The Teacher Toolbox » Problem Solving http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox What's new @ www.adrianbruce.com Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:35:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Problem Solving – Palindrome Puzzle http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/problem-solving-palindrome-puzzle/ http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/problem-solving-palindrome-puzzle/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:31:42 +0000 Adrian http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/?p=691
I love having heaps of puzzles in the classroom. This palindrome puzzle is great to have up on the wall and can lead to so much conversation about how to solve it logically.

You can get an A4 version of the puzzle from adrianbruce.com

cheers

Adrian

]]> http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/problem-solving-palindrome-puzzle/feed/ 0 16 Iphone / Itouch Problem Solving Apps http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/16-iphone-itouch-problem-solving-apps/ http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/16-iphone-itouch-problem-solving-apps/#comments Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:47:37 +0000 Adrian http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/?p=573 From the realm of  ‘use it or lose it’ here is a collection of free problem solving apps for the Itouch. My family and I get a fair amount of use and enjoyment out of them. They are free from the Itunes App Store. Enjoy!!!

problem_solving .
CatchaMouse – Toobz-Free – LogPuzzle Free – TanZen Lite – ZentominoLE – Ragdoll Lite – Cross Free – Fifteen – Peg Quest – Magnetic Lite – CrackCode – PegJump – BrainTeaser – Hedge Maze – Dynamite Lite – and the one I shelled out $1.19 for… Nintaii.

]]> http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/16-iphone-itouch-problem-solving-apps/feed/ 0 A New Problem to Solve http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/a-new-problem-to-solve/ http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/a-new-problem-to-solve/#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:55:49 +0000 Adrian http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/?p=261 Problem Solving

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

]]> http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/a-new-problem-to-solve/feed/ 0 3 New Problem Solving Downloads http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/3-new-problem-solving-downloads/ http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/3-new-problem-solving-downloads/#comments Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:41:10 +0000 Adrian http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/3-new-problem-solving-downloads/ Traversable Network Poster 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.

]]> http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/3-new-problem-solving-downloads/feed/ 0 More Problem Solving Activities http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/more-problem-solving-activities/ http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/more-problem-solving-activities/#comments Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:30:39 +0000 Adrian http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/more-problem-solving-activities/ Problem Solving 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?

]]> http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/more-problem-solving-activities/feed/ 0 New Math Problem Solving Activity – Traversable Networks http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/new-math-problem-solving-activity-traversable-networks/ http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/new-math-problem-solving-activity-traversable-networks/#comments Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:15:03 +0000 Adrian http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/new-math-problem-solving-activity-traversable-networks/ Traversable Network Poster 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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