Mr. L's Math» Mr. L’s Videos

Ring a Bell Numbers Video – Fun Math in the Classroom

Bill Lombard — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:41:33 +0000

Ring a Bell Numbers is one of my favorite game-type activities in the classroom since it allows numbers from outside the classroom to enter my students’ lives in a fun, engaging way. Here are some reasons to use this activity:

Good for class game by teams
Excellent way to reinforce the importance of numbers
Shows numbers as part of common knowledge
Great way to review vocabulary
Provides segue into lesson
Engages all levels of learners
Relates mathematics to the real world

Some great pedagogical information from M. B. Rowe. Wait, Wait, Wait. . . .School Science and Mathematics:

Length of students responses increases
Number of unsolicited, appropriate responses increases
Failures to respond decrease
Students’ confidence in their answers increases
Speculative thinking increases
Students ask more questions
Contributions by slow learners increase
Disciplinary actions decrease

Try this out with your students and bring math joy into their lives and yours as well. For more math videos from Bill Lombard, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/mathvideouniversity/

Math Made Fun – a Video Series for Math Mavens and Future Math Mavens

Bill Lombard — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 19:19:48 +0000

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

How Many Solutions Are There? – Video Part 1, Linear Equations

Bill Lombard — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 01:39:13 +0000

How Many Solutions Are There - Linear Equations

After working with a concept for awhile, students need to be able to think clearly about the process. This series of worksheets and videos concentrate on asking students to determine HOW MANY solutions exist for particular situations.

Student Directions:

For the given questions, circle the number of solutions. Then state clearly how you determined your answer. NOTE: You may refer to the actual solution, but we are looking for the number of correct solutions.

Explain the reasoning you used to determine your answer. You may use diagrams and symbols, but should explain in words how you arrived at the answer.

Click on How Many Solutions Are There – Linear Equations for the printable pdf file.

Video – Reverse the Math Puzzle, Part 2: Using 1, 3, and 5

Bill Lombard — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:27:28 +0000

Here’s Part 2 of the Reverse the Math Puzzle: Using the numbers 1, 3, and 5, and mathematical operations, create expressions that equal the numbers from 1 through 10. This puzzle increases number sense and reinforces the concepts of exponents, factorials, and operations. You can see Part 1 here.

Video – Standardized Test Strategy – Factoring Quadratic Polynomials

Bill Lombard — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:38:26 +0000

The Factoring Quadratic Polynomials video shares five approaches/techniques I take in class with students when explaining how to do well on standardized tests. I factor five polynomials using these techniques – remember to pause and rewind as you watch – you’re in total control.

Video – Standardized Test Strategy – Working Backwards

Bill Lombard — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:01:07 +0000

The Standardized Test Strategy – Working Backwards video shares one approach I take in class with students when explaining how to do well on standardized tests. It’s helpful to have the correct answer as one of the possible answers given on the test. It’s even nicer when you have some strategies to make it even easier to score better!

You can play the video here or find it on my mathvideouniversity channel on youtube: Standardized Test Strategy – Working Backwards

Video – Standardized Test Strategy – Eliminate Impossible Answers

Bill Lombard — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:40:11 +0000

The Standardized Test Strategy – Eliminate Impossible Answers video shares the approach I take in class with students when explaining how to do well on standardized tests. There’s a lot of good thinking that can be found in multiple choice tests, and I stress with students that they want to be “smart test-takers” when doing these tests. I don’t give answers here, but point students in the right direction so they don’t make obvious mistakes.

You can play the video here or find it on my mathvideouniversity channel on youtube: Standardized Test Strategy – Eliminate Impossible Answers

Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle Part 2 – Solution

Bill Lombard — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:31:09 +0000

The Sum Equals Product Puzzle Part 2 – Solution shares the video showing the approach I took to solve this puzzle, which asks “Can you find a set of positive integers whose sum equals their product?” The original problem some extensions, and the generalization are shown, along with the algebra proof.

You can play the video here or find it on my youtube channel, mathvideouniversity: Sum Equals Product Puzzle Part 2 – Solution

Line by Line – A Mathematical Puzzle Poem Made of Numbers

Bill Lombard — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 00:17:46 +0000

Line by Line – A Mathematical Puzzle Poem gives the reader clues about a mathematical poem made up of numbers. Each line gives a clue about the line following. Line by Line, Part 2 will present the solution.

Here is where you can find this (somewhat ) classic poser on youtube: A Mathematical Puzzle Poem

Video – Sum Equals Product Puzzle – Part 1

Bill Lombard — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:20:09 +0000

Sum Equals Product video screenshot

Here’s a puzzle from the California Math Communicator, the quarterly math journal for California’s math teachers from the California Math Council.

The Sum Equals Product Puzzle asks the question, “Can you find two positive integers whose sum equals their product?” Bill Lombard shares this problem and shows several extensions of this puzzle about number sense. Part 2, the next video in this series, will show the solution, Bill’s method of solving, extensions, the generalization, and some pedagogy of teaching problem solving in the math classroom.

Here’s the link to Sum Equals Product Puzzle as posted on my mathvideouniversity Channel on youtube.

Best wishes as you explore this puzzle either on your own or with your classroom of inquiring minds.