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Online PD Session Auckland Maths
Online PD Session Auckland Maths
1B. Years 7-10: PrimeClimb & Python: Boardgame, Maths & Coding. Priscilla Allan
PrimeClimb is a board game which uses colour to show prime factorisation in a visual way. This workshop will explore the presentation of “prime climb type” numbers using trinket and python. You will learn how to remix the code to create your own version. This task has been well received by year 6, 7 and 8 students. It is low entry (thinking about the numbers and colors) and high exit (learning to program in python, a widely used language).
Priscilla recently moved to the primary sector after 15 years as a seconday school math teacher. Lover of PrimeClimb, Desmos, Geogebra, Scratch, Python & Trinket. I store ideas on my Google Sites. https://sites.google.com/view/2020-math/lockdown/python has links to the code for you to remix.
Updates:
Coding is a page that can be posted into Google Classroom for students to start coding. It has links and videos that may help people new to coding.
Workshop is for students, to support the statistical part of their inquires. (Off-topic but some people may still find it of some use).
Feel free to copy the links to the unlisted videos in order to share them with others. I create them for my students, but I have no issues at all with other people using them. Go for it.
Google Form to inform me of where the participants are currently at and what they need. Responses Here.
Google Form to inform me of where the participants are currently at and what they need. Responses Here.
Coding Links & Coding were created in August 2020 to share with students so they can learn to code regardless of whether their teacher can code.
Coding Links & Coding were created in August 2020 to share with students so they can learn to code regardless of whether their teacher can code.
Prime Climb - The Game
Prime Climb - The Game
I will quickly share a bit about my learning journey. I completed my Masters in 2015 called "Inducing Mathematical Flow". I have been trying to make space for flow in the classroom since then. Prime Climb seems to do the trick with remarkable success. I also like to make Math simple, accessible and connected. Hence the transition from the Board Game to Coding and Algebra. I have found the term "hacking" appeals to many of the students. There is no fear, only excitement and fun. I challenge them to break the program, and they are amazed at how changing one number can cause such a massive difference. Obvious engagement in this very high exit task is pleasing to see.
I will quickly share a bit about my learning journey. I completed my Masters in 2015 called "Inducing Mathematical Flow". I have been trying to make space for flow in the classroom since then. Prime Climb seems to do the trick with remarkable success. I also like to make Math simple, accessible and connected. Hence the transition from the Board Game to Coding and Algebra. I have found the term "hacking" appeals to many of the students. There is no fear, only excitement and fun. I challenge them to break the program, and they are amazed at how changing one number can cause such a massive difference. Obvious engagement in this very high exit task is pleasing to see.
2019:
2019:
https://sites.google.com/view/2019math/prime-climb
Teaching 4 classes of Year 9 & 10 students. Each class had 4 lessons a week. Each lesson was one hour.
I was able to make time for games, once a week in term one.
https://sites.google.com/view/2019math/prime-climb/prime-climb-student-voice
Student voice was collected. Prime Climb added a social fun factor to mathematics and changed students attitude towards mathematics. My best moment was when they begged to play Prime Climb, as on our usual Prime Climb day there was no school.
https://sites.google.com/view/2019math/home/cards-overview
The cards I created as a response to how much the students enjoyed playing games.
https://sites.google.com/view/2019math/home/theory/play-research
My 2019 Play Research: justification for playing games in the mathematics and statistics classroom.
2020:
2020:
https://sites.google.com/view/2020-math/prime-climb
I introduced Prime Climb to 3 Year 8 classes, 3 Year 7 classes and 3 Year 6 classes. They LOVED it. Their teachers LOVED it.
Now each class has their own Prime Climb set, and once the COVID19 caution subsides, they will be able to get back to playing again.
BIG IDEA:
BIG IDEA:
Social interaction, activating students as resources for each other (Dylan Wiliam).
Visual Prime Factorisation - Powerful learning tool.
Lends itself to Algebra, because the numbers are colours not the size of the piece.
Every time you roll the dice you get an open ended question with almost endless choice.
It can be played at a low level, almost like snakes and ladders, or a very high level.
Prime Climb - Python
Prime Climb - Python
Python Programs:
Python Programs:
We will take a look at these, and focus on the value of the output produced. I will demonstrate some of the student 'hacks' which were the most fun.
Some key points about coding:
Some key points about coding:
Trinket allows us to experience Python online. No set up required.
Log in with Google.
Code uses indentation as part of the structure.
Code is colour coded, which helps guide students on what they can change.
Changing existing code is a great way to start coding.
I find copying the syntax of working code easier than reading a manual.
I scaffold students with questions: Can you locate the radius variable? Can you find the word "font"? Can you see where the colours are set up? What does the green code do?
Maths with Python
Maths with Python
Remix:
Remix:
We will all Remix something, and I will talk about students experiences.
Some classroom experiences:
Some classroom experiences:
These were a good starting point for coding as they are small programs.
Playing with the angles lead to conversations about exterior angles and polygons etc.
The Fibonacci Spiral was played with after the Mathigon Alice Activity. Linking Pascals Triangle, Fibonacci numbers and Mathematical art.
Scratch Coding
Scratch Coding
Desmos learning through play.
Desmos learning through play.
Skiing - created by me years ago. Year 7 & 8 students copy the 'code'. We are using differentiation and trig as tools to create the moving images the way we want to. This way students see the point of maths BEFORE they learn the maths. This is very PYP. 5-year-olds-can-learn-calculus “This is what mathematicians do—they play with abstract ideas, but they still play.”
Solar System - created by a Year 7 student during Lockdown.
Desmos Boat - Using Calculus and an inverse trig function to make the boat glide along the water.
A calculator can do long division for us, just like this calculator does calculus and draws graphs for us. Using Calculus and Trig functions before you learn about them could spark interest and increase perceived relevance.
A calculator can do long division for us, just like this calculator does calculus and draws graphs for us. Using Calculus and Trig functions before you learn about them could spark interest and increase perceived relevance.
Random Learning for me. Links to remember.
Random Learning for me. Links to remember.
https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/pattern-shapes/ for Virtual Manipulative
https://csunplugged.org/en/ for computer science unplugged
https://www.nctm.org/100/ for professional development
And WOW Mathigon just gets better and better!
https://sites.google.com/view/marie-hirst-special-addition/home
Marie is the creator of the video below.
Other Awesome Things...
Other Awesome Things...
I have been blown away by the interest students have in this data.
PPDAC can be used as a framework to allow students to come up with their own questions and investigation.
When a student says they are confused, I explain "Of course you are, you are right to be confused, there are 5 variables in this graph, so it will take lots of time to get your head around it!".
To simplify the graph we put Time on the X axis. This painted a very interesting picture and showed some things much clearer.
Time:
Time:
I love big activities that keep coming back to the classroom. Primeclimb, Coding, Gapminder, Desmos, Transum etc are not for one lesson or one week, they are more of an ongoing theme that pops up throughout the year.
Slow down to speed up. ;-) Allow students to enjoy the productive struggle and the freedom to play with mathematics.
Grab the teachable moments:
Grab the teachable moments:
We saw the impact of the First World War and the Spanish Flu in GapMinder. I asked how Covid19 would compare. I linked technology, statistics and mathematics as the tools which saved millions of lives. We saw Covid19 coming, and our actions were based on mathematical models which can predict the future. FluTracker indicates less people will die of Flu this year in NZ, meaning lockdown actually saved lives overall. Hans Rosling paints such a positive picture of the world, as being better than ever before. This is a message children need to hear.
Coding is used to create these wonderful statistical and mathematical tools which make the world a better place to live in.
Links included as a response to Google Form:
Links included as a response to Google Form:
ap-physics-with-python via twitter
Even more Awesome Math Apps:
Even more Awesome Math Apps:
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