Week Two 1512

With two full weeks of math completed, I feel that this is a good time to share a fun website that my children go to and play cool math games.

Cool Math Games: Bloxorz

The game Bloxorz uses visual/spatial reasoning and logic to solve each puzzle.  As a future teacher, this website offers an excellent variety of school appropriate games for students to play.  Leaning is fun when kids don't even realize they are learning :)

Now back to reality.....this week math was all about analyzing data.

As a product of the 1990s, The Far Side was one of my favorite cartoons to look at in the Sunday paper.  This particular cartoon always puts a smile on my face.  There are many instances that I will go through my day and not pay attention to any new detail that may be staring me in my face.  For instance, there have been several times that I have gotten in my car to go to the grocery store only to end up in the parking lot of Applebees (that is where I spent the last 7 years of my life)!  When I finally would realize that I am not at the grocery store, I would laugh at myself and try to pay better attention to where I need to go.  Paying attention or not paying attention appears to be a critical theme in the math world, or at least my math world.  From this cartoon I feel it is easy to say that you can never take for granted an obvious obstacle.  Take the time to read the directions and do as it says and you will never go wrong. 

I found this chart and thought it was a great visual for information about the virtual world we live in today.  At the same time, I would like to point out that in this particular study, it is obvious that no one contacted me to be a part of the data.  My time spent on facebook (only an open tab while studying hard) far exceeds the information presented.  Does this mean that I need to get off facebook and start browsing Yahoo sites more often?  That is debatable however, this is the joy of a chart or graph.  The information is presented in a manner that allows the person viewing the information to draw their own logical conclusions and make future decisions from a more educated standpoint.  Charts and graphs offer so much to the viewer and it is important to take the time to look at the legend and become familiar with the information that is jammed in there.  These tools are excellent for quick glances and intelligent conversation but be careful not to draw inaccurate conclusions because you didn't take the time to look at all the information presented.