A Mix of Session Material

There were a few sessions I went to that didn't provide enough information in them to do a full post on, so I figured I would cram all of the random things here...

1)  Are these two figures both quadrilaterals?

ACTUALLY, YES THEY ARE!!!  Weird Huh?!?!  They aren't when you consider what we teach at the 7th/8th grade level as the definition of a quadrilateral, BUT, the higher in math you get, you find out that they are.  They are quadrilaterals because if you take the very middle of each line and connect them to form quadrilaterals, then they are quadrilaterals.  See below. 

STRANGE TO ME!!! But I had to share! :)

2) STAAR Gazing:
TABS, TEAMS, TAAS, TAKS, STAAR - It's all about "Closing the Gap" and making students more and more intelligent as the test gets harder and harder each time.

Go to the TEA website for all updated STAAR information.

3)  It's not what YOU know, it's about asking better questions and getting more and more information from the students.  Helping them achieve what you want them to achieve.

Thanks everyone!!! :)

Math Curriculum Make-Over

Dan Meyer
@ddmeyer
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/
dan@mrmeyer.com
http://camt11.mrmeyer.com/

First off I just want to say that I got to see his original speech during lunch and it was AWESOME!!!!  I want to be him when I grow up! LOL! :) 

There are 3 Acts to a Movie/Play, you should have 3 Acts to your Lessons too...

The Three Acts Of A Mathematical Story

Act One - Introduce the central conflict of your story/task clearly, visually, viscerally, using as few words as possible.
Leave no one out of your first act. Your first act should impose as few demands on the students as possible — either of language or of math. It should ask for little and offer a lot. This, incidentally, is as far as the #anyqs challenge takes us.

Act Two - The protagonist/student overcomes obstacles, looks for resources, and develops new tools.

So it is with your second act. What resources will your students need before they can resolve their conflict? What tools do they have already? What tools can you help them develop?

Act Three - Resolve the conflict and set up a sequel/extension.

The third act pays off on the hard work of act two and the motivation of act one.
If we've successfully motivated our students in the first act, the payoff in the third act needs to meet their expectations.

Conclusion - Many math teachers take act two as their job description. Hit the board, offer students three worked examples and twenty practice problems. As the ALEKS algorithm gets better and Bill Gates throws more gold bricks at Sal Khan and more people flip their classrooms, though, it's clear to me that the second act isn't our job anymore. Not the biggest part of it, anyway. You are only one of many people your students can access as they look for resources and tools. Going forward, the value you bring to your math classroom increasingly will be tied up in the first and third acts of mathematical storytelling, your ability to motivate the second act and then pay off on that hard work.

He explains in a little more depth:  http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=10285

Take a Photo or one minute video & show it to your class & get them interested!!!  They will want to know what the end of the story is, or what it is all about!

Try it out on your PLN first...Post to Twitter with #anyqs - tag = This means people will ask you questions, it's the same thing for the classroom.  You want the students asking the questions.  Lead them, don't tell them.  Let them DISCOVER!!!

Example: 

Burning Man

October 6th, 2010 by Dan Meyer

Click the image for full size. You have to see it full size.

1. What questions perplex you about this photo?
What's the perplexity score here?

davidwees: How many people there?
Peter: how many people are there?
Roz: How many people?
schwartz: is it bad that i want to know the area of the shaded regoin?
JG: How many rows can be added until the circle touches the pentagon?
Colin (@ColinTGraham): How was it built and measured out?
Sam Critchlow: what/why is the gap between the pentagon and the circle
JG: How much area is added on with each additional concentric circle?
Sam Critchlow: or what is the total open space area
Chris: how many more people to complete the circle?
Colin (@ColinTGraham): what's the significance of the pentagon
Nick Hussain: how many more people/dwellings (?) could be added if the circle was completed?
JSR: what's at the center?
Colin (@ColinTGraham): how many sectors if the circle was complete

We went with:

davidwees: How many people are there?

2. What is your guess? What is a number you know is too high / too low?

3. What information would you need to answer the question?

JG: Average number of people in each rectangular region
schwartz: people per square something
davidwees: I think we can estimate people per square
schwartz: radius of part circle?
Barb: Was admission charged? If so, who sold the tickets? They could give a ballpark figure
Colin (@ColinTGraham): is each sector evenly divided and how many sit in each of the eleven concentric rings?
davidwees: and get the scale from the size of the tracks shown
Roz: we definitely need scale

David's response is right on point:

davidwees: so I think we could get a pretty good estimate without much more information

You don't need anything more here. (I wonder what it takes to get students comfortable with imaginary units, as in "the radius of the circle is 500 burningmans," etc.)
Nevertheless, here are two images that are interesting, if not useful also:

• City Map
• City Scale

4. Submit your work.
I knew we wouldn't have time for this. Here's the Evernote page, though, where Colin Graham posted his work:

5. Show the answer.
[BTW: Though the photo is clearly timestamped 2009, various commenters have outed themselves as serious Burning Man attendees to tell me that this is 2010's photo. I have adjusted the news clipping accordingly.]

http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=8153

More examples: http://camt11.mrmeyer.com/2011/06/11/three-act-math/

This guy is AWESOME!!!  Definitely following him now! :)  You should too! :)

Smart Phones / Smartboard

Irving ISD
Danielle Clements
Danimclements@gmail.com

Check out "Technologic" by Daft Punk - It's pretty cool.  She had it playing while people were walking in!

TEACH - Savy!
Technology
Enhansing
Academics from
Classroom to
Home

Pre-Lesson (Collaboration)
Interactive Presentation
Post - E-Learning
Follow-Up

Google Docs / Calendars:
Living Breathing Documents
Collaboration Tools
Can be used anywhere in the world

Great SmartNotebook Features for the Math Classroom:
Dual Page Display
Screen Capture
Eraser
Lines
Shape Recognition Pen
Magic Pen
Properties
Pin Page (great to use with dual page)
Measurement Tools
Record Video (great to leave for a sub, ISS Students, or a way to differentiate)
Math Tools (have to purchase, but check out YouTube Videos on them...they are awesome)

Gallery Essentials in the Math Classroom:
Pictures (graphs, circles, 3-D Figures)
Tools (Protractor, Compass, Ruler)
Games (Manipulate Graphs, Battleship to Learn, Timer)
Activities (Multiple Choice Questions, Categorize/Match with Vortex, Flip Tiles to find answers)

Google Voice: (I'm SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS)
You can create a text/calling phone number that you can use from your own cell phone without giving out your cell number to parents and students.
You can text students reminders, give them a number to text when they have questions, you aren't tethered to your desk in the afternoon to use the school phone to make parent phone calls to.
Goes to regular cell phone though!!!

Want to create my own permission slips though for the beginning of the school year based on all the technology that I want to use in and out of class for the school year.  ANOTHER "TO DO" in the short time between now and school....Need to make myself a LIST! :)

Here's Danielle's Permission Slip...

Mini-Projects That Tap Into The Right Brain's Creativity

A&M Consolidated Middle School

Left Brain vs. Right Brain 
Math & Science are usually Left Brain, but so many students are BORED in class because they are RIGHT BRAINED!!!

Let them CREATE...Think on their own!!!

Neumonic Devices:
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally could become
Please Eat More Donuts At Shipleys

Integer Project:
Have the students DRAW their own picture and then WRITE a story about the picture.
Very RIGHT BRAINED!

Fractions & Decimals POETRY?!?!
Really?  Poetry in MATH???  Why Not?  You don't have to create it!  THEY DO!!!  Have your students write poetry about a math topic.  No, all poetry doesn't have to rhyme either.  Just make sure that their final product is actually correct math.  Just because it rhymes doesn't make it correct math! :)

Coordinate Graphing Calculator Project:
Why not have them take a drawing of their own or a picture of THEIR choosing and create it on the calculator?  It's a great way for them to get more familiar with the calculators and with graphing.  If they don't do it correctly....the picture won't turn out correctly either.  This can be a very time consuming project though, so make sure to either allow them time in class OR let them come after school and use the calculators for those students who don't own their own (since they are pretty expensive).

The Pythagorean Spiral:
I really think I will be doing this one this year because they turn out pretty amazing looking!!!  I think they would be a great addition to the hallways at GJHS and there aren't a TON of projects that you can display out in the hallways in the math department.

And yes, they have to do the MATH & they get to DESIGN it and COLOR it!!!

Linear Equations in SONG:
Slope Intercept form of   y = mx + b to the tune of the YMCA???  "Y" Not?  Or why not create a song to any of the other concepts in math?  Have your students make their own song, record it and present it.  http://www.lassmath.com/y-mx-b-song

Quadratic Formula in SONG:
Another Song?!?! Why YES!!!
http://youtu.be/79F2QxpjBz0
The Quadratic Formula as Pop Goes The Weasel! :)

Analogies:
Analogies aren't just for the SAT & English classes anymore!!!  Why not have students come up with Analogies for MATH!!! 
Have the students not only come up with the analogy, but also with the pictures to support it.

• Border = Perimeter
• Land Mass = Area
• Box = Surface Area
• Puffs Cereal = Volume



Turn a topic into a Picture:

Dr. Rich Allen & Wayne Logue have a WHOLE BOOK of these ideas.  Here are TWO.

#1: DOG

#2: Quadratic Equation in Pictures

Any other ideas?  Why not tap into that unused area of the students' brains and make them think outside of the box.  It will make it way more FUN for them AND get them to learn ideas that they might not have! :)

Having Difficulty with Behavior? Fix It By The Book

Donna McCune

8th grade Mathematics

Lufkin Middle School

dmccune@lufkinisd.org

To start the year off, she has them fill out the cards below.  This is to help her with the monthly birthday's and to get to know them & get their contact information.

 The information below is another Student Information Sheet that encompasses everything.  It helps the team when doing parent teacher conferences.

Here are their rewards & discipline plans.  It is laid out for them at the beginning of the school year so that they know what to expect.

This is her Policies & Procedures.  It's very well arranged and is easy to read. (great graphics too). Mine right now is VERY BORING!!! - I'm a little jealous and am thinking about doing something more like this one for this year.

Here are the Rules & Procedures for Class.  This is helpful so that students know exactly what is expected.

 Here are copies of her two "BOOKS".  No Zero Book & Discipline Book - Some students call it the "Sad Pad". :(

This is what goes inside of the Discipline Book.  It would be in alphabetical order per class period, broken up by class period tabs. The student has three times to be corrected and then a discipline happens.  Everyone has "their days" which is why the students get 3 chances.  Unless the behavior is too extreme of course.

 Then when the student reaches the 3 chances and a Discipline must occur, the information is written down in the Discipline Action Process Record Notebook - This is kept behind her desk where only the student who is signing their sheet and her can see.

 Each student who has had some sort of Discipline would be put in the Discipline Action Process Record Notebook on one of the following pages.  It even has what the discipline actions are and has the student sign them so that they know what they did and it's in their own handwriting.  This is to help the students take responsibility & so that if mom or dad asks...it's right there!

 Ms. McCune also has a No Zero Policy.  She gives homework 2x's per week - Mondays & Wednesdays Routinely.  The information is posted on the wall and online so that the parents always know.  If the student does not have their homework, they have the opportunity to sign the book and get another copy or to bring it the following day.  This cuts down dramatically in the amount of zero's that the students have.

She does PAT Time (or Preferred Activity Time).  It done by checking each period at the end of the period to see if anyone has signed either book.  If no one has signed, they get 1 minute per book, plus another minute for perfect attendance.  They have a card system (cards labeled 1-20 on a ring on the wall to be flipped).  When their card gets to 20 they get 20 minutes the following day (unless there is a test), to do a preferred activity of their choosing.  She usually has them do board games or electronic games.  She never takes away any minutes.

• No Zeros Book for Homework:
• Monday (homework)
• Tuesday (due)
• Wednesday (grade / homework)
• Thursday (due)
• Friday (grade)

When something is turned in, she initials each sheet.  Each day is a different color.  That way she can tell if someone turned something in late.

I have used several of these techniques in my classroom, but I think I might adopt the way that she is doing some of them for my class next year.  What do you think?  Any suggestions?

TEA Mathematics Update

Everly Broadway, Ed.D., Director of Mathematics

The whole presentation is posted on the TASM Website: http://www.tasmonline.net/Documents/CAMT2011TEAAssessment.pdf

• For grades 3–8,tests are in same grades & subjects as TAKS.
• Grades 3–8 mathematics
• Grades 3–8 reading
• Grades 4 & 7 writing
• Grades 5 & 8 science
• Grade 8 social studies
• For high school,
• Twelve end-of-course tests replace Ten grade-level tests.

Focus will be on fewer skills & emphasizing them:

• Readiness Standards
• Encompass 30–40% of the eligible TEKS
• Will make up 60–65% of the assessment
• Supporing Standards
• Encompass 60–70% of the eligible TEKS
• Will make up 35–40% of the assessment

• Griddable Changes:
• Grade 3 - 3 Griddable Questions - same grid - plus one griddable field tested question
• Grades 4-5 - 3 Griddable Questions - same grid - plus one griddable field tested question
• Grades 6-8 - 4 Griddable Questions - same grid - plus one griddable field tested question
• Algebra I, II & Geometry - 5 Griddable Questions - NEW GRID - plus one griddable field tested question - can be positive or negative answer, floating decimal point, graphing calculators to be used on all three tests.

Graph Paper will be included in the test, with perforations so that it can be torn out.
Math Reference Materials will also have performations with rulers - Customary on one side and Metric on the other. All reference materials will be updated to follow the same format all the way through all math levels.

In 2 weeks the 3-8 Reference material should be posted to the TEA website. www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/
Sample questions are supposed to be posted to the TEA website at the end of August / September. Modified questions will be posted at a later date.

4 Hour Time Limit
New Make-Up Test Policy
Dyslexia Accomodations to include students on all tests 3rd - High School

There will be two score cuts:
- Unsatisfactory - Satisfactory - Advanced

ONLY RAW SCORES 1ST YEAR FOR GRADES 3-8!!! No standards will be set until October 2012. There will not be any May or June administrations for any of these grades.

SSI is limited in 2012. Retention will be based on the districts thoughts - teacher recommendations, grades and any other district recommendations.

All 12 EOC High School Tests will be available online and on paper.

• High School EOC Tests:
• English I, II, & III
• Algebra I, Geometry, & Algebra II
• Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• World Geography, World History, US History
• There will be different types of graduation plans, just like before, but updated to reflect these new tests.

8th Graders will NOT have to take both the 8th grade Math STAAR & Algebra I EOC if enrolled in Algebra I.

Students entering in High School this year will be the first students to have STAAR has a requirement on the graduation plan.

Testing Calendars: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/calendars

TEKS Revision - There will be MAJOR CHANGES!!! - COMING SOON!!!

Committees will meet in May, July & October

Check out Project Share
Check out iTunes U - TEA (lots of great information)

And once again, the information reviewed here can be seen at: http://www.tasmonline.net/Documents/CAMT2011TEAAssessment.pdf

Print, Cut & Fold - Creative Technology Projects for Middle School Math

• www.printcutfold.com
• Plan in advance before they start using the computers
• Download the templates from the website.  Share them via your website, a shared folder, or on jump drives.  That way the original template is never messed up.
• The actual book has more activities and has the whole lesson with lesson plans and worksheets to go with them, but you can start here without having to buy the book.  Also, the book comes with a CD that has all of the templates

Great Helpful Hints & Helpful Websites from the Print, Cut & Fold Website:

• Copyright-friendly Photo Websites for Educators & Students
  (usage agreements may change in these sites, so check the user agreements at each before using)
• Open ClipArt
• Pics4Learning
• Free Foto
• Flickr (Creative Commons)
• P D Photo (public domain)
• Photo Home
• Photos 8
• Stock.xchng
• WP Clip Art
• Student Clip Art
• Free Pixels
• Karen's Whimsy
• PublicDomainPictures.net
• Stock Vault
• Morgue File
• Library of Congress American Memory Museum
• National Archives
• PowerPoint Tutorials (Free)
• PPT 2007 Tutorials by Microsoft
• PPT 2003 Tutorials by Microsoft
• www.msoffice-tutorial-training.com
• PPT 2007 by Baycon Group
• PPT 2002 by Baycon Group
• PPT 2000 from Learning Electric
• Citation Generators
• Web Resources Citation Generator
• Citation Machine
• Other Stuff
• Jim's Blog Jim's Web 2.0 Wiki
• A Way to Share Your Ideas
• Print, Cut, & Fold Lesson Exchange Wiki

Great Projects for Open House!!

Day of Discovery - Larry Lipman

Larry Lipman  www.funteambuilding.com

FORMULA FOR LIFE:
E + R = O

Events in life
       +
Reactions we chose to make
       =
Outcome - our mood for the day, our reputation, or our destiny


WORDS FOR SUCCESS
(need to blow this up and post it on my wall at school)
Problem                                                Challenge
But                                                       And
Pissed Off                                              Tinkled
Lazy                                                      Storing Energy
No Problem                                            Happy to, You're Welcome
Lonely                                                   Available
Exhausted                                              Recharging
Failure                                                   Learning Opportunity
Mistake                                                  Feedback
I should                                                 I will OR I won't
I failed                                                   I learned
I messed up                                           I recommit

Icebreakers / Re-Energizers:
CARDS:
When people walk in the room hand them a card from a deck of cards. Have them walk around the room with the card you gave them on their forehead (without them ever looking at the card), and have everyone treat them the way that the card says to treat them. If they are an King, you need to bow to them, a Joker - laugh, Queen - Bow, kiss hand, BUT if they are a 2 - treat them as such. It really gets everyone thinking about the way that you treat others. No one MAKES you treat people like that, you treat them like that already without the cards on people's heads. Think about that the next time you talk to someone.

FINISH THIS SENTENCE:
If I had 5% more...
  -  Courage
  -  Integrity
  -  Confidence
  -  Wisdom
What would I do?
(5% is attainable, What could you do? TRY IT!!!)

FACE TO FACE:
Grab a sheet of paper, then find someone in the room that looks as smart as you know you are. Stand facing your partner. Without looking down at the paper draw their face. When you are finished, show your partner.
- Shows your attention to detail
- Recognizing your intelligence
- It's ok to laugh at yourself
- Everyone is on the same page
- Walls come down

Get Techy In Math - Presentation! :)

Here is our presentation for GET TECHY IN MATH! :)  I hope you enjoyed our session and I hope that this information is helpful in your classroom.

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B2AyIxV0gjOLMDBiYzljOTktOTJmMS00MmNjLThkNTEtYzlmOTRhOWVhMmQ5&hl=en_US

Please let us know if you have any questions at all.  We would love your feedback, so if you could comment below OR fill out the Testmoz test that would be great.

Thanks! :)

Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman

@dakretschmer            @C_L_Chapman

CAMT 2011

Ok, I am headed to CAMT tomorrow morning.  Driving up to Dallas/Grapevine, TX with two co-workers/friends (Mrs. Kretschmer & Mrs. Harris).  We are going to be coming home Wednesday afternoon and will be home Wednesday evening. 
What is CAMT though?
CAMT is the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teachers.

How Long Is It?
Monday morning 8 am - Wednesday afternoon 4:00 pm

Why Attend?
To make sure I'm up to date on all of the most AWESOME Math Teaching Ideas that I can be.  PLUS...Mrs. Kretschmer and I will be presenting at 3 presentations (each being 1 hour long). :)

What Are We Presenting?

Tuesday:  10:30 - 11:30
Room:  Appaloosa 1
Presenters:  Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades:  6-8
Smart Choices For The Interactive Classroom
Come discover exciting INTERACTIVE PowerPoints and lessons already available for your SMART board. These lessons are focused on the STAAR readiness standards and will be available for you to start using as soon as you upload them!

Wednesday:  1:00 - 2:00
Room:  Mustang 4
Presenters:  Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades:  6-8
Get Techy In Math!
How much richness does your curriculum provide for the digital learner? Learn about exciting, free Internet programs and apps that will have your students creating, analyzing, remixing, and sharing with rigor and relevance, as they build relationships.

Wednesday:  2:15 - 3:15
Room:  Mustang 4
Presenters:  Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades:  6-8
Get Techy In Math!
How much richness does your curriculum provide for the digital learner? Learn about exciting, free Internet programs, and apps that will have your students creating, analyzing, remixing, and sharing with rigor and relevance as they build relationships.

I hope to post from CAMT while I am there.  I am taking my iPad, so hopefully I will have internet access and I can let you know what all the awesome presentations I go to teach me. :)

Wish me luck in my adventure & hopefully I will bring back LOTS of great information for my fellow teachers and for my classroom & kids. :)