Blogosphere ... Good Ideas Round 2

I love summertime!  I love the sunshine, the down-time, swimming, reading ... and surfing!  Surfing the blogs, of course!


Here are 3 great ideas shared by bloggers recently!


Alwilda's Daughter writes about the game of spoons.  I had to read to figure out what she meant by spoons!  Turns out there is a card game by that name.  Sarah blogs about an adaptation to the card game that provides routine practice for students.  I like the game because it sounds like fun and doesn't require much set up.  In fact, you could use those ready made worksheets to make the game!

Speaking of ready made worksheets, Simplifying Radicals compiles several great online resources for creating a ready-made worksheet.  Sometimes students need extra practice.  We all know that worksheets are not for everyday/all the time.  As Marcia Tate, author/speaker says, worksheets don't grow dendrites!  But to build students facility with basic algebra skills, extra practice is  warranted!  Anyway, check out her awesome list ... including math-aid, kuta, and more!

Since we spend so much of the year on linear equations, I appreciated I Hope This Old Train Breaks Down's recent post on using visual patterns to introduce linear equations.  She provides a number of dot patterns from which her middle school students learned to write equations.  I'm thinking that this would be a great introduction ... and then I could follow up by using Visual Patterns regularly to keep those skills sharp!

As you visit the blogosphere, what great ideas are you discovering?  How are you organizing those finds??

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file folder mini projects

I haven't done any projects this year ... many reasons why ... but it's time now to offer my students an opportunity to show me what they know in some other way than our usual tests.

My students need choices!  I'm hoping they will get excited about these four mini-projects!  Students need to choose only one.  One project is a review of graphing; a second project combines problem solving with graphing; a third combines art design with graphing; and the fourth invites students to write creatively.

Students will complete their work (maximum 2 pages) and affix their work inside file folders.  (I might choose to use 12 x 18 construction paper instead of file folders).

If you are interested in seeing the projects, post a comment.  I'll email them.  I created two of them; one I found online and made a few revisions.  The fourth one I borrowed from Amy.

Lesson Planning - Systems of Equations

I enjoyed spending a few minutes planning ahead today ... we start with systems of equations in January.  Unfortunately, students struggled greatly with their test on linear equations.  I am building in a review to support students as we add new knowledge.  One tool for our review is Julie's graphic organizer on functions and graphing linear equations.

I plan to start our first lesson on systems with a typical puzzle problem ... chickens, cows, heads, legs!

Ol McDonald's Farm

Then we will take a few notes ... using a simple foldable.
Review Graphing Linear Equations Notes


Last, students will complete a partner practice.  Each partner will solve a system by graphing.  The work is self-checking; the solutions to the systems will match if their work is correct.
Partner Activity - Graphing Systems

I'm looking for a way to include pictures of intersections to aid understanding for my visual learners.  I welcome your ideas!

Related articles

• Linear Equation (desmitten.wordpress.com)

mini-projects?

I've mentioned before that while I am a veteran educator I've been out of the classroom for several years.  In past years I would have had one project each six weeks.  This time around I can't seem to fit that in.  I am used to having more professional leeway in how and when to teach topics than I have now.  Our district has a curriculum guide and a calendar that says a topic can be given so many days.  Our school expects all algebra teachers to be on the same topic (can teach that topic how we want) and test on the same day.  I'm not used to quite so much structure.

So I'm reaching back to what I would have done ... and would like to try again.  I can remember a few years back my Algebra 2 students wrote creative stories and poems with vocabulary.  Somewhere I still have a couple of examples ... wish I could find them for you now.

I especially like "mini-projects" that can be done in a short period of time.  Here are 2 examples of mini-projects that I would have had students complete in the units on Slope as Rate of Change and Linear Equations.

[scribd id=116090622 key=key-hsjevgplz1d0znsyk4o mode=scroll]

As we get ready to study systems of equations in January, a simple mini-project might be to analyze cost, profit, and decision making in a business venture.

I'm curious if others involve students in mini-projects.  Involving students in mini-projects helps to put the learning in students' hands and gives them an outlet for creativity in math.

equations of lines review

We were supposed to test on equations of lines, transformations tomorrow in our Algebra 1 class.  But my students are not ready!  So I created a review to hit several of the skills that students still need to practice.  I'm sharing the review here - Equations of Lines Review.


I thought about setting up the stations somehow but the more I think about it, the more I want students to practice as partners.  I think I will set up a table for students who need extra help - they can join me at the table just long enough to get help with specific problems.  I am still pondering how I might require a stamp to move to the next set of problems, or provide feedback in the midst of the work.  I want students to correct their work in class so that when the class is completed, they will have worked all problems correctly.

Mixed Practice Equations of Lines

Just before our Thanksgiving Break, we had a rare "review" day ... a much needed review day.  My students have found manipulating equations of lines difficult.  They understand the basic concepts but struggle with the details.  Students are weak in working with integers in particular.  So they often drop significant positive or negative signs.

I gave students 8 pieces of information.  They had to use the information to write the related equation in slope-intercept form and standard form.  They had to identify the slope and intercept, and then graph the function.

Here is the practice students completed:  Mixed Practice Equations of Lines

Here is the Word Document version:  Mixed Practice Equations of Lines

Next stop ... transformations of lines!

Point-Slope Form

I'm a little late for "Made 4 Math" Monday!  We are marching through our unit on linear functions - writing equations and graphing.  Last week I submitted my lesson plan on slope-intercept form.  Today I have the activities we used for point slope form.

We started class with an I do, we do, you do note taking activity:

Point-Slope class notes by Beth Ferguson

Then we summarized our notes on a web diagram:

Summary Web for Point Slope Form by Beth Ferguson

Last we practiced in partners - using an activity created by my colleagues.

My students struggle with the algebraic manipulation.  We will need more practice!

Slope Stations

We are wrapping up our unit on slope this week.  Tomorrow we have one more skill to conquer ... finding the missing value in a slope formula equation.  After I present the new skill, students will practice skills on finding slope in stations.

My stations are not cute like some others I've seen online but they are serviceable.  Students will work three problems to earn a "letter" toward spelling slope.  I have some extra candy ... thought I might  let them spell "c-a-n-d-y" instead of "s-l-o-p-e" to earn a lollipop in class.  Seems my ninth graders have a sweet tooth.

You can download the sets of three problems for the Slope Stations here ... and the Slope stations answer sheet here as well!  I put my stations in a write on/wipe off sleeve.  Each student will have their own answer sheet.   Students have to get each station checked off before moving forward.

In our next unit we will explore linear equations ... learning the slope-intercept form of a line, the standard form, and the point-slope form.  I'm looking for great practice ideas for those skills!