The Teacher Toolbox

I love bringing new puzzles to class. I focus on the most approprate strategy e.g. ‘constant manipulation’ is probably going to work best for you with this puzzle then give the kids about 20 minutes to try and solve it.

While the kids are working on the puzzle I model trying to solve the puzzle myself on an overhead projector. I put the pieces on the panel, slip on my sun glasses and manipulate the pieces constantly and try to create a square

Once the 20 minutes is over the pieces of the puzzle go into envelopes and are kept in desks. The kids are encouraged to take the puzzles home to frustrate parents. Heaps of fun for the whole learning community. hehehe

Have Fun

Adrian

Tonight I’ve finished off a third problem solving poster and I’ve made all three problems available as Word files and Acrobat files on my site. I’ve made the posters big enough to put up on your Math Walls or in the windows of your classroom.

I love watching kids different reactions to these problems. See what sorts of reactions you get when you present them.

cheers

Adrian

PS Remember to hand out the URL so that your students can download the colour versions.

As a kid I remember this network carved into the desk I sat at in Math class. I remember tracing it over and over again with my finger as I sort a solution.

(If only I had the nerve to ask my teacher if he knew the solution or knew of the work of Euler).

Today I asked my son what illustration he thought I should include with the problem. He thought it would be nice to have a candy cane in the hand of an elf… so here it is.

cheers Adrian

PS Can you get your students to add one more path that will make this network traversable?

I’ve spent time tonight experimenting with different software to create resource posters for teaching about ‘traversable networks’ and am pretty happy with my first results.

The fractal was generated in Fractalus by loading in different parameters and experimenting with random colour schemes.

The planets were made in Anim8or and I then wrapped free planet textures around the spheres. The paths were also made in Anim8or by bending cylinders and colouring them red.

My wizard was hand drawn with my Wacom tablet and Inkscape
because I like the calligraphy tool. The whole composite image was then assembled in Photoshop but I could have easily used Paint.Net.

Tomorrow I plan to build the webpage to house this poster then people can use it with their classes next week

cheers

Adrian

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