Trigonometry Formulas Video

I made this video with my Pre-Calc class at a former school, under a former name probably 6 or 7 years ago.  As I was read misscalcul8's blog (again!), I was reminded of it.  They had so much fun designing the posters and doing the "stunts".  One student was on crutches and one was hoarse!

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!!

Pre-Cut Paper Circles...WCYDWT?

Oh the possibilities of these pre-cut circles... I found these last week at Michaels Arts & Crafts for $5.99.  Middle School OCD said she found a pack of 100 at Lakeshore Learning for around $4 a few years back.  I looked in their store in Tampa last week and couldn't find them.  They also don't carry it on their website.

This year (and two years ago), I used paper plates (the cheap, unwaxed ones) and had my students demonstrate their new vocab and labeling of a circle.  Here's the activity and the picture of them hanging on 2 clotheslines the width of my room (60+ students/plates).  The 9 backwards plates on the left are waiting for absent students...

I think this coming year I will use these circles and display them temporarily before having students place them into the INB.  If they put them in their INB, I won't be able to have them use the back...just a thought...

Middle School OCD uses them as a hands-on activity to show diameter, radius, circumference and area on one circle.  On another circle, she demonstrates complementary, supplementary and vertical angles.

My ideas:
GEOM - central angles and their intercepted arcs, inscribed angles and their intercepted arcs, area of sector and circle, arc length and circumference, right triangles inscribed in a semicircle, cyclic quadrilaterals, discovering pi using circumference and diameter,

TRIG - unit circle - radians, degrees and coordinates

I'm probably going to have to make a trip back to Michaels because I have more ideas than circles!!
I will keep thinking... Leave me a comment if you have any suggestions!

Discrete vs. Continuous Poster

I just found a blog that I haven't read yet through a Pinterest link.  The title of the post was Marshmallow Minute.  John Berray uses examples of a Lite Brite and an Etch-a-Sketch to differentiate between discrete and continuous.

Even though I'm not currently teaching Algebra, I could use it to clear up misconceptions in my Pre-Calc class.  Here is the poster I made from his inspiration.

Got Transparencies?

At the end of the year, when everyone was cleaning out and moving, I was offered lots of old stuff that others didn't need.  I hate to throw stuff away if there is ANY way I could repurpose it!  Well, when they offered me transparencies (write-on, copy and ink/laser jet), I couldn't resist.  My first thought was to cut something out using my Cameo.

A couple of years ago, I used them as dividers in my mini 3-ring binder.  So, I thought I would share pics of the mini 3-ring binder as well as a daytimer and a regular 3-ring binder.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me!  I would love to hear comments and suggestions!

Daytimer - I cut the transparencies in half, then hole-punched using the Franklin Covey hole punch.

Mini 3-Ring Binder - cut transparencies to 6" x 9.5". To hole punch I readjusted my regular hole punch but you can use a single punch.

 Regular 3-Ring binder - used the whole transparencies and hole-punched as usual.

More Silhouette Decorations for My Classroom

Math Chick

Grading Percentages Pie Chart

Bulletin Board Ideas

When I moved out of my old room, I took my three 4' x 4' bulletin boards with me (they would've been demolished with the room otherwise!).  There is only one 4' x 6' bulletin board in my new room, but the room has a lot of empty wall space.  Over the summer, I am gonna talk my hubby into hanging them for me!  (He won't mind because he gives me so much support, even offering crafty suggestions!)  Hopefully before that half of the school is demo'ed, I can find one more 4' x 4' board.

So, I have written about my Silhouette Cameo in previous blogs...well, this one's not any different.  I have created 4 bulletin boards and 1 wall decoration using it.

College BB 4' x 6' - I made these pennants using my Cameo and as time goes on, I will be adding other colleges/universities.  FAU and UF were my first designs seen here, hubby took one of the UF Gator ones for his office.  The other 2 are local and many of our students go there.

Keys to Success 4' x 4' - the background for this one is actually cream colored duck fabric from Walmart with black skeleton keys on it.  The border will be scrunched black tulle.

Data Wall 4' x 4' - on top of the 11" x 17" colored-coded sheets, I display a bar graph showing letter grades by test.  Thru the holes on the banner pieces, I am going to put 1" lime green ribbon and tie it at the ends to make it look like its hanging.  My old version can be seen here.

Facts & Quotes 4' x 4' - to display fun facts and famous quotes...facts/quotes printed on colored paper will be displayed over each of the thought bubbles. That's me at the bottom with the pi shirt...LOL!

Myths about Math - this design will go on the wall over my front whiteboard.  I want them to be able to see it without having to turn around.  Perhaps, if they read it enough, it will sink in!

For the other 4' x 4' BB that I am hunting for, I'm going to either make into a station board, a challenge board or change it with my geometry lessons...  

Ticket out the Door Poster

Next year, instead of using index cards for exit tickets, I am going to use post-it notes. You can get them for less money (think Dollar Tree and Big Lots) and they don't really have to stick well or for a long time.

I found a generic brand of hot pink "thumbs up" stickies at Walmart and had a great idea!  I would apply the stickies to a poster board, apply numbers and a title, then laminate. When students leave the room they will stick the post-it to their number on the poster.

I created my vinyl numbers and title on the Silhouette Cameo my hubby bought me for my birthday last year! After an expensive trip to Michaels, I had the perfect pinks for the title!