Text Set 2 - Graphs, Plots, and History

Books:

Euclid's Window: The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to Hyperspace

By: Leonard Mlodinow

Readability:  10.3

I like this book because it explains some of the history of the line and how it moved into higher level mathematics.  The best thing is that the beginning is written in narrative form and drew me in, making me want to finish the book.

Mathematics and the Imagination

By Edward Kasner

Readability:  7.4

I chose this book because it, like the other books I have chosen has a kind of readability that draws you in.  Someone dated, I chose it more for a leisure read to keep your brain working over the summer.

The Method of Coordinates

By I.M. Gelfand, E.G. Glagoleva

Readability:  12.0

I chose this book because it looked interesting.  I’ve always been interested in the history of mathematics and where the methods we use came from in history.

A history of Mathematics

Carl B. Boyer

Readability:  12.0

I chose this book simply because it is a fairly comprehensive guide to the history of mathematics.  This carpal-tunnel inducing tome is dense, somewhat hard to read, and will – will – put you to sleep, but if you’re looking for the history of a topic, you could most likely find it here.

Lines:  A Brief History

By Tim Ingold

Readability:   10.4

I chose this book because it gives a history of the line using cross-cirricular  connections to Lines.  It’s also obvious that the author has done some research because there is a works cited page for each chapter in the book.

Activities:

Advanced Coordinate Graph Art for Grades 6-8: Transformations in the Coordinate Plane
By Immanda Bellm
Readability:  5.5

I thought this was a cute thing that popped up in amazon when I was on the hunt for books about lines.  I included it because I would definitely give this to my algebra 1 students as a “brain break” activity.

Websites:

Khan Academy -  Points, Lines, and Planes

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/geometry/segments-and-angles

Readability:  12.00

I chose this site because I enjoy getting people hooked on Khan Academy.  I find it an amusing way to refresh my math skills, teach a student in a different way, take a brain break and more.

Cool Math: Lines

http://www.coolmath.com/algebra/08-lines/index.html

Readability: 3.7

Cool Math has some – yes – cool math.  This site gives a very visual way of explaining lines and the topics that connect to lines to algebra 1.  There are other sites for algebra 2 and other math topics, but for the point of this text set, I focused on algebra 1.

IXL: Algebra 1

http://www.ixl.com/math/algebra-1

Readability:  12.0

This website allows you to use technology to assist you in the classroom.  The topics are broken down by SPI’s and allow the student to practice problems from that SPI.

Mangahigh

http://www.mangahigh.com/en_us/games/algebrameltdown

Readability – N/A

This algebra mathgame reminded me too much of the classic “Math Blaster” for the Tandy color computer from the 80’s to not put it in my text set.  Classics for the win!

Reflections on reading

Dear reader,

I have done my reflections for the semester and will not be doing any more.

Thanks!
Sue Y. Shonley

#10 - BBR Strategies for online comprehension

I am doing my blog post on BBR's Chapter 10.  This chapter covers some strategies for enhancing online reading comprehension.  At first, I thought it would be a silly chapter because one can just as easily read a physical book than read online, and why would you want to read a chapter about enhancing online reading comprehension then?  This chapter actually helps teach you strategies for teaching your students how to *evaluate* online sources.  In my school, it is essential to reiterate/rehash this idea to our students no matter what subject a student is taking because every subject does research projects throughout the school year.