Laura+B

Laura Behrens laura_behrens@hcpss.org, lauracbehrens@gmail.com
 * Name • Email**

I am a homegrown Howard County student. I grew up in Howard County and attended Worthington and Ilchester Elementary, Mount View Middle, and River Hill High. I graduated from the University of Delaware in 2011 with an elementary education degree and a concentration (a few classes shy of a minor) in middle school mathematics. I have always wanted to be a teacher. I chose my college based on its education program. While I was at UD I had a chose a middle school subject area to focus on in addition to elementary education so that I would graduate with dual certification. I grew up always wanting to be an elementary teacher; I never wanted to teach middle school. Once I began placements in the middle school I quickly learned that it was a fun age group to work with. I could plan activities, lessons, and games that would get middle schoolers to enjoy math. This is my fourth year teaching middle school math at Murray Hill Middle School.
 * Bio**


 * Learning Task #1**


 * Learning Task #2**

__Web 2.0__ Web 2.0 is a set of online interfaces that allow users to create, share, and collaborate ideas. Some of the applications include wiki pages, blogs, and social networking sites. All of these applications are web-based and are relatively easy to use. They also do not require extensive knowledge about web page creation. These applications use the Internet as an effective and easy way to communicate and share ideas with others.

__Today's Meet__ Link to my room where students could post and share ideas about a task we did in class. **Locker Problem**

__KidBlog__ Algebra GT kidblog site


 * Learning Task #3**

__Prezi:__ Solving Multi-Step Equations

__Biteslide:__ Linear v. Exponential Functions


 * Learning Task #4**


 * || **Virtual Manipulative and Link** || **Standard/Topic** ||
 * 1 || Algebra Tiles || A.APR.A.1 (adding and subtracting polynomials)

A.SSE.A.2 (factoring quadratic equations) || Rotations Translations || 8.G.A.2/3 (transformations) ||
 * 2 || Equation Balances || 8.EE.C.7 (solving equations) ||
 * 3 || Line Plotter || 8.F.B.4 (slope/linear functions) ||
 * 4 || Probability Simulator || 7.SP.C.8 (probability of compound events) ||
 * 5 || Transformations || 8.G.A.2/3 (transformations) ||
 * 6 || Modeling Problems with Tape Diagrams || 7.RP.A.2 (representing proportional relationships) ||
 * 7 || Function Matching || A.SSE.A.1 (properties of quadratic functions) ||
 * 8 || Line of Best Fit || S.ID.B.6 (line of best fit) ||
 * 9 || Color Counters || 7.NS.A.1c (subtracting integers) ||
 * 10 || Reflections


 * Learning Task #5**

Getting to Know You! Algebra Questionnaire

Parent Survey: Getting to Know Your Child


 * Learning Task #6**

Text2MindMap: Function Families

Padlet: Writing Word Problems

Popplet: Creating Data Displays


 * Learning Task #7**

Lesson Briefs: __Video 1__: Students can use the data relating to the runner’s country of origin and create a circle graph to visually represent the data. Students would need to determine the number of degrees for each section on the graph and then can use the percentages to make predictions about the number of athletes expected from these countries in the future. __Video 2__: Students can use this data to create a scatter plot and represent the data with a linear and/or exponential model. Students can compare these models to see which would be a better representation for the data. Then, students can calculate the regression equation and then use that to make predictions about the times of future athletes. __Video 3__: Students can use a data display to showcase the ages of the different long jump athletes. This would be an activity where there is more than one data display that could be used, but students would have to justify their reasoning for choosing their particular data display and what it showcases about the age of the athletes.

My Videos: 1. Pythagorean Theorem and the NFL: This video takes a high interest topic, the NFL, and shows how right triangles and the Pythagorean Theorem can be applied in football. The Pythagorean Theorem is used so that defenders can determine how far they have to run to intercept or tackle another player. I have used this as a starting point for brainstorming other places we can see or use the Pythagorean Theorem and how the Pythagorean Theorem is used outside of the classroom. 2.Math in Basketball: This video is from the perspective of an NBA player about the math behind a free throw. He poses a challenge at the end that has students build a quadratic function. You can take the challenge and go through the steps online or set up a similar problem with your class. This is a good example of parabolas and using quadratics to model to real world problems. I would use this with my algebra students when we are working with quadratics and identifying different features of these functions. 3.Math in Special Effects: This video prompts students to "collect" data and analyze the relationship between distance of a light source and light intensity to help solve a problem. The challenge is scaffolded and students can complete it on the computer or use paper and pencil to explore the relationship. Students would use the data to find an approximate equation to best model the data and then examine the proportional relationship. This is a challenging task, but could be modified to use in class. I would use this in my algebra classes since the model is an exponential curve.

LearnZillion and Khan Academy:

LearnZillion: 1. Which Method is Best?: This activity can be used for students to have discusions with their classmates about why certain methods are more efficient than others when solving systems of equations. This reinforces our work with MP 3 and constructing arguments. 2. Angle Relationships Extension: This is a good extension for angle relationships. I would give this activity to my students who need more of a challenge when working with the relationships formed when parallel lines are cut by transversals. 3. Distance Using the Pythagorean Theorem: This is practice with using the Pythagorean Theorem to find the distance btween two locations on a coordinate grid along with additional practice at the end.

Khan Academy: 1. Solving Quadratics: This has a lot of video explanations for solving quadratic functions in a variety of ways. 2. Box-and-Whisker Plots: This is a video I send to students when we get to our statistics unit. Some students need an additional, comprehensive explanation for how to create a box-and-whisker lot and this video is helpful.

LearnZillion and Khan Academy offer resources that teachers and students can use to support and reinforce classroom material. LearnZillion has a lot of lessons that go through examples and problems that students can use at home to reinforce classroom concepts. For some of the lessons there are also additional practice problems for students to see if they have mastered the concept or not. This site also lets you go through the “pages” at your own pace, but there is no audio explanation. I usually use LearnZillion as lesson seeds or when looking up different problems or ways to explain things to students.

Khan Acadmey offers a verbal explanation of a wide variety of topics. These explanations are helpful for students who need the verbal explanation to go along with the written examples. I have students who tell me they use Khan Academy to help them at home and other times I have sent students Khan Academy videos who are really struggling with a topic. The disadvantage of this site is that you have to sit and listen to the entire video and it is more difficult to find just one part of a topic within a video.

Both sites offer a very comprehensive list of resources and offer a progression of topics. LearnZillion is laid out my standard, which makes it very easy for me for go and find examples in use in class that are aligned with a specific standard. Khan Academy offers a logical progression of videos. I use both of these sites, but use them for different purposes. LearnZillion helps me plan my lessons and Khan Academy is an additional resource I send to students.


 * Learning Task #8**

Graphing Systems ShowMe

Scale Drawings ShowMe


 * Learning Task #9**

Rubistar: Math Tasks Rubric

Poll Everywhere: Which Standard for Mathematical Practice? The link keeps deactivating, so here is screenshot.

Testmoz: Pythagorean Theorem Word Problems Quiz


 * Learning Task #10**


 * Mobile Apps Project**

Mobile Apps Prezi
 * Basic Facts: Math Zombie || This app allows students to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with increasing difficulty. Zombies appear and students type in the answer to zap them and change the zombies back into humans. As the game progresses the zombies appear faster. This is a great way for students to practice their fluency. ||
 * Number Sense: Native Numbers || This app has students identify and compare quantities. It begins with identifying quantities by length, digits, and quantity of objects. There are various levels that get increasingly more difficult. This apps practices number concepts, number relations, number ordering, counting, and levels to demonstrate mastery. This helps students identify numbers and develop a sense of how they relate and compare to each other. ||
 * Puzzler: Mathdoku || This game is similar to Sudoku, but puts a few more restrictions on the numbers that can go into each box. There are "cages" or boxes that are outlined in a bolder line with a number and an operation in a corner. This represents the sum, difference, or product that those box must total. As with Sudoku each row and column can only have one of each digit. This practices mathematical reasoning and has students think about combinations of numbers that will total to a given number. There are varying levels of difficulty with this game. ||
 * Content: Thinking Blocks || This is a very cool app that helps students develop their conceptual understanding of ratios and solving problems involving ratios. It presents students with a word problem and scaffolds them to represent it pictorially then prompts them to use the given information to solve the problem. This app allows you to solve for a missing part or a missing whole. It also has more difficult problems that students can use to test their skills or as possible extensions for students. This app helps students to really understand ratios instead of always arbitrarily setting up a proportion. ||
 * Manipulative: Algebra Tiles || This is one of my favorite apps to use with students. This app is a basic set up with algebra tiles representing integers, x, and x squared. These can be used to represent integer operations, model equations, or factor quadratics. When simplifying if you place a positive tile over a negative equivalent (representing a zero pair) they disappear representing the quantity of zero. This is a powerful visual for students to see that the quantities cancel out. I really like using this app when factoring. There are pens that you can use to write or create any board that you would like and I use this to set up a chart for factoring. Students are able to model the quantities and determine their answer. This is a very conceptual approach to factoring. I hook my iPad up to my computer and the computer to the projector and students are able to use the iPad to model problems while the rest of the class can see what they are doing. ||


 * Web Tools Project**

Padlet: First Implementation: Systems Padlet: Second Implementation: SMP 3

Padlet Implementation Project