MATH TOOLS NEWSLETTER - May 28, 2013 - No. 120 ***WHAT IGNITES THE MATH FORUM? http://mathforum.org/math_talk_landing_ignite.html Ever wondered what the Math Forum is all about? What makes us passionate? What IGNITES us? Now you can find out! See how well we do with 20 PowerPoint slides advancing every 15 seconds, whether we're ready or not. ***OUR FORTHCOMING BOOK http://mathforum.org/math_talk_landing_book.html Our focus on sense-making and communication in our Problem Solving Activity Series is so important, we wrote a book about it! Powerful Problem Solving: Activities for Sense-Making with the Mathematical Practices, authored by Max Ray, gathers what we've learned about helping students become proficient problem solvers, focused through the lens of the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practices. \|/ As you browse the catalog, please take a moment to rate a resource, comment on it, review it -- join an existing conversation, or start a new discussion! ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Fraction Model I http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/70641/ NCTM: Illuminations This tool explores several representations for fractions using adjustable numerators and denominators. You can see decimal and percent equivalents, as well as a model that represents the fraction. This applet restricts the range of the numerator from 0 to 20, and the denominator is limited to benchmark values of 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 20. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Teacher's Assistant Lite http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/204438/ Lesson Portal LLC Teacher's Assistant Lite allows teachers to keep track of student actions, behavior, infractions, and achievements in the classroom. The lite version allows you to use the app with 5 students with up to 3 actions per student. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Teacher's Assistant Pro http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/202164/ Lesson Portal LLC Teacher's Assistant Pro allows teachers to keep track of student actions, behaviors, and achievements in the classroom. Communicate with parents and administration by documenting student habits and behaviors and sending reports via email, text or making a call right from your iPhone. ***FEATURED TOOL Tool: Adaptive Learning Tool for Maths http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/202810/ ToKToL The ToKToL online adaptive learning platform contains a large (2000) set of maths questions and associated explanatory texts. Questions are selected to adjust to the ability of the student so that when students get several questions wrong, questions will tend to become easier. A teacher platform (please request an account) allows teachers to track progress and performance of students on individual assignments with detailed feedback. ***FEATURED ACTIVITY Activity: Printable compass / straightedge construction worksheets - Math Open Reference http://mathforum.org/mathtools/activity/87354/ John Page A web page that contains a list of 35 printable worksheets for compass and straightedge constructions. Each printable sheet has 2 or 3 problems and links back to the pages interactively explaining the constructions needed. Each sheet has a space for student name. ***FEATURED TPOW Technology PoW: Building a House http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tpow/22862/ Suzanne Alejandre Use a Java applet from the Freudenthal Institute to help find the largest number of cubes and the smallest number of cubes to make the house pictured in the problem. ***FEATURED TPOW Technology PoW: Traffic Jam http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tpow/17230/ Suzanne Alejandre There are eleven stepping stones and ten people. On the five lefthand stones, facing the center, stand five of the people. The other five people stand on the five righthand stones, also facing the center. The center stone is not occupied. Find the fewest number of moves for the ten people to end up on the opposite side from where they started. CHECK OUT THE MATH TOOLS SITE: Math Tools http://mathforum.org/mathtools/ Register http://mathforum.org/mathtools/register.html Discussions http://mathforum.org/mathtools/discuss.html Newsletter Archive http://mathforum.org/mathtools/newsletter/ Twitter Feed http://mathforum.org/pd/twitter.html Blogs http://mathforum.org/blogs/ Facebook http://www.facebook.com/themathforumatdrexel Community http://mathforum.org/community/ \`. .--------------.___________) \ |//////////////|___________[ ] `--------------' ) ( '-' The Math Forum @ Drexel -- 28 May 2013