Week 15: Nspiration

Task Discussion

• 
  Lisa Ritt   May 5, 2013, 6:31 p.m.

   

  Here is what I emailed/commented last week:

  task 1 & 2 & 3:

  1)

  Its amazing the stuff I've never heard of and then, this class OPENS my eyes to stuff I feel like I don't want to teach without, ya know!

  This tech is amazing. I love the idea of the students having the calculators and their display being shown on the screen if you want. Seeing how other people interpret a math concept always helps me have a better and more broad understanding of it. The ease of using these calculators seems fantastic....even down to the re-chargable battery. 

  LOVE IT!

   

  2)

  For my lesson, I'd do something on Transformation/Reflections of a Triangle. 

  http://education.ti.com/en/us/activity/detail?id=A370588B92164483B5C08C3E3833A443&ref=/en/us/activity/search/subject?d=F4FBAC8BA0C043BD8935685948503631&s=B843CE852FC5447C8DD88F6D1020EC61&sa=71A40A9FD9E84937B8C6A8A4B4195B58&t=D4E1AC1BF6824A129DDCB1C2FFB588DD

   

  This was always a tough concept for me to understand because I guess I needed more visual images. I love that fact that the relfection would be right at the kids fingertips and that they can manipulate it so easily so that it stays a reflection. I'd explain how this concept would be one builders/engineers and architects use all the time to build skyscrapers. 

   

  3)

  I think I would use the IWB graphing tool to have students come to the board to demonstrate their knowledge of what a reflection looks like over the x, y, y=x and , y = -x lines. Different students would finish one reflection at a time and we'd talk about where the x,y coordinates end up and how they follow a formula.

   

  Then, I'd show real pictures of different buildings and see if they can come up with where a the line is that a building may be reflected over. I'd also maybe have them start to show other polygons reflections as well.

   

  Very exciting lesson! I can't wait to get my hands on this technology! I feel like I'm ready to complete a grant application right now for any school I teach at that doesnt have this available to them!

   

  Thanks Atiba :)

  -Lisa
• 
  SueSullivan   May 1, 2013, 5:13 p.m.

   

  TASK 2

  Percentages are important in many real-life applications - Green Machine's post mentions nutrition; product labels usually list nutrients as a percentage of daily value.  Another percent application that often gets students' attention is figuring out sale prices (i.e. how much will a $30 purse cost if it's on sale for 15% off and there's 6% sales tax?)  My activity is about solving percent problems, and is at http://education.ti.com/en/timathnspired/us/detail?id=6017EFD8478F48AD95008B843E8CD74B&t=5A3F91EBECB848689F4E81084FB82DA5.  I like this activity because it provides a simple yet effective graphical representation of percent.  It also refers to money - the graphic is the same shape as US paper currency and dollars are specifically mentioned - this might be a useful aid for students.  At the same time, there isn't any other visual clutter - a plus because sometimes too much information causes something useful to become less so!

• 
  Gina Mulranen   April 30, 2013, 5:57 p.m.

  The comment box has finally appeared!

  Task 1

  I was blown away when I watched the video about the TI-Nspire navigator system. The ability for students to present solutions from their seats, to see all the students’ screens anonymously on your screen to check their understanding, and to have all the students participate by posting answers to the board through this technology is something I have just dreamed about. This is technology that is really getting the students engaged! I also loved how you can have multiple representations and variables on a graph at one time to analyze relationships between functions, even three dimensional graphs! This technology is really incredible. However, I have unfortunately not had any experience or seen these devices. If I am being completely honest, the first reaction I had when watching the navigator system video was amazement and then I immediately saw money signs. It is so hard to get excited about software that I know would not be in my schools budget for years. However, I am always looking to learn and advocate for new instructional tools that I know would be effective in my classroom.

  Task 2

  Since my students have the TI-84 Silver Edition calculators in my Algebra 1 class, I decided to search for resources using that piece of technology. I just taught the Quadratic formula in class on Friday to my cyber students and I saw a neat activity on the TI Educational Technology page about the Quadratic Formula. http://education.ti.com/en/us/activity/detail?id=747394F909C749BBB49210DC76B2F0AA&ref=/en/us/activity/search/subject?d=2863A955126449C3896E28F4E0C32623&s=B843CE852FC5447C8DD88F6D1020EC61&sa=2D7AB06424004125A392EB9A075CABC0
  In order to see the full lesson and the handouts, you have to download the files on the right hand side of the page. I really love this resource website because it provides interactive worksheets, teacher resources and notes, and a full lesson plan to use. This is wonderful!

  In this activity, the students use the graphing calculator to graph different quadratic functions and solve the equations by calculating the zeros using the Calculate menu on the graphing calculator. There is also a program called QUAD that the students can download from the website onto their calculator that will solve a quadratic equation by using the quadratic formula. After calculating the values for x for the different equations, the students then use the List feature to calculate the discrimanant of each function and compare it to how many zeros they found for each equation. This will lead students to see the relationship between the discrimanant and the number of zeros for a quadratic equation.

  I could easily incorporate this activity into my classroom by grouping students into pairs to split up the workload on the worksheets. Then the students can discuss the relationships they find. The worksheets are so detailed and follow a step-by-step process so the students can work at their own pace. I will also entertain the thought of having the TI-Nspire technology in my classroom. I would have the different pairs of students present their ideas on the relationship between the discriminant and the number of zeros by sharing their graphing calculator screen on the board and having them use the data to verify their explanation.

  Task 3

  In order to extend the topic of quadratic equations, I would have students research real-life structures that have parabola shapes and make a Prezi presentation on what the zeros and the vertex represent on each of these structures. For example, I could include a picture of the Gaoliang Bridge (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaoliang_Bridge.JPG ) and explain that the zeros of this parabola shape arch represent the two points at where the bridge hits the water and the y-value of the vertex represents the maximum height of the archway.

• 
  Katherine Hanisco   April 27, 2013, 9:12 p.m.

   

  Task 1:

  I love the Nspire in theory, but I hadn’t really had a chance to explore all of the many features, so this was a great task for me because I really got to take some time to dig into the different possibilities. I am so excited about trying to incorporate this into my classroom!

  Task 2:

  I found a lot of different activities that I like, but the one I chose was a physics lessons that has a lot of math applications – Friction: Your Friend or Your Enemy. 

  In this activity, students use the Nspire to collect data and analyze the frictional forces created by dragging shoes. I like that they have the opportunity to use the Nspire as a data collection device. I would also have them collect the data by hand to compare the data collection procedures as well as the analysis, so they can see just how much the Nspire actually does as a tool.

  Task 3:

  One task extension that I think would be interesting is to have students design their own experiment to analyze and calculate frictional forces. After completing the activity using the Nspire to collect data by dragging shoes, students would create their own experiment to find the coefficients of static and kinetic friction. Students would be split into groups and each group would design an experiment using the Nspire or other technology, or they could use a low-tech approach. Each group would write up the procedures and methodology for their experiment. At the end of the task, the class would compare the different ways of data collection, analysis, experimentation, and results to find the same concept in the end. 

• 
  MgnLeas   April 23, 2013, 3:52 p.m.

  I like the Nspire software. It is something I would like to look into more. I am going to look at the app for my ipad sometime in the near future.

  Task 1 and 2: http://education.ti.com/calculators/downloads/US/Activities/Detail?id=13675&ref=%2fcalculators%2fdownloads%2fUS%2fActivities%2fSearch%2fSubject%3fs%3d5022%26sa%3d5024%26t%3d5047%26d%3d1008  In this activity the students wok with circles and arcs. They are designing a courtyard with a star shaped design. They will work with central angles as well as inscribed angles.

  Task 3: This could also be accomplished using Geometer’s Sketchpad. I could have them create other shapes within the courtyard as well.