Who knew that The Simpsons animated TV show was full of mathematical moments? Read how British science writer Simon Singh learned that his impression of mathematically gags within the show was completely on target. This led to Singh’s book, The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets. If you’d like an introduction to Simpson’s mathematics and don’t … Continue reading
I was excited to receive the most recent edition of The Henry Ford Magazine, published by the newly renamed Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, because bold letters the cover declared it to be “The Math Issue.” Like many of you, I suspect, I have a harder time generating flexible and creative thinking ideas around … Continue reading
When I think of things that are rich, I’m more likely to think of hot chocolate or creamy cheese sauce than mathematics, but clearly I’ve been missing out. One of my students sent me the website for NRICH—the home of rich mathematics and I was hooked. NRICH is associated with the University of Cambridge and … Continue reading
This week I saw two very different musicals. Well, to be honest, I saw all of one and parts of another. I was one of millions who have had the opportunity to see the PBS documentary on Hamilton, the Broadway smash musical that combines hip hop and history to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton, … Continue reading
Every year I tell myself I’m going to post spooky October suggestions in time for teachers to actually use them–and this year, finally, I’m going to do it. At least in the U.S., schools in October are full of pumpkins and ghosts and all things Halloween. Since the time of creepy obsession is upon us, … Continue reading
Theater and dance for teaching math? Math for teaching art? Arts integration is not only a great idea, but a great idea in the news. A recent story in the Education section of the Washington Post describes students from kindergarten through middle school learning mathematical concepts through the arts. You can find a description of … Continue reading
If there is one discipline that is associated with the terms “question” or “problem,” it seems to be math. When preparing to write this I thought, “Well, I have some ideas, but let’s see what’s out there on the web.” When I used my trusty search engines to look for “mathematical questions” or “student questions … Continue reading
A friend recently shared this with me and I chuckled, thinking a few of the students in my graduate research courses might benefit from it. I considered sharing it with a middle school math teacher friend, but wasn’t sure if it would lead to learning or middle school hysteria. I suppose it could go either … Continue reading
It’s cold in Michigan. We’re expecting record-breaking low temperatures tonight and I just discovered a new gelato place a mile from my house. My husband and I love gelato, but I just can’t do it. So you can imagine how I chuckled reading Dan Meyer’s Frozen Code post. The post relates an actual frozen code … Continue reading
Ever wish for a personal assistant who could instantly answer your questions about just about anything? Enter Wolfram Alpha. Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine that uses a vast storehouse of expert knowledge to answer queries in a wide range of disciplines. What’s a computational knowledge engine? Here’s Wolfram’s explanation. You can get a … Continue reading
