Math Links for Week Ending Sept 20th, 2013

I really like Adam spencer. Maybe it's because he has a Phd in math but chooses to be a morning radio DJ. Or maybe because he is really good at taking complex ideas and making them understandable by most humans (usually in a humorous way). Here is his TED talk on prime numbers. Another great offering is his Book of Numbers where he looks at all the mathematical properties (and oddities) of the first 100 numbers.

Curriculum Tags: All
http://www.ted.com/talks/adam_spencer_monster_prime_numbers.html

I am a big fan of having part of an assessment being done with technology. Having taught math for several years in a computer lab I would regularly have part of the test done on the computer. I like how Amy Gruen mixed the use of cards and iPads running Desmos to do just that. Specifically here when it comes to transformations but you could see that this could be adapted to just about any topic. 

Curriculum Tags: MBF3C, MCF3M, MCR3U, MCT4C, MAP4C, MHF4U

http://squarerootofnegativeoneteachmath.blogspot.com/2013/08/desmos-test-question.html

Real World math is a site that uses the power of Google Earth and Google Sketchup (both free apps) to bring math to the real world. With lessons that are as simple as estimation to as complex as intersection of planes in 3D (with volume, line graphs and more in between). One small caveat. As a teacher you have rights to the full lessons but you have to request a password first. So you fill out a small form and they email you one. Simple as that. Thanks to Paul Georges for this one
Curriculum Tags: All
http://www.realworldmath.org/

I love this series who's limit is e. Shown very nicely here on Desmos. I especially like the fact that in the table of values you can see the series being built.

Curriculum Tags: MCR3U, MHF4U
https://www.desmos.com/calculator/g0wfrqghzz

Having good questioning skills is not something you are born with. It is an acquired skill. Fear not. Here is a blog post that will give you 26 ways you can switch up your questions. 

Curriculum Tags: All
http://mathforum.org/blogs/max/26-questions-you-can-ask-instead/

You can always count on Yummy Math for quality resources. Here are a few of their more recent ones. As always the handout is free but to get the editable version and solutions you need to be a member.

This one is about the amount of caffeine in various brands if coffee. 

Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MDM4U
http://www.yummymath.com/2013/how-much-caffeine/

This next one deals with a good topic for students. Does it pay to go to school. It may start out as if its a data management prompt (which it could be) but you can see how this can turn into something more when you deal with the wage values over the span of decades (and perhaps include interest calculations)
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MCF3M, MCR3U, MBF3C, MDM4U
http://www.yummymath.com/2013/does-it-pay-to-get-educated/

This last one combines slope and Pythagorean theorem when talking about slopes of mountain trails. Since it has slope, this could be used in grade 8 as an extension or be modified to focus mainly on Pythagorean Theorem.
Curriculum Tags: MPM1D, MFM1P, MFM2P,
http://www.yummymath.com/2013/steepness-and-fall-hiking/


I have some mixed feelings about this site but agree with it in principle. Nix the Trix is a site that tries to address the prevalence of using "tricks" to teach math concepts. Think "move the negative to the other side and change the sign". I know that I have been guilty of teaching these in the past but I think I am evolving. By teaching these tricks we gain time in the short term perhaps but students only make those gains in the short term as well. That is, if they don't have the conceptual reason a "trick" works then its just that, a trick, and not a mathematic concept. Just one more rule to memorize with no meaning. No wonder we have to re teach so much from year to year. That being said this site tries to address these ideas in the form of an evolving Google Doc. Take a look.
Curriculum Tags: All
http://nixthetricks.com/

I really love this first day activity. It uses the "What do you know/notice/wonder?" theme. First get them thinking about math in general, then your course, then at the end hit them with a few questions to show the skills they have. In the activity on this post he uses a picture of the ISS but on a similar activity he uses this picture of an underwater bridge. You can see the results of the activity here.
Curriculum Tags: All
http://mathteachermambo.blogspot.ca/2013/07/first-day-precalculus.html

Really quick one from Dan Meyer. Perfect as a Minds On when talking about transformations in grade 7 or 8. Of course there is no need to show students this video, just create your own and work the magic in your own classes.
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=16933

I like this as a way to introduce trig functions in MCR3U and MCF3M. Follow the link to see the full idea of the lessons. But watch the video to get a sense of how to introduce the concept.
Curriculum Tags: MCR3U, MCF3M
http://rationalexpressions.blogspot.ca/2013/09/the-first-three-days-of-trigonometry.html

Here is a great discussion starter about outliers
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U
http://untilnextstop.blogspot.ca/2013/09/heres-graph-that-makes-statement.html

Math Links for Week Ending, Aug. 16, 2013

I really like Steven Strogatz. The way that he tries to make math attainable to the average person. He really sees the beauty in math and simplifies it. Listen here for an interview where he talks about his book The Joy of X.
Curriculum Tags: All
http://www.npr.org/2013/08/02/207885870/steven-strogatz-the-joy-of-x


Feynman Point Poems are poems that are based on a particular place in the expansion of Pi. There is a place where there is 6 nines in a row. So these poems all have six words that each have 9 letters. Read about them here:
Curriculum Tags: All
http://poetrywithmathematics.blogspot.ca/2013/08/feynman-point-poems.html

 If you are looking for something that gives students reason to do math here is an example from a farmer who used Pythagorean theorem to create some equipment.
Curriculum Tags: Gr8, MFM1P, MPM1D
http://squarerootofnegativeoneteachmath.blogspot.ca/2013/07/unintentional-math-encounters-of-non.html

Snoop dog playing plinko on The Price is Right. Could be used to demonstrate the binomial theorem or even normal distributions.
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXMSbmhcc6A

I thought this YouTube channel is kind of neat. The Way of Zen. All the videos are done without speaking. Just visuals. Take a look at this one with cuisenaire rods showing the geometric version of Pythagorean Theorem.
Curriculum Tags: Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27M-EMRCN_Y

Interesting findings about why girls don't get into STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering and Math). It turns out its because there aren't enough good female role models in those fields. Its kind of cyclical. Listen here
Curriculum Tags: All
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/08/09/210251404/why-arent-more-girls-attracted-to-physics

When ever there is an airline crash people feel that it is unsafe to fly but in reality flying has become safer and safer. I like it also because it is data per million miles flown so it is relative to flying time. Take a look at the data.
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U

Math Links for Week Ending May 31st, 2013

I was really sad when I saw this. Apparently Google hates math. Go into any Google search and type in "math makes me" and watch the suggestions that come up in the autofill. This does not happen in Bing! It did also seem like you got slightly different results in different browsers.
Curriculum Tags: All

Some Sketchpad files that were brought to my attention this week. The first one is a nice one that deals with Venn diagrams. Some clever stuff going on behind the scenes here to make this work. Thanks to Inaam Alsalman for this one.

http://sketchexchange.keypress.com/sketch/view/513/set-puzzles
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U




I really like this one on balancing equations. Its great for those just starting as it re enforces the idea of what you do to one side you do to another. I also like the fact that there is a blank scale so you can create your own puzzles. Thanks to Laurie Hannan for this one.
http://sketchexchange.keypress.com/sketch/view/47/balancing-with-balloons-solving-equations-with-negatives
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P


Just about every platform has a version of Jeopardy. Why not Sketchpad? In this one all the questions are about area. My only criticism for this one is that the answers are written in terms of pi for the circle questions. Some students may have a problem with this. But I do like that it randomly generates questions. Thanks to Lori Abkarian for this one.
http://sketchexchange.keypress.com/sketch/view/179/area-jeopardy-game-updated
Curriculum Tags: Gr8


This one does a good job of generating trinomials that need to be factored using algebra tiles (even ones with negatives). However, I strongly suggest you watch the introductory movie to show how to play the game first. Thanks to Michael Harrington for this one
http://sketchexchange.keypress.com/sketch/view/479/factoring-games,-part-one
http://sketchexchange.keypress.com/sketch/view/480/factoring-games,-part-two
Curriculum Tags: MPM2D, MFM2P

One of the students taking an additional math teacher qualifications course I am teaching made this video with Educreations on the iPad. I was pretty impressed with the way it looks. Clearly this is a good tool if you are looking at ways to Flip your classroom. Thanks to Kristin Gomes for this one.
http://www.educreations.com/lesson/view/trig-ratios/7622944/
Curriculum Tags: MPM2D, MFM2P

Many of you may have seen this proof before but its a nice visual way to show that the Pythagoren Theorem works without the use of words. Thanks to Sothea Ly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRXfc5OZqm0
Curriculum Tags: Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P, MPM2D, MFM2P

Math Links for Week Ending Mar 1, 2013

Here it is, the moment everyone has been waiting for. Yep, the next largest prime has been found and here is a visualization of its digits. Ain't it pretty?
http://io9.com/5985749/the-worlds-largest-known-prime-number-in-rgb
Curriculum Tags: All

I love this self data stuff. Dan Meyer, I think, got his idea for collecting data about himself from Nicholas Felton. Nick collects data about his life. Very detailed info like how many coffees he drinks every year. But then he creates this annual report with detail graphs and data about the previous year. The reason I bring this up is because I think this would be kind of a neat project to do with a class. Have them collect data about themselves for a week and then create graphs of it.
http://feltron.com/
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MBF3C, MDM4U

One of my favourite blogs for differentiated instruction ideas in math is I Speak Math. I have been behind in her posts for a bit so this is a summary of some of the good ideas over the last few months
Zero! Card game - nice simple game that uses regular playing cards to add integers
Word Problem Equations - Even though she feels this needs work, its still a nice way to differentiate working with word problems. Read the comments for ideas on how to tweak it.
Monster Equations - a nice little tweak on solving simple equations. Perfect for introduction to equations
Homework Binder- some interesting ideas on how to get kids to do their homework and how to get them to complete it after the fact.
Math Workstations - A nice way to take worksheets and make them into math stations
Homework Choice - here is a nice way to get kids a bit more interested in homework and creating problems
Curriculum Tags: All

Here is a really good article about how people are bad at assessing risk. For example, he talks about the idea that a low probability event that gets repeated a lot actually has a relatively high chance of occurring. He uses the example of the possibility of slipping in the shower as something that has a low probability (say 1 in 1000) but the fact that you take thousands of showers in your lifetime almost makes it an eventuality.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/science/jared-diamonds-guide-to-reducing-lifes-risks.html?hpw&_r=0
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MBF3C, MDM4U

Thinking Blocks is a website that has many applets that would be useful for elementary math teachers. Kind of similar to the Ministry of Ontario's (http://epractice.ca/). It deals with things like multiplication, addition, fractions etc
http://www.thinkingblocks.com/index.html
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8

Here is a nice video of the geometric area property of Pythagorean Theorem. It was created by Macedonian students and apparently the song sung by the students is also about Pythagoras. Thanks to Carla Aquino for this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RqNqe60s2A
Curriculum Tags: Gr8G, MFM1P, MPM1D, MFM2P, MPM2D

An another one about Pythagorean Theorem. This time from The Simpons. Here Homer makes the same mistake that the Scarecrow makes in The Wizard of Oz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO1Vhc88QkM
Curriculum Tags: Gr8G, MFM1P, MPM1D, MFM2P, MPM2D

Math Links for Week Ending Jan 4, 2013

In this activity, students choose a linear equation then graph it. Then they choose a card that says something like "Double the slope" or "The y intercept is divided by 4". They then have to create the new equation and graph the result. Templates for game card and equation cards are included
http://teachingtechie.typepad.com/learning/2012/09/changing-all-those-ms-and-bslinear-practice-can-b-fun.html
Curriculum Tags: MPM1D, MFM2P

A really neat application of Pythagorean Theorem. What is the most efficient way to tie your shoes. Also a new blog that I hadn't seen before: e to the i pi (a nice nod to the Euler equation).
http://kevinbertman.edublogs.org/2011/06/27/shoelaces/
Curriculum Tags: Gr8G, MFM1P, MPM1D

Its a good data set, just not a good topic. Mother Jones Magazine did some research on mass shootings over the last 30 years. They have made all the data available in spreadsheet form ready to download. Easy to analyze in Fathom.
http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2012/12/mass-shootings-mother-jones-full-data
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U

Some recommendations for teachers of math to help stop student misconceptions. These would be particularly good for new teachers but worth looking at for all teachers. I like this one "Do not teach right-triangle trigonometry from inside the classroom!" Thanks to Joe Sisco for pointing this post out.
http://untilnextstop.blogspot.ca/2012/12/11-recommendations-to-middle-ish-grades.html
Curriculum Tags: All

According to a German study of over 3500 students, when it comes to improving in math, motivation (not necessarily ability) has the greatest positive effect. Read about it here:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=like-math-thank-your-moti
Curriculum Tags: All

Some nice images showing things that appear random but aren't and vise versa. Which of the images to the right do you think are random?
http://www.empiricalzeal.com/2012/12/21/what-does-randomness-look-like/
Curriculum Tags: Gr7P, Gr8P, MBF3C, MDM4U