Excel Flashcards template

Holy moly. Why didn’t I think of this sooner? I just created an excel template for 12 flashcards per page, where the inputs go into a table on the first worksheet and the flashcards are created on the second worksheet. This way, I don’t have to constantly try to align and rethink where the corresponding [...]

Dear Basketball…

Kind of random, but I had this assignment come up in conversation and so I went back to re-read the letter before sending it out to a friend and I was reminded of just how good it was. Of just how good he was. It’s a letter to basketball written by Michael Jordan after his [...]

Homework Wheel

There are typically 3 things I want my kids to do when doing homework every night: Actually attempt the work and show all work. Correct their work in class Learn from their mistakes So how do you check and keep them accountable? Committing to one method always run dry after awhile and both students and [...]

Free Graphing Calculator!

Oh Google, how easy you make it to love thee. Now you just have to type in the equation into the Google box and it’ll graph it for you, for FREE! It’s really basic, but kinda nice for that very reason. You can even type in multiple equations at once. =)

Vocab Scavenger Hunt

I used to hate introducing new vocabulary words. I still swear by my Verbal Vocab for constantly reviewing vocab words throughout the school year, but oftentimes in Geometry, the lecture on the introduction of over a dozen new vocab words in one class can get so dull, dry, and just boring. Kids mostly tune me out [...]

Research on Motivation

A good Monday morning to all! I saw this falling asleep last night and I had to share as soon as I had the chance. It’s a TED talk by Daniel Pink on motivation. Basically, providing incentives to complete a certain task, like rewards and punishments, actually only get better results if the task is [...]

Movies in Math. Math in Movies.

Here is a website with a compilation of short movie clips on math and physics that you can freely download. http://www.math.harvard.edu/~knill/mathmovies/index.html I use the Shrek clip as the introduction to inverses and contrapositives in Geometry.(This one was also on YouTube.) The PowerPoint I used is in the Box widget.

Drill, drill, drill!

Finished! I have 27 pages of drills on 1) multiplying, 2) number sense-ing (working in groups of 10), and 3) adding/subtracting integers. They have been combined into 2 PDFs in the Box widget, now moved to the left of the page. These drills are to be used for the Timed Folders and all of them [...]

Really kid? You need fingers for 8+2?

Several years ago at my very first math conference, I accidentally walked in to a session for elementary teachers (before learning that they were categorized by grade levels for you). It was on  Singaporean Math, where I finally understood what “number sense” meant. Out of all the epiphanies and eye-openers that I was absolutely amazed [...]

Better than the “Mad Minute” Drills

It doesn’t surprise me at this point, but I have many 9th graders who  can’t multiply… by 2, let alone by 8. count 12-2 or 8+2 on their fingers. Hell, I’ve even seen 3+2 need fingers. forget how to do 4-3 when taught the existence of a 3-4. So what do we do as high [...]