Depth and Complexity: Ethics… In Math!? The Ethics prompt of depth and complexity fits so easily into the humanities… but what about ethics in math?!
Fizz Buzz – A Divisibility Game Here's a quick to learn but difficult to master math game. Start with some basic divisibility rules, but then feel free to extend it to any math topic.
Creating A New Mathematical Operation Do your students realize that addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are all examples of the same idea: an operation? And that it's quite possible to create a brand new operation? Let's do it!
To Show Or Not To Show Work In Math We must be careful not to admonish our intuitive learners for being intuitive. As teachers of the gifted, we must set up learning environments that are best for our students. And if they're doing it all in their heads (and getting it right!), then the environment needs to change.
Prime Number Explorations Students learn about prime numbers early in their careers, but the true, quirky nature of these numbers isn't really explored unless kids go on to become math majors. Here are three fun prime explorations suitable for even young students.
The Collatz Conjecture A "conjecture" is an idea that is believed to be true, but has not yet been proven. They are authentic unanswered questions for students to explore. The Collatz Conjecture uses two simple rules to get from any number to 1. It seems to work for all numbers...
An Inductive Exploration of Linear Graphs Let's play with linear graphing! First, don't set this up as a direct instruction lesson. That wouldn't be playing. Instead, capitalize on your students' ability to think inductively and recognize patterns. Set up a situation where they can construct their own meaning.
Conflict and Quadrilaterals Rather than merely asking "what patterns are there in these quadrilaterals" we'll set up an exploration of conflict and quadrilaterals.
Exploring Circumference With Famous Circles Remembering the formulae for area and circumference of a circle is often a challenge for students due to their surface similarities as well as the additional confusion of radius and diameter. I like to tackle them one at a time and give students a chance to explore the origin of each formula. Let's look at circumference today by utilizing some famous circles from around the world... and beyond!
Constructing Meaningful Math Projects Here are four key attributes I look for when developing math projects: juicy data, interesting conflict, an expert's lens, and a final product.
