Mary+T


 * Mary Kay Thierer**
 * mkthierer@gmail.com**
 * mary_thierer@hcpss.org**
 * Bio -**
 * I began working with adults with special needs when I was in high school as a volunteer. I worked for a residential program for adults with special needs for many years during and after college. I began teaching in 1980 after graduating from Loyola College. I received a Master's Degree from Johns Hopkins in 1985 in special education. I have always taught special education in elementary schools except for one year when I taught 6th grade in a non-public school. I took a 10-year hiatus from teaching to be at home with my children but have been back teaching since 1998. My husband and I have three grown children and three grandchildren. I love teaching especially math. In my free time I enjoy my time at my home in the woods, playing with grandchildren, walking, working out, playing soccer, reading, cooking, taking road trips and going to music festivals. **


 * Learning Task #1 (submitted through email)**


 * Learning Task #2**

The World Wide Web has advanced to a new level known as ‘web 2.0.’ No longer are web pages passive pages of information, now they are now interactive, with the ability for web users to interact and collaborate with each other. Interactive web pages have allowed ‘virtual communities’ to evolve and social media sites to thrive as a means of getting information and options out to these ‘virtual communities.’

[|Math for Fun/Todays Meet]

[|Ms. Thierer's KidBlog]


 * Learning Task #3**

[|Money Multiplication/Biteslide]

[|Factors and Multiples/Prezi]


 * Learning Task #4**

[|Top Ten Virtual Manipulatives (Prezi presentation with links)]


 * Learning Task #5**

[|Math Survey for Students]

[|Math Questionnaire for Parents]


 * Learning Task #6**

[|Customary Units of Measurement MindMap]

[|Prime and Composite Numbers Padlet]

[|Parallelograms vs Rectangles Popplet]


 * Learning Task #7**

Using information from this video, students will create a scaled representation of the 10 longest jumps during this span of 116 years. With this task they would be ordering lengths of jumps, as well as scaling the lengths to smaller unit. Students could go on to calculate and plot the average length for the long jumps every 20 years (every 5 Olympics), plot these averages and make observations about these findings as well.
 * __ Lesson Briefs for ‘The 100 Meter Dash,’ ‘The 100 Meter Freestyle,’ and ‘The Long Jump’ videos: __**
 * __[|The Long Jump]__ **

Students could calculate the ‘per unit rate’ for the fastest and slowest times and discuss if the ‘unit rate’ is a good representation of the runners’ feat or not and why. Students could compare and discuss how ‘unit rates’ for this event differ from other unit rates when the rates are ‘constant’ as opposed to variable in an event like the 100-meter dash. Often sports themes are engaging for students. I know one year when teaching 6th grade I did a big unit on calculating and comparing batting averages. We also analyzed various baseball statistics and it was a big hit!
 * __[|The 100 Meter Dash]__ **

Find the average time for the 3 Olympic Gold Medalists at the turn of the 20th and 21st century. These averages could be plotted on a graph and then used to make predictions about the next turn of a century, the 22nd century.
 * __[|The 100 Meter Freestyle]__ **

Students will create a scaled representation of these birds’ wingspans and possibly research to find out each birds average flight distance and how they relate to their wingspans. Students could then research the wingspans of the smallest birds in comparison, adding this information to their scaled drawing or representation.
 * __Additional Lesson Briefs with Video links:__**
 * __ [|10 Largest Wingspans of Birds] __**

Students would look at their own food intake and calculate the number of calories they consume with some of their food choices. They could discuss the benefits of such information. An optional activity would be for students to investigate the calorie intake of their own cafeteria food and make recommendations based on their findings.
 * __ [|Calorie Detective: The Real Math Behind Food Labels] __**

After viewing this video, students could look for other examples of symmetry in their surroundings. Students could create their own symmetry presentation by taking pictures and creating a presentation choosing from a variety of programs such as PowerPoint or Popplet. Students could include examples with only one line of symmetry to multiple lines of symmetry as well.
 * __ [|Symmetry in Nature] __**

**__ LearnZillion Lesson Links: __**
This video demonstrates when given a total area various ‘arrays’ or shapes can be constructed and how determining factors of the total area can be helpful. With this video I would stop the video once a problem was presented and have my students attempt to solve it using various tools before going on to the solution provided so they get a chance to actually find a solution before the solution is provided. This video lesson clearly shows how to obtain two unit rates. The lesson includes demonstrating a ‘common mistake’ when calculating unit rates. Emphasis is placed on how there are actually two unit rates you can calculate rather than thinking there is only one unit rate. Several examples are given and the vocabulary used is clear and concise.
 * __[|Find missing side lengths by drawing arrays (3.MD.C.7b)]__**
 * __[|Create unit rate using tape diagram (6.RP.A.2)]__**

__** [|What Fractions Mean (grade 3)] **__ This lesson is very a very basic introduction to fractions of whole regions. The narrator/instructor peaks as if he is ‘thinking aloud’ so students hear his thinking as he writes his solution to the problem. The math vocabulary is used in context, which may be helpful to for students. __** [|Adding and Subtracting Positive and Negative Numbers (grade 7)] **__ Open number lines are used to demonstrate how to move to the left and right when adding or subtracting negative and/or positive numbers. Emphaiss is placed on absolute value and the positive and negative sign when solving the problems. The instructor’s ‘thinking aloud’ as he solves the problem is clear and concise making it a helpful tool for some students. The video can be accessed at home or at school and can be played as many times as needed by the student.
 * __ Khan Academy Lesson Links: __**

LearnZillion is a tool I have used periodically in the classroom to reiterate or a review a math skill or concept. I find students enjoy the LearnZillion presentation, however, I try not to overuse it because of it’s rather direct delivery with little to no opportunities for viewers to interact with the site. In other words, these video lessons are not ‘rich tasks’ in themselves, but possibly could provide needed instruction or clarification before, during or following a rich task. I like using LearnZillion video lessons when reviewing concepts with a heavy dose of math vocabulary, vocabulary students are unlikely to hear and experience otherwise. LearnZillion is also a tool I have recommended to parents in search of resources to use at home to support their children and the feedback I have received has always been positive. The short videos address specific skills without including extraneous or higher level skills. Many videos point out common ‘misconceptions or mistakes,’ which is often helpful. The site is easy to navigate because skills are listed in sequential order in alignment with grade-level common core standards and the video titles are explicit.
 * __ Reflection: __**

Khan Academy has been a helpful resource for me as a math student during these last few years. I have not utilized it in the classroom, but will now that I have revisited the site. Although similar to LearnZillion in that it provides short videos about specific math skills, it’s presentation is a bit different. The instructor often narrates as a ‘think aloud’ describing his mathematical thinking as he solves the problem step by step. The narrator will occasionally instruct the viewer to pause the video to attempt a problem before viewing the solution. A limited number of practice problems are available for some of the skills. Like LearnZillion, the videos are short, addressing a specific skill and are sequential. Videos are categorized by grade level but there is no reference to the Common Core Standards, although most are aligned with the Common Core. This online resource appears to be a helpful tool for students, parents and teachers to access for individual questions or needs.

I find both sites similar in that they provide direct instruction about isolated math skills and equally helpful in that respect. Both sites provide a ‘no-nonsense’ approach to demonstrating math skills and concepts. Their usefulness in the classroom may be limiting because of the lack of student participation, similar to the drawbacks of lectures and many textbooks, however, both sites appear to be useful resources for teachers, students, and parents to access on a ‘as need basis.’ As I conclude my reflection, I just thought of another use for such sites and that as a model for students when developing their own math presentations, which involves a higher level of student engagement, the ultimate goal of all math educators.


 * Learning Task #8**

[|Fractional Parts of a Number Line]

[|How to Read to a Protractor]


 * Learning Task #9**

[|Practicing Facts Poll Everywhere]
[|A Short Math Quiz/Fun with Fractions (TestMoz)]


 * Learning Task #10**


 * __ Mobile Apps __**
 * ===**Oh No! Fractions! **=== || Provides a straightforward activity of comparing fractions with different numerators and denominators. Users are able to slide down a virtual tool to manipulate to help find out which fraction is larger/smaller or equivalent. Easy to use app for what can be a difficult concept, presented in isolation for students to master. Ideal for fraction concepts in grades 3-5. ||
 * ===**6 Numbers **=== || Students are given a target number and 6 random numbers to manipulate as they try to reach the target. All 4 basic math operations can be used and a hierarchy of levels is provided. Errors can be retracted as students reason how best to reach target. Great math calculating and reasoning app for students 3rd grade and up. The visuals are great and steps for solving are very clear and easy to follow. ||
 * ===**Geoboard **=== || One of my favorite apps. The visuals are super cool with neon colored rubber bands on a black board. There are two board choices, 5 x 5 or 10 x 15. Very easy to use. Coloring in of shapes is an option. Great for primary and intermediate grades as geometry concepts are developed. ||
 * ===Number Rack === || This is a great app for basic number sense. Lines of 10 beads, 5 red and 5 white, can easily be added or deleted, depending on the number concept you are developing. An easily moveable ‘shade’ is optional to hide parts of the sets of 10 as needed. Can be used for early number development through intermediate concepts such as counting equal groups needed for multiplication concepts. ||
 * ===Fill the Cup === || This app has a choice of 4 different math activities. ‘Play Rods’ has students using Cuisenaire rods to solve basic facts. ‘Fill the Cup’ activity has users filling a cup with fractional parts of a whole. There are two balancing pan activities, one involving addition and the other multiplication, to show equivalent equations. Helpful visuals accompany each activity to help develop important math concepts. Appropriate for primary and intermediate math concepts. ||