This week Year 10 (UK age 14-15) have been exploring different graph types and also transformations and graphs.
For homework I asked them to draw just a small number of graphs by hand but wanted them to check their work and explore further graphs using the Desmos graphing calculator. Early in the week I made sure they could all use Desmos including the use of tables so in an IT room they used the slideshow here and created several graphs of their own.
Once all the students were confident to use Desmos to create various lines and curves I asked them to explore a series of graphs so that this coming week we can discuss transformations and graphs. Using Desmos allowed them to explore many graphs in a short space of time and several students chose to take screenshots and make notes for themselves.
Desmos – simple transformations example
Having used sliders they were able to create this type of graph page.
I have created the slideshow below to use in class to summarise our work and act as a revision aid for them.
These slideshows are both available here for students.
Hi Colleen i love your blog and have used lots of ideas and resources from it – thank you. I have been trying to find some examples of good Maths blogs/wikis that teachers have used with students in/out of the classroom. I am struggling to find very much. Is it possible for me to have a look at the blogs that you use with your students or do you have any suggestions of other places that i can look for good ideas? Thanks Tracy
Thank you Tracy. Where I think resources will be useful to students I put them on our VLE (we use Moodle); there is a Moodle course for each year with links to useful resources as well as documents. The GCSE years have access to worked solutions to GCSE papers (later in the year when they have tried them in class first) as well. VLEs are often criticized for being just a load of links / filing cabinet – but these are very well organised resources and I doubt if the students would have found them all. When I create something for my students I often put it on the student version of my blog as I mentioned above, eg http://mathematicsforstudents.wordpress.com/2014/02/01/transformations-desmos-graphing-calculator/
In addition to that I do use a WordPress blog which has the homework and resources for my own classes – depending on their needs at the time. I make sure that this can’t be found in a Google search so my students need the address. If you would like a look at that then email me http://colleenyoung.wordpress.com/about/ email is at the end.
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