Sometimes, the most effective ideas are ones that seem like they should be completely obvious.
Even by the time they get to algebra, some kids never quite get the hang of graphing. Forget understanding, they can’t even get a hold of the mechanics.
Finally, I managed to get a breakthrough so that even the most recalcitrant students were saying “Duh, this is easy, Mr. K”
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I like it. And see how it becomes a d’uh moment once you make the breakthrough.
Very cool. Would you share your slides?
share your slides?
Unfortunately, that’s pretty much it, right there. The original slides were fancy, and animated. The Etch-A-Sketch I just stuck in there before all the others. But it provided enough of a cognitive hook for everything else to stick.
One small comment…
Many colour blind can’t tell red from green. I didn’t think of this before this semester when one student actually mention that he was colour blind a few days ago (after being in the class for several months).
Can’t help but think of all the students I had who didn’t say they couldn’t see the difference when I colorcoded with red and green.
I also think it’s great that you spend time on how to do graphs, if my students had a basic understanding of graphs when they started high school then my job would be so much easier…
/Per
red from green
Too true. I generally use more of an glowing orange and electric fuschia as highlight colors these days – they contrast in blue, which is not nearly as common a cone deficiency.
Nice relation to them, there, great job!
This is a great idea! I’m so glad I clicked over.
I caught a student with an etch-a-sketch last year outside of class. If slope is rise divided by run and a negative divided by a negative is a positive then what sort of line would be made if we move both dials counter-clockwise? If we move one clockwise and one counter-clockwise what sort of line will we get? If we move the x knob faster than the y knob will the slope be steep or shallow? etc…
Whoaaa, this post and the comment by Mr. Follett make me want to buy a class set of Etch-a-Sketches!