WJHS attacks the TAKS

The staff of Whitehouse Junior High decided to take a proactive approach to the Math TAKS requirement. On Friday, April 4, a select group of eighth graders participated in a day of "Math Boot Camp." With the eighth grade Math TAKS test quickly approaching, five teachers and 49 students spent the day at the Whitehouse United Methodist Church preparing for the test.

All activities were hands on, which gave the students a firsthand look at just how math really works. Sterling Haskell taught the students about probability using dice, cards and spinners; Kimberly Updike's group measured wooden shapes to find ratios, indirect measure and scale factor; Sharon Gray and her students cut out 3-D figures and filled them with bird seed to find volume; Amanda Byers and her group used hands-on activities to match graphs, tables and explore scatter plots; and Anna Boney and her kids made different shapes out of cardboard boxes and found the perimeter by using the formula, then determined how much paper it would take to cover the surface area. Each group consisted of nine to 10 students, and they rotated every hour to each teacher throughout the day.

Teachers Sharon Gray (below left) and Anna Boney work with students during the Attack the TAKS day.

Throughout the day, students were treated to snacks donated by Brookshire's Food Store. The Coca Cola Company donated soft drinks and water for everyone. Students also enjoyed pizza for lunch.

This is the first year that all eighth grade students must pass the Reading and Math TAKS tests in order to promote to the ninth grade. Thanks go out to Principal David Smith and his staff for taking this proactive approach to attacking the TAKS.

-- Supt. Dennis Miller