Steven Strogatz on Scientific Notation

Great Article: http://nyti.ms/1cWQ9CL

Nametags can be a great first day activity

http://purpleprontopups.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/day-one/

The Distance to Mars

Great for a lesson on scale and perhaps time, distance and speed (linear modeling):

http://www.distancetomars.com/

Great source for Scientific Notation measurements

This site has an extensive list of measurements in scientific notation.

Thought this might help: http://www.falstad.com/scale/

Raw = Great data tool

All I have to say here is wow: http://raw.densitydesign.org/

Water Facts

Here are stunning water facts that can be integrated into many math units. I will use them for percents, ratios, scientific notation and part of my divergent homework series:

http://water.org/water-crisis/water-facts/water/

Deconstructing the top 1%

How is the wealth of the top 1% distributed by occupation? Find out with the clever interactive graph:

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/newsgraphics/2012/0115-one-percent-occupations/index.html?ref=business

This is another go to for my scientific notation unit.

What percent are you?

In the United States, it is interesting to see where you stand based on your income. Here is a great interactive graphic to help: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/15/business/one-percent-map.html

I see it as a resource for my scientific notation unit.

Convincing Students to Collaborate

How can we convince our students to collaborate with each other?

I am always looking for resources on collaboration. Today, I found one:

Perfect for the first week of class!



Article Link

Brainwriting vs Brainstorming

I often give students a 1-2 minute window to write out their own thoughts before sharing with their partner, group or class. Everyone needs a few minutes of safe time to process their ideas (or at least I know I do). I am starting to realize that this writing time is critical and is needed before the collaboration brain storming phase.

Professor Leigh Thompson makes this distinction by defining brain writing as the simultaneous written generation of ideas and brain storming as the simultaneous oral generation of ideas.

Using the writing first prevents what she calls "the doom cycle," in which one or two people dominate the brain storming process, perpetuating their own ideas as others step back.

I realize that I see this with students all the time!

In contrast, writing is safe.

Thompson mentions that two things need to happen during brain writing:

1. No one can interrupt you
2. No one can block your thoughts

This video sums up the research as to why this is so important:




Here is a great article for further reading:

http://www.fastcompany.com/3033567/agendas/brainstorming-doesnt-work-try-this-technique-instead?partner=rss

I am implementing these protocols into my class.

Also, here is an app developed around these protocols: http://usecandor.com/users/sign_up

Counterfeit Money Problem

I came across this great problem and am thinking of using it to demonstrate the power of using a physical model in solving a math problem:

http://www.nctm.org/publications/blog/blog.aspx?id=42693&blogid=599514

and the answer:

http://www.nctm.org/publications/blog/blog.aspx?id=42820&blogid=599514

Rethinking Learning Projections in Mathematics

I often wonder if we limit ourselves by teaching mathematics in a prescribed progression. Dr. Maria Droujkova posted an interesting photo of an anonymous user on Khan Academy. Notice the non-linear nature of their progress, with 13% mastered of Early Math topics and higher percentages of mastery on "higher level" topics, like 62% mastered on Pre-Algebra.

My first question is, "did this person attempt 100% of each topic?" I know that I move away from topics that I find tedious. Especially at the early math levels. 

I am curious to see who this mystery user is.