Baravelle's Spiral - Cord Heath

On my mathvideouniversity site on youtube, I’ve begun a series of videos intended to bring FUN into the math classroom while still teaching sound mathematics. My coauthor, Brad Fulton, and I have created literally thousands of pages of activities on Microsoft Word and PowerPoint that are currently residing on our hard drives. Prior to making these videos, the only people who were able to take advantage of these resources were our students and the folks who attended our workshops/conferences or bought our books and DVDs.

We want to make this exciting mathematics more available to a wider audience, and have decided that creating online videos will do the trick! Our goal is to create videos of 5 – 10 minute duration that are tightly focused around one topic that show some fascinating aspects of mathematics. Here are some ways/reasons these videos can be used:

• It’s possible to do things on a video that are not able to be done in a classroom
• Students can watch these videos any time – pause/rewind any part of video
• Parents/tutors can watch with students to give help as needed
  
• They allow parents to keep in contact with what’s going on in the classroom
• A new model: Instruction can happen outside the classroom & tutoring can happen inside the classroom
• Students need to see that education/training is available to suit their schedules
• Allows educators to view video to improve instructional strategies
• Can be used for teacher inservice training at workshops/faculty meetings
  
• Can be used for individual teacher enrichment/education
• Can showcase teachers at their best – without having to deal with daily issues
• And lastly, a substitute can show the video so that instruction can take place in a teacher’s absence

Related posts:

1. Ring a Bell Numbers Video – Fun Math in the Classroom
2. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle – Part 1
3. How Many Solutions Are There? – Video Part 1, Linear Equations
4. Video – Reverse the Math Puzzle, Part 2: Using 1, 3, and 5

Embedded KenKen Player

KenKen Player – Now you can play KenKen on the mrlsmath.com website.

Click the following link for the newly released (Beta version) of the online KenKen Player, from the makers of the game that’s catching on in math classes across the U.S.A. Enjoy the experience; it’s a great way to share the game in a classroom of inquiring minds. Please keep in mind that this is a Beta version of the software that’s embedded in my blog; there may be glitches, and if so, please let me know so I can report back to the folks at kenken.com.

Related posts:

1. KenKen Player – Now at Home on mrlsmath
2. Bill Gets His GeoGebra Trainer Certificate – Anyone Want Some Training?
3. GeoGebra Prim – a Simpler Version of GeoGebra for Younger Students
4. KenKen Presentations at NCTM 2011 Annual Meeting

Games and Puzzles that Reach the Kids and Teach the Standards – download file

Puzzles and Games are a great way to build enthusiasm, excitement, and skills in a math classroom. When these are used properly, there is always an underlying mathematical theme that is being explored or reinforced. Students learn the value of logical thinking, proper planning, and long-term focus.

Mathematical games can develop a lot of creativity and number sense in students. Many times a game or puzzle at first looks overwhelming, but becomes manageable after focusing on the key concept. Motivation is almost always inherent in a game or puzzle; this creates conceptual emotion which is a key to successful learning.

Opportunities for transitioning from number sense to algebra thinking abound with puzzles. Number properties show their strength in supporting algebra throughout puzzle activities. It’s always a pleasure to watch the enthusiasm and skills grow in students!

Some of these activities are from Teacher to Teacher Press books:

Simply Great Math Games

Simply Great Math Activities:  Algebra Readiness

Simply Great Math Activities:  Number Sense

Put these activities, puzzles, games, and ideas into regular practice, you will find increased skills and motivation in your students and more joy in your teaching.

Best wishes,

Bill Lombard (a.k.a. Mr. L)

Related posts:

1. Algebra Problem Solving with the new Common Core Standards
2. Reverse the Math Puzzle Using 2, 3, and 4
3. Video – Reverse the Math Puzzle, Part 2: Using 1, 3, and 5
4. Magic Square Products Solutions – a New Twist on an Old Puzzle Pretzel

The preceding post has a video showing teachers the pedagogical structure of the activity.

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Related posts:

1. Ring a Bell Numbers Video – Fun Math in the Classroom
2. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle – Part 1
3. Math Made Fun – a Video Series for Math Mavens and Future Math Mavens
4. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle Part 2 – Solution

This video will be followed by a video for students that can be used for instruction in the classroom.

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Related posts:

1. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle – Part 1
2. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle Part 2 – Solution
3. Math Made Fun – a Video Series for Math Mavens and Future Math Mavens
4. Ring a Bell Numbers Video – Fun Math in the Classroom

The “obvious” answer is 25 m.p.h., but that would be wrong. Take a quick look at a slideshow of some of the projects my students have done to see some nice explanations of confounding problems like these.

Simply stated, since the car spends more time traveling at the slower speed, this has the effect of reducing the average rate of speed below the average of 20 and 30. The surprising answer to this poser is 24 m.p.h.

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Related posts:

1. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle Part 2 – Solution
2. Algebra Problem Solving with the new Common Core Standards
3. How Many Solutions Are There? – Video Part 1, Linear Equations
4. Video – Standardized Test Strategy – Working Backwards
5. Math Made Fun – a Video Series for Math Mavens and Future Math Mavens

Here’s a project that’s good for both algebra and geometry subjects. It has simple directions and teaches students to make accurate measurements and pay attention to symmetry and overall page layout. You can learn how to present the project to your students by viewing this screencast, or simply use  an LCD projector to show your students directly in class. Pause the screencast as needed during construction steps.

Enjoy your projects and your students will thank you when they see how nice their projects look!

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Related posts:

1. Friday Afternoon Lifesavers – Math Videos from Bill Lombard – ppt
2. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle – Part 1
3. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle Part 2 – Solution
4. Video – Reverse the Math Puzzle, Part 2: Using 1, 3, and 5
5. How Many Solutions Are There? – Video Part 1, Linear Equations

Here’s a sure-fire winner for Pi Day: have your students create Haiku poems about pi, called Pi-ku’s. Students can create one, two, or three Haiku stanzas, as well as a graphic depicting their poem. This is a great way to bring language arts, graphic arts, and mathematics together in one place! My 10th graders are doing this for Pi Day this year, and my 9th graders are creating other artistic works for mathematicians’ favorite day. You can see some of their work from prior years at Mr. L’s Student Project Work.

- From Mr. L – You can view the embedded slideshow above or download my PowerPoint presentation to introduce Pi-ku to your students. This includes several examples so kids can get the idea.

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No related posts.

Friday Afternoon Lifesavers are exactly what they sound like: at the end of the week when you and your students are running out of gas, these activities come to the rescue. They are mathematical, engaging, fun, and give the teacher a much-needed break.

Kids become better problem solvers by solving spatial visualization puzzles. Part 7 of Friday Afternoon Lifesavers featured Twins; it asked students to dissect a figure into two smaller, congruent figures. This activity asks for a subdivision into three congruent parts. Students are given non-standard shapes and asked to divide them into two congruent parts. Kids love this type of challenge; this activity engages all students and gives the teacher the opportunity to circulate the room and give encouragement and advice as needed without student management issues.

This activity provides the teacher the option to teach/reinforce the concepts of congruence and geometric transformations. Also available here are area, distance, angular measure, and perimeter teaching opportunities.

After students solve as many shape puzzles as they can, the teacher has the chance to take them to the next level. Hand out some blank grid paper and encourage them to create their own Triples; the only requirement is that line segments must begin and end on the intersection of two grid lines. By asking them to design these types of puzzles, students can appreciate the skill it takes to create a good puzzle by turning two congruent shapes into a larger shape and “disguising the line of separation.”

The downloadable pdf file includes the Student Puzzle Page, a Solution Page, and a blank grid page.

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Related posts:

1. Friday Afternoon Lifesavers – Math Videos from Bill Lombard – ppt
2. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle – Part 1
3. Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle Part 2 – Solution
4. How Many Solutions Are There? – Video Part 1, Linear Equations

Projects are a great way for students to demonstrate their understanding of mathematics in a colorful, artistic way. When using GeoGebra, the open-source Geometry-Algebra-Graphing software, their projects rise to a new height. Many of these projects are as good as those you run across on the internet, and many can be used as instructional aids in the classroom.

Last week my 9th grade classes spent two days in the computer lab creating these projects. Each student signed up for a different parabola, then created its graph using GeoGebra. They were asked to use a font large enough to read when their projects were displayed using an LCD classroom projector, and also to use color to enhance understanding. When they completed the graph in GeoGebra, they exported it to MS Word for final editing. Using Text Boxes in Word they were able to list some of the properties of their parabola. This was a nice project since it required students to learn skills needed to communicate their ideas to others. When done, students printed their projects, my Teacher Aides uploaded them to my Picasa website, and now anyone can view their finished works of art/math. Below is a slideshow of their work.

Projects can be created on computer, or can be made using paper/pencil. The end result is a demonstration of mathematics in an alternative way. I encourage you to give projects a try; your students will surely thank you!

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Related posts:

1. GeoGebra Prim – a Simpler Version of GeoGebra for Younger Students
2. Bill Gets His GeoGebra Trainer Certificate – Anyone Want Some Training?
3. GeoGebra – Let Me Count the Ways We Like You
4. Algebra Problem Solving with the new Common Core Standards