Month: March 2016

Numerical and Algebraic Integration Cards

I made this set of eight cards about areas found by integration for my IB Standard Level students. The graphs are taken from a textbook exercise. (Screenshot below. Follow the link to get the cards.)

numerical integrals cards 1

I wanted them to use several methods for finding the areas, including numeric and algebraic integration, so I presented these instructions.

numerical integrals cards

With the answers displayed on the board, students could feel confident as they went through the cards.

a mathematics lesson that worked

This lesson really worked for my students. It was less boring than a textbook exercise, and allowed them to discriminate between methods for finding areas. It also provided good practice of integration and GDC skills.

How I Organise My Lesson Ideas

My favourite discussion with other teachers is to share lesson ideas. But remembering them at the right time is hard work. I think, “I’m sure someone told me a good idea recently about quadratic equations…!” I have probably forgotten more good ideas than I have remembered.

A few years ago I started a document to save good ideas. Below is a screenshot from the document, and you can see my whole Resources Listing document here.

resources listing screenshot 2

Every time someone tells me a good idea or I see one on the web, I write it down here. Then later I can look back through the doc to find it again.

how to get stuff done as a teacher

You can make a document like this, too. Recently I made a blank copy of this document so I could share it with others. Here it is – download a copy and enjoy! Please let me know if it’s useful to you.