Then you've got no excuses! Get out there and do something challenging.
Today!
Aaron 'Wheelz' Fotheringham - Wheelchair Action Sports from Unit Clothing on Vimeo.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Representing Stories Graphically
The Geometer's Sketchpad can do so much more than build polygons! Use this sketch to help your 7th graders build their connections between graphic representations and real-world situations.
This sketch, while excellent for demonstration purposes, is ideally put into the hands of students so they can manipulate the variables and see how their actions impact the graph and the action.
Download the sketch!
This sketch, while excellent for demonstration purposes, is ideally put into the hands of students so they can manipulate the variables and see how their actions impact the graph and the action.
Download the sketch!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
"You better lose yourself in the digits of pi, it’s a high"
What the heck.... it's fun. /grin Are you ready for Pi Day??? Maybe this will help get your class in the mood!
Mathmaticious is still the king, imho. 2,398,000 views! Superstar!
Mathmaticious is still the king, imho. 2,398,000 views! Superstar!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
57 Degrees and Climbing
It's my blog and I'll ride if I want to!
Absolutely spectacular day here in the Sandhills. After only 35 kicks or so (and no hyper-extended knee this time, whew!) I was able to take the Pi Project around the block. This meant, of course, slipping in and out of the ice floes and ponds still found on most streets and every intersection.
But hey - it was a ride!
After rebuilding the engine last Fall, I'm still anxious to get it out on the highway and open it up.
Absolutely spectacular day here in the Sandhills. After only 35 kicks or so (and no hyper-extended knee this time, whew!) I was able to take the Pi Project around the block. This meant, of course, slipping in and out of the ice floes and ponds still found on most streets and every intersection.But hey - it was a ride!
After rebuilding the engine last Fall, I'm still anxious to get it out on the highway and open it up.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Looking at the Skills of Speaking and Listening In First Grade
Some years ago, Ms. Ogonoski's first graders were struggling with the skills of listening to and speaking with one another. Ms. Ogonoski devised a rather clever lesson in which she and her class negotiated a rubric, practiced it, and then used it to assess their listening and speaking skills throughout the day.
Despite this being an experience set in a first grade classroom, I can think of no reason that this wouldn't be an important process at any grade level.
We made this video to document their experience with a very real and practical performance assessment. I hope you enjoy this one from the vault!
Listening and Speaking: Grade One from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Despite this being an experience set in a first grade classroom, I can think of no reason that this wouldn't be an important process at any grade level.
We made this video to document their experience with a very real and practical performance assessment. I hope you enjoy this one from the vault!
Listening and Speaking: Grade One from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Even Old Geezers Can Learn a New Trick
What have each of us learned lately? Was it easy? Should we expect learning to be easy for our students?
Using Language to Explain Our Thinking: Grade One
The North 1st Grade CWG has set the following Smart Goal: By May, 2011 80% of the North Elementary First grade students will offer a proficient explanation of their work as measured by the Rubric for Assessing Language.
Here is the rubric we are currently using to assess students' explanations.
I've also created a couple of "models" that the teachers can use to explain the rubric to students and talk about what they will be looking for. Here is a second example. And a third.
Here is the rubric we are currently using to assess students' explanations.
I've also created a couple of "models" that the teachers can use to explain the rubric to students and talk about what they will be looking for. Here is a second example. And a third.
Just Plug It in
Just Plug It In from (Chris) on Vimeo.
TKE and The Ladies get plugged in (and give Mrs. Linster the bidness)
/grins and giggles - thanks for being such a good sport Mrs. Linster!!!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Kathy Richardson Piloted in North Carolina
These teachers seem pretty pumped to be using Kathy Richardson's assessments! (Hope they synchronize those Palms! /shudder)
Bobbie, Meredith and I attended a workshop with Kathy last Spring. We spent part of the week (mainly the parts related to eating large Texas hamburgers) with 2 representatives from The North Carolina Department of Education. It is good to see that their planned implementation is receiving a lot of buy-in from teachers, administrators, and local TV stations.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Comparing Fractions, with Reason
Students in Mrs. Knox's classroom have been comparing fractions, decimals, and percents by reasoning about the relative size of their pieces. In this video - a follow-up to the previous day's lesson - students explain their conjectures about why 7/8 is larger than 5/6.
In fact, they said their conjecture would work for any fraction that was 1/nth less than the whole! Students tested these conjectures by creating additional fractions to compare. In the process, students also began noticing equivalent fractions. It was exciting to hear students talk about their understandings! One of their next steps will be to master the mathematical language and clearly articulate their understandings and discoveries.
Are other 5th grade classrooms making similar conjectures? We'd love to hear about them here at TCSD Math!
Grappling with Fractions from (Chris) on Vimeo.
In fact, they said their conjecture would work for any fraction that was 1/nth less than the whole! Students tested these conjectures by creating additional fractions to compare. In the process, students also began noticing equivalent fractions. It was exciting to hear students talk about their understandings! One of their next steps will be to master the mathematical language and clearly articulate their understandings and discoveries.
Are other 5th grade classrooms making similar conjectures? We'd love to hear about them here at TCSD Math!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Angle Sums Round Two
Angle Sums Round Two from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Okay, Springcreek - ready for round two? Download the Angles and Sums sketch right here.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Angle Sums of Any Polygon
I've created a couple of very short tutorials to assist students in using Sketchpad to investigate lesson 3.2 from Stretching and Shrinking. Here is the sketch to go along with them: Download Sketch
Angle Sums - Tia's Method from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Angle Sums - Cody's Method from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Angle Sums - Tia's Method from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Angle Sums - Cody's Method from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Finland's Education Success
Parents + Teamwork + Trust
It is interesting that in the developed world, Finnish children spend the least number of hours in school per day, yet produce the best results.
It is interesting that in the developed world, Finnish children spend the least number of hours in school per day, yet produce the best results.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Looking at Letters
Most of us know that reading aloud to our children is critical in laying a strong foundation for success and enjoyment in reading. Do we provide the same experiences in mathematics?
Practice being a keen observer with children whenever possible. Notice patterns on clothing, details in pictures, plants, and in the street you live on. Talk with your children and really listen to what they are saying. Don't think you have to know an answer to every problem or question! That is one of the best examples we can set for our kids: teach them that asking questions can be more important than answering them!
I've been enjoying many of the activities in Family Math for Young Children by Coates and Stenmark. One of our favorite activities is called, Looking at Letters. It is a simple, yet powerful activity about observation. I think this is a worthwhile activity for Pre K and Kindergarten classrooms where children are beginning to master their letters, and are ready for a more challenging way of looking at them. We use an old coffee bag to keep our letters in.
On a recent snow day, we had some fun with letters.
Looking at Letters from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Practice being a keen observer with children whenever possible. Notice patterns on clothing, details in pictures, plants, and in the street you live on. Talk with your children and really listen to what they are saying. Don't think you have to know an answer to every problem or question! That is one of the best examples we can set for our kids: teach them that asking questions can be more important than answering them!
I've been enjoying many of the activities in Family Math for Young Children by Coates and Stenmark. One of our favorite activities is called, Looking at Letters. It is a simple, yet powerful activity about observation. I think this is a worthwhile activity for Pre K and Kindergarten classrooms where children are beginning to master their letters, and are ready for a more challenging way of looking at them. We use an old coffee bag to keep our letters in.On a recent snow day, we had some fun with letters.
Looking at Letters from (Chris) on Vimeo.
Pi Day is Just aROUND the Corner!
Catch the web presentation, Slices of Pi, by Andres Marti. Slices of Pi provides you an opportunity to engage in Sketchpad activities that explore circles and use dynamic approaches to reveal the value of pi. In this webinar, you will:
- plot geometric measurements to derive the circumference-to-diameter ratio, then slice up a circle to derive the area formula
- explore simple animations that unexpectedly reveal pi
- investigate inscribed polygons, equations of circles, and the relationship between circles and ellipses.
Choose one of two offerings:
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM EST
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST
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