Frustrating

Today I was called in to supply for a grade 8 class for the afternoon.  When I arrived the teacher was still there and we talked for a few minutes about what my afternoon would be like.  She started off by telling me I would be rotating between her class and the grade 7 class for math.  I was really excited by this, as it would give me more experience for this class.  She started going through the lesson she was going to teach and from what I saw it was going to be really good.  Then she said its a little complicated so you can just watch a movie for both classes.  I told her I was capable to teach the lesson and that I was upgrading to my intermediate in math.  However that did not persuade her and she closed up her notes, handed me the movie and left.  I am really sick and tired of teachers thinking just because I am a supply teacher that I don't know what I'm doing.  Sorry for ranting, just wanted to blow off a little steam.

Three Act Plan

Three Act Lesson

Act 1

After being shared by one of our colleges, I couldn’t resist discussing this photo and its mathematical relationships. You could pose questions like, “What does the equation of the parabola have to be so that the walkway has symmetry?” “What is the equation of the parabola’s seen in this photo?”

You could ask similar questions for the half pipe photo below.

I started thinking of all the different day to day things that would really excite students without them even considering math. They would be so excited to discuss the walkway that the last thing they would think about is its relation to math. As soon as you mention that you’re incorporating it into math, they’d be hooked.

Just as the water walkway, this half pipe from the X Games could really grab the students’ attention. I thought that watching a portion of the X Games would give the students opportunities to see different portions of parabolic curves.

Act 2

Students could then take time to research necessary measurements to determine the appropriate quadratics for these photos. This could be done in a variety of different ways depending on the amount of time the educator wants to spend on this specific topic. The following are a number of expectations you could cover after introducing these ideas.

-          Collect data that can be represented as a quadratic relation, from experiments using appropriate equipment and technology, or from secondary sources

-          Identify the key features of a graph of a parabola, and use the appropriate terminology to describe them

-          Explain the roles of a, h, and k in y = a(x-h)² + k,  using the appropriate terminology to describe the transformations, and identify the vertex and the equation of the axis of symmetry

-          Solve problems arising from a realistic situation represented by a graph or an equation of a quadratic relation, with and without the use of technology

You could ask questions like, “How fast does the water have to flow in order to clear the walkway?”

“How fast does a skateboarder have to move in order to make it up the other side of the pipe?”

Act 3

In the end, students will determine the answers to questions like the ones posed above. They can apply their knowledge to real-life situations, like skateboarding, playing catch, kicking a soccer ball, or creating a neat fountain that brings tourists from miles and miles just so they can experience it.

Cool Math

It's absolutely amazing what some people can do with the internet. This website has so many resources. Everyone definitely needs to check it out. I know it's kind of lame, but I was playing this math "Pac Man" game that dealt with Order of Operations while playing. Pretty neat idea.
http://www.coolmath.com/

Assignment 5 - 3 Part Lesson

Unit #:Measurement Day #:1 Estimating Area and Area of a Circle		Grade 8
60 min	Math Learning Goals Curriculum Expectations: By the end of Grade 8, students will: ·   Determine the relationships among units and measurable attributes, including the area of a circle and the volume of a cylinder. Specific Expectations: The students will: Measurement Relationships ·   Measure the circumference, radius, and diameter of circular objects, using concrete materials ·   Determine, through investigation using a variety of tools and strategies, the relationships for calculating the circumference and the area of a circle, and generalize to develop the formulas	Materials ·  Smart Board ·  text book ·  circle cut-outs ·  grid chart paper ·  area of a circle video ·  Smart Notebook file
	Begin with a quick refresher of the formula for calculating area of a square. Also, a reminder on how to calculate the area of a parallelogram should be explained. Use grid chart paper and circle cut-outs with the class to determine an area when cutting out the circle to form a parallelogram. What variables are identifiable on the parallelogram that are also on a circle? What information do we need to determine area? What variable do we need so that we can identify the area?
Minds On…
10-15mins
	Discuss the links between the area of a parallelogram and area of a circle. -         What do you noticed about the radius in when it is used to build the parallelogram? What about the circumference? Can we determine a formula for the area of a circle based on this information? Based on their knowledge of calculating circumference, guide students to identifying possible equations for area of a circle. Show video clip   that will help identify steps in calculating area. As a class, work together to solve some circle area problems. As completed, take them up step-by-step to model the procedure and solidify it for the class. Be sure to address all methods of determining area that will be necessary to complete the assessment. -         What equation would we use for each question? What information does the question provide us with? Can we figure out the other variables? How?
Action!
30-35mins Concept Exploration
	Recap the lesson by discussing the relationships between the area of a parallelogram and the area of a circle
Consolidate Debrief
10-15mins
Practice Reflection Skill Drill Differentiated Exploration	Home Activity or Further Classroom Consolidation Assign questions from the text for the students to gain a firm grasp of the formula for area of a circle. As the students work at their seats, walk the room and address any difficulties with the questions. If a question appears to be causing difficulty for numerous individuals, take it up with the class. Continue along with more area of a circle. Focus on the different ways of manipulating the formula. Or As a class, they will be directed to form a circle in the centre of the classroom after my instructions. During the instruction I will inform the students that each tile on the floor is about one foot long and one foot wide. From here, the students will estimate the radius, diameter, circumference and the area of the circle they have formed. How can we estimate the radius? How can we estimate the diameter? Explain.   How do we estimate the area?Explain.   Can we be more accurate if we measure? Helps provide a visual for students who are having difficulty thinking of the concept in an abstract fashion.

Math Games

During my time volunteering I occasionally find myself in the computer lab working with a particular classroom. After utilizing much of the time to complete a particular class, the teacher often allows for free time where students are able to access other educational resources. When students are provided with this opportunity I find that many gravitate toward the games that are offered either on the school computer, or websites that the students frequent. I sit back and watch, and I wonder to myself if these games serve any purpose at all. I don't want to sound like a pessimist but many of the games seem to be played without much thought behind them. For instance, a stick person swinging from a line (where the line is adjustable) and they must grab a second line to get to the platform on the other side of the screen. With math in mind, a student should be able to figure out relatively quickly whether they need to lengthen or shorten the line. I don't think that this is necessarily the case.

Since it is identified as free time, I wonder if young learners take this as a moment to free their minds from the stresses of school. Instead of thinking of whether a particular decision makes sense to attain a particular outcome, is it easier to be thought free and just take the time for what it is; free?

A first for everything...

Over the last couple of months, my life has been a little busier than usual. Between work, volunteering, school, and everyday life, I've hardly found time for sleep. This course has definitely been a unique experience. I don't think that I've ever had more exposure to technology than I have in the last two months. Between learning new programs while volunteering, and everything that I've taken from this course, I find that I am slightly overwhelmed. I hope that I will retain something because their is so much useful information being thrown about within the course.

I want to thank everyone for their contributions and their patience. I know it can be tough especially when everyone works at a different curve. I guess most of us are familiar with this because its part of what makes us who we are. I think that it is important to remember where you came from and what you hope to attain during your entire career. Doing so will allow you to appreciate every moment you interact with someone. Every interaction is a learning experience and it is important to always keep your listening ears open.

My First AQ Course

I thought I would take this last opportunity before the course ends to reflect on my experience in this course. 

This was a heavy course and with it being my first ever course of this type I was overwhelmed from the first day.  After just finishing school I found it very difficult to manage my time and finish all that was expected from us (especially with the gorgeous weather we have been having).  I enjoyed some assignments better than others and I wish I would have had more time to focus on them.

Although there was a lot of work, I do appreciate all the resources that were presented.  These were all great tools that should be used in the classroom and I would enhance them a great deal. 

My favourite part would have to be the Assignment 6 where we were to send our work to other people and have them give feedback.  The timing aspect was difficult because everyone was on different paces, but I love receiving feedback and am open to any suggestions that can be given.  This is a tool that should also be brought to the classroom because too often school becomes a competition instead of a safe working environment.  Now, some competition is always welcomed because it encourages learning but it can also turn students off to learning (in math especially).

Overall, it was a pleasure sharing this experience with all of you and maybe we will meet in our future teaching careers!