Plausible Estimation Quiz

One of my favourite end of term lessons is a Plausible Estimation Quiz. I've written about it on the NCETM website, and there is a spreadsheet there to download for scoring too.

In principle it is a quiz, where every answer is a number. Each round is 5 questions, with (ideally) all the answers in that round being the same order of magnitude. At the end of the round all 5 answers are added, and that number is the teams submitted score. The difference between the real answer, and the submitted answer is worked out, and then points awarded according to who is closest.

Usually I use Wolfram|Alpha to find answers, for random questions that pop into my head, either as I'm planning, or as I'm actually doing the quiz. Frustratingly I don't have a record of questions I've asked! I'd like to harness the power of twitter to get more questions.

1. Please suggest some questions! If you have the answers too, so much the better.
Click here to Launch the Form

2. Feel free to use it yourself. Click here to access the questions.

QR Codes. Phase 2

I've started phase two of my attempt to get more teachers to know what QR codes are, and how they may be useful.

We have ID badges that we have to wear. Most schools do. All I've done is create a QR vCard, made it small, and stuck it to my badge. I've spoken to a few people about it (including around eSafety), and they like the idea. If parents ask for my contact details (at subject evening etc.), they can access them from the code.

If anyone would like to check that it works and email me!


Phase three also in the pipeline; using them in the community.

QR codes Phase 1

I was a little slow on the uptake with QR codes. I don't have a smart phone (yet), so was not at the cutting edge of having a clue what this was all about. Once I realised, I decided "that sounds fun, and useful, lets have a play".

I needed to be wary. Mobile devices are not banned in school, as such, but they are not allowed to be out at any stage, and certainly not in lessons. I agree completely with this policy; at the moment and on the whole the disruption they cause when visible outweighs the benefits. As and when we change the rules, I'll make sure I'm very involved in the details. That however is another issue.

I put together this poster.
For those of you without QR readers, I downloaded (for free) Quickmark, which seems to work well with my webcam. I put the posters in Y10 tutor rooms, in which students are unsupervised at lunchtime. I hoped they may read them during these times they were less likely to have their phones confiscated.

Apparently not. According to my bit.ly tracking there were not dozens of hits, unless the tracking doesn't fully work.

Phase two is to more legitimately engage parents throug the newsletter. Details to follow...

Helping students less.

I don't like helping students with their maths.

That's probably controversial (and probably not true either), so I'd better qualify it.

I don't like helping student's with their maths, until they have made an effort to help themselves.

That's better. The question is how to best help them do that! It's all about independent learning and learning to learn. Here is one way I've developed in my classroom, that is now all around my department, and starting to spread, as I've spoken with at least one other Maths Subject leader about it...

Maths Posters. Seems simple enough. I've downloaded and printed the "Maths Facts" posters from here. I printed them onto different colour card - green for shape, yellow for data, blue for algebra and pink for number, and had them laminated.

I did have them around the back of my room, but my LA advisor suggested moving them to the front.

Now, whenever a student first asks for help, all I need to say (much of the time) is "there's a poster about that", and they go to find it. If they're still stuck then of course I'll help.

It's getting to the stage where the question is not "Which one is the mean again?" but becoming "Where is the poster about the mean again?"

Yes, I let them get up during a test to look - after all tests are formative as well as summative. I also get them to write down on their test paper which posters they needed to look at. This gives them a starting point for their revision for their exams.

Rocket Science - no.
Simple and effective - yes.BTW -apologies for the fuzzy photo; I want a better phone...

Mathemagic

My favorite card trick! I posted it on youtube a while back, for an ncetm thread, and sudddenly thought I could post it here.

Enjoy.

Newpage - how to set up a PLN

I've set up a new standalone "How to set up your PLN page". Please tell me what you think and what I've missed...
The link is on the right. I'd welcome comments here...

Factor caterpillars

1. Choose a start number. Find the factors of the number..
e.g. 16. Factors are 1,2,4,8,16
2. Add up the PROPER Factors of the number.
e.g. 1+2+4+8=15.

Repeat for 15.
Factors are 1,3,5,15.
1+3+5=9.

Factors of 9 are 1,3,9
1+3=4

Factors of 4 are 1,2,4
1+2=3

Factors of 3 are 1,3 (3 is prime as it has two factors).

1=1 So stop here.

If you write each number in your chain on a circle of card, you can make lovely caterpillars.

Good questions. Whixh numbers under 100 make the longest chain.
Which numbers are boring! (Primes)
Why are square numbers interesting here?
What is special about powers of 2 to start?
What is really special about 6 and 28!
Try 220!

FULL PAGE LINK


Here are some pictures...
One of them includes what happens when you start at 30 ...