Proud Teacher Moment

My kids are taking a quiz. The question is a table and has the following points:  (-1,3)(-1,2)(0,-4) and (4,2). They have to decide if it is a function. I have drilled into them that when you have the same x then it can not be a function. I did the whole vertical line test and all trying to further explain it. Well two sections later we look at tables and work to find the rule of the function . Now they are taking a  quiz and the rule part is fresh on their brain the whole if it has the same x has disappeared from their brains (not a proud teacher moment). I had two students call me over and say Mrs. Stanley are you sure this is right? How could -1 equal both 3, and 2? Is there a mistake because you can't do that? Then BAM lightbulb ....student: "OHHHH so it can't be a function because it wouldn't be possible to make a rule for it. I get it now!" All the while I am trying to say shhhh because their lightbulb moment was telling the answer to the rest of the class. I love it when they finally make the connections.

Geometry Unit Booklets

Please ignore that one of my kids spelled geometry wrong. 

Last year when I taught the Geometry chapter to my 6th graders I felt like we had so much wasted time. There were so many definitions for them to copy down and explain. That was the only thing we could cover in a class period. We barely got to application of the vocab so they struggled. This year I decided I needed to do it differently. I tossed around different ideas such as vocabulary tests, just typing the vocab words, and more. All these just didn't sit right with me because I wanted something better.

 I then stumbled across I Speak Math and her cover photo was of Geometry books. I loved it and she mentioned they worked fantastic in her classroom. Check that out here. I have heard of flipped classroom but have never found a good time to try it out. The way I used the geometry books was sort of similar to that. I did homework in class and some learning outside of class. I had the students copy down the definitions for the next section the night before for homework. This gave them time to look at the material that was coming up and process the big pieces. They were able to learn most of it at home. When they came to class we were able to get straight to the application of the vocabulary words. I gave them what would have been their homework and together with their partner they were able to work through the worksheet. I was able to see the places they got stuck and work through those issues with them.

I went ahead and wrote each word I wanted them to write the definition for and the section they were in and printed all the pages for them so I could tell them to turn to page 6 and we would discuss triangles. 

Things I loved about it:
- The students felt like the homework wasn't hard so I didn't have any complaining and for the most part everyone did it
-I was able to correct mistakes right away instead of them doing the homework at home and continually making the same mistakes and the student not knowing they were making mistakes. In class when they corrected one problem then they didn't miss it on the next. I would just walk around and take questions when they arose and the rest of the time checked answers they had written down.
-They loved being able to be creative and design a book. Some were wonderful and some were not but it let those who are creative express that.  It was great because I had a half day (30 minute class) the first day of the unit so we able to create the book instead of waste a day.

Things that could have gone better:

-Some students put way more effort into each definition than others. Next time I would set guidelines like include a picture, definition, example problem.
-Over the whole unit I had about 3 students who didn't do their vocab the night before. This hurt the lesson because they had a harder time trying to contribute conversation with their partner. The partner pretty much had to drag them along with. Maybe next time stress the importance and have something such as lunch detention to catch up.
-Not bad but I would type it up. It saved me time not having to figure out how to create it pretty on word but it would look nicer not having my terrible handwriting on the pages.

overall success.

My Favorite Lesson

 

 I have used this lesson for 2 years and it has been the biggest hit both times. If you ever have to deal with proportions, scale drawings, unit rates, and ratios then you need to print this lesson and use it next year (or this year)! I have a unit that teaches all of these topics in both my 6th grade and Pre- Algebra class and so this project is such a great review/application. My students loved a good mystery hunt and so this lesson was perfect. You are given clues and trying to find who robbed the bank.

here is the link for the original activity: Highway Robbery

First I go around and give each group different clues so that they can't ask the group next to them for help but have to rely on their own group members. I give each group a suspect list and each student gets a clue sheet. I really love how this project covers every topic that was in the unit so they get a review of everything. I typically spend a day on the activity. Once it took a while for my 6th graders to catch on to what they needed to do so we ended up taking two days and if anyone finished early I just gave them clues to find a new suspect. After each clue is completed they are able to at least cross off one or two suspects due to the information found. After they finish all the clues then they should have found their suspect. I would check to make sure they had found the right guy or show them where maybe they took a wrong turn.

The thing I made the biggest deal about was that a proportion (with units if applicable) must be included with every question asked. They needed to solve using a proportion always. This way I made sure they were solving using methods they had just learned.

They kept saying why can't we do this everyday... if only. 

Go now and save it because you will want it if you teach those topics. 

Point-Slope Form, Parallel, and Perpendicular Lines Review

I am a sucker for any lesson Sarah Hagan. Everything she does is gold. I ran across a post when I was looking for point-slope form that she did. You can find it here: http://mathequalslove.blogspot.com/2015/02/rolling-dice-for-point-slope-form-and.html

 

I decided I would tweek it a little and give it a go. My kids just started slope and graphing and now I feel like they are almost done with it and didn’t get enough practice. I tried it with my 9^th grade Algebra 1 kids first and it went wonderful. I only have 8 students and 2 were out sick. They could choose to stand or sit which really made them feel like they had choices and they were pretty excited about that.  They then rolled the dice which created either an equation or two sets of coordinates. I then had instruction on the board for what they were to do with the points they rolled.

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Obviously it wasn’t anything fancy but it got them moving from one equation to the next and got them to discuss what steps were needed to get to the step asked for.

Since it was their own numbers they rolled it got them excited and they were all discussing as a group, solving and asking questions to each other. They were helping each other problem shoot to get where they needed to go. They encouraged one another. They were working great together and higher level critical thinking is a struggle sometimes for them but they were doing so well! For my 8^th grade Algebra 1 class I have 17 students. We formed a huge circle and did the same thing as before. This time they only discussed with the 2 or 3 people surrounding them. It worked well and they had a blast but were a little too loud.

Things I would change:

 For the bigger class next time I would split them all up into groups of 4,5,or 6. This way they can interact and discuss with a group. 

Make a powerpoint that had what they were going to do on different slides, so that they focus on one goal at a time. This would keep them all on the same page until I made sure they all had it before we moved on. Instead I jumped around on the last page so they didn’t know what to do next and would wait until I gave further instructions. 

Good Things

 They were really engaged in the review. I think it was good for them to move from one equation to the next and figure out which equation would be best for what information was given.

They really loved the big dice. I was able to find 4 from the primary teachers. 

Just a new set up of desks really spurred on discussion and added to the excitement 

Engaging and we could have gone on forever changing and molding the equations. I wish my classes were longer so we could have graphed more or drawn equations from a graph already drawn