Top Trumps Substitution Card Game

Following on from my last post, here is a nice game from TES who claim to be the largest network of teachers in the world? . Top Trumps Animals Algebra Substitution uses a set of 45 cards similar to the one shown below.

The Wikipedia entry states the rules as follows:

All the cards are dealt among the players. There must be at least two players, and at least one card for each player. The starting player (normally the player sitting on the dealer’s left) selects a category from his or her topmost card and reads out its value. Each other player then reads out the value of the same category from their cards. The best (usually the largest) value wins the “trick”, and the winner takes all the cards of the trick and places them at the bottom of his or her pile. That player then looks at their new topmost card, and chooses the category for the next round.

To generate the a, b & c values, dice or playing cards could be used.

Students + Teachers = Maths

My most enjoyable and successful classes are those where I learn WITH the students. Hence I was pleased to stumble across Max Ray’s blog post: I know I’m doing it right when… Max’s statements nearly all start with: “Students and Teachers …

6) Students and Teachers solve novel problems with a variety of strategies, tools, and representations.

I am always on the lookout for a “rich” problem to engage the students with. Personally, I also love to research and prepare lesson materials. This may simply be taking someone’s idea and “tweaking” it.

Example: “Algebra Target Board” by Steve Wright on eMaths.

I wasn’t quite sure how to use this board at first. Then I thought of this:

1. Each students rolls a ten sided die to “choose” their a and b numbers.

2. The student then evaluates each expression on the Target Board.

3. A score is obtained by finding the sum of the 25 numbers.

[At this stage this is simply a skills practice exercise.]

Some areas for investigation:

A. Which numbers will give the greatest total?

B. What are the probability of…….?

C. How could we use Algebra instead of Arithmetic to predict the winner?

D. Change some of the algebraic expressions so that the outcome is less predictable. For example, I changed a – b to (a – b) cubed, which could produce some large negative answers!

E. Ask and test “What If” questions like: “What if different dice are used?”

I think activities like this can help achieve Max’s nine conditions.

Numbers Puzzle

As part of my Puzzlemaths book, I have devised some puzzles of my own. One example is my Numbers Puzzle – shown below:

I originally made this puzzle image free, but for most students this was too difficult. Every word in the puzzle now has a visual clue, which hopefully makes the puzzle more accessible. What do think of this type of puzzle? Or perhaps a more important question: “What place do puzzles and/or games have in the Mathematics classroom?”

Pyjama Party anyone?

My Year 12 Mathematics students have been working hard, having just finished the Geometry and Measurement option. On Friday we started Networks. They had a dress-up day and came to school in their PJ’s and slippers – a good way to relieve stress? Here are a few anonymous pics:

Number Puzzles

I have recently been investigating the use of number puzzles in the Mathematics classroom. As a puzzle solver, I find them both relaxing and motivating. To reach that final solution gives the solver a clear sense of purpose and a sense of satisfaction when the goal is achieved.

Carefully chosen puzzles can also help students consolidate their arithmetic and problem solving skills. For example Sudoku puzzles do not require any arithmetic while Ken-Ken or Kakuro do.

How the puzzles are used is also important. With Kakuro for example, I have scrounged some number tiles from other games to turn it in to a hands on puzzle. This makes it much more accessible to novice solvers who can use a “trial and error” approach. A partly solved Kakuro puzzle with tiles is shown in the image below:

An excellent selection of Kakuro puzzles may be downloaded in PDF format from krazydad or akidsmath. In my new compilation – PUZZLE MATH – I have included the following types of puzzle:

1. ADDITION SQUARES
2. ALFAKODO
3. CALCUDOKU
4. COLOUR ME
5. CROSSFIGURE
6. CROSSNUMBER
7. FRACTION SQUARE
8. JOIN THE DOTS
9. KAKURO
10. LOGIC PROBLEMS
11. MAGIC SQUARES
12. MENTAL MATHS
13. MINUTE CHALLENGE
14. MONEY MATHS
15. NUMBERS
16. NUMBER MAZES
17. NUMBER PYRAMIDS
18. RECTANGLES
19. MIXED PUZZLES  [click here for sample]

Do arithmetic type puzzles have a place in the Mathematics classroom? What do you think?

I’ll Be Back!

It has been a long time since my last post but in the famous words of Sylvester Stallone: “I’ll be back”.

You see I’ve fallen prey to new technology called the KINDLE.

Being an avid reader, I have had little time for blogging, since buying my kindle e-book reader. I even read Maths books on it. But more of that in future posts.

I have also been busy compiling a Maths puzzle book.

There are many number puzzles that give lots of arithmetic practice (not SUDOKU). For example KAKURO.

My next post will outline how I have implemented this into my middle school classes. Stay tuned – “Webmaths” is back!!!!

Risk Your Algebra Skills

Trying new methods in your classes is a great way to keep you and your students interested. My Google Reader now has over 100 great Math blogs. It is here that I often get inspiration to try new ideas.

For example: Sue VanHattum at Math Mama Writes, posted on Dec 4, 2010 Math Game: Risk Your Beginning Algebra Skills.

Here is my worksheet following the same method. My Year 10 students enjoyed the game format and when I surveyed the class, 90% wanted me to repeat the game later in the year.

The format has a number of advantages:

1. Students are motivated by the game format.

2. Champion or Most Improved (using multiplying factor) winning categories are seen as achievable by all or most students.

3. Students pay careful attention to solutions to see if their solution is correct and hence they can add on points.

I introduced the rule that you must gamble a minimum of 5 points on each question. It soon became evident that some students were high risk players, others were very conservative. By question 5, one student lost all their points and begged to be allowed to borrow points from a friend!

By question 9 excitement was building. Bruce was well in the lead, then forgot to collect like terms! His explosion had now bought other players into a winning position. Kate looked to be the likely winner until she factorized x² – 5x – 104 to equal (x + 13)(x – 8). Because of the impact these mistakes had, I don’t think these students are likely to make the same mistakes again.

And so finally Matt was declared champion and Angus most improved!

Thanks Sue for a great lesson idea!

Alphabox

My Year 7 students enjoyed Alphabox Shapes on Friday. Some even declared it was fun! It combined together Language, Visualisation and ICT.

The students all accessed the great Aussie Maths website: A Maths Dictionary for Kids by Jenny Eather.

They had no trouble navigating their way around the site and loved clicking the interactive buttons for each topic.

I will certainly be using this format again for other themes later in the year.

Homework Blues

Getting students to submit homework is one of the challenges Maths teachers face!

I was walking around my Year 9 class collecting homework. I got to Miss Anon who said: “I gave you my homework last session Sir”.

“I don’t think so A, because I don’t have any sheets in my folder”, I replied.

“Well I saw you throw it in the bin!”, asserted Miss A.

I was shocked by Miss A’s accusation. “I would never throw a student’s homework in the bin”, I pleaded.

I finally discovered that Miss A had folded her homework into a paper plane, and flew it up to my desk!

Well I didn’t get angry – but I will get even!

Well, Spare me Bloomin’ Days!

‘Is name’s Bluey …Well, spare me bloomin’ days!

You could er knocked me down wiv ‘arf a brick!

Yes, me, that kids meself I know kids ways,

An’ ‘as a name for teachin’ in G10!

I just lines up ‘an says stay in yer seat.

But strike! The way he piled on dawg!

Yer’d think a bloke was as good a teacher as Cammy….

‘Is name’s Bluey.

[Adapted from C J Dennis, "The Sentimental Bloke", Ch2 The Intro]

I love the poetry of C J Dennis – particularly The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke and The Moods of Ginger Mick. I can even recite most of Chap 2 – The Intro!

I Walked into my Year 7 class today after lunch. We investigated possible nets for a cube. Lots of drawings of Hexominos, then used Polydron to test them. Similar to this lesson plan from Illuminations.

Bluey worked well but left his desk without permission once. I put his name on the board as a warning. No more problems.

The kids packed up efficiently, and I dismissed the class. Bluey lingered behind and then said to me:

“Thank you Mr. T, that was a very good lesson”!

Well, spare me bloomin’ days, I was stuck for words – like a “stunned mullet”.

Jeez – I love teaching – and Aussie slang…