HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org (Sheila King)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: A FAVOR, PLEASE          
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 92 13:53:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:103/315 - Castle of the Four , Diamond Bar CA

Carol,

In a message to ALL you asked:

-> I will be holding an inservice in my district to teach MathMagic
-> participants and interested parties how to
-> participate in the project.
...<deletions>...
-> Can I also ask for messages which I can show my people which will
-> verify that electronic communications is a must in the classroom!
-> Thanks in advance (you can bring up MathMagics, too ; ;)!

I hope this isn't too late, but would like to say "Hi" to all the
participants in your workshop! I am the moderator of K12_Math echo, and
have been participating in the K12_Net since it was started in Sept.
1990. It is a fantastic resource, both for classroom instruction, and
also for professional contacts for the teachers. I use it mostly as a
professional resource, since my school doesn't have computers for my
classroom. However, I am very excited about the Mathmagic program that
Carol has started, and I am planning to involve some of my high school
geometry students in the program on a voluntary/extra credit basis, this
year. For me, it will be the first time I get my feet wet with student
use of K12_Net. I am very excited!

Sheila King
K12_Math echo Moderator
coming to you from Diamond Bar, CA (in Los Angeles County)
                                            

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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!103!315!Sheila.King
Internet: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org
From: Carol.Hooper@f89.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Carol Hooper)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: re: COMPUSERVE AGAIN         
Date: Mon, 07 Sep 92 23:04:16 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:381/89 - Wolverine BBS, El Paso TX

Hmmmm......I see, well, I'm not sure if I'm ready to comment on this 
recent forwarding of information.  I'll have to think on this....geez, 
jeez, it was just a question.  hahahahahah....thanks for all the help 
Sheila...I appreciate it.


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!381!89!Carol.Hooper
Internet: Carol.Hooper@f89.n381.z1.fidonet.org
From: Ed.Kwasniewski@f240.n353.z1.fidonet.org (Ed Kwasniewski)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: REVISING GEOMETRY CURRICU
Date: Mon, 07 Sep 92 13:03:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:353/240 - The Polish Connecti, Westbank BC

On 09-04-92 Sheila King wrote to All... 
 
SK> I won't go into the objections I had to the idea (unless someone really 
SK> wants to know and asks). I did think about this for a couple of weeks 
SK> before I responded to the question. However, I did feel that it was a 
SK> rather superficial attempt at fixing the problem and that we really 
SK> could do much better. You see, we offer a fairly traditional geometry 
SK> course. My suggestions to him were to radically revise our geometry 
SK> course INSTEAD (some of my ideas in the rough follow). Manipulatives 
 
We cheat a bit up here in BC and offer Geometry as a topic/strand through 
the whole mathematics curriculum.  Depending on the year, Geometry makes 
up as little as 12% (grade 7) and up to as much as 40% (grade 10) of the 
HS mathematics curriculum.  Doing things this way certainly breaks things 
up for the students and allows us to introduce material as the students 
'become ready for it' ... whatever that means!? 
 
SK> Here are some of my ideas in the rough: 
SK> 1) Defer proofs until at least the second semester (maybe even 4th 
SK> quarter). 
SK> 2) Start the first quarter by introducing almost all the objects of 
SK> geometry studied in a traditional course, their definitions and 
SK> properties. 
 
... skipped many excellent ideas 
 
SK> 10) Late third quarter we begin giving students "proof puzzels" that 
SK> they must arrange in correct sequence. 
SK> 11) Fourth quarter students can write own proofs and begin writing 
SK> them in paragraph form instead of two-column form. 
 
I deleted a few of your ideas earlier but didn't see anything about what 
we call guided proofs.  Guided proofs are two column proofs that are 
partially completed by the teacher or ...  The students fill in the 
remaining blanks with appropriate statements.  By the end of grade 10 our 
students have been introduced to special traingles, trigonometry, parallel 
lines, congruencies etc. and are beginning to do guided two-column proofs. 
In grade 11 they look at circle properties and apply them using again 
guided proofs.  It isn't until grade 12 that students are expected to 
write out their own proofs.  The time taken using guided proofs really 
seems to pay off in the end! 
 
If you do use them please ignore my ramblings :) 
 
... OFFLINE 1.41 


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!353!240!Ed.Kwasniewski
Internet: Ed.Kwasniewski@f240.n353.z1.fidonet.org
From: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org (Sheila King)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: REVISING GEOMETRY CURRICU
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 92 14:09:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:103/315 - Castle of the Four , Diamond Bar CA

Hi Ed,

Thanks for your post:

-> We cheat a bit up here in BC and offer Geometry as a topic/strand
-> through the whole mathematics curriculum.  Depending on the year,
-> Geometry makes up as little as 12% (grade 7) and up to as much as 40%
-> (grade 10) of the HS mathematics curriculum.  Doing things this way
-> certainly breaks things up for the students and allows us to
-> introduce material as the students 'become ready for it' ... whatever
-> that means!?

I wish we were doing something like that here. Maybe some day <sigh>. I
have suggested integrating our curriculumn over three years. Our dept.
head is resistant to it at this time. However, there were two other
teachers in the dept. that also suggested it to me. Well, the "Geometry
Revision Committee" (chaired by yours truly) will meet for the first
time this Thurs, so we'll see what happens. I think there will be some
teachers who will want to do it (we have 14 math teachers in our dept.)
but overall I think there will be opposition, and it won't happen at
lest at this time.

-> I deleted a few of your ideas earlier but didn't see anything about
-> what we call guided proofs.  Guided proofs are two column proofs that
-> are partially completed by the teacher or ...  The students fill in
-> the remaining blanks with appropriate statements.  By the end of
-> grade 10 our students have been introduced to special traingles,
-> trigonometry, parallel lines, congruencies etc. and are beginning to
-> do guided two-column proofs. In grade 11 they look at circle
-> properties and apply them using again guided proofs.  It isn't until
-> grade 12 that students are expected to write out their own proofs.
-> The time taken using guided proofs really seems to pay off in the
-> end!

Hmm, interesting how the students get so much time to learn proofs. I
really like it, and will copy some of this post of yours to distribute
at our meeting. But we DO use what you call "Guided Proofs" in our
current geometry curriclumn. However, our students are expected to learn
proofs a lot more quickly. Guided Proofs are used extensively in the
first quarter, and students are expected to do some proofs (but probably
more simple ones) in the first quarter. As the year goes on they are
expected to be more and more able to do their own proofs, and although
Guided Proofs are used less and less frequently, they still are used
througout the year.

Thanks,
Sheila
coming to you from Diamond Bar, CA (in Los Angeles County)
                                                                           

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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!103!315!Sheila.King
Internet: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org
From: Paul.Bomboy@f158.n343.z1.fidonet.org (Paul Bomboy)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: Trigonometry, HUH??
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 92 16:49:06 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:343/158 - Silver Lake Too, Everett Wa

JD> > We recently started Trigonometry and I don't understand it, can someone
JD> > please help, all that stuff about Sine and angles, GOOD GRIEF!, I don't
JD> > get it; I'm beginning to pull my hair out ... AArrrggghhhhh!!!

Ok, here's the scoop...
I had to learn Trig (only the Basics) when I was going through Trade-school.
Luckily I had a teacher that understood that I was having difficulty
 remebering the formulas, etc.  I'll try not to say too much (leaving the hard
 part to the pros) but hopefully this will help.

Everything in Trig has to do with Proprtions/Ratios.

Sine, Cosine & Tangent are the numeric representation of those ratios.

Mnemonics help you remeber the formulas.

Try to remeber these lines:          (This is the G-rated version!)
Oscar has a heap of apples, Sally cooked two.

Now rearrange them like this:                                a
                                                            /|     # = phi
Oscar                             OPP                      / |
----- = Sally        OR----->     ---   = SIN             / #|     * = theta
Has                               HYP                    /   |
                                                   HYP  /    | OPP
A                                 ADJ                  /     |
----- = Cooked                    ---   = COS         /      |
Heap                              HYP                /       |
                                                    /*_______|
Of                                OPP              o    ADJ   h
------= Two                       ---   = TAN
Apples                            ADJ

=============================================================================

Hope this helped out!

PB O & O


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!343!158!Paul.Bomboy
Internet: Paul.Bomboy@f158.n343.z1.fidonet.org
From: Ed.Kwasniewski@f240.n353.z1.fidonet.org (Ed Kwasniewski)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: AP CALCULUS
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 92 00:27:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:353/240 - The Polish Connecti, Westbank BC

On 08-31-92 Mary Darling wrote to Ed Kwasniewski... 
 
MD> My first  BIG decision - should I cover "defining limits using 
MD> Epsilons and Deltas"?  It's not listed as a topic in AB. 
 
I introduce students to limits using the Geometric Series.  The students 
are familiar with this approach from their Algebra and once they're 
comfortable we move into limits of Functions.  We discuss limits using 
a very informal description ... 
 
If f(x) becomes arbitrarily close to a single number L as x approaches 
c from either side, then we say that the limit of f(x) as x approaches 
c is L, or 
              lim f(x) = L 
              x->c

 
Once the students are comfortable with this definition I do introduce 
the formal definition ... the epsilon-delta definition of a limit.  I 
don't use it to prove ANYTHING.  Rather, I try to bring across why the 
first IS rather informal and why the second is more acceptable to 
Mathematicians. 
 
You're right that it isn't listed as part of the AB course ... it's 
listed as part of the BC course.  But, this has never stopped me 
before :) 
 
Hope this helps ... Ed 
 
... OFFLINE 1.41 


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!353!240!Ed.Kwasniewski
Internet: Ed.Kwasniewski@f240.n353.z1.fidonet.org
From: Paul.Winters@f540.n226.z1.fidonet.org (Paul Winters)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: WORKSHOP-GRADES
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 92 08:17:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:226/540 - The Tele-Forum Netw, Columbus OH

-> Dear Mary Darling, and Paul Winters:
->
-> The messages regarding the inservice program seems to be a topic only
-> interest to the two of you, and not to other readers in this forum.
->

   I know.  It slipped out before I could catch it.  With so MANY new
users here this year, this thing is bound to happen occasionally despite
our efforts to prevent it.  Sorry.  Hopefully this is the only one that
got out.
  TNet 2.1U  ORIGIN-New Albany H/S Eagle's Echo BBS(New Albany, Ohio)



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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!226!540!Paul.Winters
Internet: Paul.Winters@f540.n226.z1.fidonet.org
From: Tim.Brown@f470.n161.z1.fidonet.org (Tim Brown)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: AP Calculus
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 92 11:22:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:161/470

Mary:
I'm sorry that it took me so long to get back to you... beginning of the school year, you know!

I'd be happy to help wherever I can as the year progresses, but here are a few beginning thoughts.

1) I insist that all my students complete every assignment.  They don't have to achieve the "correct result" on every question but they have to make an honest attempt at each one.  Come Test Day (about every two weeks), if they are missing an assignment from that section, they get an automatic zero on the test.  THIS IS SPELLED OUT VERY CLEARLY TO STUDENTS AND PARENTS AT THE START OF THE YEAR.

2) I structure the course so that we have covered all the material by the end of the third quarter, leaving a full month for comprehensive review and practice before the AP test (usually the second week of May.)

3) I encourage use of graphing calculators, but until they are permitted on the AP test (1995, I think), students have to be able to manually graph as well.  I especially find the use of graphing packages (calculator or computer) useful in teaching translational graphics like g(x) = 3sin(2x + pi) - 4.

4) For some reason that is still a mystery to me, students always find limits the hardest part of my course.  And of course it is the first thing you have to teach after you review their precalculus skills.  They find "simple" limits hard enough.  I DEFINITELY would not recommend teaching delta-epsilon definitions (except maybe as a post-AP activity.)  It is wothwhile zooming through precalc review in order to have more time to spend on getting thorough understanding of limits.

5) I feel that AP Calculus is actually the easiest math class to teach, because you are under less time pressure.  Since you are essentially teaching a semester college class in three quarters, you can afford to take an extra day, now and then, on an especially troublesome concept.  Compare this with a class like Algebra I where you have to push, push, push to get get them through all they need to learn.

6) Last advice: relax and enjoy as much as you can.  You will make mistakes and you won't teach it as well this year as you will next year.  Encourage the students to point out when you make an error- it can save a lot of time and the pain of getting to the end of a long example with the wrong answer! And good luck!!!!!

Tim


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!161!470!Tim.Brown
Internet: Tim.Brown@f470.n161.z1.fidonet.org
From: Brian.Bridal@f49.n134.z1.fidonet.org (Brian Bridal)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: MathMagic information
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 23:29:04 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:134/49 - The Student Exchang, Calgary Alta

So, where do we sign up??  :-
:-}
 
Yes, we are interested in the MathMagic for our grade 9 math class!
 
What's next?
 
 
brian


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!134!49!Brian.Bridal
Internet: Brian.Bridal@f49.n134.z1.fidonet.org
From: Robin.Davis@f232.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Robin Davis)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: calculators
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 92 19:28:10 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/232 - LES-COM-net, Golden CO

Can anyone suggest some good books with calculator activities for the
intermediate grades?
Thanks,
Robin


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!104!232!Robin.Davis
Internet: Robin.Davis@f232.n104.z1.fidonet.org
From: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org (Sheila King)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: COMPUSERVE/MATHMAGIC
Date: 4 Sep 92 14:25:00 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:103/315 - Castle of the Four , Diamond Bar CA

Carol,

In response to your questions about some of the messages you are getting
coming from Compuserve users, who had access to Teacher Chat, (remember
I posted your question in K12_Sysop??)

So far this is the first response on the question:

-> I think compuserve is now getting internet news groups.  I believe
-> the channels are also carried on internet.  Let the Compuserve users
-> talk to compuserve and ask them to carry the channels too.

This was from Helen Sternheim. Other responses from other Sysops of
Councilmembers may follow later.

Sheila
coming to you from Diamond Bar, CA (in Los Angeles County)
                      

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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!103!315!Sheila.King
Internet: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org
From: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org (Sheila King)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: TRIGONOMETRY, HUH??
Date: 5 Sep 92 00:01:00 GMT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:103/315 - Castle of the Four , Diamond Bar CA

Dear Rowan,

Sorry to hear that Trig is so frustrating for you right now. I am
willing to help if you can ask some slightly more specific questions. I
am wondering, have you tried asking you instructor for help? Are you
able to go to the teacher outside of class for help?

A brief description of the ratios sine (sin), cosine (cos) and tangent
(tan):

     A                      The diagram shows triangle ABC, with right
      |\                    angle C. The lengths of the sides are shown.
      |  \   10 cm          Side AB = 10 cm. Side AC = 8 cm. Side BC =
8 cm  |    \                6 cm. Sides AC and BC are called the legs
      |      \              of the right triangle. AB is the hypotenuse.
      |        \            Opposite (or across) from angle A is sideCB.
      |          \          Opposite from angle B is side AC.
   C  ------------- B             opp. leg            adj leg
          6 cm              sin =----------     cos = --------
                                  hypotenuse          hypotenuse
      opp leg
tan = --------
      hypotenuse

So, in this particular diagram, sin A = 6/10=.6   cos A = 8/10=.8
tan A = 6/8=.75  sin B = 8/10=.8   cos B = 6/10=.6  tan B = 8/6=1.333

I don't know how much this will help, since I'm already sure your
teacher put such stuff on the board in school. I would say, relax. I
know you are confused now, but it *is* possible to understand this
stuff, and once you do you will see that it's not _really_ that hard.

Let me know if you have any more specific questions I can help with.

Sheila
coming to you from Diamond Bar, CA (in Los Angeles County)
                                   

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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!103!315!Sheila.King
Internet: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org
From: Carol.Hooper@f89.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Carol Hooper)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: MathMagic information
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 92 22:26:28 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:381/89 - Wolverine BBS, El Paso TX

Everyone....MathMagic is trying to meet the needs of all interested 
parties by extending problem cycle #1 to a six week period so that 
students can be taught about telecommunications, problem solving, and 
cooperative learning.  THanks to all who took the time to make the 
suggestions which brought about this change.  IN addition, if you know 
of teachers who would like to have their kids involved but do not have 
access to a computer, please note the new information regarding 
written submissions of problem solutions.  With the new extended time 
period change, MathMagic is also accepting written solutions by mail 
as long as they are postmarked by Oct. 16.  Please pass this word 
along to those who may not have access to the computer.  
ONce again, MathMagic is an evolving program, striving to meet the 
needs of as many students and teachers as possible....your suggestions 
and ideas are most welcome.  We hope the latest changes will help 
accomodate you and your classrooms.
(Sheila......better??)


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!381!89!Carol.Hooper
Internet: Carol.Hooper@f89.n381.z1.fidonet.org
From: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org (Sheila King)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: REVISING GEOMETRY CURRICU
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 92 14:27:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:103/315 - Castle of the Four , Diamond Bar CA

Mary,

Thanks for your response about my posts on Geometry:

-> Your ideas sound great.  Have you seen the Discoverying Geometry Book
-> from Key Curriculum Press?  Michael Serra, author.  (I think I
-> spelled his name correctly).

Yes, I have seen the book (as you've probably gathered from my other
posts here) and you DID spell the name correctly.

-> That book is "constructed" in much the same order as your thoughts.

Well, some of it is in the same order, although not all (see my post to
Howard Hansen on the same topic).

-> This is the second year that we are using it and the Geometry teacher
-> loves it.  My son went through that course and has a much better
-> understanding of geometric concepts and proofs than I expected.  I'm
-> kind of a died in the wool sceptic about those things - but this
-> really works.

This is good news!

-> If your interested, I might be able to talk the teacher into signing
-> on here and you could get his reactions.

Yes, yes, yes!!! Please get him to sign on (if it's at all possible). I
have a bunch of skeptics that I work with, and positive remarks from
someone who has worked with it would be very valuable.

Also, I am going to copy and pass out your letter at our meeting (hope
this is ok).

-> We are using the Geometric Supposer instead of the Geometer's
-> SketchPad simply because we are IBM and not MAC.  SketchPad is only
-> written for Mac currently.

Yes, but did you see that someone else posted here about an equivalent
program that costs less and is available for BOTH IBM and Mac? I'm going
to check it out.

Thanks again,
Sheila
                                                                

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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!103!315!Sheila.King
Internet: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org
From: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org (Sheila King)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: WORKSHOP-GRADES          
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 92 13:56:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:103/315 - Castle of the Four , Diamond Bar CA

Dear Paul,

-> I know.  It slipped out before I could catch it.  With so MANY new
-> users here this year, this thing is bound to happen occasionally
-> despite our efforts to prevent it.  Sorry.  Hopefully this is the
-> only one that got out.

Great, I understand and appreciate the situation (How exciting that you
have so many NEW users!! and I am especially glad that Mary is
participating here this year!)

Thanks again,
Sheila
                                                                              

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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!103!315!Sheila.King
Internet: Sheila.King@f315.n103.z1.fidonet.org
From: Carol.Hooper@f89.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Carol Hooper)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: Re: COMPUSERVE AGAIN
Date: Mon, 07 Sep 92 23:06:30 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:381/89 - Wolverine BBS, El Paso TX

Wow...and all this started because I received responses concerning 
MathMagic.  I guess I just want to get to the kids and introduce them 
to the program and maybe excite them about Math and 
Telecommunications.  If they are on compuserve, I wanted to get it to 
them.  I received a response from Sweden and thought it would be a 
wonderful opening for our MathMagic participants.  I shall let the 
powers that be handle this.


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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!381!89!Carol.Hooper
Internet: Carol.Hooper@f89.n381.z1.fidonet.org
From: Robert.Morewood@f734.n153.z1.fidonet.org (Robert Morewood)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math
Subject: Re: WHAT ARE YOU?
Date: Sun, 06 Sep 92 17:15:12 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:153/734 - ED-NET 9600, Vancouver BC

Very much MATHematician.  I also have discovered that I like working with 
young people, so here I am in High School again.  (O.K., I didn't quite 
finish the Ph.D., but I'm fairly well educated.)

 _
|/   |\/|
|\ob |  |orewood

P.S.  Seen any interesting problems lately?
 

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uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!153!734!Robert.Morewood
Internet: Robert.Morewood@f734.n153.z1.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: k12.ed.math