I start by doing the "function diagram dance" for my students. (To understand this, you need to already be familiar with function diagrams.)The idea of the dance is that my right hand represents x and my left hand represents y. (From the student's perspective, this puts the x on the left and the y on… Continue reading Kinesthetic Function Diagrams
Tag: Algebra
Completing the Square animation
A correspondent sent me a Geometer's Sketchpad version of my Completing the Square animation. I posted it.I often use technology that is different from what many math teachers use. (Cabri rather than GSP, TI-89 rather than 83/84.) Thus I depend on outside contributors to send me other versions of the files I post. Thanks in… Continue reading Completing the Square animation
Creative Publications Manipulatives Update
Lab Gear Activities for Algebra 1 and the 3D Lab Gear are no longer available from Creative Publications / McGraw-Hill. Moreover, they have redesigned their Web site, and all the URLs have changed.Pentomino Activities, Lessons, and Puzzles is going out of print, but is still available.Short run: I've updated my publications page, and the Lab… Continue reading Creative Publications Manipulatives Update
Lab Gear Activities for Algebra 1
Please e-mail me or comment below if you have trouble getting the Lab Gear Activities for Algebra 1 binder. I no longer see it on the McGraw-Hill Web site, and would like to know if it is no longer available.If that is indeed the case, I'll try to get it to you some other way.UPDATE … Continue reading Lab Gear Activities for Algebra 1
Summer Workshops: Early Bird discount deadline
This is the last reminder about my summer workshops for math teachers.* June 1 is the last day to take advantage of the early bird discount for my workshops in San Francisco (Visual Algebra and Hands-On Geometry. In between those, Kate Mackrell will offer a workshop on Cabri 3D.)* There are still openings in the… Continue reading Summer Workshops: Early Bird discount deadline
Even More Kinesthetic Activities: Distance
(Previous kinesthetic posts: Pascal's Triangle, Graphing)These activities are best done in a gym or playground. Start before discussing circles, perpendicular bisectors, angle bisectors, etc. in a geometry class. It may be best to not do all of the activities in one session.I've done much of this with my own students, but not yet all. I… Continue reading Even More Kinesthetic Activities: Distance
Another Kinesthetic Activity: Graphing
In a recent post, I responded to a request for a kinesthetic introduction to Pascal's Triangle. Here is a kinesthetic activity to introduce or review graphing:Ask students to line up along the line at the middle of a basketball court, which will be the x-axis. The middle student will be 0, and students on the… Continue reading Another Kinesthetic Activity: Graphing
Kinesthetic intro to Pascal’s Triangle
Question in an online discussion:I'm trying to figure out how to kinesthetically demonstrate Pascal's triangle with my precalculus kidsMy response: I do a lot of kinesthetic activities in geometry and algebra, but haven't yet thought about this particular topic that way.Here's a possibility:- Have students stand in a triangular number arrangement- Give the top student… Continue reading Kinesthetic intro to Pascal’s Triangle
Lab Gear assessment
A correspondent asks:Do you have an assessment piece to the algebra lab for middle school?Not exactly. You might look in The Algebra Lab High School, and especially Algebra: Themes, Tools, Concepts and all its supporting material. (All free downloads on my Web site.) You will probably be able to find material there that you could… Continue reading Lab Gear assessment
Slide Rules
A correspondent writes:I have no idea how a slide rule works, but I'd like to learn. I mean that's wrong. I obviously have an idea, but I've never used one, and I think it'd be good to show students how they work. I learned how to use a slide rule in high school. I still have… Continue reading Slide Rules
Henri's Math Education Blog 