How to put math/science symbols and equations (almost) anywhere

Don't you love when you find something that makes your job easier? Not only that, it does exactly what you have been looking for to solve a problem in your classroom. I have stumbled upon a couple of those lately and thought I would share them here.

Shortcuts to those symbols we always need and use would be a great place to start. I found this on accident while searching for π day ideas. I always found it a time waster to stop typing and "insert symbol" and what if I was not in word, but, let's say Blogger, instead. There had to be a better way to do this! Well my online searching paid off. The alt key has the answer. Here are a few examples. Click here for a more complete list.

     Hold down the alt key and hit...

• 227 for π                             
• 243 for ≤
• 0215 for ×
• 0247 for ÷

Equations for Google Docs is a great resource for adding mathematical equations to a document. This site is easy to read and shows you step by step how to add equations to any Google Doc. 

How to Write Mathematical Equations, Physics Derivation, Chemistry Formula in Word 2007? This is an extremely detailed account of how to use word 2007 to insert equations. The screen shots are great for anyone beginning this for the first time.

LaTeX shortcuts in equations within Google docs helps those that do not want to stop typing to insert an equation. It allows you to type things such as sqrt and it will automatically change it to the correct notation. What a time saver! If you are interested in a more detailed description of LaTeX, you may appreciate this site.

Math Characters - This is a list of common math symbols that you can copy and paste anywhere. So easy! Love it!

In microsoft word the ctr shortcuts can be quite useful. It includes many of the Greek symbols that can be hard to find. I really like this link because it is quick and easy and I don't have to read through a bunch of jargon to find exactly what I am looking for. This one is printed and on my wall for reference for all those times I am pressed for time.

Formulas for open office is a great resource if you use Open Office. It has many options depending on what you are most comfortable with. I really like that they show you how to use their presentation software as well.

web equation from Vision Objects is an amazing tool. This must be listed as my favorite and easiest to use. If you can copy and paste, you can use this amazing feature. Be sure to bookmark it, because the hardest thing about this is remembering the web address. You simply hand write the equation you need with your mouse and it converts it to the equation you want, ready to copy and paste.

host math is another easy to use site, a lot like web equation with out the writing. Just click the symbols you need and it will convert it to LaTeX, Tex, AMSmath or ASCIIMath notation.

This one from SciWeaver is great as well. But on top of this text to latex tool, they have an assortment of productivity tools that most of us would find helpful. Be sure to take a look around.

Teacher Activity: Mathematical Expressions in Microsoft Word. This is a homework assignment that is given to pre-teachers. I appreciate the step by step directions that are very clear. I also love that they show you how to create your own shortcuts for those symbols you use the most.

Create your own Playlist on MentorMob!

Please comment below if you have any additional tips. 

Complementing Curriculum - Biology & Algebra 1

Implementing the Common Core State Standards is a difficult task. But taking the curriculum and seeing where the overlaps exist so that teachers can integrate across curriculum can greatly increase student achievement and understanding and decrease teacher frustration. It also allows for the depth that the CCSS demands and helps make connections between the content areas for the students.

I met with the biology teacher that I will be sharing students with and during our collaboration time today we came up with some ideas for our first ten weeks of school to help integrate Biology and Algebra 1. I will be adding these lessons to my website Algebra1Teachers. Here is what we have come up with so far.

• The integration of the scientific method in biology to the independent and dependent variables in algebra will give common meaning and definitions. This will be a great place to begin our integration as these skills will be necessary all year in both courses. I found this lesson to help the kids and the teachers use a common language.

• We are creating a geocaching activity that will integrate solving equations to get the coordinates that will lead them to the biology answers of the ecology questions. Geocaching will be a great activity for the students and I am already looking forward to this lesson.

• Classification is also a skill that our students do in both classes, but they often do not see how these two skills are actually the same. Biology classes will begin with a classification lesson, and algebra will follow with the classification of polynomials and equations.

• We are also very aware of the graphing needs in both areas. The Biology teacher was quick to think of an experiment that will work great in Michigan. Let's take a look at the trees, and have the students take pictures each day of different trees while the leaves change. If they start to change colors at different times and we graph the rate of color change will we get parallel lines? I love this idea! We are also talking about integrating other leaf projects along with this project.

Please share other ideas of how to integrate Biology and Algebra 1! We are all ears. 

Do you get nervous on final exam day?

I always feel nervous on final exam day. I want the kids to do awesome! I hope that I prepared them well.

There is something about being judged by how others perform. I pride myself on doing a good job in the classroom. I care about my kids and connect well with them. So, why do I get so nervous during exams?

Teaching is a calling. We must do it right. The future depends on it. But how do we define right? That they can bubble in the correct answers on a scan tron? That the project was done well and the group worked excellent together to help each other understand a difficult idea? I think we must have both. And my strengths tend to lead me towards the discussions, the higher level project. But, if they cannot do both, are they really ready to move on?

This afternoon, I will walk down to the "machine" and run my exams. Every trimester, no matter where my averages fall, I am always nervous. I am nervous for the students and for me.

But, it is also a great opportunity for self reflection. Where did the kids do well? Where did they struggle? Which lessons really helped the students retain information? How can I put more of those things into my lessons next trimester, semester or year?

I love fresh starts. Every new school year, trimester, or class, is a new opportunity to try again. Getting a little better each time if we take the time to grow after each ending. If you are on trimesters, like me, please don't forget to put some time away to assess yourself. Look at how it can be better. Can't it always be better? Plan to try something new. You may find that it will give you the best trimester yet!

What do you do to begin a new class fresh, re-energized, renewed?

π Day is coming!

Algebra chat starts at 9:00 EST tonight!

I love pi day. This past Christmas I received a π cake mold from my oldest daughter. She knew I would love it and she was right! I celebrate pi day at school and at home every March 14, so imagine the fun I have putting this day together. 

This video begs the question, how many dominoes is that? Spoiler alert: the second (needed information) and third act (the answer) are at the end. This would be a great way to begin class.

Pi Day In Math Class

Is there any better day in the life of a math geek? Ok, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but it is a very fun day to be a math teacher. 

In my class we always eat pie on pi day. The kids bring it in and I supply the cups, juice and paper goods. We always have a great time discovering the ratio of pi and enjoying the wonder of the randomness. The students always seem to gather an interest in the wonder of numbers. Isn't that what it is all about?

The class is set up as stations with different activities depending on the mathematical level of my students. When they walk in I am playing Pi Songs. They circulate through stations ranging from creating the music of pie, to measuring and finding the common ratio of pi, to pinning the tongue on Einstein. Don't forget that he shares his birthday with pi! And of course, the end of class has a memorization of pi contest.


I always want to try something new with pi day and therefore have made necklaces by assigning each digit a different color bead, found our birthdays within pi and we have sung pi day songs. The next day, when the sugar buzz has wore off we discuss what we discovered and observed, the kids always amaze me at how much they take away from a day that would look like nothing more than high school kids at recess. I hope they have great memories of Pi day and a deeper understanding of pi. 

There are some great resources online. Some of my favorites are below

• The Official Pi Day website
• Scholastic's March 14 is Pi Day
• Happy Pi Day Lesson by YummyMath!
• Education World has a wonderful collection of Pi Day links, lesson plans, and ideas
• Exploratorium
• The Joy of Pi
• Youtube.com there are some great projects done by students, perhaps have your students do the same. 
• I created a mentormob playlist of a couple of my favorite videos and memorization activites to prevent the threat of unwanted comments or side videos from showing up. 

Create your own Playlist on MentorMob!


Interesting find while searching online 
To type the pi symbol you can use your number pad on your keyboard. Hold down the alt key and type 227 on your number pad. Let go and you have a pi symbol. Amazing.For more helpful tips on inserting math and science symbols into your documents you can see my list here. 

Blended Learning in the Algebra 1 Classroom

What is Blended Learning?

There are so many definitions of blended learning. If you search it online, no two definitions match. In the math class most examples online use Khan Academy. I find that extremely limiting. If traditional lecture and examples worked, our math program would not be in the state it is currently. We must find the best ways to teach, whether it is on the computer or with a teacher. With that in mind, I found a definition that I can embrace: 

Blended learning combines online delivery of educational content with the best features of classroom interaction and live instruction to personalize learning, allow thoughtful reflection, and differentiate instruction from student to student across a diverse group of learners. 

This definition comesfrom the North American Council for Online Learning

Where to begin?

As I have continued to research and read, I am drawn to the concept of blended learning. Our school is slowly moving towards a 1 to 1 ratio of computers to students. What a wonderful opportunity to combine the very best of traditional and online learning! I have decided to attempt to keep this extremely simple to make this format of learning valuable instead of intimidating my students. They should feel like experts when they leave my class. I want to be sure to add technology because it is useful, not because it is there. And therefore, I have limited myself to the following sites to use with my students. (I reserve the right to change my mind and with MentorMob I can add different sites with out my students having to learn something completely new.)

Google sites - This will be the main hub for my students. I already use this platform and find it extremely easy to edit and add my lessons. Click here to see my sample page, but please note that this is still under construction.

Edmodo - Our school district uses Edmodo across grade levels, and it will be an easy transition and allow my students a place for safe discussion. I also value the online learning community on that site.

thatquiz - I love this free, easy, equation formatting, quiz creator. It allows me to assign assignments; it grades them and allows students to move ahead as needed The common core has a focus on open-ended story problems as opposed to traditional multiple choice problems.  This site allows you to create and edit story problems to better align with the standards.

GeoGebra - This must be one of the best free resources for math educators. The number of quality resources created by educators for the site only adds to its value.

Mangahigh - This game based, math education site gives students the practice they need and is wonderful for number sense practice. The lessons are useful to check for understanding of the math content.

MentorMob - This is a great way to present information (videos, manipulatives, and applets) or embed it into the class website without all the surrounding advertisements, and it gets rid of all the outside info from places like YouTube. I see this being very useful in implementing the 3 acts idea.

How do I see a typical day in my blended algebra 1 classroom?

The students come to class with their netbooks and begin with a bellringer that I have assigned to them using thatquiz.com. The students know their assignments because they are organized on Google sites, and they may be at different places in the curriculum. It may even look a little bit like the stations we are used to seeing in elementary schools. The students will all have differentiated small group time with me, where they could be presented with problems to work through or introduced to projects that they will need to complete with their assigned groups. The time with me will not be more examples, but an intriguing question for them to answer. I really like the 3 acts model by Dan Meyer. They will be able to discuss their thoughts and ideas on Edmodo and will be required to do so on a regular basis. I am hopeful that with careful planning, all students will be able to thrive in this atmosphere.