Interactive Math is FUN

Since I started school at a very young age, I was always told what to do and so I did it.  In elementary school, directions were always given and it explained assignments step by step.  In middle school, lectures started becoming more and more common and my love for school quickly faded.  I went from crafts and hands-on activities in elementary school to sitting in a chair and taking notes for the whole period.  I never could quite understand why the teaching style changed so dramatically and I never seemed to make the transition to it all that well.  My testing skills were always awful and I was never able to change no matter how hard I tried.  I went to my teachers for help and their response was always, "you've reached a point in school where it's not about fun anymore".  That comment stuck with me from their on out.  It was something I didn't agree with and could just never come to understand…

I now look at our class and I think to myself, I'm in college, I learned a ton and I enjoyed myself.  This course is exactly what i had been always wanting and needing.  This course is what proved my old teacher's statement wrong.  While learning so many methods and ways to teach in order to benefit the students best, I enjoyed the class.  I didn't have my typical dreaded attitude towards it when it was time to go to class.  This is all because it was hands-on.  I wasn't forced to sit in a seat, listen and not talk.  In fact, it was encouraged to speak our mind and even if our responses weren't necessarily correct, we were never shut down.  

I find this class to just be so great because it's truly what I knew all along, learning at a high level can still be fun.  I knew it all along, I just never had a professor that felt the same and therefore I never got to experience it until now.  On top of it all, I see how well it worked and much it affected me.  I love how many manipulative's we were introduced to while also learning how to run a discussion.  Each class was a different idea of something I could do in my own classroom in the near future!  Often times after class, I would take our activities and do them with my roommates and they would truly enjoy them or say how perfect this would be for elementary aged children.  

My take away from all this is this:  LEARNING CAN BE FUN NO MATTER WHAT THE AGE!

It's sad that so many teachers/professors don't see it this way or as if they can teach in this manner.  I think this truly leaves a lasting impact on a student, me being a perfect example.  Fun, interactive ways of learning math often FORCE students to learn while not even realizing what they are doing.  Some of my most favorite activities were Family Math Night, Stats Posters, Pentominoes and the Skittle Activity.  We were all so focused on what we were doing and the fun of accomplishing it, that we didn't even fully realize that we were doing math.  

I hope for all you future teachers, the impact for you was as powerful as it was for me and we start a generation of learning this way.  Our education system lacks this more than I can stress, but the exciting part is that WE as teachers, are what it takes to make the change!

Family Math Night Fun :)

Family Math Night was such a fun event for both the children and our class.  It was like a mini event for us to do the only thing we all love and look forward to pursuing in the next few years!  Makayla and I had decided to run a game called Catapult Math.  Students would get three little bears and using the catapult, they would launch each of them as far as they could.  Targets were then placed based on measurements in front of the catapult and how far their bears launched determined how many points each one got.  For example, 40 inches would earn them 40 points.  After I had measured out with them their points, I gave them a little card reading their three sets of points.  They would then be sent down to Makayla where they would add up their points to get their total score.

Students totaling methods varied greatly and I found it to be quite interesting!  Many of the students split the math into two columns.  For example, if their scores were 40, 32 and 25 they would add up the 0, 2 and 5 to get 7.  Then they would do the left column the same way, equaling 9 and making their total score 97.  The other common way students found their total was by concentrating on the first two scores and adding those up.  Using the same scores in the previous example, it would be 72.  They would then take 72 and add the third score of 25 to get their total of 97.  It was kind of fun to watch each of the kids and how fast some of them were blew my mind! Other ones were using their fingers and struggling more which gave me the opportunity to jump in and help them with the skills we've been taught and I think that's what I found to be the most fun!  It was a chance for us to go into teaching mode for a short period.  I think the scores is what got so many of the students so excited and coming back through so many times.  Our game was one where you could do better or worst and so for those more competitive children, this was right up their alley!  Especially the boys were getting so into the way they held the catapult or angled it in order to beat their previous score!

It was a great game because it involved math while also allowing students to be somewhat competitive.  We had two catapults on hand for those students who came to the game with a friend and wanted to do it at the same time.  It was so fun watching friends come through because the child who ended up with less points always wanted a rematch and we had groups coming through multiple times, two boys in particular came through 6 times!  I also found it interesting watching Makayla with the kids complete the math because the children had so many different methods when it came to addition.  Another thing that made me love our game was how into the children got, when the bears would land between targets, we would take a tape measure to measure out the exact distance.  They would run right over to me and if I said that I thought it was "37 points" they would be like "no I actually think its closer to 37 and a half or 38".  They were so cute about it that even if it wasn't necessarily 37.5 or 38 inches/points, I had to give it to them!

Most children were launching to about the 30-40 targets and even now and then we'd get a 50-60.  We had one girl come through and hit the 100 target exactly.  A herd of kids came running over because many of them had come to the conclusion that it was just not possible.  She was so proud and her face was priceless!  Shortly after that as we were reaching the end of the night, we had a boy come through and FAR surpass the 100 target.  We were so in shock along with his dad that his dad was messing around with him and said, "I bet you can't do it again son".  As any other young, competitive boy, he took it as a challenge and surprised us all by once again far surpassing the 100 point target.  His dad was so in awe that he decided to give it a whirl!  He tried it multiple times and couldn't even get past the 30, the boy felt like such a superstar!  He then made his dad take pictures of the catapult so they could recreate the game at home.  At the end of the night after clean-up we decided to give him one of the catapults as little reward as he was about to leave the school.  The smile on his face along with all the other children as they were leaving Family Math Night was just an awesome reminder as why I chose to go into teaching and why I love it so much!!

Source: http://www.bloglovin.com/viewer?blog=2756760&post=1371023491

Area is Everywhere!

The past few weeks we've spent our classes learning about area space and how to find it.  For me, its like problem solving and I love putting my brain to work!  First lets start with what area is:

Some common definitions for AREA are:

Area

The size of a surface.

The amount of space inside the boundary of a flat (2-dimensional) object such as a triangle or circle.

Next to the definition's above is a way of labeling which helps find area is an easy way.  This method can be used when on graph paper.  In addition, formulas have been created to help find areas of different shapes.  For example, the area of triangle is A=1/2bh.  

Now for some ways of learning area:

GEOBOARDS:

Geoboards are a great way to practice area!  Asking students to make as many different shapes as they can that are a particular area.  It's fun to see students being interactive and they enjoy trying to see if they're able to come up with all the possible shapes!  

GRIDLOCK:

Gridlock is a fun way for students to test their knowledge of geoboards and area knowledge.  It not only helps with learning area, but also problem solving!  The goal of Gridlock's are to split up the goeboards into four equal equal regions.  The image above was one I completed with quite difficulty.  It didn't occur to me until I had almost given up to think to split the squares in half!     

FLASHCARD WAR:

This game is just like the game "War" with real cards, however this time using flashcards made with shapes!  What you do is at the same time you and your opponent each flip over a card from the top of your stack.  You must figure out the area o your partner's shape while they figure out yours.  The person with the higher area wins that round, takes both cards and adds them to the bottom of their deck.  Once one person has conquered all the cards, they win!

MAKE THE FIRST LETTER OF YOUR NAME ON A GEOBOARD/GRAPH PAPER:

This can be super fun because it's something that relates to the students, it's personal.  If you allow them to maybe glue to a colored construction paper or decorate around it, student's will get to be crafty as well.  Once they've made their letters and discovered the area of it, they can trade and practice on other letters.  A fun thing to do after is tape/glue all the sheets of paper together and make one giant class quilt that then can be hung on the wall and known as "The Area Alphabet Quilt".  This lesson would not only include area, but also the alphabet and even patterns if students choose to extend their letter like the image above!

What's great about these activities is that they cover the following when it comes to AREA:

- Area on grid paper

- Area of triangles/squares/polygons

- Visually allows students to see large vs small area shapes/sizes

- Teaches formulas

- Makes for discussion and comparison between students

Hope you all enjoy these fun ways to learn about area!  They're all interactive ways which I find to make understanding and comprehending information so much easier while making it fun!

What's a Triangle?

Ask me what's a triangle and my answer would be this, "a shape with three edges and three corners".  If I were to tell you that, you would obviously be able to create a mental image for yourself.  If I had to guess, your image would look like the one below.  This is because it's the classic type of triangle you were taught to draw and create at a very young age.  However, have you ever looked more in depth to the triangle?  For example, it's angles or edges.

As you can see, what makes this natural image of a triangle in your head isn't just three edges and three corners.  This triangle really is made up of three EQUAL edges and three EQUAL angles of 60 degrees, what we call an acute equilateral triangle.      

What about other triangles you ask?  Let's dive in and learn together!

ACUTE SCALENE:

An acute scalene triangle is made up of three different angle measures, all being under 90 degrees.  In addition, all three edges differ in length.

ACUTE ISOSCELES:

An acute isosceles triangle is made up of two edges measuring the same length while two angles also measure the same and one does not.  However, all three of the angle are under 90 degrees while still adding up to 180 degrees. 

OBTUSE SCALENE:

An obtuse scalene triangle is made up of three different edges along with three different angle measures.  However, because this is an obtuse triangle, one angle measures larger than 90 degrees.

OBTUSE ISOSCELES:

An obtuse isosceles triangle is made up of two matching edges along with two matching angles.  The third angle must be greater than 90 degrees, thus justifying it as obtuse.

RIGHT SCALENE: 

A right scalene triangle is made up of an angle measuring 90 degrees with three different edges.

RIGHT ISOSCELES: 

A right isosceles triangle is made up of a 90 degree angle and two 45 degree angles along with two equal edges.   

Now that why've discussed all the different types of triangles, apply your new and enhanced knowledge!  There's some ideas: 

• CREATE A MEMORY GAME: Cut tiny squares of paper and draw different sorts of triangles on them, lay them all out face down and see if you can pair up them same types of triangles to get a match!
• TRIVIA: Come up with questions and a point value system, then with a group of friends, play trivia for a fun way to practice your triangle knowledge!
• MAKE FLASHCARDS: Create flashcards by having the triangle on one side and write the side lengths, angle measures and type of triangle on the back.  Practice your knowledge by looking at the triangle and saying it's features out loud, check the back after to see if you're right!
• TRIANGLE SCAVENGER HUNT: Take a walk around campus and see how many triangles you can find and name it's features!  It's a fun and easy way to practice! 
• PRACTICE WITH A GEOBOARD: Take rubber bands and see how many different kinds of triangles you can make on a geoboard!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE :)

Patterns, Patterns, Patterns Everywhere!

Lately in class we've been learning about what makes a pattern, where patterns can be found and how to create our own.  I was shocked to find that patterns truly are every which way you turn.  Sometimes it just takes a little opening up of your eyes to truly see them.  We've also been practicing how to extend them and explain them in words, which many find to be the most difficult part.  What's so awesome about patterns is that they can be as simple or complex as you please.  We've been practicing these thoughts and concepts through dominoes and pattern tiles.  A super fun way to practicing the extenstion of patterns is to start one and then ask a friend or family member to try and continue it, then see if what they did matched what you had pictured in your head.  What makes this even more fun is sometimes it doesn't match what you were trying to create, hoewever, it's still a pattern!

Here's some patterns of things you come across in your everyday lives but never have truly taken the time to notice them..

These are just some examples of basic and common exmaples that are sometimes so common that they go overlooked!

Here are a few patterns on the more interesting side that we don't necessarily see everyday!

Now go try to create your own pattern!  Ask a family or friend to extend it and see how your pattern turns out.  And along the way, don't forget to keep your eyes open for other awesome patterns since of course, they are.. EVERYWHERE!

Introduction

This is my first time ever creating a blog so bear with me! I guess I'll start by saying my name is Andrea Lussier and I'm a sophomore at Grand Valley.  Since my first day here, I was set on studying Elementary Education with an emphasis on social studies.  Through this blog, hopefully you'll get to watch and enjoy with me, my journey to becoming a teacher.

It all began back when I was a little girl and my friends and I would play school in my playroom.  I always wanted to be the teachers, making all my friends act as my students.  Once in high school, I began helping and mentoring in elementary classrooms and my love for teaching continued to grow.  My passion for children is something I can't explain, nothing truly makes me happier than being around their giddy, smiling and outgoing little personalities.  I've been told time and time again "you would make the perfect teacher" or "you're whole face lights up when you're around little kids".  That's the truth of it when I really think about, I can't even imagine being anything but a teacher.  It's been my dream far too long for me to envision myself in another career path.  When it comes to children, that truly is my happy place.  I'm such a people person and watching students grow starting at such a young age is truly such a privilege that I can't wait to soon call mine.  Teaching at the elementary school level, you really are what is shaping the generations to come and if that's not something to be excited and proud of than I don't know what it is.  To me, I consider teaching to be a hobby and passion, not a job or career.

As I hope you can see, I'm so beyond happy and excited to be in the midst of this wonderful journey to achieving my lifelong dream.  I hope you enjoy watching me grow and succeed at this goal just as much as I will through keeping up on my blog  :)