Readiness Check

Purpose of the Readiness Check:

• Helps determine gaps in your student’s readiness for
  Algebra 1: Principles of Secondary Mathematics.
• Identifies the Skills Lessons that will help fill in any
  gaps you discover.

There are three options for using the Readiness Check:

This option includes a Skills Assessment, Skills Analysis, and
Skills Inventory Chart.

Complete the Skills Assessment

• Click
  Skills Assessment with Formula Sheet to
  print it for your student.
• Explain to your student that the Skills Assessment is NOT a
  test. Rather it is simply a way to identify skills the
  student may need to review or practice so they can be
  successful in algebra.
• Have your student complete the problems on their own.
  However, if needed, you may read the problems out loud to
  your student.
• Give your student:
  • Printed Skills Assessment
  • Printed Formula Sheet
• Go over these instructions with your student:
  • Do use the Formula Sheet.
  • Do show your work.
  • Do check your work.
  • Do not use a calculator.
  • Do your best, even if you are
    unsure how to solve a problem. It is important to
    attempt and to persevere through each problem.

Complete the Skills Analysis

Skills Assessment Solutions

Skills Inventory Chart

• Click Skills Assessment Solutions and
  Skills Inventory Chart
  to print them. If you prefer, you can just open the
  solutions on-screen.
• Gather your student’s completed Skills Assessment pages and
  sit with your student.
• As you go through the Skills Assessment together,
  regardless of the results:
  • Stay Positive.
  • Praise your student’s hard work and perseverance.
  • Remind your student that the purpose of the
    assessment is strictly to uncover gaps.
• For each problem, determine:
  

  Can the student explain their work?	Is the student’s solution correct?
  Ask your student to explain their work, as you determine if they understood how to solve the problem.	Check that the student’s solution is correct.
  If you are comfortable with the material, ask questions to clarify your student’s explanation. Use the notes provided in the Solutions as question prompts.	Encourage your student to identify and correct mistakes verbally or on paper.

• On the student’s pages, circle the problem number for any
  problem your student is not able to adequately explain or
  did not get the correct solution even after attempting to
  correct mistakes.
• On the Skills Inventory Chart, scan the
  Problem column to find each problem number
  you circled and mark – in the
  +/– column. Note: Problem
  numbers may be listed for more than one skill.

Skills Analysis Results

• If you have no – in your Skills Inventory
  Chart, you should feel confident that your student is ready
  to start
  Algebra 1: Principles of Secondary Mathematics! You
  can end the Readiness Check at this point.
• If you have – for any skills, do not panic!
  You have the tools you need to bridge those gaps…

Complete the recommended Skills Lessons

• For any skill that you have marked – in
  your Skills Inventory Chart, find that skill under
  Bridge Materials: Pre-Algebra to
  Algebra 1: Principles of Secondary Mathematics.
• Click the skill and follow the on-screen instructions to
  complete the lesson.
  
• Find Solutions for the lesson below the
  videos. Use the Solutions to check student work, giving
  consideration to your student’s effort and level of comfort
  with the skill.
  • If your student had several or most problems correct
    and/or you both feel confident about their work,
    they can move on to another skill.
  • If your student struggled, had many incorrect
    answers, and/or did not show their work, consider
    having them redo a few problems and review them
    again until you both feel confident.
• When your student completes a Skills Lesson, have them
  continue to another skill as indicated by a
  – mark in your Skills Inventory Chart.

Please keep in mind that your student may not need to complete
ALL of the Skills Lessons in the Bridge Materials! And these
lessons are all optional.

The Skills Lessons are condensed and independent. Your student
does not need to complete them in the order they are presented.

This option includes the Skills Inventory Chart that gives you
and your student the opportunity to take stock of their math
skills that are foundational for algebra. The chart can then be
used to determine which Skills Lessons we recommend for your
student.

Complete the Skills Inventory Chart

Skills Inventory Chart

Note: You can complete the inventory alone or
with your student.

• Click Skills Inventory Chart to print it.
• For each skill, thoughtfully and honestly decide if your
  student has mastered it.
• In the +/– column, for each skill mark +
  for mastered and – for not mastered.
  • If you are not sure what an objective means, mark –
    for that skill.
  • If you are not sure if your student has mastered a
    skill, mark – for that skill
  • If you do not feel all objectives for a skill have
    been mastered, mark – for that skill.

Skills Inventory Results

• If you were able to mark a + for all 14 skills, you should
  feel confident that your student is ready for
  Algebra 1: Principles of Secondary Mathematics! You
  can end the Readiness Check at this point.
• If you were not able to mark a + for a skill, do not panic!
  You have the tools you need to bridge those gaps…

Complete the recommended Skills Lessons

• For any skill that you have marked – in your Skills
  Inventory Chart, find that skill under Bridge Materials:
  Pre-Algebra to Algebra 1: Principles of Secondary
  Mathematics.
• Click the skill and follow on-screen instructions to
  complete the lesson.
• Find Solutions for the lesson below the
  videos. Use the Solutions to check student work, giving
  consideration to your student’s effort and level of comfort
  with the skill.
  • If your student had several or most problems correct
    and/or you both feel confident about their work,
    they can move on to another skill.
  • If your student struggled, had many incorrect
    answers, and/or did not show their work, consider
    having them redo a few problems and review them
    again until you both feel confident.
• When your student completes a Skills Lesson, have them
  continue to another skill as indicated by a
  – mark in your Skills Inventory Chart.

Please keep in mind that your student may not need to complete
ALL of the Skills Lessons in the Bridge Materials! And these
lessons are all optional.

The Skills Lessons are condensed and independent. Your student
does not need to complete them in the order they are presented.

With this option, you can simply select skills lessons from the
available list under
Bridge Materials: Pre-Algebra to
Algebra 1: Principles of Secondary Mathematics.

Complete Skills Lessons of Your Choice

• Under
  Bridge Materials: Pre-Algebra to Algebra 1:
  Principles of Secondary Mathematics, click a skill
  title.
  
• Follow on-screen instructions to complete the lesson.
• Find Solutions for the lesson below the
  videos. Use the Solutions to check student work, giving
  consideration to your student’s effort and level of comfort
  with the skill.
  • If your student had several or most problems correct
    and/or you both feel confident about their work,
    they can move on to another skill.
  • If your student struggled, had many incorrect
    answers, and/or did not show their work, consider
    having them redo a few problems and review them
    again until you both feel confident.
• When your student completes a Skills Lesson, have them
  continue to another skill of your choice.

Please keep in mind that your student may not need to complete
ALL of the Skills Lessons in the Bridge Materials! And these
lessons are all optional.

The Skills Lessons are condensed and independent. Your student
does not need to complete them in the order they are presented.