I finished a working prototype set of gears this afternoon. The gears in the video were fabricated from a single sheet of card stock and fastened to a folded card stock base with two brass fasteners. I fabricated the gears and base using a computerized 2D die-cut machine and basic software that is included with …
Category Archive
for: ‘Math’
Drawdio: Measurement
My Drawdio kit just arrived via snail mail, and I am thinking that I will wait until tomorrow morning to begin playing with it. The kit, mind you, came with no instructions and a bunch of parts despite the claim that it was a working, tested unit. (Cough) Engineers (Cough). Luckily ladyada has a relatively …
Ratios?
I was asked to create an activity that could be made in 15-20 minutes that deals with multiple dimensions, pop-up elements, some artistic/creative qualities, and a connection to mathematics content. Other Requirements: Single piece of paper, no fabrication equipment, and relatively easy. I made this: Print this template and watch the following video to make the design. …
The Fraction Ruler
“The Fraction Ruler” is a useful manipulative for helping students understand measurement and the lines on a ruler. This fraction ruler can also serve as a resource for practicing addition and subtraction of fractions. It’s pretty cool that I can create a physical prototype of an instructional manipulative the very same afternoon after having a conversation with an advisor. From idea-to-interpretation in …
The Paper Airplane Launcher
I just finished some final design tweaks on a paper airplane launcher. The launcher (see video above) is likely going to be a part of a larger mathematics/modeling unit for upper elementary students. The launcher is made out of eight sheets of standard card stock (65 lb). I used Silhouette Studio, a free download from …
The Fantasy Football Problem Solving Task
If you play fantasy football like me, then you likely read NFL stats and watch videos of the prognosticators’ picks-of-the-week. I am not in a high-stakes league with money, so my motivation is purely one of personal enjoyment. Yet, I am the reigning league champion and so I take it as seriously as a working …
What is math?
Although I disagree with some of Conrad’s claims (i.e., computers are a silver bullet, programming hasn’t been used to teach mathematics- LOGO and Scratch), much of what he says resonates with me. A lot of what he talks about are the underpinnings of a models-and-modeling approach to mathematical problem solving.
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