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HomeTag "apps for math"
10 May 2012
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iClassify Triangles: Part 2

This post is a follow-up to the original iLesson “iClassify Triangles“. The original lesson provides a few direct instruction videos on classifying triangles, a set of mystery triangle flash cards, and a handful of extension app-tivities. The following could be used as a stand-alone geometry resource or an additional app-tivity to support the initial iLesson.

Student Task: Use the Geoboard app to make an example triangle for each of the following triangles using the specified color:

  1. Yellow: obtuse isosceles
  2. Red: scalene right
  3. Purple: right isosceles
  4. White: acute scalene
  5. Green: acute isosceles
  6. Orange: obtuse scalene

 

Classifying Triangles with Geoboad app

 

Extensions: Complete the question and one of the tasks below.

  1. Question: Which triangle can you not make and why? acute equilateral
  2. Task 1: Take a screenshot and bring the completed Geoboard image up in Skitch. Calculate the perimeter and area of each of the triangles.
  3. Task 2: Graph triangles in Geometry Pad. (Teacher could provide a task card with specific directions: e.g. “graph an isosceles right triangle in quadrant 2”).

 
 Check out these other Math iLessons.

31 Mar 2012
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Doodle Zoo

After meeting with the 5th Math Specialist to collaborate and plan, I feel like we have a really good plan for next week’s 5th Math training. The intent was to provide technology tools for teachers that would not serve as “one hit wonders.” Rather, we wanted to provide teachers with a Bag of iTricks that could be used to support multiple mathematics skills… and other content areas. The iLesson below not only reduces paper waste but provides a viable alternative to a pencil and paper task.

The original task included an herb garden plot, I simply took the same numbers and modified it to work with the stamps and images available in Doodle Buddy for iPad.

The iLesson video below was created with Reflections web app that allows screen mirroring of your iPad.

Student Task: Create a square model that represents the 4 divisions of a children’s zoo. Divide and label the square plot to reflect the following:

    1. 50% Carnivores
    2. 25% Herbivores
    3. 15% Amphibians
    4. 10% Aviary

 

Here are the steps in Doodle Buddy:

    1. Choose a background if appropriate (from the tic-tac-toe icon).
    2. Use the shape stencil to create a square.
      1. Leave some work space on the right or left of your square.
    3. Fill in the square with the color of your choice.
    4. Draw a line to represent 50%.
    5. Add a stamp to represent that division (e.g. lion represents carnivores).
      1. If the stamps featured are not available, check the shopping bag icon to purchase them with Doodle Bucks. You should be give enough default bucks to “purchase” a couple of stamp packs.
    6. Add a text box to represent 50%.
    7. Repeat steps 4-6 for the rest of the sections.
    8. Use a combination of the drawing and text tools to answer the following problem
      1. If the Amphibians are allocated 75 square feet of space, how many square feet are in the entire children’s zoo?
    9. Save a copy of your project to the photo album via the wrench icon.
    10. Send the image via email to your teacher via the wrench icon.
    11.  Include your explanation for the question in #8 in the body of the email.

 

Doodle Zoo Final Product using Doodle Buddy

 

Possible Extensions:

  1. Have students complete the square feet for the rest of sections in the children’s zoo.
  2. Have students create their own problem with their own percentages and have their partner solve it. Doodle Buddy contains stamp packs that would lend themselves to:
    1. Animals in an Aquarium
    2. Animals in a Petting Zoo or Farm
    3. Food on a Lunch Tray
    4. Cars in a Parking Lot
  3. Import the image into ScreenChomp and complete the problem solving and explanation with audio.

 

Other iLessons Utilizing Doodle Buddy:

Doodle Buddy was also featured in “Hot Apps 4 HOTS” iBook to support Bloom’s taxonomy in the iClassroom.

24 Feb 2012
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Math-tastic iVocabulary

After taking a look at the 8th Math Benchmark Exam and perusing the student data, a few things became abundantly clear: Much of the test involved vocabulary AND successful problem-solving was based on the knowledge of that vocabulary and the ability to assimilate the given terms and information in order to draw an object, produce a table, or complete a graph.

While this is not really a shocking revelation (especially to those who teach Math as I did), I instantly began thinking of apps that could support math vocabulary in engaging ways.

All of our Math classrooms at Ed White have access to a class set of iPods. Thus, I focused on three FREE iPod apps that could be used in small groups and stations.

Doodle Buddy: The Math Facilitator had mentioned an activity where students work in pairs. One student would have a vocabulary word (e.g. isosceles right triangle) and the other student would have a dry erase board. Student 1 would be provided with a word and a sample drawing/representation or definition for that word. Student 2 would then draw the word without looking at the representation. Students would take turns reading and drawing.

  1. iPodsibility: Student 1 would use teacher-created Quizlet vocabulary deck imported into Flashcards* app to provide the words and definitions (pictures can be included in the deck for $15/year). Student 2 would then draw the figure using Doodle Buddy (with Dots & Boxes background). Doodle Buddy app can be shaken to clear the board for the next object much like an etch-a-sketch. (More iClassroom Examples of Doodle Buddy: Apps for the Classroom & Techchef4u.)
 

Doodle Buddy

 

StoryLines for Schools: This is a surprisingly educational app and a modern day app-ification of the telephone game! The classroom application would be vocabulary.

StoryLines for Schools: Student 2 View

 

  1. iPodsibility (1 iPod): Students could work in small groups of 3 with 1 iPod. Using 1 iPod: Student 1 would type in the definition of a word (e.g. “a triangle with two equal sides”) and then pass the device to student 2. Student 2 would draw an example of this definition and then pass the device to student 3. Student 3 would then write the word that is associated with the picture (they would not see the definition).
  2. iPodsibility (3 iPods): This idea is very similar to using 1 iPod but each student would enter in a definition and then pass the device. Thus, there would actually be three vocabulary words going around at the same time.

 

StoryLines for Schools: Student 3 View

 

TypeDrawing Free: This app allows students to draw with words and is perfect for illustrating vocabulary in a beautifully graphic and memorable visualization.

  1. iPodsibility: This would be best executed at a station or with individual students. The idea would be to think of all of the components and words that make up a shape. For example, the following words could be associated with an isosceles right triangle: leg, right angle, height, base, hypotenuse, acute angle, triangle, etc… Students would generate a list of vocabulary words (on a sheet of paper or in the Notes app). These words would then be used to describe a shape and then illustrate the shape given those words.

 

TypeDrawing Free

 

 Hungry for more Math lessons, check out these! 

 

14 Nov 2011
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iModel iPad Lessons with Number Line

In building the “iTools for the 1 iDevice Classroom” workshop, we felt there was a great need for modeling how various game-like apps can be utilized in multiple settings (e.g. cooperative pairs, small groups, stations, whole class). We also felt very strongly that it wasn’t enough to just talk about classroom and curricular uses but to truly model and discuss how task cards and recording sheets would be used and what follow-up and extension activities would look like.

iModel with Explain Everything: I have used Explain Everything to model how an iLesson could be delivered using the resources that have been provided within the Number Line apptivity. (Check out KSAT’s iPAd Curriculum site for Number Line lesson and score sheet).


 
iNewsletters & Extensions: Consider sending home an iNewsletter for Parents so any student with access to an iPod or iPhone at home could utilize the apps at home for remediation or extension. ShowMe and ScreenChomp would be great iPad apps to use to have students create their own word problem or iLesson on fraction, decimal, percent conversion. If students didn’t have access to an iPad, consider using the video recorder to record themselves working out a problem or modeling a unique approach to conversion.

iNewsletters 4 Parents

 

Hungry for more? Check out NEISD’s “iTools 4 the 1 iDevice Classroom” SlideShare workshop as well as HOT Apps 4 Literacy (includes task cards and recording sheet for ELA game-like apps).

iTools 4 the 1 iDevice Classroom


19 Sep 2011
Comments: 2

Middle School Math: Modular Learning

Middle School Math Modules

As a former Middle School Math teacher, I am always eager to check out the latest math apps for secondary. I met Dave Brown, the app developer, through LinkedIn and through a series of conversations, he shared with me the intent of this app and sent a nifty promo code my way to review it. Since I had a three hour drive to the beach and the boys were either napping or tethered to an iPad, I thought it would be a good opportunity to take a few minutes and review the app.

Dave had mentioned that the app will always be a work in progress and they are looking to have 10 modules by Christmas. Currently, the app has 7 modules with instructions and objectives for most of them. Out of the 7, 3 made my favorites list. As with anything app-related, they require users as ourselves to test the apps and provide formative feedback to make changes that will truly benefit the end user… our students. With that said, let me introduce Middle School Math:

 

    1. Pinpoint (Winner): This wins my first place vote. Simple and intuitive. Students choose 1 of 8 animals to graph based on given coordinates. The app will also notifyusers when they miss the mark. While the activity presented a learning objective and step-by-step instructions, I didn’t find them integral to my mastering the activity.
    2. Shape Board (Runner-Up): This is a basic Geo Board with rubber bands. It doesn’t have an info section and I had wished it did because I had some initial issues with the rubber bands (thought I had to pull multiple ones like line segments rather than stretch the first one I pulled.) Once I figured that out, I was golden. App also calculates perimeter and area which is a nice self-check feature. As a teacher, I would create a task-card for this directing students to create certain shapes (e.g. polygon, isosceles triangle, regular hexagon) with varying lengths. All in all, this activity has a lot of possibilities.
    3. Data Magnet (Second Runner-Up): This activity has a lot of klout especially in a classroom with limited iPads. Students compose a survey question with multiple choice answers. It took a while to set it all up (as there is no dial to choose a set number of students – 10, 15, 20, etc…). However, once that was done it was easy to see the possibilities this activity possesses. A teacher could simply pass the iPad around from student to student until every one had made their selection. From there, the data can be graphed as a bar graph or pie chart. The only “wish it did this” moment was that the graphs are labeled with “option 1, option 2” rather than the actual choices given. The survey can be saved for later and students can always take a screenshot of the results and incorporate it into another project.

 

Collage created with Photovisi

The other 4 activities included in the app are:

  1. Place Value: students drag digits to match a number in written form
  2. Ordering Numbers: students stomp on caveman in order from least to greatest. Three settings included: integers, decimals, and fractions.
  3. Multiple Conveyor: students drop numbers in slots (reminded me a bit of Plinko for some reason) based on their divisibility. The first categories were multiples of 2, multiples of 2 &3, and multiples of 3.
  4. Algebra Vault: students can work through multiple steps to solve one-step and two-step equations.

 

 

Many thanks to Dave Brown, Interactive Elementary for generously donating promo codes for South San ISD’s middle school mathematics teachers to demo the app next Saturday during the iPad Camp techchef4u is presenting.