Right now I am searching for apps to help my students become more comfortable with fractions. It is not that easy because too many of the fraction apps are made for younger children and I teach high school but work with the middle school and elementary school teachers on finding age appropriate apps. Last night I downloaded several apps and the first one I explored I think will work well with my students.
I found Chicken Coop Fraction Game which offers one free game and the in order to unlock the others you have to purchase the rest. Usually, the first level or game is so simple, it is not worth looking at but this one focuses on a skill that most of my students cannot do and that is estimate on a number line where the fraction lies.
This game takes place in a chicken coop with two chickens perched above a number line, bums facing the number line. You are given a fraction to locate on the number line. Once you mark the number line, the chickens lay eggs aimed at the area. If you are close enough, you will hit the target. The line is in decimal format but the fraction you are given is not so students have to learn the decimal equivalent.
You have a choice of simple fractions easy (1/4), simple fractions hard (7/9) mixed fractions easy and hard, and a couple of others. I found it rather challenging doing the simple fractions hard and was able to make educated guesses but my students would end up working to find the write decimal location.
I plan to add this to the ipads because my students do not estimate well and find decimals and fractions extremely hard to estimate. On estimating the answer to whole number problems, they do the actual math and then round the answer. I believe this will app will help them develop a skill set they need badly.
I will try to upload a screen shot later tonight.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Warm-up and ooops
I've noticed that some of my students struggle with remembering to use order of operations when they create certain equations. Mostly, its my pre-algebra students but some of the others have the same problem. They solve problems strictly going left to right rather than using PEMDAS.
I've found two apps that are pretty good at helping students improve following the order of operations.
The first is Ooops, a free app that gives students an equation and they have to add the parentheses to make the equation work correctly. It also gives help if they do not get it right.
The second app is 5 dice: Order of Operations In it you get 5 dice, each with a number facing you, operation blocks such as addition, division, etc and parenthesis blocks. This one starts with a blank canvas and has the student do it all. This app takes things one step further in that you can play with others, use a white board to try different combinations and the app can send reports to the teachers or parent.
I think I will have both on the ipads so I can start students off with Ooops and then move them on to 5 dice so they develop a great understanding of Order of Operations.
While looking at 5 dice, I found a factions game that I need to explore.
I've found two apps that are pretty good at helping students improve following the order of operations.
The first is Ooops, a free app that gives students an equation and they have to add the parentheses to make the equation work correctly. It also gives help if they do not get it right.
The second app is 5 dice: Order of Operations In it you get 5 dice, each with a number facing you, operation blocks such as addition, division, etc and parenthesis blocks. This one starts with a blank canvas and has the student do it all. This app takes things one step further in that you can play with others, use a white board to try different combinations and the app can send reports to the teachers or parent.
I think I will have both on the ipads so I can start students off with Ooops and then move them on to 5 dice so they develop a great understanding of Order of Operations.
While looking at 5 dice, I found a factions game that I need to explore.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
change is good
A couple years ago when they asked me to write the pacing guide with the new state standards, I pretty much took what I was already teaching and took the standards that met what I was teaching. After using the new standards for almost a year, I realized that I went about it incorrectly. So this past weekend, I started creating the new pacing guides based on the standards themselves. In other words, I am dividing the actual standards up into 5 different courses, create new pacing guides and there will be some overlap of topics but it will prepare the students for the new state assessment tool.
Unfortunately, not all my students are ready to be in Pre-Algebra or Algebra I when they arrive in high school.
What can be done about it? I don't know. I think one step towards accomplishing it is for the local elementary school to change math programs to one that meets the new standards better than the current program does. As an educator, it is hard to change your style, the way you do things, the way you teach.
Once the pacing guides are completed, I can create the units for the material and technology, then set things up for a multiplayer classroom with levels, quests, etc. The latest Mathematics teacher from NCTM has a great article on writing reading anticipatory activities which I have desperately needed. I 've been stumbling along blind on trying to create my own but this gives me direction so I create more effective reading guides.
Unfortunately, not all my students are ready to be in Pre-Algebra or Algebra I when they arrive in high school.
What can be done about it? I don't know. I think one step towards accomplishing it is for the local elementary school to change math programs to one that meets the new standards better than the current program does. As an educator, it is hard to change your style, the way you do things, the way you teach.
Once the pacing guides are completed, I can create the units for the material and technology, then set things up for a multiplayer classroom with levels, quests, etc. The latest Mathematics teacher from NCTM has a great article on writing reading anticipatory activities which I have desperately needed. I 've been stumbling along blind on trying to create my own but this gives me direction so I create more effective reading guides.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Math Planet
I stumbled across this free app, Math Planet, when I was looking for free apps to use next year. Although, this is labeled middle school but I think it could easily be used in a Pre-algebra or Algebra class who needs additional scaffolding. It is a series of games that are set up so the student cannot move on unless they score a minimum number. Each level is a game that tests something different. Some activities would be quite easy for 8th and 9th graders but others do take a certain amount of skill. There was a game that required me to put numbers on a number line in the correct order and in the correct location so I could drop bombs on the monster and the game gave an accuracy rating. Apparently there are over 100 games in it. I think I got as far as game 6 on level 1. I was shooting asteroids at a certain angle. I get points for managing to hit the asteroid. It was actually quite fun.
Each skill that is tested is done as a game. Student engagement will depend on the level of their understanding and ability for the skill but I think every student will find something they will enjoy.
Friday, April 3, 2015
emath1 by 4 ferries
I regularly search itunes for free math apps that I can use in my high school classroom. If I see one I like, I download it, check it out, try it out and if it is good, I add it to my list and then figure out how to integrate it into my classroom. emath 1 is a bit different because it is the English version of a Finnish high school math textbook. It is on functions and e2quations and is interactive. The site says the company plans to publish more books throughout the year.
Although the labeling of subsections is not what we are accustomed to, it works well. The chapter begins with a prerequisites, a reflection and a short history section. In the reflection section which is more of a lets do a quick check, they use hearts, diamonds, spades or clubs, just like on playing cards, instead of variables. There was also an interactive number line.
In the actual section, the material is introduced in small chunks using solid mathematical terms with examples. I do like the fact it gives many different examples that I do not usually see in regular textbooks such as 3.44 = 344/100. It has other examples which show a different way of doing things such as 5% of 15 is shown as 5/100 * 15 rather than using decimals.
The introduction does state that this can be used as your main book or as a supplemental. Since I work with ELL students, some of the wording in it might be a bit harder for them to understand but if I carefully select parts that would reinforce their learning and use it as supplemental material, it would work in my classroom. I plan to keep an eye out on them over the year for new books.
Although the labeling of subsections is not what we are accustomed to, it works well. The chapter begins with a prerequisites, a reflection and a short history section. In the reflection section which is more of a lets do a quick check, they use hearts, diamonds, spades or clubs, just like on playing cards, instead of variables. There was also an interactive number line.
In the actual section, the material is introduced in small chunks using solid mathematical terms with examples. I do like the fact it gives many different examples that I do not usually see in regular textbooks such as 3.44 = 344/100. It has other examples which show a different way of doing things such as 5% of 15 is shown as 5/100 * 15 rather than using decimals.
The introduction does state that this can be used as your main book or as a supplemental. Since I work with ELL students, some of the wording in it might be a bit harder for them to understand but if I carefully select parts that would reinforce their learning and use it as supplemental material, it would work in my classroom. I plan to keep an eye out on them over the year for new books.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
App smashing
I ran across this blog article on app smashing the other day. I love the flow chart that shows how to combine a variety of apps to create a final project. Honestly I don't know enough about combining various apps to produce a movie. He both explains it and shows the workflow so I know which apps were used for what part of the project. The author even gives a link to another place that explains appsmashing and what to look for in apps to do this. This is awesome because it gives me a starting point on planning a similar activity in my classroom. The last week of school, I never am able to do much teaching so I think I may try this with my students.
Off hand I think I could have students create:
movies on one topic covered during the year as a final test for class.
a book covering a topic.
maybe an instructional presentation.
hmmmmm, lots of possibilities.
I wonder if I could create a movie using various apps in this manner first so I can show them. Perhaps even include the video in an iBook I make. Now I have a summer project to work on for next year. This type of activity could be integrated into the unit for credit. I am looking at turning my classroom into a multiplayer classroom and this would fit perfectly into the schema of things as a group project for experience points. I think I could even include a menu of choices so they can both individually and collaboratively decide how to attain the experience points to advance up the ladder.
Love the idea. I need to go write it down and put it in my note book for next years plans.
I am reading a book on creating a multiplayer classroom by Lee Sheldon. So far, i really like what I've read and I can see ways to implement it. I will talk about this book tomorrow.
Off hand I think I could have students create:
movies on one topic covered during the year as a final test for class.
a book covering a topic.
maybe an instructional presentation.
hmmmmm, lots of possibilities.
I wonder if I could create a movie using various apps in this manner first so I can show them. Perhaps even include the video in an iBook I make. Now I have a summer project to work on for next year. This type of activity could be integrated into the unit for credit. I am looking at turning my classroom into a multiplayer classroom and this would fit perfectly into the schema of things as a group project for experience points. I think I could even include a menu of choices so they can both individually and collaboratively decide how to attain the experience points to advance up the ladder.
Love the idea. I need to go write it down and put it in my note book for next years plans.
I am reading a book on creating a multiplayer classroom by Lee Sheldon. So far, i really like what I've read and I can see ways to implement it. I will talk about this book tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Which one does not belong?
I have my students creating their own which one does not belong. Today one of the students came up with Add, Addition, Plus, More as their contribution. I write the volunteers Which one does not belong on the board and have the students decide which one does not belong. One student said more because it could mean either addition or subtraction depending on the way it was used. Another said addition because it was a transition or it could mean a room built on to the house. I was thrilled with the answer because I work with mostly ELL students and this is helping develop their vocabulary so they can distinguish between specialized usage of math terms and the generalized meanings.
Another student came up with 0, 2, 5, 6. The answers students came up with were 0 because it is not a natural number. 2 because it can be squared or added to itself to get the same answer and 5 because it is the only odd number in the group. I have been doing this for about 2 weeks and they are getting much better at using their knowledge to create these and in coming up with answers other than, its the only one with the letter E or its the shortest number.
In addition, this is carrying over into the warm-up question where I have them create and answer their own word problems. They are getting much faster at creating the problems and they are starting to create more complex problems.
Next week, I am going to roll 5 dice and have students use the order of operation to create a certain number. I did it earlier in the week and one of my students requested we do it again.
Another student came up with 0, 2, 5, 6. The answers students came up with were 0 because it is not a natural number. 2 because it can be squared or added to itself to get the same answer and 5 because it is the only odd number in the group. I have been doing this for about 2 weeks and they are getting much better at using their knowledge to create these and in coming up with answers other than, its the only one with the letter E or its the shortest number.
In addition, this is carrying over into the warm-up question where I have them create and answer their own word problems. They are getting much faster at creating the problems and they are starting to create more complex problems.
Next week, I am going to roll 5 dice and have students use the order of operation to create a certain number. I did it earlier in the week and one of my students requested we do it again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)