5 Maths Gems #37

Hello too welcome to my 37^th gems post. This is where I portion about of the best maths teaching ideas I've seen on Twitter. If you lot bask reading these posts therefore you lot mightiness similar to explore my novel hashtag #mathsgems to reckon highlights from previous posts.

Last calendar week I attended #pieandmaths - this was an lawsuit organised yesteryear La Salle Education inwards which a grouping of maths teachers got together to verbalize over issues inwards maths education. It was a non bad solar daytime too I've included a brusk write-up at the terminate of this post.

I stimulate got a surplus of gems this calendar week therefore here's the kickoff five, amongst 5 to a greater extent than to follow afterwards this week.

1. Brilliant Indices Question
I kickoff wrote close Gems 21. I 'like' Brilliant's Facebook page which way I acquire regular maths problems inwards my Facebook feed. Since I joined Twitter I haven't used Facebook much, simply I've been on in that place quite a fleck this calendar week working on my novel Facebook page. Luckily that way that I spotted this awesome query from Brilliant:

My Year 12s volition live on treated to this inwards September! 

2. 1001 Math Problems
Thanks to Denise Gaskins (@letsplaymath) for sharing the website 1001 Math Problems. This American website was created equally a rootage of problem-solving activities for simple too middle schoolhouse children. The problems are accessible too engaging. Solutions are included.

Here's a lovely example, taken from the pick of puzzles that explore factors/divisibility:

The problems are mainly suitable for Key Stage ii too 3. I honey 'The Spilled Juice Problem'.

3. Simulations
Last August I wrote a postal service Animations too Simulations, too since therefore I've occasionally featured animations inwards my gems posts, similar this lovely demonstration of the surface area of a circle from Gems 12.

One of my favourite simulation websites is PhET Interactive Simulations which I'm told is peculiarly useful for teaching Mechanics at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. Some of the simulations on PhET are suitable for Key Stage three too 4, such equally this estimation activity. Do stimulate got a play amongst this activity, it's great.

Thanks to a tweet from @ChristinaGawlik I've also discovered the late revamped website www.explorelearning.com. This is the 'world's largest library of math too scientific discipline simulations'. These simulations (called Gizmos) are actually good. Unfortunately unless you lot pay a subscription, you lot tin dismiss entirely access each Gizmo for 5 minutes. Worth a expression though.

4. VideoScribe

Chris Smith (@aap03102) shared an impressive promotional video for his newsletters. He said it entirely took him fifteen minutes to brand this video too I didn't believe him! I ready a trial of VideoScribe and flora out he was correct - it's real quick to brand a video using this software. Here's my endeavor - a fun (but pointless!) promo video for resourceaholic.com:

I was wondering if in that place were whatever opportunities to work this software inwards the classroom when I coincidentally stumbled across this Classroom Expectations video from Cathy Yenca (@mathycathy):



Since starting at a novel schoolhouse too having to create 'proper' behavior administration for the kickoff time, I've realised the importance of setting expectations for students. I recollect this approach mightiness brand those expectations to a greater extent than memorable (and fifty-fifty if it doesn't, it's fun to brand the video!). Cathy says, "I innovation to demo this brief video I created using a free 7-day trial of VideoScribe too give students a difficult re-create of classroom expectations to fill upward inwards a few blanks equally they watch. I may demo this several times during the kickoff few weeks of school, postal service it on my website, too generate a QR code to link to it when individual needs a reminder".

I spotted Cathy's video inwards her first-class postal service Primary Maths page which links to blogs too resources. I updated my tangents too areas based on the novel GCSE specification.

Pie too Maths
La Salle Education is a fellowship dedicated to improving mathematics education. I honey La Salle's conferences too volition live on presenting at their adjacent conference inwards Sheffield inwards September. Last calendar week La Salle hosted an lawsuit called Pie too Maths which was attended yesteryear about of my Twitter buddies, therefore it was a skillful run a jeopardy to grab upward amongst people too verbalize close maths.

The lawsuit started amongst a demonstration of Complete Mathematics. This is a actually impressive organization too if you've non seen it earlier therefore it's worth exploring - La Salle tin dismiss come upward to your schoolhouse to demonstrate it. I actually back upward the underlying principles of Complete Mathematics - it has the potential to live on the ultimate collaboration tool for maths teachers. The content too functionality stimulate got developed good since I kickoff saw it concluding summer. The interface is actually user-friendly, allowing teachers to efficiently innovation lessons amongst access to well-written objectives, pedagogical notes, resources too assessment tools. Complete Mathematics currently covers Key Stage 1 through to GCSE. New content is beingness developed for Core Maths, providing much needed construction too resources for this novel post-16 qualification.

Can you lot advert the Twitter handles?

We enjoyed a lovely tiffin too therefore went to the pub for a debate, led yesteryear Mark McCourt (@EmathsUK). We discussed a number of issues including behaviour, parenting, teaching methods, instructor grooming too research.

Afterwards nosotros had lots of fourth dimension to chat too play maths games - I ended upward tied to Bruno Reddy (@MrReddyMaths). This video shows how nosotros got out of it (well done Bruno, I had no idea!).

Thanks to La Salle too Mark McCourt for organising a actually enjoyable event. I loved catching upward amongst Twitter friends too coming together novel people - here's the listing of attendees (sorry if I've missed anyone!): @getdiagnostics, @nishadealwis, @mrdrapermaths, @naveenfrizvi, @MissBsResources, @MissBaileyMaths, @kris_boulton, @DrTrapezio, @craigos87, @EJmaths, @tessmaths, @ColinTheTrainer, @MrMattock, @dannytybrown, @RJS2212, @mrreddymaths, @mathsatschool, @MrBenWard, @xanbritt, @CubbonSue too @mathsjem.

That's it for today's post. Good luck amongst GCSE results everyone! I'll acquire out you lot amongst this cute Nonagon video shared yesteryear @solvemymaths.