The Math Program here at St. Mary’s use a wide variety of skill practice, problem solving, and reasoning exercises which provide effective, efficient instruction for all students. Practice is paced carefully to ensure that students build skills and develop mathematical understanding. New concepts are presented using clear, student-friendly language. Vocabulary and key ideas for each lesson are clearly identified and explained. Activities, exercises, chapter problems, and problem-solving workshops throughout the courses offer students opportunities to be active and engaged in learning. The courses will be accordingly modified to accommodate both in-school and distance learning.

A synopsis of each course is as follows:

6^th Grade:

• Review of arithmetic and mathematical concepts learned in earlier grades.
• Expand use of ratios and percentages to accommodate real-world applications.
• Basic introduction to Geometry and Graphing.

7^th Grade:

• Review of concepts learned in 6^th
• Expanded use of decimals and percentages and their relationship to real-world situations.
• Introduction to the use of powers and exponents.
• Introduction to solving linear equations and inequalities.
• Using data to create graphs for solving mathematical problems.
• More complex geometric and volumetric calculations.

8^th Grade: Introduction to Algebra I

• More complex use of graphing linear equations for solving problems, including inequalities.
• Use of systems of equations and inequalities for reasoning and problem-solving.
• Identifying and factoring polynomials.
• Introduction to the functionality of Quadratic equations.
• Review of exponents and exponential functions.
• Probability and data analysis.

Hi, my name is Brenda Klicsu and I am extremely honored to be a teacher at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea. I am a native San Diegan, and a graduate of CSUSM. Before joining St. Mary’s, I taught for Vista Unified School District for 10 years. When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two sons. Together we love traveling, camping, biking and spending time at the beach.

This year I have the pleasure of teaching 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th Grade Science. All my lessons align to Next Generation Science Standards, and are based on the 5E model which promotes collaborative, active learning in which students work together to solve problems and investigate new concepts by asking questions, observing, analyzing, and drawing conclusions. Each Unit will include:

• Teacher Led Demo: Promotes inquiry, illuminates key concepts and, most importantly, leads to heightened curiosity.
• Guided Inquiry Lab: Include observing, predicting, classifying, measuring, inferring, controlling variables, manipulating materials, interpreting data and experimenting.
• Guided Interactive Notebook: Use creative activities to motivate students to process information and demonstrate critical thinking.
• Science Stations: Provide an engaging way for students to extend their knowledge and skills by working independently from me in small groups or pairs.
• Task Cards: Collection of review cards to be used for review, such as game-style review, group review, one-on-one tutoring, ect
• Quizzes/Chapter Tests: Each quiz and test are designed to access different levels of student thinking and skills. They will include multiple-choice, completion, interpreting diagrams and essays.