll have, but you have to work hard to get
to college where you’ll have the chance to make your
choices.
Aleks Presentation
What if I don’t pass Algebra 1 the first time I take it?
You can re-take Algebra 1 if you get less than a C the first
time. Many students don’t pass Algebra 1 the first time.
Ideally, you’ll pass the first time. It doesn’t matter as
much when you pass it, but that you ultimately do pass.
Aleks Presentation
Algebra is like a mountain to climb….
Using Aleks, along with carefully doing your classwork
and homework, will help you get to the top.
Mt. Algebra
You may be asking yourself, Can I get to the top?
You can, but it will take a lot of hard work on your part.
Teachers can teach you how to climb, but you have to do the
climbing!
Aleks Presentation
You can teach yourself how to climb the Algebra
mountain by using Aleks….
You can log in to Aleks™ from anywhere you can
access the Internet, including at home, or the
library.
The first time you log in, you are given a short test.
This helps Aleks find out what you already know,
and what you need to learn.
You will need to use paper and pencil to
answer most of the questions.
When you enter your answer and click
Next, you will not be told if you are right
or wrong.
If you don’t know how to answer a
question, click
“I haven’t learned this yet.”
The progress bar tells you how far along in the
test you are.
Some questions will require you to control
a tool like a ruler or protractor.
Some questions require the use of
special math vocabulary.
Many Aleks tools are well designed to help
you locate a correct answer.
Geometry is a part of all Aleks courses.
Critical thinking and logic are also tested in
Aleks, as with this Venn Diagram.
Aleks tasks often take far less time than doing
the work using a textbook.
Some Aleks tasks, called Topics, can be
completed in just a few minutes.
When you have completed an Aleks assessment,
you will be given a report of how you did. You’ll
click Next to see it.
The report comes in the form of a pie chart.
Your goal in Aleks, over time, is to fill in the
entire pie.
Aleks explains how to use the pie chart.
Choose a slice to work on. Choose the first topic
in the list. You can only work on topics with an
arrow next to them.
Completing 5 Topics in 30 minutes is a good
daily goal.
Make note of where you are each day you start
to work on Aleks. Try to increase this number by
5 or more each day.
A goal for the end of this session would
be 93. (That’s 88 + 5)
Use paper and pencil, if necessary. Enter
your answer, then click Next.
If you answer correctly, Aleks will tell you
immediately.
You only have to answer a few questions
correctly to complete a topic. This Aleks message
says that.
Now you can click Done, or choose to
continue to practice this skill.
The Topic just completed is removed from the
list, and the dark part of the pie grows. You can
choose another topic from the same slice, or a
different one.
Here, a new Topic has been chosen. Again, only
three or four correct answers may be needed
to complete the Topic.
That’s a lot better than having to do a whole
page of questions from a workbook.
If you’re not sure how to do a problem, click on
the Explain button.
Aleks shows how
to work out the
problem, all the
way to the
correct answer.
If you answer incorrectly, Aleks will let you
know with red letters. You can try again and
change your answer.
If you’re still
not right, Aleks
may prompt
you to use the
Explain button,
and give you
more help in
highlighted
colors.
If you’re still having trouble, Aleks will tell you
to “…try something else.” Just return to the pie
and pick another Topic.
Choose another Topic from the pie that you can
do by yourself. Ask for help with especially
difficult ones when a teacher is available.
Some
Topics are
not hard,
but you do
need to be
careful.
Notice the
red stops
between
two
numbers.
Taking good notes in Aleks is very important
when working on Topics.
You can also use your notes when you take an
assessment.
Aleks assessments mostly contain questions
you’ve practiced. If you’ve taken good notes
while working with your pie, the questions
should be easy.
If you do well, your pie will likely stay the same,
but if you do poorly, Aleks will take Topics you
had previously passed off the pie, and you’ll
have to do them again. 
When working on Aleks with a parent who
speaks Spanish, you can change the language
to Spanish.
Everything will work exactly the same way. You
can switch between English and Spanish any
time.
QuickTables is a part of Aleks that will help you
become faster in multiplication.
You can use QuickTables for a few minutes each
day. Time in QuickTables is limited.
Remember, your goal is to complete 5 or more
Topics each day you work on Aleks
3 Topics completed so far…
Your teacher can view your progress.
5 Topics completed!
5 Topics per day is 25 topics in one week.
25 topics per week ≈ 100 Topics in
one month.
Completing a pie is like making a year’s
worth of math growth.
Many students are able to complete more
than one pie, or one year’s growth in a
school year.
The teacher is notified when a student
has completed an Aleks course (pie).
A student could begin the year as a D student who
hates Math, but finish the year as an A or B
student who gets it.
Hard Work in Math Class + Hard Work in Aleks
A student could begin the year as BB
(Below Basic) and finish the year as a P
(Proficient) student.
There are direct connections between Aleks and your State
Tests you’ll take at the end of the year.
Connections Between Aleks™ Topics and the
California Standards Test (CST)
All images copyright California Department of
Education (CDE) or ALEKS™ Corporation
Assembled by Henry Anker
6th Grade
Adding Integers
7th Grade
Finding Slope
8th Grade
Graphing Inequalities
A view from the top….
A very good feeling!