Blog Post 2: Weeks 4 and 5
Week 4
http://engaging-math.blogspot.com/2015/04/tarsia-puzzle-fractionsdecimals-and.html
In Class Activity Analysis
http://engaging-math.blogspot.com/2015/04/tarsia-puzzle-fractionsdecimals-and.html
In Class Activity Analysis
In
class we used a Tarsia puzzle as an example of a fun way to have students practice
using mental math to find equivalent fractions. This puzzle has students make a
hexagon out of triangles. This puzzle requires students not only to understand
equivalent fractions and how to find them, but geometry and how triangles can
make up shapes. I have concerns that this would be too hard for students to
complete, as we never were able to completely solve the puzzle. It also would
be hard to differentiate this activity, as even if you had them complete a
puzzle with less pieces or easier fractions it still requires multiple math
streams content knowledge and mental math skills.
This is a teachers blog
that has links to Tarsia creation software and how to use it.
Connections to Reading
Connections to Personal Experience
I struggled with math during elementary school. In my experience I would become frustrated when I was given an activity, especially when I was not solid on math concepts, that required many math skills in one. In this case the assessment requires problem solving (the puzzle), mental math, geometry, and equivalent fractions. This frustration would result in my belief that I could never complete such assignments and my mindset became fixed surrounding all math.
Impacts as a Teacher
Connections to Reading
Small (2013) states that “assessment
of fraction understanding should include an appropriate balance of conceptual,
procedural, and problem-solving questions,” (p. 286). The Tarsia puzzle uses
conceptual knowledge, understanding why and how they can make fractions with different
denominators equivalent. Procedurally they complete the steps to make fractions
equivalent, and they use problem solving to solve the puzzle.
I struggled with math during elementary school. In my experience I would become frustrated when I was given an activity, especially when I was not solid on math concepts, that required many math skills in one. In this case the assessment requires problem solving (the puzzle), mental math, geometry, and equivalent fractions. This frustration would result in my belief that I could never complete such assignments and my mindset became fixed surrounding all math.
Impacts as a Teacher
- · Challenging students, while not going beyond their zone of proximal development, to avoid creating a fixed mindset in students
- · Differentiate instruction so all students are able to partake in an assignment in a way that meet their needs
- · Create engaging assessments and activities
Week 5
https://www.lifewire.com/free-jeopardy-powerpoint-templates-1358186
In Class Activity Analysis
In class we played battleship jeopardy to practice adding and subtracting integers. This way of having students practice content is engaging and fun. Using gameplay in class helps students also have a healthy sense of competition and be motivated towards completing a goal. However, this healthy competition could easily become less healthy, as students could target certain peers or get upset at not winning. Students need to learn that they will not always win, so it is important to still include these kinds of activities in class, but you need to ensure gameplay doesn’t become nasty.
Here is a website I found to create a Jeopardy; it is free you just have to sign up for an account.
Connections to Reading
Small (2013), states that to asses students understanding teachers need to use both conceptual and problem-solving questions (p. 353). This activity tests procedures, how to complete addition and subtraction with integers, but does not have students use deeper thinking about why the procedures work.
Connections to Personal Experience
I have seen gameplay used in my own education to review for tests, in the form of regular Jeopardy. This kind of game motivated students to pay attention to the questions and content as they were having fun and interacting with their peers. It also demonstrated to the teacher our understanding of the content and helped us prepare for assessment.
Impacts as a Teacher
https://www.lifewire.com/free-jeopardy-powerpoint-templates-1358186
In Class Activity Analysis
In class we played battleship jeopardy to practice adding and subtracting integers. This way of having students practice content is engaging and fun. Using gameplay in class helps students also have a healthy sense of competition and be motivated towards completing a goal. However, this healthy competition could easily become less healthy, as students could target certain peers or get upset at not winning. Students need to learn that they will not always win, so it is important to still include these kinds of activities in class, but you need to ensure gameplay doesn’t become nasty.
Here is a website I found to create a Jeopardy; it is free you just have to sign up for an account.
Connections to Reading
Small (2013), states that to asses students understanding teachers need to use both conceptual and problem-solving questions (p. 353). This activity tests procedures, how to complete addition and subtraction with integers, but does not have students use deeper thinking about why the procedures work.
Connections to Personal Experience
I have seen gameplay used in my own education to review for tests, in the form of regular Jeopardy. This kind of game motivated students to pay attention to the questions and content as they were having fun and interacting with their peers. It also demonstrated to the teacher our understanding of the content and helped us prepare for assessment.
Impacts as a Teacher
- · Engagement and motivation
- · Assessing understanding of content
- · Gameplay in education
- · Understanding how to compete in a healthy way
- · Using mental math
References
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2005). The Ontario
curriculum grades 1‐8: Mathematics. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/math18curr.pdf
Small, M. (2013) 3nd Edition. Making Math Meaningful to Canadian Students, K-8. 3rd Edition,
Toronto, Nelson.
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