All last week we had Pi on the brain as we learned the formula for calculating the volume of 3D shapes with circles. We got to see Pi in action! In preparing for the week, I really thought about how to help students 1) understand the relationship between the formulas for cones, spheres, and cylinders 2) get really clear on the vocabulary and individual components of the three formulas. Today I want to share with you how I introduced my students to finding the volume of cylinders, cones and spheres. [Read more…] about Exploring the Volume of Cylinders, Cones & Spheres
Math Teaching Tips
Friday Favorites: Pythagorean Theorem Drawing Activity
Last week my students took their district benchmark assessments, so I was on the hunt for something fun and relevant for when they finished testing. I was so happy to come across a great activity from 123 Teach-Brittany Kiser that she had available as a freebie in her TPT store. Seeing that the topic fit perfectly with what we were studying, and gave them another way to practice applying the Pythagorean Theorem, I quickly downloaded her Pythagorean Theorem Drawing Project. And my students LOVED it.
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Test Prep: Tips for Getting Ready for the Big Test
Like it or not, the end of the year assessments are quickly approaching. With this looming reality, test prep has been on my mind lately, as I’m sure it has for all my colleagues out there. So, how can we prepare for these assessments without losing our freakin’ minds? Here are some tips for test prep that are helping me navigate this time of year and feel confident sending my students into statewide assessments.
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How Many Solutions Does the System of Equations Have? Teaching Tip
This week we learned a great way to distinguish between the different options of how many solutions exist when working with two equations in a system of equations. I was working with a group of students who were struggling to really see what they were trying to do when identifying how many solutions are possible. They just didn’t understand what it meant for a system of equations to have one solution vs. no solutions vs. infinite solutions. So, we started adding the strategy of hand gestures, and it really seemed to help some of them understand this topic differently.
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Using Maze Games in the Middle School Math Classroom
It’s funny how the very same students whose eyes glaze over when you put a worksheet in front of them, perk up when you present the same kind of work in a novel way. Take math maze games as an example. These mazes require that students solve a certain number of problems, but because they’re also trying to get to the finish line at the same time, students are so much more engaged when practicing. Today I’m sharing 8 ways to use mazes in your math classroom.
One of the most rewarding things about sharing resources on Teachers Pay Teachers is that through feedback, you can actually hear how real life teachers use these downloads in their classroom. It’s amazing to hear about their experiences using games, puzzles, and activities that I’ve used with my own students. So, when thinking about all the different ways to use math maze games in the classroom, I turned to the comments from other teachers and their great ideas and insights on using mazes with students.
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