Desmos, Desmos, Desmos

Yesterday,  I attended 2 very good workshop.  Each workshop was 3.5 hours long, packed with awesome information, and we got to learn so much more about using Desmos.  I spent the morning learning more about using various Desmos activities, add pauses, and copy and edit some already done.

I knew the basics but I learned more about using the activities including how to pause it so students had to stop and listen or how to set it so students could only do part of the activity rather than rushing through.  We also learned the Polygraph activities which allow students to chat with each other as they play a type of twenty questions.  The great thing is they are designed so kids cannot ask questions like "Is it the upper left one?" because the arrangement is different on each screen.

In addition, we came out of the workshop with a list of links for list of activities including a list of activities for kindergarten to fifth grades.  There was also a Desmos scavenger hunt with activities to do ranging from beginner to advanced and most have a solution so if you get stuck trying to do it, you can pull up the solution to look at it.  I need the visual examples to help me see how the instructions fit together to make the final product.

In the afternoon, I got to do a workshop with Dan Meyer and it was awesome.  He began with a "What if" activity where he set up a list of numbers and then placed the variable representing the numbers into a coordinate system.  He asked up to make predictions for each of these before trying them on Desmos.  It was so open ended and promoted so much discussion.

Towards the end, he introduced us to the Desmos activity "Graphing Stories".  He had us divide up into groups of two or three people because this arrangement encourages more conversation that having each person doing it individually.  He showed a 15 second video and then asked us what things were qualitative and quantitive.  After some discussion, we were told to create a graph of the distance between his waist and the ground.  He let us know the time was over by pausing everyones screen.

He put a couple graphs up and asked us what was good about the graphs before asking us to identify areas or things that could be looked at to be revised.  We were all given the chance to revise our graphs before he stopped us to compare the original graphs with the revised graphs.  Once we had experience doing this, he asked us to create graphs for two out of four short 15 second videos. AT the end, he went through and shared one or two videos for each one.  We were running out of time, so he had us look at someone's graphs but it was awesome to see that graph against the one we made.

Throughout the hole workshop, Dan provided guidance and leadership without controlling exactly what we learned.  We did the figuring out and it was awesome.  I loved it and I am coming back with new ideas and tools to use in class.  I'll share more with you tomorrow.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great evening.

Desmos.com

  On Wednesday, I learned more about the offerings at Desmos.com.  If you don't know them, they provide a wonderful graphing calculator which does not require students to rewrite equations into the y= format.

They offer activities which can be downloaded, personalized and come complete with a teachers guide to help prepare to use it.

In addition, they offer something called polygraphs, activities composed of three rounds.  In the first round, the student plays a round against the computer.  This is where they learn to play the game.  In the second round, they are paired with another student.  One student makes a choice while the other student asks questions which can only be answered with a yes or no.  In between rounds, students answer more questions designed to help them learn vocabulary and strategy. 

I'd never heard of these but they sound really great and I can hardly wait to try some in the fall.  In addition, I several activities are bundled together based on topics such as systems of linear equations, linear equations, conic sections etc.  I've already checked out one activity in the linear equation section, my students will love.  It requires students to place the plane so its on the correct approach to land between the lights.  It also requires them to find the equation for a plane to take off. 

Furthermore, you can preview the activity and try it just like a student would.  I tried the plane one and loved it.  The math is based on topic rather than grade level but if you need to adjust the activities, it is easy to do so. 

If you want to create a custom activity, you have the ability to do that.  You can include graphs, math equations, notes, movies, and so much more.  No matter whether you use one of their activities or create your own, students do not need an account because all activities use an entrance code. 

I have not looked at this site for a few years and I'm impressed with everything it has to offer.  Please check it out here and have a blast.  Let me know what you think.  Sorry its not very long but I'm exhausted from attending the conference.  I'll share more next week.  Monday, I'll share the five assessment tools I learned about which seem to work well. 

Have a nice weekend.

Graphing and calculator apps.

I've learned that I need at least three different graphing or calculator apps on my ipads so my students can select the app most appropriate to the job they are doing.
Free graph calc is a free graphing app that has a calculator, graphing tab and a table. This one allows students to graph an equation and read numbers off a table so they can find important information. I find this one is good instead of say a TI hand calculator.
Desmos is nice for if a student just needs to graph and only needs to identify the vertex or zeros.  This app allows them to touch a point and see the actual coordinate.  My algebra 2 students are using Desmos to determine the zeros, vertex and axis of symmetry.  So far they have not discovered a way to use a table on that one.
Finally, in my college prep math class, we just started working with logs and properties of logs.  Even today many of the calculator apps will not process a log with any base other than 10 and you still need to utilize the change of base formula.  I discovered that my script calculator will allow you to do a log with a base of 2 or 3 or any other base and get an answer without having to utilize the change of base formula.  I am going to have my students check their work after they use the change of base formula to find an answer.