What's In Your Future?!?! Multiplying Binomials

Will you be a race car driver? Will you have 10 kids? Where will you live? All these can be answered with some multiplying binomials!!

So to expand upon my Clue Factoring Activity, I decided to do something different with multiplying binomials. Using the same concept, you will solve the problems to reveal your future! Kind of like the old MASH game.

 

The students were thoroughly enjoying it. They were completely engaged in the activity and groan grumbles and cheers went through the class as they revealed their destiny.

There are 3 versions with all the same problems, just the answers are mixed up. 

For answer keys, please email camfan54@att.net from an official teacher school or professional account that I can verify. I have had a number of students and generic email accounts request keys. I don't want to ruin the integrity of an assignment for any of you. Thank you and hope you understand.

To get my original Clue Factoring activity, click here.

To get this activity for FREE, click here! 
I have left it in both Word and PDF. The font used was KG Payphone which can be downloaded for FREE on dafont.com here!!


Enjoy discovering the secrets to your future!

Lisa

Funning for Finals!

Quick post to share my headband for finals review.  It is slope-intercept form and the students identify the slope or y-intercept to lead them to their next problem.

It has been a long time since I've created something new so wanted to share in case you are looking for a nice quick essential review this week!

Get the directions and all my other headbands for free on my previous post here!

For any keys, please feel free to email me at camfan54@att.net from your school or professional account.  I've had students try and email for keys in the past but luckily their email said student!  

Enjoy the end of your year!

Equations and Systems Math Lib

Quick post to share my equation writing Math Lib!

 

I had one day to spare before we started working on our semester review and decided to put together more writing equations and systems from word problems practice.  My students have become pro's at solving the systems word problems and just need more practice on writing the equations themselves.

I of course, had to make it themed but didn't go with just one this time.... I went all over the board.  How will our tale turn out?  Who did what where and with whom?

The solution and story is theirs to discover.  There are 10 problems total.  I've printed the questions in color to hang around the room or hallway and given each pair or student the Math Lib Sheet to fill in.  There really is not any work to show but there is a correct 'story'.

Students will answer the scenario with the equation or system that works them put that bolded answer in the designated blank.

There are 4 equations and 6 systems problems to write.  They would be appropriate for Algebra and beyond.

You can download both my Word and PDF versions here for FREE.  The font I used is KG Payphone and you may download it for FREE here at Dafont.com.

For any keys, please feel free to email me at camfan54@att.net from your school or professional account.  I've had students try and email for keys in the past but luckily their email said student! 

Enjoy!
Lisa

Sphero-ing Our Way Around the Coordinate Grid

If you have previously read my blog, you know I usually go overboard!  I usually end up creating something extravagant or if I get a new manipulative, I try to work it in everywhere.  This summer and school year, I was awarded several grants and as a result, I had to caution myself to not go so overboard that I overwhelmed myself and my class.  Enter this quick post about using Sphero to find slope!

 

The WS is somewhat simplistic and the robotics integration is really more engaging than intense but it was a different way to find slope form 2 points.  As many students as wanted to were able to drive a Sphero on the coordinate grid I taped onto the floor.  I would then tell them to name the coordinates from two Spheros to put on their WS.

I displayed the WS on the board so they could copy down if they were 'busy' driving.  After a few problems, I changed one axis too.  You might want to be cautious if you make negative points dominant for differentiation.

On a couple of problems, I also changed the scales and made each tick 2 or 1/2.  You could really do anything you wanted!   

This was just how we practiced slope from 2 points.  I also had problems on the back to write the equations but we had not reviewed that skill yet.... I had a lot of Professional Development this month!

While this was not an intense integration, it was effective and engaging which is always a desirable outcome!  

Get the WS here for FREE!  The font I used for the title was A Little Sunchine and you can download it here for FREE!

Enjoy!

Lisa

Earning the Grade for X and Y Intercepts

Several years ago I attended a session from a teacher in Clear Creek ISD named Ms. Brumbelow.  She presented an activity where the students went around the room to solve problems but each one had a point value that they earned.  The points were based on difficulty.

I liked the idea of differing points and the opportunity to complete what 'you want to do'.  Personalized, individual learning nicely wrapped up in a classroom activity.

First, I gave some basic intercepts notes.  My students have previously learned intercepts so no more than a review was necessary.  I used this foldable from Math by the Mountain on Teachers pay Teachers.

It was perfect.  I loved how concise it was yet covering everything necessary!  I'm a firm believer in using what I can find.  This foldable was well worth the money!

For the assignment we did the Around the Room/Pick Your Points Assignment.  I do not have a creative name for this so all suggestions are welcome! 

Students receive an answer sheet that is not numbered as I do not want them influenced in any way of what problems to pick.

I then have all the problems hanging around the room and in the hallway.  Students have complete freedom to answer whichever questions they want to get up to a hundred points.  i recommend they do extras in case they get one wrong.  Below is a selection of points included the hardest 30 point question!

In case you are curious, majority of these problems are taken from the released STAAR Tests (Texas Standardized Test).  

Get the entire activity for FREE here!  

I have it in both Word and PDF for you.  And of course... I do not just have generic fonts!  You can get the title font, KG Girl on Fire, for Free here at dafont.com.

For any keys, please feel free to email me at camfan54@att.net from your school or professional account.  I've had students try and email for keys in the past but luckily their email said student! 

Enjoy!
Lisa

Can You Escape the Death Star? Maze Activity

Are you brave enough to traverse the Dark Side?  Solve your way to the Escape Pod so you can join the rebel forces in defeating Darth Vader the Sith Lord.  

When will you ever use this in real life, you ask.... well here you go!  Nothing like defeating evil with Algebra to see the relevance of multi-step equations in the real world.  We never know when we need to fight a Star War!

And of course... I always go a little overboard....

These are just characters taped to solo cups to place over the Sphero to add come character.  Below is a video of how they move.

This summer I received a couple of grants for Spheros in my math classroom.  I've been working on integrating STEM and STEAM into my class as a way of engaging and motivating learners.  What is a Sphero you might ask?  

I saw these a couple of summers ago at the Texas Regional Collaborative in Austin, Texas.  I have played with them a few times and even brought them up to school at the end of last year.  I wrote a grant through WeTeach_CS and DonorsChoose.org.  Blessedly I received both of them!  The WeTeach Mini Grant allowed me to realize a life long dream too!  I received my first ever 'bigcheck'!  

He went on a  number of adventures the rest of the summer which you can see on my classroom Twitter: @cbhsrichmath.

Immediately I started brainstorming.  I have a bad habit of going overboard so I wanted to slowly bring Sphero into my classroom.  I have already integrated Ozobot into my class so I just needed a few assignments to work in.  Robotics and coding are so important to basic life skills as I've previously wrote about on my blog.  They teach fundamental life and math skills so even just 'playing' can be great learning.

So Sphero..... Hmmmm..... there are a ton of great resources to intorduce into the class like the following Teachers Pay Teachers Activities from Miss Talented and Gifted:

Bundle 1

Bundle 2

The Twister activity is fabulous!  When we did it at a STEM Camp they loved it and really applied their coding.

With my students, I wanted to work it in to the curriculum as an initial interest motivator.  So I thought, 'hey, they could drive it through a maze!'  Then I thought just take any maze WS  and print it poster size to put on the ground.  I have a bunch from Algebra Accents I could use! BUT.... this is me and I wanted a Star Wars themed one!! Of course I couldn't just use what I had, could I?!?!?

Enter Can You Escape From the Death Star?

I printed it in poster mode from PDF at 625%.  This made it 9 sheets by 5 sheets and the perfect size to navigate Sphero through to the Escape Pods.  Every pair/group/individual will solve their problems to navigate through the maze on paper.  They will then drive their Sphero through it all on the floor maze!

I added a students WS to show their work.

At first, they needed some time to familiarize themselves with it and play.  I demonstrated how to connect and do the basic drive commands for this activity.  We will get more into the coding later.

The students worked hard to get to the fun.  they were able to master the mechanics and even practice their 'escape' plan to show me for their grade tomorrow.  Below are the Sphero Mini's which have a totally different drive dynamic in my opinion. 

As always, I have provided copies of the activities in Word and PDF.  The fonts I used were Star Jedi and standard Stencil in Word. 

Download the Maze and Student WS here for FREE!

For any keys, please feel free to email me at camfan54@att.net from your school or professional account.  I've had students try and email for keys in the past but luckily their email said student! 

Have a gallactically great day!
Lisa

whY Bingo

So, for the first time in like 7 years, I thought about this bingo game I had put together years ago.  I searched the recesses of my hard drive to come across it thinking it would be great for STAAR Camp.  STAAR is our state standardized test.  As I reviewed it to share with the team, I was thinking.... 'why haven't i used this in forever?!!?!  What a great review and spiraling activity!!!!'  I think, too often, I get excited about something new and forget there are incredible things already here for my students.  I'm also easily excitable about new activities that I often get carried away!

Sometime, over 10 years ago, I came across this incredible Bingo template created by Steve Mashburn in 2001.  It is Ah-maz-ing!!  It creates 25 unique Bingo Cards.

Here is a selection of the cards.  His mastery at work!  I admire people so much that can use Excel to this masterful degree.

Here is his original template.  I've looked extensively for where his original is posted and cannot find it.  There are, however, about a billion teachers who have used, referenced, and published it.  There are quite a few who have provided versions of it for you to use so try googling!  One great site that made several versions you can download for free is I Want to Teach Forever.  You can access their materials here.

So, all those years ago, I created one for Equations (mostly linear).  The essence of my teaching high school math is my students knowing and using y=mx+b.  Surprisingly, there can never be too much practicing, too much reviewing, or too much mastery in this skill.  So that is how I came up with whY Bingo.  It's all about that y.  I used questions that we saw repeatedly on testing and highly missed ones.  This was before our testing and TEKS change so some questions have moved down to intermediate school but are still relevant and necessary fundamentals.  **If you are a intermediate school teacher, be sure and check vocabulary as I know slope and y-intercept are not used in your instruction.**

Below is a close up view of a couple of my student bingo cards:

I used a Power Point as my 'calling cards' instead of strips as these are items that needed to be seen by the students and not just heard.  And some were super long!  These were very basic and just on white slides.  These were my early days of Power Pointing so please forgive. Here are some selected power point slides:

You may download the Power Point here.  I also saved it in PDF here.

The power point says they may fill in a blank Bingo but I've learned this can take an extensive amount of time and that is why I love the template that pre-prints them all mixed up for them.  

Of course, me being me, I did a 30 question Power Point for a 25 question template so I actually have 2 sets of bingo cards getting the extra 5 questions on the spaces.  You can download them in Excel or PDF here.  I have a laminated set of both and just mix them up.  you could also print so the students could work or take notes (and you won't have pinto beans all over your floor ;-))

I think this is excellent review, especially for STAAR or end of the year standardized tests!  Plus they get to play a game.  And why haven't I used it in fever?!?!!?  Ugh!!!  Already done and ready,  so that would have saved me time and as a teacher, we have so much extra time we just need more things to fill that empty void.

Hope you enjoy and please feel free to share or let me know if you see any needed corrections!

Thanks,

Lisa

What does a nosey pepper do?

Prepare to laugh.  Uproariously.  OK... maybe not but my students sure seem to eye roll a lot when I do one of these.  Pretty sure that they are laughing with me.  OK... maybe a little sure.  OK... maybe it's just me but this is one of my favorite things to do with my kids and they love them.

Several years ago I stumbled across the following Blog post:

It changed a lot for my students and classroom!  

Below is a brief explanation on how I do it:

Here is how I like to make a Math Worksheet into a Secret Phrase Scavenger Hunt:

I like to make it answer a corny joke although sometimes they know the joke. We occasionally have to alter the way we do the scavenger hunt by having them answer first then go do the hunt in the hallway. It varies by class. They like seeing the outcome of a joke or riddle. Pizzazz is always a great resource but sometimes I just want to use the WS I have or make a WS for a specific skill they need practice on. They also seem to find all the Pizzazz Answers online (GRRRR...) 

Doing it like this definitely adds to engagement and you can design it where they have room to work which is often my issue with pre-made puzzle sheets. I also add distractor cards of letters that are not in the answer, that way it’s easier for us to spot check as they are working.  This of course would be depending on your class!  Sometimes the distractors make it too difficult.  I tend to put them at the end of my template so I can easily separate.

The blog above likes to sometimes just make a random code or answer so it is not easily discernible.  My students seem to like the jokes and it gives them something to work toward.  I love the moans and groans when a kid inadvertently calls out the answer although we try and not have 'thunder stealers' :-) 

What I like most about these is the answers DO NOT FORM a LOOP.  That always seems to create a lot more difficulty for my students and for me helping them as well. 

First, I start with a corny joke.  Find one that has enough words or letters for each problem.  The students may know them so I always include a disclaimer about showing all their work!

The first time I actually took a 10 question assignment, drew some lines on it and made some wall cards.  After that, I created a template and it's been smooth sailing.  My absolute favorite one is the What does a nosey pepper do? unfortunately this was my first one and all jokes after are just downhill as I tell my students.  It's so cheesy though and I laugh EVERY. TIME. My students even laugh about it later on as they pass me in the halls after they have moved on to higher level maths.  It is just one and two step inequalities and could likely be used in intermediate now but my students always need a refresher.  Download for free here.   I've included both Word and PDF so you do not have to change any font formatting.  You also now have a template to create any you would like!

This is the student worksheet.

This is how the wall sheets appear.  If several classes are doing the same one, I recommend printing on different color paper to help monitor!

This one is graphing lines from Standard form.  Download here.  I only have the joke sheets in word because I edited a PDF for the WS.

Writing Systems of Linear Equations

I am always changing and adapting and will add any additional ones here in the same folder as above.  I'll try and update the blog when I do as well.


I also have a couple on Teacher Pay Teachers if you are interested. They involve Domain and Range and Functions and are quite extensive.  I have a had a great deal of positive feedback.  We actually use these as MAJOR GRADES.  They are 19 questions and I count the joke completion as 20.  On this activity we actually increased our turn in rate by 95%!

Domain and Range Function Scavenger 1

Domain and Range Function Scavenger 2

I hope you enjoy this brief post and the templates!  Please share if you create any or feel free to ask me if I have any others.  I love Pizzazz but just needed to spice it up some and allow room to work.  I'm also #thatteacher so the corny jokes only I laugh at seem to amuse the kids.  They like having that end answer and also being able to move around.

For any keys, please feel free to email me at camfan54@att.net from your school or professional account.  I've had students try and email for keys in the past but luckily their email said student! 

Thanks!
Lisa