Category: classroom structure

Gummy Bear Revisited

The giant gummy bear problem has been floating around the blogosphere for a while. When I first saw it, I knew I wanted to use it. I finally have the perfect opportunity in Foundations of Mathematics 20 this year. (Saskatchewan Curriculum).

History of the Problem (As far as I know)

Originally presented by Dan Anderson here. Included original Vat19 video and driving question about scale.
Adapted by John Scammell here. Edited video and new driving question.
Dan Meyer provided a 3Act framework for the problem here.
Blair Miller adapted his own 3Act structure here.

My apologies go out to anyone else who played with or re-posted an original interpretation on the problem.

classroom structure PBL projects reflection

Creating PBL 3.0

I have been on my project-based learning journey for a while now. This blog has served as the main receptacle for my inspirations, ideas, successes, failures, and reflections. It is now time to document my next step: wide scale revision.

This post will be divided into two main sections:

A look back at the posts that brought me to this point. (Reading them may provide some context, but not reading them will provide you with more free time…your call)
A look ahead into my revisions and their rationale. I will describe the new administrative and assessment framework around the projects and provide links to the first completed framework online.

classroom structure PBL projects technology

Project-Based Pitfalls

Those of you who follow me on twitter or read this blog regularly know I have been struggling to implement wide scale Project-based Learning (PBL) into my Workplace and Apprenticeship mathematics courses. This strand of classes is probably unfamiliar to those outside of Western Canada. I have included a link to our provincial curriculum below. You can skip to the outcomes and indicators to view which topics need to be addressed. (Page 33)

http://www.education.gov.sk.ca/CURR/workplace-apprenticeship-math-10

classroom structure reflection

Math Class Experts

Last night I was preparing my list of things to do. This has become a typical Saturday night activity for myself. Almost every week, I am commissioned with the task of preparing a new unit for one of my classes. I am a new teacher working with new curriculum. These two realities, coupled with my desire to keep my classes fresh, force me to steadily plan and reflect on past preparations. As I sat down to prepare a pre-calculus unit on rational expressions, I quickly became bored. The weekly drone of preparing a unit plan got me thinking:

If I thought this was boring, what would my students think?

classroom structure PBL

More Inspiration for Math Projects

Post author By natbanting
Post date November 27, 2011
No Comments on More Inspiration for Math Projects

For years I have wanted to try a project-based math class. My inspiration ebbs and flows as I encounter excellent projects and rationale for executing them. Up to this point, I have left the dream as just that–a dream. There are several reasons for this:

I felt I was too inexperienced to take it on.
I felt the curriculum didn’t lend itself nicely to projects.
I didn’t have the resources and infrastructure to execute it.
I hadn’t heard of many who believed in it.
Couldn’t elegantly explain why I felt it was necessary.

classroom structure technology

Polling in Math Class

This past Monday I attended a professional development focused around technological infusion into our teaching. I will be the first to admit that this topic is not often tailored toward the math teachers in the building. In the morning, virtual classrooms and movie making dominated the discussions. I didn’t see the implications for my mathematics classroom, until the afternoon. A facilitator introduced me to the SMS text messaging technology of polling.

classroom structure PBL reflection

Proper Workspace for Workplace

Post author By natbanting
Post date October 8, 2011
6 Comments on Proper Workspace for Workplace

My province is in the midst of a major overhaul on its curriculum. This puts me in a very interesting situation. I am a new teacher in a large division filled with veteran teachers that all feel as overwhelmed as myself. I can’t decide if this is a curse or a blessing; I simply continue to roll with all the punches that curriculum renewal brings. On top of the nuts-and-bolts of each new course (5 of which I teach for the first time this year), the division heaps on division, school, department, and personal learning priorities. To make matters even more confusing, each initiative comes with about 35 acronyms. I can’t tell the difference between AFL, PLO, PLP, PPP, SLI, PBL… you get my drift. Amidst the chaos of red tape, I believe I have found something to hang my hat on.

classroom structure investigation pattern sequences and series tasks

In the Footsteps of Gauss

Post author By natbanting
Post date September 5, 2011
No Comments on In the Footsteps of Gauss

I like to introduce each topic with a task or activity. These do not necessarily have to be long, but should activate mathematical thinking. The idea has slowly evolved for me throughout my short career. They are the amalgamation of the ideas of a “motivational set” and discovery learning. I felt that both components are positive things to include in a math class, but both had severe implementation problems.

The motivational set is far too passive. In my college, a picture, story, or conversation could serve as a motivational set. It was essentially a transition tool that was completely void of any mathematics. Every lesson begins with the same routine whether it be a national anthem, attendance, or a short time of homework recap, but each learning experience needs to begin with an active brain. I found that the purpose of the motivational set was important, but needed a stronger method to get brains engaged in the day’s learning.

classroom structure logic numeracy tasks

First Day Tasks

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

This is naturally true, and although I don’t believe that you can build or destroy a successful semester in one class, it is definitely important to put your money where your mouth is on the first day. I have spent the past few days digging around my materials for the best possible starter activities.

I had some very helpful responses from the twitter-verse, and it prompted me to somehow sort out the information being provided to me. In the past, I have had very productive lessons on the first day. Not productive in the “coverage”sense, but rather in the “intriguing” sense. My goal was to define a set of characteristics that, in my opinion, create a suitable opening day problem.

classroom structure investigation reflection

Maths’ True Form

I teach mathematics at the high school level, and know all about the various theories surrounding school mathematics. I can still remember the intrigue when the term “Math Wars” was introduced to me through some undergraduate reading. I immediately took to the history of my art, and found a very convoluted and bloody past. The constant pendulum between retention math, new math, back to basics, and now the new-new math is dizzying. Whenever I converse with a colleague about a new way of thinking in math education, I am sure to remind them that we are in a war. It is this idea that has appealed to the more militant teachers (myself included).