Decimals in the Real World
Posted in Uncategorized
Great Websites for Middle
Visual Patterns: so great for giving kids lots of practice generating equations with variables. Also great for inspiring kids to create their own patterns.
Fraction Talks: a variation on number talks. Bring up an image, choose a section of the image and ask…what fraction is shaded? Can extend this by challenging students to shade in sections of images (Can you shade exactly 1/4?)
Estimation180: again, another wonderful, visual site. Students make reasonable estimates, using “probably too high” or “probably too low” goal posts. They can submit their estimates and their reasoning. Also: look at the clothesline activities. Free printable clothesline numbers such as integers, fractions, and expressions.
Which One Doesn’t Belong: Inspires lively mathematical discussion and debate using mathematical reasoning. Ready to use images make for a great mathematical routine.
101 Questions: So much fun! This is a link to a spreadsheet with all kinds of interesting estimation and reasoning tasks using videos and images.
Would You Rather: Another good mathematical reasoning routine.
Open Middle: Select your grade and your topic. Interesting challenges and puzzles in a visual framework appear. An excellent “when you are finished” routine.
Graphing Stories: again, another visual one. You are given a basic handout (grid) and asked to graph the video stories provided.
Posted in Math
Good Math Games for Middle
Going on a search for good games. I will be working with a colleague of mine to put together our own videos, but I needed a few in my back pocked to give me a start:
Math Dice (uses a target number generated by making one dice the base number and a second dice the exponent…students have to roll three dice and get as close to the target number as possible)
Math Race (students have a number line from 0-20. They roll three dice that they use in any combination with any operations. Answers are crossed off in order from the number line. The first to have all numbers in the number line crossed off wins!)
Race to 100 (Remember this game? How about a variation…race to 1! You can use a chart with hundredths instead of whole numbers)
Will continue next post.
Posted in Math
Core Competencies and First People’s Principles of Learning
We know they intersect! My colleague and friend, Rob Cowie, put hours of work into matching them up in meaningful ways for us. Enjoy!
Posted in Shape Shifters
Basic Shapes and Cultural Connections
There are 2 reasons for getting to know the shape possibilities of two right angle triangles:
- It helps students make sense of more complex shapes
- It is an opportunity to root shapes in cultural stories
The following power point ventures into the world of shape as a story-telling vehicle. Take a look!
Shape Shifters Basic Shapes and Cultural Connections
By the way, when you click the link, it will take you to another link. Click again and you will be able to view the Power Point.
Posted in Shape Shifters
Habitat Loss Numbers
Just in the middle of developing a new mystery numbers and I’ve come across some fascinating resources. Here they are:
The Value of Nature and the Nature of Value
Capital Region District: Habitat Loss and Degradation
Will keep working away on this over the coming week.
Posted in Intermediate, Math, Mystery Numbers
MN13: Chris Hadfield (Canadian Hero 4)
I feel like I’m on a roll here! I am very happy to find yet another excellent Canadian with a collection of interesting numbers. Thank you, Chis Hadfield.
New to Mystery Numbers? Click the headings for more information.
950,000
2012
1
166
100,000,000
2001
30
1995
22,000,000
14
Units and Important Matching Terms:
Km
Followers
Hours
Year (their are 3 different years in the number list)
Days
Minutes
Views
st Canadian to…
Expert Source: click here
Make sure that you let all students read the expert source. Did they match up the terms/units with the numbers properly? They should also use the expert source to add extra information to each matching pair. For example: 100,000,000 is paired with km, but it is also important to know that Chris Hadfield travelled 100,000,000 in space from Dec. 2012-May 2013.
Early Finishers?
Find extra interesting facts about Chris Hadfield!
Enjoy!
Posted in Uncategorized
MN12: Dr. Roberta Bondar (Canadian Hero 3)
I worked very hard to find good numbers on Dr. Roberta Bondar. It was a major victory when I finally did! I recommend following this with Chris Hadfield (MN13).
New to Mystery Numbers? Click headings for more information.
1
129
307
5,407,000,000
13,001
1992
3,360
14
291
193
Units and Important Matching Terms:
th Flight
Kg
Km*
Perigee
Million miles*
Revolutions
Hours
Year
st Canadian female astronaut
Apogee
*the km number is actually listed as million km (5,470 million km instead of 5,470,000,000). I puzzled over the unit and thought it might be clearer to list the number in plain kilometres. I kept the million miles number simply for discussion and comparison. You can change these numbers any way you wish.
Expert Source: Click here
As with Terry Fox and Rick Hansen, provide each student with the research link to make matches and find more information.
Posted in Uncategorized
MN11: Rick Hansen (Canadian Hero 2)
I didn’t think of tackling a Rick Hansen Mystery Numbers last year! I wish I had. It is an excellent follow up to Terry Fox.
New to Mystery Numbers? Click each heading for more information.
200,000
792
4
40,075.16 (round to the nearest one, if you wish)
17.5
26,000,000
34
1,700
126
11,557.58
Days
Km
Dollars
Flat tires
Continents
Meters
%
Letters
Countries
(One of these units needs to be used twice)
Expert Source: click here
Just like with Terry Fox, I would get the kids to read, find out which units match which numbers and write down a little extra information to make the list more meaningful.
Enjoy!
Posted in Uncategorized
MN10: Terry Fox (Canadian Hero 1)
I did this with my grade 3/4 class at the beginning of last school year. It worked really well for that age group and will work well for grade 5’s too.
New to Mystery Numbers? Click the main headings for information.
The Numbers: By the way, I added a prep step. I didn’t simply provide my students with a list of numbers. I typed them up, printed and cut them out. This helped several of my students needing adaptations. It made it much easier for sorting.
5,000
1980
42
143
5,373
1
24,170,000
760
300,000
715,000,000
km
dollars
participants
sites
days
starting date
* some units need to be used more than once!
Expert Source: By the way, I gave all students access to this link because I had a reading and research objective as well. My squirrelly class was very intensely focused for this step. They were to find and record extra information to give each unit even more meaning. For example, it is useful to know that 42 goes with km, but it becomes even more meaningful when you know that Terry Fox ran 42 km EVERY DAY!
Enjoy!
Posted in Mystery Numbers!, People
