Artifacts The following clips are cribbed from Nova: The Pluto Files in which Neil deGrasse Tyson sets up a model of the heavenly bodies of our solar system, comparing their sizes relative to the sun and each other. Not all of the clips were able to be chopped to give the appropriate bleep sound. So we … Continue reading If the sun is an 8 foot diameter balloon, what is Pluto?
Let them get it wrong: Caloric Quandary
Artifact & Facilitation I must have cylinders on the brain. Maybe because they're actually one of the few traditional geometric shapes that we actually interact with on a regular basis? Maybe it's because they're readily measured? Anyway, here have a Coke can and one of those mini-Coke cans. Though it's dependent on you exactly what … Continue reading Let them get it wrong: Caloric Quandary
What? How do YOU spend your two-hour school delays?, Water Content in a Snow Cylinder
As anyone in town for NCTM in Denver know, it's been a bit snowy here this week. In fact, Fort Collins just had its biggest snowfall of the year. But how big? We had a two hour school delay this morning as my daughter and I were greeted by this on our back doorstep. "Wow … Continue reading What? How do YOU spend your two-hour school delays?, Water Content in a Snow Cylinder
Red Solo Cup / I Lift You Up / Let’s Find the Volume! / Let’s Find the Volume!
Hat tip to @mathhombre. Artifact The red Solo cup, apparently. Guiding Questions What are those little markings between 12 oz and "Top Me Off, Bro"? Can you use proportions to find it? Similar polygons? Volume? Help me out here. Can I have a ruler? Can I use Geogebra to diagram this? Wait, can't I just … Continue reading Red Solo Cup / I Lift You Up / Let’s Find the Volume! / Let’s Find the Volume!
Can we make an even “edgier” brownie pan? What about the “perfect” brownie pan?
Artifact This, my friends, is part math, part food, part art, all deliciousness: It's the all edge brownie pan, which I found from my new Favorite Website of All Time, Reasons to Go Broke. Here's the description from the Amazon page (perfect 5-star rating): "For corner brownie fans and chewy edge lovers, it's a dream … Continue reading Can we make an even “edgier” brownie pan? What about the “perfect” brownie pan?
‘Readymade’ Suitcase Project (Part 2)
If you didn't see the intro to this project, check out Part 1. Briefly, I want to make this: Now that I've categorized all the items for my travel needs, I need to measure the dimensions to determine the smallest travel case I can purchase. Here's that list of items again. 4 pairs of socks … Continue reading ‘Readymade’ Suitcase Project (Part 2)
I’m in love with a suitcase; ‘Readymade’ Suitcase Project (Part 1)
My job affords me the opportunity to travel all over the country and observe teachers putting their best feet forward. Problem is, I’ve never been much of a traveller. I’m terrible at packing. Therefore, I could really use something like this: This is a project suggested by Readymade magazine. I don’t want to gush too … Continue reading I’m in love with a suitcase; ‘Readymade’ Suitcase Project (Part 1)
How big is Mega Maid’s vacuum bag; “Spaceballs”
Artifact Scene from Mel Brooks' classic, Spaceballs. Start off by simply showing it (or any combination of the split scenes) to your students (apologies if there are advertisements, you can skip them in like 5 seconds): Now, I'm not sure if you'd want to show the entire scene in a classroom setting, both because it's rather … Continue reading How big is Mega Maid’s vacuum bag; “Spaceballs”
emergent math 