Lesson Plan Feature: Mathematics x 2

Here are two mathematics lessons from PBS LearningMedia for grades 5 – 8.  The first, Multiplying Fractions of the Form a/b of c is from Cyberchase, the PBS Kids program that shows kids that math is everywhere and everyone can be good at it!  Students study fractions and practice writing arithmetic sentences using multiplication and specific proportions.  In the Cyberchase activity, Harry gets a job in a candy store. Customers request boxes containing different types of truffles in differing proportions. This activity extends the problem into the case where there are a variety of numbers of candies in each box and students learn to multiply the fractional part times the number of candies per box to produce the number of candies of each type.

The second lesson, Percentage of Population with Diabetics, is from TV411, the Emmy Award-winning program that focuses on parenting, money matters and health, employing subjects like practical mathematics.  Students learn about percentages in relation to the study of diabetes and look at a nutrition label and apply various skills to answering questions about the label. The video clip in this activity explores how to tally the amount of carbohydrates one consumes each day. Students then learn to calculate the percentages of people who have diabetes.

Both lessons provide Quick Time videos, handouts, assessments and support materials.

 

Read Full Post »

PBS KIDS releases two new apps for math and literacy

PBS KIDS is excited to release two new, educational apps for kids from their hit TV series DINOSAUR TRAIN and THE ELECTRIC COMPANY.   Meant to encourage math and literacy skills, the apps use familiar characters from the series and interactive, engaging games to practice skills such as counting, measurement, geometry, telling time and much more!

•  In The Electric Company Party Game: Lost on Prankster Planet, children use their math and literacy skills to help Marcus and Jessica escape from Prankster Planet and get back to Earth.  Based on the show, THE ELECTRIC COMPANY,  the free app for iPad and Kindle Tablet allows kids to complete wacky challenges, counting races, silly brainstorms, math questions and more.  They will add, draw, discuss, think, act, problem solve, and dance their way back to Earth, all while practicing skills in subjects including geometry, data analysis and graphing, telling time and more!

• In the Dinosaur Train Classic in the Jurassic, Jr. app, based on the series, DINOSAUR TRAIN, kids play through three math-based games focused on sorting, balance and counting to help Gilbert get Troodon Town ready for the big event – the Classic in the Jurassic, Jr. games! This app is available for the iPad for $1.99.

 

Read Full Post »

New DVD Uses Stunning Graphics to Teach Math Priniciples

Explore the boundless world of math and numbers in this 20-part educational series that introduces key mathematical principles, such as the mystery of pi, the mechanics of equations, factorization, and introductory geometry. With engaging graphic animation and relatable, real-life examples, Mathematica is a valuable learning tool that makes math approachable and bolsters comprehension of a wide range of topics. The video title is Mathematica, and the I.D. number is 2359.  Our online ordering system is working again, so click here to borrow the video for a month.

Read Full Post »

Sneak Peek at Enhanced Version of PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia is your destination for easy, instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos and interactives perfect for the Interactive Whiteboard, plus audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans. You can search, save and share and, best of all, this digital media content library is free for educators!

PBS LearningMedia is launching an enhanced version of the site in a few weeks, and you can get a sneak peek of the preview site now. We hope you like the new look and feel of the PBS LearningMedia site and suggest that, if possible, you try viewing it on your tablet for an optimized experience. Explore great new content collections like these:

• Environmental Public Health
• Freedom Riders
• American Masters
• Martha Speaks
• From the Top at Carnegie Hall

While you may notice bugs in this preview site, PBS is working hard to fix them as they’re discovered, and we thank you for your patience as PBS LearningMedia is improved.

Read Full Post »

Pumpkin Math from PBS Parents

Whether you are making a jack-o’-lantern for Halloween, a pumpkin pie for the holidays, or pumpkin soup for a cold, rainy day, here is a fun way to engage your child in estimation, measurement and simple graphing activities.

Materials:

• one or more different-size pumpkins
• sharp knife
• tape measure, yardstick, or ruler
• string
• scissors
• markers

Directions:

1. Before you tackle the task of cooking or carving, invite your child to help you decide if this particular pumpkin is going to meet your needs. If you are cooking, for example, decide together: Is the pumpkin going to be big enough? How could you figure this out? (One idea is to weigh it: a 3-pound pumpkin usually gives you 4 to 5 cups of pulp.) Or, if you are making a jack-o’-lantern, talk about any problems the pumpkinís shape might create as you make the face. What could you do to overcome those problems?
2. If you are using more than one pumpkin, talk about ways they are the same and different (height, circumference, color, overall shape). Invite your child to help you cut a length of string for each pumpkin that shows how tall it is. (To keep track of which string goes with which pumpkin, use a colored marker to mark both the pumpkin and the string.) Then compare their heights using a “bar graph.” To make the “graph,” lay the strings parallel to one another on a table or countertop, with the bottom ends lined up. Similarly, you can ask how the height of a pumpkin compares to the distance around its middle — the circumference. Is the circumference greater than the height? How could you find out? Invite your child to help you cut a length of string that measures the distance around the pumpkinís widest part. (Use the same markers to keep track, as explained above.) Now pair the height of each pumpkin with its circumference. What do you notice? (That the circumference is greater than the height.)
3. If you like to bake the seeds for snacks, before scooping them out, invite your child to estimate how many seeds are inside the pumpkin. To do this, use a sharp knife to open up the pumpkin and look inside. What strategies could you use to estimate how many seeds you see? (One way is to mentally divide the inside of the pumpkin into equal sections and count how many seeds are in that section. Then, using repeated addition, add that number to itself for all the sections.) Using your estimate, do you think youíll have enough seeds to give snacks to 10 friends?
4. If you are making a jack-o’-lantern, invite your child to suggest geometric shapes for the eyes, nose, and mouth, and then draw the shapes where they should go. (You can either cut out the shapes or have your child color them in.) Finish off the pumpkin by adding fun and wacky details, like string for hair, costume jewelry, etc.
5. If you are cooking with your pumpkin, invite your child to help you measure the pulp and other ingredients for your recipe.

Parent Tips:

• Use these activities to help your child develop skills related to counting, measurement, reasoning, estimation, and geometry.
• For younger children, use steps 2 and 3, but simplify. For example, compare which of the pumpkins is bigger or smaller, taller or shorter, fatter or skinnier to build vocabulary. And instead of estimating, invite your child to help you count out piles of seeds, 10 in each pile, before roasting them.

Read Full Post »

What’s the Problem with Math Education?

By staff writers, eSchool News — A new report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) tackles the U.S. algebra and mathematics dilemma and is the latest to suggest that not all students should be pushed to take algebra in the eighth grade.

“Solving America’s mathematics education problem,” by Duke professor Jacob L. Vigdor, examines cultural shifts that have resulted in new waves of interest in students’ mathematics performance.

Despite a renewed focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills, high school students continue to perform poorly on math tests. That trend continues into college, where many new college students enroll in remedial math courses. The report notes that “the proportion of new college graduates who majored in math-intensive subjects has declined by nearly half over the past 60 years.” The U.S. is in danger of slowed or lost progress if these trends continue, the report warns.

Read the entire article by clicking here.

Read Full Post »

PBS LearningMedia Features Resources to Promote Active Learning

It’s time for summer sports!  Whether on the track, in the pool, or in the classroom, every champion needs a great teacher. This week, PBS LearningMedia serves up a collection of athletic-focused resources to help you prep your champions for success:

Team Motherboard’s Cyber Olympic Strategy (Grades 3-5) Team MotherBoard uses trial and error to figure out their best strategy for winning the Olympics. They add different combinations of individual times for the obstacle course, run, and swim.

Tae Kwon Do (Grades 4-6) Join young black belts as they examine how to refine their Tae Kwon Do kicks. Use the scientific method to determine which positions produce the strongest kicks.

Bats & Books  (Grades 4-9) Hear favorite author Jerry Spinelli explain why sports and books shouldn’t be mutually exclusive — as in the case of his character Maniac Magee — and that young athletes can become readers as well.

Kid Inventor: The Collapsible Lacrosse Stick  (Grades K-8) Many inventions are born of a need to easily store or transport an item. In this video segment from ZOOM, a young inventor named Lauren explains the motivation behind her collapsible lacrosse stick.

How the Body Responds to Exercise (Grades 6-12) Meet a group of runners preparing for a marathon and learn what effect their running has on the cardiovascular system.

Read Full Post »

From eSchool News: One Teacher’s Thoughts on Why Kids Hate Math

From eSchool News, July 10, 2012, by Patrick Welsh — When summer school opened July 9 at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va., where I teach, remedial courses in math had more students than any other subject.

That is because of the high failure rate not only in math courses, but also on the state’s standard of learning exams in math. The summer school pattern is similar in most high schools around the country, where kids will be trying to learn the math they never figured out during the year.

I worry that we’re pushing many kids to grasp math at higher levels before they are ready. When they struggle, they begin to dread math, and eventually we lose thousands of students who could be the scientists and engineers of tomorrow. If we held back and took more time to ground them in the basics, we could turn them on to math.

Read the entire article by clicking here.

Read Full Post »

Grant: NCTM’s Emerging Teacher-Leaders in Elementary School Mathematics

The purpose of this grant from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is to increase the breadth and depth of the math content knowledge of teachers who have a demonstrated commitment to teaching and learning. The applicant must have the support of the school principal in becoming a teacher-leader within her or his school or district.

A maximum of $6,000 each will be awarded. Deadline for submission is November 9, 2012.  See program website for details. 

NOTE: WGBY is not affiliated with this grant program; please contact the NCTM directly with questions.

Read Full Post »

THE ELECTRIC COMPANY’s Summer Learning Program supports kids’ literacy skills through summer months

The Electric Company’s Summer Learning Program is a six-week multimedia experience consisting of 24 sessions. Each session uses the show as a leaping-off point for developing children’s vocabulary and exploring core math concepts.  Research on this summer initiative by WestEd shows that participants demonstrated significant gains in vocabulary, numeracy, and literacy skills.

Key features of this Summer Learning Program include 36 hours of summer learning content, 3 hours of video content packaged into 15-minute episodes, online games, group activities, and skill-building activity sheets.  All of this is accompanied by a 90-minute staff orientation and PowerPoint that assists with the professional development of implementation staff.

Best of all: all of these materials are free for your usage.  All you need is the motivation to get started!  You can implement this summer program in your formal or informal summer learning program.  Check out some of the great resources included in this summer curriculum:

• Front & Back Covers – Summer Learning Program (PDF)
• Guide – Summer Learning Program (PDF)
• Training Guide – Summer Learning Program (PDF)
• Episode Clips – Summer Learning Program (YouTube)
• Training Presentation – Summer Learning Program (PowerPoint, 77MB)

Read Full Post »