It has been quite a winter in Michigan, and across the central and eastern United States. Newscasters are having fun describing the many ways in which this winter has been exceptional. This, of course, brings to mind the question, “How do you measure winter?” I know it is an odd question to consider at the … Continue reading
Creativity and problem solving can be found in the most unexpected places. Have you ever looked at the nutrition labels on cereal or ketchup and thought about their design? I hadn’t, until I listed to an interview with Burkey Belser, the man who designed them. Because new nutrition labels are in the works, he is … Continue reading
It’s bedtime. Just envision yourself snuggling with children you love and a good book. Can’t you picture them begging, “Please, please, just one more…..math problem!” I will admit, I’ve never thought about bedtime math. But then I ran across the Bedtime Math book, which led me to the Bedtime Math website—and now I’m a Bedtime … Continue reading
I was tempted to title this post, “It’s Not Your Mother’s Library,” because the wonderful learning environment described in Amy Koester’s “All Things STEAM” is a long way from the rigidly silent libraries of my childhood. Instead, her website is a wonderful exercise in multi-layered creativity. Amy has used her own creativity to envision a … Continue reading
It is winter in Michigan, and as I’m writing the snow is accumulating on the ground and covering the tree branches outside my window. So naturally, my thoughts turn to–fractals. Or, more specifically, to this guest post from Melanie describing creative ways to teach fractals, including fractal snowflakes. Here’s Melanie. Fractals are mathematical sets that … Continue reading
How many creative young people (and maybe not so young people) like to tinker with “stuff?” I have it on good authority that some of my scientifically oriented friends ended up in their fields because scientists get to use cool stuff. What’s not to like about bubbling beakers, scales, stopwatches, and instruments that buzz? A … Continue reading
How many pigeons would you have to stack in order to reach the top of the Statue of Liberty? How long would it take a car to drive to the moon—at 65 miles per hour? The answers to these and other questions can be found in Wacky Comparisons: Wacky Ways to Compare Size. I can’t … Continue reading
Here’s an example of interdisciplinary teaching that will be very good for students’ BRAINS! (Yes, that really was a zombie reference.) STEM Behind Hollywood brings together science, math, and film making in a program designed to get students excited about STEM education and careers. In truth, there’s a lot of science behind the entertainment industry. … Continue reading
The cartoon blog xkcd.com calls itself “webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.” The comics range from mathematical romance: to more explicitly math/physics related topics. The author accurately warns “This comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be … Continue reading
Dan Meyer says he spends his days trying to sell a product to a market that doesn’t want it but is forced by law to buy it—he teaches high school math. He believes math class needs a makeover, and is ready to lead the charge. From a creativity perspective, Dan is a master of problem … Continue reading
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