KenKen for Teachers & Students – a Harvard Professor Speaks Up

12 August 2009

From the official KenKen site:
A lot of people are puzzled. They can’t believe that KenKen, something so delightfully addictive, so FUN, has an educational pedigree. It’s true. KenKen has academic benefits — from increasing numeracy skills and logical thinking to developing concentration, perseverance and stamina — and it has its roots in a Japanese classroom, [...]

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Google SketchUp – Add Spice to Your 3D Geometry Lessons

12 August 2009

Here’s another computer tool to bring alive 3D geometry in your classes – you may even encourage students to explore a career in design, construction, architecture, or landscaping!
You can use Google SketchUp to create, modify and share 3D models.
It was designed to be easier to use than other 3D Computer Assisted Design (CAD) programs. SketchUp [...]

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Math Students Tackle Cryptography – a New Codemaking & Breaking Curriculum

6 August 2009

The following is taken from a web article found on the Chicago Tribune website:
A team of University of Illinois at Chicago professors has crafted a math curriculum based on cryptography, the science of making and breaking codes. They were recently awarded a five-year, $2.5 million National Science Foundation grant to turn the lessons into an [...]

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Most Lucrative College Degrees – Do the Math!

3 August 2009

A 24 July, 2009 article on cnnmoney.com paints a rosy picture for many college grads who can Do the Math. Math teachers – this might be some good motivational material to use at the start of school this year. Here’s some of the article’s info:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Math majors don’t always get much respect [...]

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The Game of Hex – an Online Resource

28 July 2009

Here’s a nice online version of the popular strategy game Hex. It’s one of the this collection of 100 JavaScript games to play online. The MathsClass blog mentions it in an April 2009 blog entry.
It’s possible to demonstrate how to play Hex to a class if you have an LCD projector, and you can play [...]

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No Child Left Behind and Global Competitiveness – a Video by Yong Zhao

28 July 2009

The following is information from the Mobile Learning Institute, which has the byline, “Shaping the Future of Teachers and Students Through Mobile Technologies and 21st-Century Skills.” The Mobile Learning Institute’s film series “A 21st Century Education” profiles individuals who embrace and defend fresh approaches to learning and who confront the urgent social challenges that are [...]

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Mean versus the Median – Understand the Difference

25 July 2009

There is not just one “average”, but several. Depending on the information you wish to describe, or the point you’re trying to make, you can use the mean, median, or mode to describe the average. Here’s a nice article from Darwin’s Finance website, which has the byline “Financial Evolution: Education, Adaptation, Achievement”, showing how great [...]

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20 Free Math Resources for Classroom Teachers

24 July 2009

Guest post from Karen Schweitzer, the About.com Guide to Business School
Are you looking for fun activities to engage your math students? Would you like interactive ways to explain difficult mathematical concepts? The resources you need are only a click away. There are tons of free online lesson plans, activities, and resources specifically designed to entertain [...]

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Strategy Games and Other Fun Resources from N.C.T.M.

3 July 2009

Here’s some fun to brighten your summer days! NCTM has a nice resource page for teachers and students full of website links and paper/pencil activities. You can find the site titled “Let the Summer Games Begin!!!” And these resources are not just for the summer. I’ve already planned to use some of them during the [...]

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Summer Splash – the Association of Illinois Middle Schools Annual Conference

23 June 2009

I just finished presenting a workshop for the Association of Illinois Middle Schools Annual Conference in Normal, Illinois (home of Illinois State Univ.) and enjoyed it tremendously. I had the pleasure of interacting with 150 middle school teachers and once again working with the AIMS staff – a real class act! Here’s what the AIMS [...]

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