#MTBoSBlaugust 2 Short Intro Activities

This summer I have tried to think of ways to improve on my starting/ending a class.  I have a mixture of beginning of the period activities such as Which One Doesn’t Belong, What’s Wrong with this Picture(Geometry), Visual Patterns, Graphing Stories, Homework “Quizzes”  over previous recent lesson either on paper or mini-whiteboard.  Almost always they were connected to the current  lesson/chapter.

I looked at various blogs for more ideas. I know I looked at others so this is an incomplete list.

• Pam Wilson – the radical rational…
• Marissa W – La Vie Mathematique (I should have gone to her ICTM session last Oct.!)
• Annie Forest – Show your THINKING 
• Crazy Math Teacher Lady
• Mary Bourassa –  M^3 (Making Math Meaningful
• Sarah Carter – Math = Love
• Math Giraffe
• Jessica  – Algebrainiac
• Ms. Menard – Her Mathness
• The Singos

So new additions:

I got hooked on the Set Game this summer – So I made a smartboard background to make it easier to display.  I use a SB Screen capture and edit the transparency and size to lay on top.  Quick and easy. I have about 60 with answers now so a nice stash for the year (and probably next if I do once a week)!  I like this protocol:  Michael Fenton – Reason and Wonder

   

Also I want to add Estimation 180, Would You Rather, Open Middle, SolveMe Mobiles, 7Puzzle, Don Steward’s MEDIAN,  the occasional ACT (or AP Calc) prep and more Visual Patterns.  I thought about a specific daily routine but I still like to keep some that are related to the topic of the day or review of recent topics.  Most of my class periods are 44 minutes and Thursday’s 35 minutes so time is precious and will depend on what that lesson and related activities are.  I also want to include some thoughts from a philosophical/Biblical approach to math –  some books I have that are listed by Josh Wilkerson and resources by Sean Bird and  James Nickel

I am working this week on setting up the first chapter of each of my 5 preps.  Some I’ll put in the smartboard file to display – others I will make half-sheet papers.  And then see how it goes when classes start in a couple of weeks.