Appropriate Use of Technology, again 2.2

1. What steps (categories) did the author use to design their Lesson Plan (eg, Step 1: Learning Objectives; Step 2: Materials)? These were not directly stated, so I would only have to guess. And that is that the learning target would be: I(the student) will be able to understand different techniques (angles and ratios) of discovering how to determine if triangles are similar.
2. What types of methods and teaching strategies were implemented?  Direct instruction implementing the use of technology.
3. Describe any applications of critical thinking or problem solving you observed. He does a great job explaining the triangles and similarity. I feel that this (in the class room) could lead to practice problems that the students could do in pairs.
4. If you were to teach this same lesson, what might you change about the delivery or example(s) I would not do this lesson on the computer, this seems pointless to me. Using hands on examples of triangles would be better for constructive learning.
5. If I wanted to do this in my classroom, I would add hands on activities as well (so that they actually have to measure the angles with a protractor). Furthermore I would have practice problems for them to try with their partner (next to them), then go over as a group.

Warm-ups in Math Education

I have been in a variety of math classrooms throughout my lifetime, and warm ups have been apart of the majority of them. Warm ups have different meanings to each class. I personally will use a five problem daily warm up. Two questions will be moderately easy covering the past topic of the week, the third and forth will apply the same concept in a harder more applicable way. The last problem will be a challenge, it will be a problem in which the explanation will follow in the weeks lessons. The last problem will let me see how students would go about solving for it without the proper technique given. This will help me see their way of thinking and help me construct a way that is beneficial for them to understand. Simultaneously the students will feel good about themselves in solving the first two-four problems and let them see what type of problems we are going to focus on in the week to come (they will no that the last problem is just to try, not expected to know).
      So, overall, warm ups are used to boost students confidence as well as let them experiment with new topics/problems. Warm ups are not tests and will not be graded, they will be placed in sketchbooks in which I will read once a week to see their progress. This allows me to see what I need to spend more time on or go over, as well as see how my students go about solving problems without knowledge of a technique prior to solving. This is beneficial because it helps structure the way in which I will teach these new techniques. Problem five of these warm ups are like mini pre-assesments.

Appropriate Use of Technloogy

Our shared sheet can be found here. 

 I found the geometry lesson...it wasn't my favorite, but it was the closest I could find to the standard we found. I still feel like technology is not necessary for math.