1. Problem-Solving and the Nspire Max Ray max@mathforum.org The Math Forum @ Drexel

2. Introduce your Group As a group, figure out and tell us: – Your combined level of TI-Nspire experience – The average grade level you teach (could be mean, median, mode, measure of spread, etc.) – One question you’re interested in exploring/why you’re here

3. Workshop Design Work together Explore contexts and build knowledge together Questions to drive exploration Multiple point of view: teacher and student of problem solving

4. Workshop Question How can the TI-Nspire be used to teach problem-solving?

5. Part 1: Exploration Report back as students: – What problem solving happened? Finding out what was going on Figuring out how the sketch was constructed – circles Which sides fixed, which weren’t Creating all triangles with one side 5, one side 11 Area of the triangle – when is it the biggest? How is area related to the 3 rd side? Can we/should we make a right triangle? Why 5 and 11? Relationship between angle and 3 rd side Range of values for the 3 rd side? – What supported it? “I notice/I wonder” prompts put you into problem-solving mode – had to look for something – could take a chance – not a problem on a test, not locked in, open-ended Quietness of the facilitator Construction there and ready to go Can change some things but not others Report back as teachers: – What do students need to learn in this activity (novice/expert)? – How does this activity support that? – How can it be improved/tailored to your students?

6. Part 2: Problem Solving & Representations Notice and Wonder Use the Nspire to measure anything you Noticed or Wondered about Use the Nspire to make a table of measurements and look for patterns Report Back What problem-solving happened? How did the calculator support it? How did the activity structure support it? What additional support do your students need?

7. Part 3: Explore an open-ended scenario What happened when the activity structure was removed? What problem-solving strategies did you use? How did the calculator support your problem solving? Did the calculator change your problem- solving habits or strategies?

8. Resources max@mathforum.org http://mathforum.org/workshops/t3/atlanta/ http://mathforum.org/mathtools/ http://mathforum.org/tpow/ti.pow.html http://mathforum.org/pow/support/activityse ries/ http://mathforum.org/pow/support/activityse ries/