Week 7!

This week we started with an activity called Speed Dating: Multiplication Style within this game we each had our own number. We then had to find a partner, multiply their number with ours, and if we both got the correct answer we were considered a “match”.  The sheet of paper allows the students to practice their multiplication a handful of times. It is called speed dating to emphasis the fast pace environment for students to work as quickly as possible to solve the equations. This activity not only challenges the students, but also develops a fun aspect to learning!

An example that stuck out to me this week was focusing on ALGEBRA, and this activity helps students understand the concept.  This activity is looking at two grocery lists that mention either an item once or twice between the two lists. How will students condense this grocery list? Why did students write 2 bananas opposed to writing them separately? This is a great introduction to students because they are completing algebra within their head without noticing by condensing the items that are written out more than once. As a teacher you can then show the students how it could be written out in algebraic form. Below in the picture is a demonstration based on the grocery list.

         I also liked an example from one of the presentations this week, creating a clear understanding for students to grasp the concept of opposite operations. Introducing this is important for students to develop an understanding before plugging it into equations. Make sure to emphasize to students that the equal sign is the separation line between the numbers. Once a number crosses over it becomes an opposite of what it used to be.

Some opposite/inverse operations are:

•      Addition and Subtraction
•      Multiplying and Dividing

          For students that are not grasping the concept easily, as a teacher you can apply it to a real life situation that students can connect to. This example is the game called Red Rover, as a student runs over to the other team and gets caught, they then become a member of the opposite team. You can then explain that once you bring another number over to the other side of the equal side it becomes an opposite number, just like it becomes a member of the opposite team. By connecting it to real-life examples it may help students visualize it, and remember the term longer. 

Jane Hang. Funny Math Quotes. (Online Image). Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2ff3YT7 

        

        This week I explored some algebraic games online and came across Parking Algebra that can be found here. Students are required to solve for x, and park the car in the parking space that contains that value using the arrows on the keyboard. This game has a fun twist as the students themselves get to control the car to park it, and they can’t damage the car in the process or they have to start over! This game has 6 levels that are all timed, and as the student completes the levels, the questions get harder and harder.

          I personally like the idea of this game because it not only has the students solving the problems but in a timely manner, having to park all the cars to score points! If the student has extra time on the clock before they finish, they get bonus points. This can create some friendly competition in the classroom, for example, if the teacher creates Friday competitions the students may be motivated to practice during the week. I also like that there are 6 different levels, progressively getting harder.

         Some things I disliked about the game were the controls of the car. I wasn’t aware to go left and right you had to press the up or down arrow as well. This may be frustrating for students, as it took me a while to figure it out myself.  I also could see how the levels being timed can be an issue because each car needs to be parked in order to complete the level. This may be a problem for students that are not as good with the controls, and can be discouraging because it’s not reflecting their knowledge of the content. Feel free to play the game and comment your thoughts !

                     via GIPHY