Monday Must Reads: Volume 29

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Happy Monday! It’s time again for a new volume of Monday Must Reads. I’m extra thankful for having a relaxing weekend with no workshop presentations to give! Speaking of workshop presentations, I need to start trying to turn my presentation into a series of blog posts.

Here are the “must-read” ideas I ran across this week on twitter and in my RSS feed!

Median = Mean = Mode = Range

Team Maths shares a great new task from the great Don Steward. If you haven’t checked out Don’s blog, you need to stop everything and check it out right now! Now, we just need to convince Don to join us on twitter…

Image Source: https://twitter.com/Team_Maths1/status/959886243956961280

Radicals and Area Puzzle

Working on radicals with your students? Check out this great problem that Hannah found and shared on twitter! To the best of my knowledge, the problem was originally created by Jason Steele.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/missradders/status/958415445106847751

Circle Radius Puzzle

Chris Smith has featured a great geometry puzzle in his weekly newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for this bit of brilliance that arrives in your inbox once a week, you need to do so now! You can sign up for free by sending Chris an email at aap03102(at)gmail(dot)com.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/aap03102/status/959725965957050368

February Math Fact-orial

Need further proof that Chris Smith is amazing? Check out this awesome fact about February!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/aap03102/status/958957329944375296

Matching Expressions and Visuals

David Wees shares a great image to spark conversations about connecting representations in math. I see so much potential for using this in my classroom!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/davidwees/status/959822804995645441

Linear vs Exponential vs Quadratic Task

Here’s another great task from David Wees.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/davidwees/status/958439235672948736

Exponent Rules True and False Activity

Exponent rules are such a tricky thing to teach. I especially like this approach from Kristin McNair where students are given answers and have to determine if they are true or false.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/McNairMathTeach/status/918548681082724352

Geometric Probability with Nerf Guns

Geometric probability has never been my favorite topic to teach, but Mrs. Palker‘s approach to this topic with nerf guns makes it sound like a fun topic to teach!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/PalkerMath/status/910625889125199873

Like Terms Card Sort

Mrs. Helms shares a great idea for practicing identifying like terms: a card sort. I’ve played games before to practice this, but I think my students would benefit from doing a card sort BEFORE playing the game. I could even use the same cards for the sort and the game!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/mrs_helms311/status/959463135831822336

Algebra Quotes

Randy Miller shares some great quotes of how people use algebra in their day-to-day lives. I’d love to do something similar and collect quotes from people in our community!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/randy_miller5/status/959516775565201408

Valentine’s Day Projects

Clarissa Grandi shares some great Valentine’s day projects to bring a little more creative, artsy math into your classroom! Check out Clarissa’s beautiful, inspiring blog here.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/c0mplexnumber/status/959170359768616961

Systems of Equations Card Sort

Tony M shared a great card sort activity from ATM Mathematics, and it has got me thinking about how I want to approach our upcoming unit on systems of equations. Instead of just giving students a system of equations to solve, I can give them cards with pieces of information that can be COMBINED to allow them to solve the problems.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/T0nymca/status/959450348418224136

Student Reflection

I’ve been on the lookout lately for ways to make students more responsible for their own learning. I was very excited to come across this idea from Mrs PB. I need to find ways to have students reflect on their own work BEFORE they turn it in. I see potential for using this in math class!

Parallel and Perpendicular Color Coding Activity

Elissa Miller shares a great color-sorting task for parallel and perpendicular lines. I especially like the fact that different representations of lines are used instead of solely using equations like I’ve done in the past.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/misscalcul8

Areas of Circles and Sectors Hands-On Activity

I love seeing the great, hands-on activities that Shaun Carter comes up with for his geometry classes. This area of a circle task is no exception. Check out Shaun’s blog to find more details and free printables here.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/theshauncarter/status/959545089264627712

Color Coding Polynomials

Shaun Carter further inspires with a great example of color with a purpose in regards to analyzing the graphs of polynomials. You can find the download for this file on Shaun’s blog here.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/theshauncarter/status/958823652635660289

Kisses and Confidence Intervals

I am definitely a chocolate lover. So, when I saw that S. Leigh Nataro combined chocolate kisses with confidence intervals, I knew I had to file this idea away for the next time I teach stats! Check out her blog post here.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/mathteacher24/status/959538284874600453

Fractal Wall Art

I love this beautiful fractal display from Kate Mitchell.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/K8Mitch16/status/860221751304835072

3D Printing Trophies

What cooler way to celebrate the winner of a roller coaster design challenge than 3D printed trophies?!? What a great idea from Steve Maier!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/SteveMaier_/status/959492562708041729

WODB with Pattern Blocks

I love using WODB (Which one doesn’t belong?) in my classroom. Miss Arndt combined cookie sheets, pattern blocks, and tape to give students a chance to create their own!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/Miss_K_Arndt/status/867460075169992706

Sierpinski Triangle Counting Task

How would your students fare if you posed the same question to your class as Mr. Dyck?

Image Source: https://twitter.com/MrKSDyck/status/918562098552213504

Time to Solve the Tower of Hanoi Puzzle

I’m sure most of you are already familiar with the Tower of Hanoi puzzle. But, have you ever thought of it in terms of the time required to solve the puzzle? Thanks to TeatherBoard for sharing this photo which has got my mind working up some ideas for using this in my classroom!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/TeatherBoard/status/954781209938206720

Distributive Property with Dice in Dice

Gina Ging shares a brilliant idea for using dice in dice to make an engaging distributive property activity. I love how the inner die determines the sign of the number displayed on the outer die.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/KlineGina/status/959472409995808768

What were the Questions?

Julie Morgan has got my mind working overtime with ideas of how to adapt this question structure for my Algebra 1 classes.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/fractionfanatic/status/959465151069122560

Tracing Puzzles

I was excited to run across some great puzzles on twitter from Gareth Ffowc Roberts. How many of these diagrams can you trace without ever raising your pencil or going over the same line twice?

Image Source: https://twitter.com/GarethFfowc/status/959329024844722176

Forgotten Polynomials

Paul Jorgens‘ Forgotten Polynomial task will definitely be making an appearance in my polynomials unit!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/pejorgens/status/959181011882921984

Algebra Tile Polynomial Puzzles

Here’s another great polynomial task from Paul Jorgens.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/pejorgens/status/958110130494558210

Fastest Fingers Calculator Task

My favorite activity shared by Paul this week, though, is this “Fastest Fingers” task to motivate the zero product property. This is pure brilliance.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/pejorgens/status/958816752976015360

Demonstrating Inverses with Patty Paper

If you aren’t using patty paper in your classroom, you are missing out. Amber Longhi shares an idea for using patty paper to demonstrate functions and their inverses.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/Amber_Longhi/status/959163559329648640

Function Auction Money

Madi Roberts took my Function Auction lesson to the next level by putting her own face on the money!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/MrsRobertsACHS/status/959085697662582786

Super Bowl WODB

Want to incorporate the Super Bowl into your class? Check out this WODB (Which One Doesn’t Belong?) activity from Parmenter Math.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/ParmenterMath/status/959045943017529344

Composite Area Puzzle

Louis Lantiere combines a composite area problem with an open middle problem, and the result is awesome!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/LouisLantiere/status/959070659606384641

One Quarter Fraction Challenge

Mr. Brad Evans shares a fun, fraction challenge: how many different ways can you show 1/4?

Image Source: https://twitter.com/MrBDEvans/status/958716239119048705

The Power of One Bulletin Board

Lisa Eischens inspires with some amazing mathematical bulletin boards!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/EischensLisa/status/934979087919132672

Imaginary Number Valentine’s Day Bulletin Board

Image Source: https://twitter.com/EischensLisa/status/958895569845530624

Mean Value Theorem Popcorn Lesson

I’ve never taught calculus, but this visual from Nicole Lalanne is brilliant. I’ll never think about the Mean Value Theorem the same way every again!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/NHLalanne/status/958144206408704000

Classroom Tombstone

Jenise Sexton has convinced me that I need a tombstone in my classroom. Check out Jenise’s post here for more details.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/MrsJeniseSexton/status/958176725451632641

Alternatives to “I Don’t Know…”

Coach Fred is also fighting against “I don’t know.”

Partner Test

Charlotte Anne shares an assessment idea that has me intrigued. 2/3 of their test grade is determined by a traditional test. The other 1/3 is determined by a hands-on activity that is completed with a partner.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/CJIhme/status/958472849261555713

Visualizing the Size of an Atom

I’ve been working hard to get my chemistry students to wrap their minds around just how tiny an atom is and how tiny the nucleus is in regards to the entire atom. I love this visual from Andy. Now, I just need to modify it to center over Oklahoma to give my students a better idea of how big it is!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/MrTickers/status/958455878159609856

Golden Ratio Projects

I’m fully convinced that Jennifer Abel gives her geometry students the most interesting projects. Check out these golden ratio projects.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/abel_jennifer/status/958429822895755264

Integral Drawing Competition

Elyssa Stoddard knows how to inject some healthy competition into math class by having an integral drawing competition. I can SO see myself doing this with squiggly brackets in Algebra 1!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/math_stodd/status/958424403964030978

Personalizing Word Problems

Julia Anker shares a tiny lesson tweak that could make all the difference with your students.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/AnkerMath/status/958423490314485760

Binary Flippy Do

I’ve always struggled to understand how to write numbers in other bases. I think seeing something like this “Flippy Do” from WSD STEAM Students to explain binary would help me understand binary!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/steamrway/status/958386411379548160

Shattered Window Task

Mr Etheridge shares an awesome task to use when studying area.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/Mr_Etheridge23/status/958078759785115648

Adding Radicals Magic Square

Do your students need practice adding/subtracting radicals (surds)? Check out this magic square task from Mr Knowles.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/SK18Maths/status/958065302264217600

Coordinates Task

Marcus Wong shares a great task involving analyzing coordinates. This could be easily adapted to focusing on graphing in all four quadrants.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/MarcusWongEdu1/status/957928580427722753

What is the Same? What is Different?

Mrs. Donavan offers an example of a structure that can be applied to so many different math topics. What is the SAME? What is DIFFERENT?

Image Source: https://twitter.com/KristieDonavan/status/942496486964658176

Super Bowl Data Tasks

I realize the Super Bowl will be over by the time you read this, but I can’t leave out this awesome Super Bowl themed task from Leslie Lewis.

Image Source: https://twitter.com/leslie2lewis/status/957997556306468864

Factoring Monomials Activities

Lisa Richardson has shared some awesome factoring activities on her blog that you must check out!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/CBHSRichMath/status/957994019044372481

Sticky Note Strategy

Jade White shares a great idea for using sticky notes to allow students to correct their mistakes without erasing their previous work. Brilliant!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/JadeMohrWhite/status/830188742719574016

Capital F Puzzle

Benjamin Dickman shares an awesome puzzle that will definitely be making an appearance on my puzzle table!

Image Source: https://twitter.com/benjamindickman/status/957970769765715968

Until next week, keep sharing!

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One Comment

  1. Quite a collection!
    I particularly like Louis Lantiere's area task, though it's perhaps a bit too complex for me: with a slightly simpler task it might be easier to avoid trial and error.

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