Math Links for Week Ending Dec. 18, 2015

I thought this web comic about math from @spikedmath was pretty neat. Especially the five posts on movie names created using mathematical notation. The one shown here is just the first one. How many can you get? But that is just the beginning. You can actually take the interactive quiz which will go through each movie (and if you want take you to each of the individual posts). Of course you might want to look at the other math based comics while there. Thanks to Mark Esping for this one.
Curriculum Tags: All
http://spikedmath.com/movie-math-quiz/

I've added a new post on Found Data. This one is about Movie ticket sales data. As it turns out this is a very rich set that you could use to teach the math of just about every data management topic. There are so many sources of data from these two websites (Box Office Mojo and The Numbers). And the extra bonus is that I think kids will be quite interested on some of the info.
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MBF3C, MAP4C, MDM4U
http://found-data.blogspot.ca/2015/12/movie-data.html

We have been very busy on our Engaging Math blog after not posting anything on it in almost 2 months. First we posted four different I Have, Who Has card games. These games are good for quick reviews or warmup activities. None of them are brain busters (nor are they meant to be) but they can be a nice way to break up a class for 10 minutes. These four cover the topics of proportions, simplifying expressions, determining angles and solving equations. Check them out at the links below.
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MFM1P, MPM1D
http://engaging-math.blogspot.ca/2015/12/i-have-who-has-simplifying-expression.html
http://engaging-math.blogspot.ca/2015/12/i-have-who-has-angles.html
http://engaging-math.blogspot.ca/2015/12/i-have-who-has-proportions.html
http://engaging-math.blogspot.ca/2015/12/i-have-who-has-equations.html


Another really simple and quick activity is a sorting activity for simplifying polynomial expressions including algebra tiles. It's not supposed to be a really long activity. Just quick and then move on.
Curriculum Tags: MPM1D, MFM1P
http://engaging-math.blogspot.ca/2015/12/simplifying-expressions-with-algebra.html





Finally we have posted the first of several of these "Tower Challenges". These were activities that were based originally on a TIPS activity but that we have adapted for different grades and topics. This first one is a review of Number Sense and Algebra for Grade 9 Academic. The premiss is that students answer questions and as they do they accumulate building materials that they will eventually use to try to create the tallest tower. 
Curriculum Tags: MPM1D
http://engaging-math.blogspot.ca/2015/12/number-sense-and-algebra-tower-challenge.html

Some great ideas from @wheeler_laura on making surface area a bit more tactile. This 3Act task styled activity has students starting with estimation and making physical models along the way.
Curriculum Tags: MFM2P
https://mslwheeler.wordpress.com/2015/12/17/toy-house-problem-3actmath-mfm2p/




When you drain your pool, why not make it a 3Acts task. I like this one from @mathletepearce because at first when I glanced at it I just saw this as a simple rate of change question but I like the collection of data and the eventual extrapolation done here.
Curriculum Tags: MPM1D, MFM1P, MDM4U, MAP4C
https://tapintoteenminds.com/3act-math/draining-the-pool/


I like card sorting activities. So, of course, this one from @mathequalslove dealing with rational functions definitely caught my eye. Students have the questions and answers on cards and try to match them up. Anything to help kids get tricked into doing the math, the better.
Curriculum Tags: MCR3U
http://mathequalslove.blogspot.ca/2015/11/rational-expressions-question-stack.html


I think it is really important for humans to understand big numbers. One way to do that is to put them in a different perspective. I like this post from @topperlearning where they say things like "The DNA of an average person’s body can stretch from the Sun to Pluto and back 17 times." and other scientifically factual tidbits.
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8
http://www.topperlearning.com/kids-fun-stories/amazing-facts-about-science-8113

I have long believed that how phys-ed teachers conducted their classes was the way to go. Everyone had ways to be successful at their own level. In this post @matthewoldridge makes the same case and making connections to Jo Boaler's low floor, high ceiling idea along the way..
Curriculum Tags: All
http://matthewoldridge.blogspot.ca/2015/12/multiple-entry-points-for-mathematical.html

This is an interesting essay on whether mathematics is even necessary. It takes many ideas that we hold to be true as math teachers and tries to debunk them. See if you agree. Thanks to @stevenstrogatz for this one
Curriculum Tags: All
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~aleand/dudley.html

New @Numberphile video. This was kind of neat because it incorporates things like factorization, powers of 10, hidden quadratics and more
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MPM2D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPfAnX5blO0

In general, there are so many "teaching math" videos out there but I really like the ones by @standupmaths. Perhaps because of his relaxed disposition or the depth he goes into the solutions, not sure. Anyway, here is his take on binomial coefficients
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcgvv6T_bD8

You gotta love the National Film Board of Canada. Some of the videos are so cool. This one is great for highlighting all things dealing with transformations of geometric figures. Thanks to @kjellstrom for this one.
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTXGz68Qz0g

Using Legos as a fraction manipulative. Thanks to @SCPSMathScience for this one
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MAT1L, MAT2L
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiJYVe-5ZGI

We have all probably seen the Dancing functions image. Well now it exists as an animated gif. Thanks to Michael Lieff for this one.
Curriculum Tags: MCF3M, MCR3U, MHF4U, MCT4C
http://www.calculushumor.com/calculus-humor/the-animated-functions-dance

What a great animated gif of this sequence.
Curriculum Tags: MCR3U
https://twitter.com/dunyamatematik/status/676165703163060225/photo/1

(1+2+3+...+n)^2 = 1^3 + 2^3 + 3^3 +...+ n^3 Görsel açıklaması #gif #mathgif #mathchat pic.twitter.com/e64Or33CYF

— Dünya Matematik (@dunyamatematik) December 13, 2015

I love this realization from @donfraser9. I wonder if anyone else noticed that stamps come in a ten frame?
Curriculum Tags: All
https://twitter.com/DonFraser9/status/674689887745015808/photo/1

Gee ... Our stamps come in a 10 frame ..Math Is Everywhere! #mathchat #engagemath #MTBoS pic.twitter.com/rleBRwiO7I

— Don Fraser (@DonFraser9) December 9, 2015

Though it does bother me that we are still two weeks away from 2016 and we are already seeing 2015 best of lists. But you still can't ignore the best data visualizations of the year. Check them all out at the link below
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U
http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2015/information-is-beautiful-awards-winners-2015