1. What did I learn?
I learned about activities involving measurement and also tangrams. Measurements do not have to be boring. "Flying frogs" with a cotton ball and paper clip is a way better lesson to discuss measurement, incorporate some physics, mean, and range. We also played with tangrams and did an activity called "The Giraffe." While I discovered being spatially intelligent may not be one of my strengths, I had a lot of fun trying to figure it out. Multiple entry points and showing kids there are lots of ways to be good at math was a big idea we discussed again. Maybe a child cannot understand abstract algebraic equations but they can do a tangram puzzle easily. Confidence and success in math is wonderful since math and emotions are often connected. Incorporating writing and creativity is another entry point for students to display their strength in math. My table group added how you could also make a poem, write a song or rap, or even a visual representation to make math concepts more interesting for students.
2. What do I have questions about?
How do you apply a tangram activity to real life and the students' lives?
3. What are the implications for classroom practice?
Math does not have to be straight out of a textbook and just involve worksheets. It could be fun and interactive. Multiple entry points should be a conscious effort when designing lesson plans. Teachers will need to stay current with technology to understand how blogs and/or voicethread can be incorporated in the classroom learning. This may take some risk but I think it is a risk worth taking.
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