Blog Post #8 – February 8th, 2021
Hi everyone!
Today in class, we started off by going over resources that my peers have found! One common one that came up was TVOLearn! This is an awesome resource for teachers! This website allows you to select a grade level, then a subject, and breaks it down into smaller lessons! In these smaller lessons, there are specific minds on, activation and consolidation activities! For this week specifically I have found this is a great tool, especially as I have not taken date management before! I know if I need ideas or get stuck, this can be a great tool to refer back to!
Next in class we worked with algebra tiles! I have never used this before and it’s so awesome to see how we can make algebra visual! Here is a video that helps to explain what algebra tiles are, and how you can use them (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2o8EI0iOYg&feature=emb_title).
I wanted to do some more research to see if algebra tiles could be used in a virtual setting, and they can! I found this website that allows you to use algebra tiles online (https://www.didax.com/apps/algebra-tiles/). I think this is a great tool to use in a math class, and I love that you can use it in person and virtually!
Today in class, we practiced using the algebra tiles. It was eye-opening to see how our professor explained the representation of algebra and how we can use our student’s prior knowledge to help them further their knowledge and understanding in regard to algebra!
The example we used in class:
3x^2+2x+7 and x^2+5x+1
Then we collected like terms to find the answer of 4x^2+7x+8:
We also represented 2x^2+3x+1:
Which shows factors of 2x+1 and x+1, which when you expand, you get 2x^2+3x+1!
It was cool to look at it this way as I am not sure I have ever been explained this way! It was great to see algebra in such a visual way! I absolutely love this tool/strategy!
Over the last few weeks I have been developing some other online tools that can be helpful to make math engaging in an online setting, with the help of my peers, here are some that I have found to be incredibly useful and engaging!
1. Google Jamboard (https://jamboard.google.com)
2. Geogebra (https://www.geogebra.org/calculator)
3. Virtual Geoboard (https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/geoboard/)
4. Desmos (https://www.desmos.com)
5. Algebra Tiles (https://www.didax.com/apps/algebra-tiles/)
6. TVOLearn for lesson plans/activity ideas (https://tvolearn.com)
7. Collaborative White Board (https://miro.com)
There are also so many other great online resources! The list of resources above is what I will use in my virtual or in person classroom! The great think about these resources is that we can use them in so many ways and some of them can be used in a variety of subjects!
Overall this week I was really glad we got to work with algebra tiles! I am always looking for more tools to make math engaging and every week I am learning more! I have been able to develop a great resource bank for resources that I can even use in my non-math classes! It is great to practice using all of these tools so that when I am in a classroom, I have a bank of things that I can try and use with my students. I will continue to share these sources on my blog!
Until next time,
Sydney
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