Students will work in pairs to match up the triples. I am going to provide them with a worksheet to record their information. Students will need to work through all 5 sets during the class period. I did make some sets easier than others. Cards are 3 1/2" wide by 3" tall and were originally done in Word. Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Transformations Matching Cards
In my Advanced Algebra 2 class, we discussed the rules for transforming equations (shifts, compressing/stretching and reflections). Tomorrow is our last day before Winter Break (staff still has to go Friday), so rather than give practice problems that won't get done, I put together matching cards. I wrote 6 equations that are transformed from a base function, graphed them on the TI-84 and screen captured them, and wrote the description of how the new graph was transformed from the original. I did 5 sets. Then I put codes in the corner of each card (F#, G#, D#).
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Students Hate Word Problems
Today, I quizzed my Advanced Algebra 2 students and part of the quiz included Linear Programming problems. They did poorly. Part of it may be that we did it before Thanksgiving, and part of it may be they just don't care about word problems. As they came into class today, several of them commented something along the lines of "I hate word problems. Why do we have to do word problems?" My answer was that word problems are the application of the mathematics, and it shows you where in the "real-world" that the mathematics is used. They weren't thrilled.
Over the last few years, I have taught word problems less and less. Mainly, this has been because we have so much material to cover in Algebra 2 and I have to make sure they are prepared for state tests as well. But I also realize I am doing them a disservice. Word problems are the application. How are they going to be able to apply the mathematics?
So how do you get students to not hate word problems? I know part of the answer is along the lines of what Dan Meyer is doing, but, let's face it, it's kind of hard to do that with Algebra 2 topics. So, what's the answer? How do you get students (particularly ones who have not done much with word problems for many reasons), to not hate word problems?
Over the last few years, I have taught word problems less and less. Mainly, this has been because we have so much material to cover in Algebra 2 and I have to make sure they are prepared for state tests as well. But I also realize I am doing them a disservice. Word problems are the application. How are they going to be able to apply the mathematics?
So how do you get students to not hate word problems? I know part of the answer is along the lines of what Dan Meyer is doing, but, let's face it, it's kind of hard to do that with Algebra 2 topics. So, what's the answer? How do you get students (particularly ones who have not done much with word problems for many reasons), to not hate word problems?
Thursday, December 08, 2011
Drive Introduction and Chapter 1
Drive by @DanielPink - chat on Introduction and Chapter 1 Thu 12/8
lmhenry9 I
guess let's start with the introduction. What caught your attention? #drivebook
druinok @lmhenry9
the idea of the “puzzle” mindset caught me…and when rewarded, they made more
errors. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9
Well, naturally, the *1st* thing that caught my eye was that he started by
talking about motivation with monkeys. :) #drivebook
lmhenry9 @druinok
The last line about the Soma experiment: "Nobody was expecting rewards
would have a negative effect." caught my attn. #drivebook
crstn85 @lmhenry9
I'm here now! Just read it today and I'm
trying to think what this means for the classroom #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf But the 2nd
thing that I noticed was the multiplier effect of flow/intrinsic motivation. As
a t & as a learner, I find flow key. #drivebook
druinok @crstn85
@lmhenry9 I kept thinking about rich problems while reading it... the puzzle
mindset, the intrinsic curiosity #drivebook
crstn85 @lmhenry9 Yea, that was surprising to me at first, but
it makes sense to stop working if the reward is removed #drivebook
lmhenry9 It's
funny - I'm really struggling w/the motivation piece right now. My Alg2
students aren't giving effort 2 anything not graded. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf As a math
learner, I find that no amt of #wcydwt or #anyqs holds my attn until I'm in
flow w/the basic mathematics. #drivebook #justme?
crstn85 @lmhenry9 I spent my afternoon coming up with a reward
system for my autistic students. Might skip to section on when it works.
#drivebook
johnberray @druinok
A sense of guilt came over me for some of the trivial rewards I've given out in
the past. #drivebook
lmhenry9 But
my Math 1 students (lower ability 9th) actually do all the test probs - graded
or not. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9 I
can understand yr frustration. I find that extrinsic motiv. doesn't get me ANY
LONG-TERM YARDAGE w/middle-schoolers
#drivebook
crstn85 @cheesemonkeysf
So what does have long term success? #drivebook
druinok @crstn85
that section (on when it works) is in 2A... it's not often :( #drivebook
lmhenry9 @johnberray
I had that thought too. Glad that I am doing SBG now where I'm only grading
each concept - no HW,no extra credit,etc. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf I find
rewards simply DON'T work. What DOES seem to work is when I cultivate
curiosity/engagement. This seems to be Pink's msg #drivebook
druinok @johnberray
me too... made me really sit back and think about papers being awarded points
and what the kids get from that #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@druinok Don't feel guilty--it's just what YOU find works. As Henri Picciotto
says, n.t. works for e.o. all the time. #drivebook
johnberray @cheesemonkeysf
@lmhenry9 There's always a duality of teaching content & why learning is
important in general. #drivebook
druinok @lmhenry9
@johnberray I agree - it definitely ties in with #sbar... #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf I find a
couple things yield long-term success. 1st is cultivating a positive
disposition twd math. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf Th means a
discouraged st must stand a chance of experiencing SOME kind of success -- even
if only by participating/being engaged #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf The #1 thing
I see among my discouraged s's is how strong & entrenched their defense
mechanisms are, psychologically. #drivebook
crstn85 @cheesemonkeysf
Good point, the examples in the book were of easy access, non-threatening
puzzles. Need to start simple #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf Many s's
come in hunched over in a defensive crouch that doesn't let them open up to the
possibility of doing any math/thinking #drivebook
druinok I
found it fascinating that after getting "paid", the 3rd day w/ no
pay, the people weren't curious at all #drivebook
crstn85 @druinok
I think that's the most important message.
It's not just not motivating, it's de-motivating. #drivebook
lmhenry9 For
many of my lower-level stdts, they come 2 class thinking they can't do math b/c
they've not done well due to HW being graded. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf That's why I
believe low-stakes activities w/a
slightly familiar UI that are immediately engaging are important #drivebook
johnberray @druinok
I've heard it said that the surest way to kill a joy is to get paid for that
experience. #drivebook
druinok @johnberray
they actually talk about that later... paying people for donating blood
#drivebook
crstn85 @lmhenry9
I'm not sure I see the correlation here. Just because HW is graded they don't
do well? #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf If s's come
in shut down & defended against engagement, I have to start w/building
trust & a kind of a "therapeutic alliance" #drivebook
druinok @crstn85
I think it's a good point too w #sbar... after a kid comes from a class where
they are "paid", hard to transition #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf What I got
from the introduction was that without engagement/intrinsic motivation, there
can BE no motivation. #drivebook
lmhenry9 @crstn85
Teachers in the past put points on just "doing" hw (I was guilty of
that). Students choose not to do HW and barely pass. #drivebook
johnberray @druinok
I see. I haven't read the whole book yet. I'm finding it a little difficult to
only draw on the 1st 2 sections. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9
They also come 2 class believing they can't do math b/c they have been
publicly shamed before their peers & that
sucks. #drivebook
druinok @cheesemonkeysf
there is still bio and extrinsic motivation... I got from the intro that they
had no idea that intrinsic existed #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@druinok I think this is so true. Some of my s's LOVE the knitted dodecahedron
on my desk & are amazed that I made it #drivebook
druinok @johnberray
I think the intro really shows a lot of insight into classrooms though
#drivebook
johnberray @lmhenry9
@crstn85 And many SBG models have to be hybrid models in which homework is
counted. I count "Homefun". Guilty. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@druinok *THEN* then offer to pay me, like, $50 if I'll make one for them. I
tell them, NO WAY! #drivebook
crstn85 @druinok
Definitely. I'm not doing #sbar but it's still hard to get kids engaged when
they're used to being given the rules #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf BTW, all
knitting has screeched to a halt until Winter Break #explainstheknittingsilence
#drivebook #dontdespair
druinok @cheesemonkeysf
@johnberray similar to reading for pleasure & reading for a grade. I love to read, but was horrible in LangArts
#drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @druinok It
struck me as a typical business bestseller at 1st in that the biz BS/hype is
laid on thick at the beginning. #drivebook
lmhenry9 I
found the discussion about open-source fascinating in Chapter 1. #drivebook
crstn85 @johnberray
@lmhenry9 I count it too. But even pure SBG is about learning until you get the
grade for some #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @druinok I
don't think of bio motiv as true "motivation" in that it is
biologically programmed in. I found that less convincing #drivebook
johnberray @crstn85
@druinok In some ways I wish I could shadow my s's through all 4 years of math.
Like the Freedom Writers teacher did. #drivebook
crstn85 @lmhenry9
The analogy to wikipedia was eye-opening. Never thought of that! #drivebook
druinok @cheesemonkeysf
I've not read many biz books - I was thinking about it more from an #sbar
/grading perspective #drivebook
lmhenry9 @johnberray
That would be an interesting concept. #drivebook
crstn85 @johnberray
@druinok We would need to start in Kindergarten for it to be really effective!
#drivebook
druinok @johnberray
as in "looping"? #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9
The open-source discussion fascinated me too! Evolution of Wikipedia articles
is like this. Ppl take it v. seriously! #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @druinok
@johnberray And that's the EXACT problem I face w/my reluctant readers/writers
in ELA classes-same as in math. I use SBG #drivebook
johnberray @crstn85
@druinok Kinde? Yeah. Too many students in my day to really know how they're
learning. But SBG is a good step. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @druinok
Sorry- spent too long in high-tech business world before coming back to
teaching. #drivebook
johnberray @druinok
Yes. Although certain students would be a labor of love for 4 years. #drivebook
druinok @johnberray
some are a labor of love for one year :) #drivebook
lmhenry9 @johnberray
@druinok Some are a labor of love for 1 period. #oneclassatatime #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@lmhenry9 @crstn85 Can't remember what @samjshah calls HW, but he has some
hilarious reframing like "Home Enjoyment" #drivebook
lmhenry9 @cheesemonkeysf
@johnberray @crstn85 @samjshah I believe that's correct. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf It's hard
doing #sbar when you come face to face w/the hypocrisy of the system about
stuff like HW. I find I can't grade HW #drivebook
druinok So
how do you promote engagement and intrinsic motivation in the classroom?
#drivebook
crstn85 @cheesemonkeysf
I'm still struggling with what I'm teaching- habits vs. content. Plus what
grades really represent #drivebook
johnberray @lmhenry9
@cheesemonkeysf @crstn85 Have you all read Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People? #drivebook I sense a parallel.
crstn85 @johnberray
No, is it a worthwhile read? #drivebook
johnberray @crstn85
Yes, indeed. #drivebook
lmhenry9 @johnberray
@cheesemonkeysf @crstn85 I have it- my dad gave it to me when it came out in
paperback. Have started it several time. #drivebook
crstn85 @druinok
I try to do a lot of discovery- students experiment, conjecture and prove
results rather then getting them from textbook #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @druinok My
1st rule of engagement is to design so that s's HAVE to be able to get a
personal "win" out of an activity #drivebook
johnberray @druinok
Creative hook+well planned activities that run on s's dev intrinsic motivation.
#drivebook
johnberray @lmhenry9
@cheesemonkeysf @crstn85 7 Habits: opens with Personality Ethic vs. Character
Ethic. Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @druinok
Intrinsic motiv requires that I surprise & delight s's so they'll be
willing to renegotiate their relationship w/math #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@lmhenry9 @crstn85 It's funny-I read Covey & it never spoke to me
#drivebook #bornarebelisuppose
crstn85 @johnberray
Well planned is key. Sadly few books have this all already set up. I'm
experimenting on them while they experiment! #drivebook
johnberray @cheesemonkeysf
@druinok Bingo! But the system needs me to be something it can replicate. And
it can't. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@druinok @crstn85 But with creative hooks/discovery activities, aren't we
trying to create on-ramps to flow? #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@druinok Wait, what did I/we say that sounded good? #drivebook
johnberray @crstn85
That hook is the bridge to invite them in. My high school has a masterful
history teacher who does this. @burgessdave. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @crstn85
@johnberray The difficulty is that if a hook isn't authentically hook-ish for
*me* individually, I can't force it 4 kids #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @crstn85
@johnberray I agree completely. And "well-planned" is different than
"written by a control freak." #drivebook
johnberray @cheesemonkeysf
@druinok I fancied the "surprise and delight" part. #drivebook
crstn85 @cheesemonkeysf
Yes. If I'm not interested in a topic I have a hard time teaching it, have to
find a cool problem worthy of time #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@crstn85 Exactly! Getting them to (a) accept the invitation & (b) relax re
using the on-ramp is a giant behav. change #drivebook
burgessdave @johnberray
@crstn85 Thanks, John! Sorry to be late to the party! #drivebook
johnberray @cheesemonkeysf
@crstn85 "well planned" sometimes means "able to go off
script" because teacher knows intimately the content. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@druinok Glad that resonated. Surprising & delighting them is the only
on-ramp to engagement I've found that works. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @crstn85
That was my problem w/the "reform" curricula I tried working with
last yr. Most of the prob's didn't speak to me. #drivebook
johnberray @cheesemonkeysf
@druinok Can we call a hook an intrinsic motivator? It seems like both in a
way. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@crstn85 *And* also can "read" his or her class/audience #drivebook
#somedaysmathteachingislikedoingstandupcomedy
lmhenry9 (1/2)
When Pink was talking about the idea Motivation 2.0, I kept thinking about how
some people in union prominent areas (here) #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@crstn85 Some reform curricula present lessons too rigidly structured for one
type of understanding #drivebook #mightjustbeme
crstn85 I
think teachers absolutely must be flexible. Someone said we have to make the
most decisions per min, bar air traffic control. #drivebook
johnberray @cheesemonkeysf
@crstn85 Being able to read" udience is the nemesis of a green teacher.
Super important. #drivebook
burgessdave #drivebook
agree with you @johnberray about ability to go off script. Must be able to take
advantage of teachable moment
lmhenry9 (2/2)
seem to be chasing the $ but everyone loses. People aren't as productive (u
can't do that - contract) & neither is the co. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@druinok I think a hook is only an **on-ramp** to intrinsic motiv. The
motivation need to come from w/in #drivebook #literalist?
lmhenry9 Where
I live is very pro-union (not just for teaching) & it just seems like so
many things come down to the contract. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@crstn85 Being able to "read yr audience" is 1 of the keys to success
in life generally, IMHO! #drivebook
crstn85 @cheesemonkeysf
That's why I like CME- good combination of traditional and reform. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9
Didn't they try the giant salaries/bonuses as extrinsic motiv for t's...only to
find it doesn't work? #drivebook #ohthosepeskydata
lmhenry9 What
happened to people doing things or doing them until they were "right"
or "best" rather than worrying about the contract? #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9 I
understand what you mean re things coming dn to the contract. Does this affect
how you teach in classrm? #drivebook
johnberray @lmhenry9
Contract IS a problem. And so is however many thousands of minutes we say a s
has to have for credit. #drivebook
crstn85 @lmhenry9
We're in our 2nd year without a contract here. It's an issue whenever someone
wants to try something new! #drivebook
lmhenry9 @cheesemonkeysf
I don't let it affect me in the classroom. But I have watched people doing/not
doing things b/c of the contract #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9
That's where I think getting s's into a state of flow comes in -- #drivebook
johnberray @cheesemonkeysf
@lmhenry9 I think it plays out in others saying no to doing/being more as a
team. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf -- Students
have to TASTE that exper of losing themselves in the quest to figure something
out. Then it builds on itself #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9
That's been my sense of you from reading yr blog. I admire your courage to
experiment & see what unfolds. #drivebook
johnberray @cheesemonkeysf
@lmhenry9 I think the best teachers today are the mavericks who will not settle
if others won't help. #drivebook
crstn85 @johnberray
The intrinsically motivated ones! #drivebook
lmhenry9 @cheesemonkeysf
I'm just so tired of hearing about "contract" says... Sometimes you
just need to do what's best for students/team #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @johnberray
@lmhenry9 I'm DEFINITELY with you there. Willingness to be a maverick is key to
improving, in my view. #drivebook #imweirdthough
maxmathforum This
#drivebook chat is such a neat conversation. Mind if I join even if I haven't
read the book?
lmhenry9 @cheesemonkeysf
@johnberray I'd be inclined to agree with you. #drivebook
lmhenry9 @maxmathforum
By all means. #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf 1 reason I
like designing activities around SBG-type skills is that I can use them
regardless of what curriculum/fad is mandated #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @maxmathforum
Definitely! I say, never let a lack of doing the reading stifle your
creativity. ;-) #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @maxmathforum
Come on in -- the water's fine! :) #drivebook
crstn85 @cheesemonkeysf
I was very happy I'd done that when I moved schools & all my materials
still applied. A good problem always works #drivebook
lmhenry9 @crstn85
That's a wonderful bonus! #drivebook
maxmathforum #drivebook
I was intrigued by the question of if a "hook" can lead to intrinsic
motivation.
johnberray @crstn85
@cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9 @druinok @burgessdave Gotta run! Dinner awaits.
Pleasure hanging out with you all. #drivebook
maxmathforum #drivebook
I was just writing a stats lesson around the question "is my nose
freakishly large" -- is that intrinsically motivating?
crstn85 @maxmathforum
perhaps we can only hope students will be intrinsically motivated if we offer
them a hook? #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf There's a
great quote re how, if you can't find the culture you need & if you build
it yourself -- #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf -- others
will magically appear and declare that they've been looking for this very same
culture! #drivebook
maxmathforum @crstn85 so
a hook is necessary but not sufficient? #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @crstn85
@maxmathforum I truly believe a great "hook" can only be an inviting
"on-ramp" for s's. You can lead a horse to water... #drivebook
crstn85 @maxmathforum
I feel like we're talking about the "you can lead the horse to
water.." issue here. Ha! You typed
it faster. #drivebook
lmhenry9 @cheesemonkeysf
@crstn85 @maxmathforum This is a great thought. Just have to find the right
"hook" for some things. #drivebook
crstn85 @maxmathforum
Been struggling with this lately- progress reports due today so considering how
much I should chase kids down etc. #drivebook
maxmathforum @lmhenry9
@cheesemonkeysf @crstn85 my best criteria for hooks is what the heck made
someone come up with this in the first place?#drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @crstn85
@maxmathforum Great minds are all on the same wavelength! #drivebook
maxmathforum @crstn85
Guess it depends too on what else is going on... what s's are used to, outside
stresses, their interests #drivebook
maxmathforum @crstn85
was observing a good math class today but 6 kids in the back were totally
distracted by a burning, non-math issue #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @maxmathforum
@lmhenry9 @crstn85 I like that criterion. I also like looking at where,
developmentally, a concept is coming from #drivebook
maxmathforum @crstn85
specifically, why there are so few racist jokes about white people compared to
jokes about people of color. It's a gd ? #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf @maxmathforum
@crstn85 Also on how shut down (or whether) the s's are. To me a hook is
necessary but not sufficient #drivebook
crstn85 @maxmathforum
I've had a couple issues lately stemming from dating/breaking up. You have to
be really interesting to beat that! #drivebook
cheesemonkeysf I hate to
leave this conversation, but I just got a text that my burrito is ready! My
burrito calls -- literally! 'Night for now! #drivebook
maxmathforum @crstn85 In
my dream school/class it's ok to take a mental health day when that kinda stuff
is going on #drivebook.
crstn85 @cheesemonkeysf
Yes, sometimes you need a hook that doesn't look like math. #drivebook
maxmathforum @crstn85
maybe part of understanding motivation is understanding when life is more
important than math class! #drivebook
crstn85 @crstn85
And that has to be the case. Back to
teachers being flexible. #drivebook
lmhenry9 I
will archive #drivebook later tonight or tomorrow. Any thoughts on when you
want to do Chapter 2?
maxmathforum @crstn85
and the need for flexible systems to support them #drivebook
crstn85 @lmhenry9
This time slot was good for me. Any day but Wednesday is okay. #drivebook
lmhenry9 Should
we look at next Thursday (12/15) 8p est for next #drivebook? Then take a break
for the rest of December?
maxmathforum @lmhenry9
I'll try to read the 2 chapters of #drivebook by then. Or just absorb y'all's
wisdom!
cheesemonkeysf @lmhenry9
Next Thurs 12/15 8 pm ET/5pm PT sounds good to me for next #drivebook! And a
break! woo-hoo!
cheesemonkeysf @maxmathforum
@crstn85 AMEN TO THAT. #drivebook #mentalheathdaysaregood
Time to change?
Yes, it was another quiz day in Algebra 2 today. Yesterday, I had them work on review problems over all the learning targets (not just the ones being tested). Still had quite a few students not make much of an attempt on the feedback only problems. If you haven't been following the saga - here is my last post and it has the previous ones linked to it in the second paragraph.
So, as I was grading today, this was the thought I had:
(For those of you seeing this for the first time, I teach, quiz 5-6 learning targets - 3 that were previously quizzed and students only got feedback, 3 that have not been previously quizzed and were the most recently taught and give feedback only.)
Starting with the next quiz (which for my classes will be the last one before Christmas Break), I will still grade the older 2-3 learning targets. On the "newer" learning targets, if a student shows they totally understand it and would earn a 5/5 on it, I will record that 5. On the next quiz, when everyone else is doing those learning targets for the grade book, those students who earned the 5 on the previous quiz will not have to do those problems. I will still write feedback for those students who didn't earn 5/5 so they know what they need to work on, but I won't record a score.
My hope is that students will take all the learning targets seriously, not just the graded ones. I have a growing group of students who are not even attempting the feedback problems.
Thoughts??? Please comment below on what you think. I hate to change mid-stream, but I'm not sure what else to do here. Thanks!
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Early Merry Christmas to me
Last week, our principal offered a day of training along with a (school) i-Pad to two of our staff members. We had to submit how we would use the i-Pad in our classroom. Here's what I submitted:
If I were to receive the training and I-Pad, the first way I would use it would be to put together screencasts to upload to the internet for my students. A screencast is when you write on the screen and audio is recorded along with whatever you are writing so that it would be similar to being in the classroom (although they wouldn't see my smiling face). My intent would be to have screencasts for each concept and to use some examples that we went over in class and possibly additional examples as well. Students would be able to view these outside of class to help their understanding of the material. Although there are programs to do this with a computer and our SMARTBoards, it is very difficult to do between having a microphone close enough as you are writing on the board as well as getting the software to work with it. I have read several accounts of teachers doing screencasts and have noted which apps they have used to do it. My understanding is that it is much easier process to record the screencasts on the I-Pad since the microphone is built-in to the I-Pad.
There are also a couple of apps that will allow the I-Pad to control the mouse. It would allow me to write on the SMARTBoard while walking around with the I-Pad, similar to an airliner.
With only having one I-Pad in the classroom, I think for Math it would be challenging to use some of the math apps that are available for students in the classroom. There is a VGA to I-Pad cable available that would hook the I-Pad to the projector and would allow students to see what is happening on the I-Pad screen. I have a couple of thoughts of how this could be used in the classroom. There is an app called Wolfram Alpha that does a lot of mathematics. Although it is available on the internet, having the I-Pad in a student's hand manipulating the mathematics while others are seeing it could be one use of it. Also, in Algebra 2 we study the graphing of parabolas and bringing in Angry Birds could be interesting. When the birds are launched, they have a parabolic path and the path is left up on the screen. Students could find the equation of the parabola and use that to determine what to do next. I know of a teacher who has spoken with the developers of Angry Birds and he indicated that it is to scale, so students could find the equation accurately and go from there. This application does intrigue me a little, but I'd have to do a lot more research before launching it in the classroom (pun intended).
Those are the main thoughts going through my head at the moment. If I am one of the recipients, I would continue to research other viable options to try in the classroom. Thanks for giving us the opportunity!
I found out today that I am one of the two lucky recipients! Yay me! Now for the somewhat scary part....
I know I have seen on Twitter that some of you have done screencasts on i-Pads and I did find some blogs that discussed this (Screencasting Apps for the i-Pad from langwitches.org, ScreenChomp from Teaching Math with Technology are the two I tagged in Diigo), but I'd love to hear from math teachers who have done this and what works well (or doesn't work well).
Does anyone else have any other suggestions of what I could with the i-Pad? I only have one for my classroom and I teach Algebra 2 and Math 1 (think Algebra 1 at a slower pace). Thanks for the help in advance!
Meanwhile, I'm trying to patiently wait until December 20th...
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