Math Matters

Math Cut Ups Edition, Volume 11 September 2015

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Its finally fall and while in many parts of the country its already getting slightly cooler, here in Texas we are eagerly awaiting the first front this weekend to cool things off. In honor of all things fall, and some pumpkin spice in hand, this newsletter brings you fun ideas you can use for the next month to connect and engage your students.

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Survey and Graph

Do a survey each week on your class board. Then graph the data. start in lower grades with a dot (line) plot, bar graph, or pictograph to reinforce these concepts. Middle school students can take a stacked, colored bar graph, cut it out, and then make a circle graph. Figure the percent of the circle comprised of each color. Discuss how the percentages might change with more data. In high school explore 2 variable graphs. Are there survey's that produce more linear data vs non-linear data?

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Pumpkin Measurement Galore!

Use several pumpkins of assorted sizes. Have students estimate and then weigh them. Compare estimates to the actual weight. In algebra plot a graph of the estimate vs actual weights, and use the linear parent function to determine if students are an over-guesser or under-guesser (or plot a regression line to find the error of estimate to actual). Practicing measuring the girth of the pumpkins using string. Middle school students can discover pi using the circumference and diameter ratios. Cut pumpkins and scope out seeds. How many seeds does each have? Is there a relationship between number of seeds and size? Find the volume of a pumpkin, find an average number of seeds, find the median weight....the possibilities for math are endless!

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Debate some Football

The NFL recently changed the distance required for the extra point kick, the one they do right after a touchdown, to 33 yards. (The old rule required kicking a distance of 20 yards to earn the extra point.) Now teams must weigh their chances of making this kick with the chances of getting the extra 2 point conversion on a run from the 2-yard line. Which is better? Which will pay off more in the long run? Explore this question and more on Yummy Math this month.

Texas Math Resources

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TEKS Supporting information

Recently the TEA posted on Project Share documents that provide supporting information, or depth and clarification, for teaching the revised 2012 Math TEKS.

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Interactive Math Glossary

Also available to support teaching math is an Interactive Math Glossary available through project share. This glossary not only contains words, but presented in a Frayer model format, provides teachers with examples and non-examples to help students develop a formal definition of each term. In addition, many terms in the glossary also provide an activity or interactive applet to help build connections.

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Other Math TEA Resources

TEA also has a whole page devoted just to resource links for math teachers and also for parents. Use the side-by-side documents to see how the TEKS changed from the old to the current versions. Use the vertical alignment charts to see how student skills develop and build over time. Connect with online PD that supports your needs. Plus much more.

Classroom Instructional Focus

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Why do we teach math differently today?

Perhaps you've been asked by a parent why the math we teach in classes today is so different than the way they learned it "back then". Or maybe you've see the countless shared posts on Facebook about someone's frustration with the math material a student was asked to complete at home. Regardless, if you teach math today, then you have, or soon will, experience this parent concern. Mostly when asked I try to explain that our goal is to develop a sense of number and numeric understanding in students, so that they don't just have to rely on memorization of a procedure as they mature. When students become adults, they may not have to recite the quadratic formula again, but having an understanding of how numbers work, and having the ability to use sense making, and problem solving skills becomes more important. Sure, we can teach them just the algorithmic approach so that it is easier for parents to help at home, but is that really supporting the goal of developing our students into future adults who can say they can do math rather than adults like today who willingly admit when they "top out" in their math ability? Check out this linked video, and perhaps post it on your own parent information newsletter or your class website, to help explain why the math we do today looks differently than in the past.

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Supporting Parents with EduSMART

Parents often struggle at home with supporting learning because they don't know how it is modeled in the classroom. One way teachers can help their students' parents is using Edusmart. Edusmart lessons can be developed that target a skill modeled in class, and then sent home to parents as a link. Click here to view a parent connection lesson on Dividing Fractions with Models.

If you are interested in learning more check out EduSmart Math today. And if you have questions or thoughts, please email me anytime!

Math Cut Ups Featured Title: Slope Triangles

Math Cut Ups are the heart of what I love to do. This is because they are designed to be hands on, student friendly ways to engage students to do more math. No one wants to work problems on a boring worksheet. Math Cut Ups take the problems off the worksheet and make them interactive and more fun for students.

This month I'm featuring a brand new title called Slope Triangles. I created this one for a workshop coming up at a conference. The focus in this activity is to develop students' understanding of slope as a rate, and that the rate, or slope, of a line is the same regardless of which two points you select. In middle school, students use the "slope triangle" to find the rate. First students will review graph cards that show plotted lines with the slope triangles drawn. Find two cards that show the same slope by finding triangles with the same rate of change (vertical/horizontal). Then math each pair of graph cards to a fraction card showing the slope in simplest form. Have students compare the rate, in fraction form, from each slope triangle to the simplest form and discuss how equivalent fractions are applied. Once students understand the slope, then match the set of cards to an equation card showing the same slope to connect from the graph to an equation form of slope.

Each package comes with 10 full sets (5 sets of A cards and 5 sets of B cards) so that you can put students in small groups of 3 and have everyone engaged. Trade sets when one is completed for more practice. All materials are pre-printed on colored cardstock. Each package is just $15 and comes ready to laminate, cut, and use!

Visit my square market page for purchasing or visit my full website for more titles and ideas. I also have a Facebook page, Twitter account, and a Pinterest page if you are interested in following me there.