Quadratic Toolbox

The first year I taught, after I was through the Quadratic unit, I got a really cool idea--over two thirds of the unit is teaching the kids all the different tools to solve a Quadratic equation. (For all you non-math people, a quadratic equation is one with x-squared in it as the highest exponent.) But last year, when I got to this unit, I couldn't find pictures of tools to use and was getting burned out from everything I was trying to do and so I didn't get it ready for the students.

This year is different. I got everything ready and today we made our quadratic toolboxes. They turned out awesome! There are four ways to solve a quadratic equation: 1. graphing, 2. factoring, 3. completing the square, 4. quadratic formula. So I made four tools: a hammer, a wrench, a screwdriver, and a tape measure. The assignment the kids got today was to take their notes and pick a tool to go with each quadratic tool and write the steps, create an example on how to use the tool and place them on the tools.

It was so fun to see the kids working on it! Most of the kids put Completing the Square on the tape measure "because it's square!" I just loved watching several of them realizing that what we've been talking about are all for solving quadratics and that they're tools. A couple of kids told me that they liked it because they could see that some tools are easier to use in different situations--just like sometimes it's easier to use the hammer instead of the screwdriver. I just felt like I was the queen of teaching!



Here's my example that I made with the kids to show for next year and absent kids.


Speaking of being the queen of teaching, I was JPASed. This is the method the district uses to make sure that teachers are good teachers and hypothetically they can get help if they need it. Usually it's used to fire teachers. So the VP came into my classroom twice and watched me teach lessons and evaluated me. I got my results back--I got exceptional ratings. I am an exceptional teacher!! I am proud of my achievements and get to toot my horn for the fact that I can improve, but the scores are as high as they go! (YAY!!!) The Math Super Hero Strikes again!!

The other big news is before my hero came home from Germany, I dyed my hair. I wanted to be a different hair color, and it's been so much fun to have dark hair. So we decided that it's time that we show my hair color to the world. (Disclaimer: My belly looks bigger than it normally does, because my arms are pulled back.) I really like my new hair color!