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MathBits
Teaching and Learning Mathematics in the
Age of Innovation MCTM Spring Conference April 26-27
A sampling of the sessions you can look forward to at this year's MCTM Spring Conference:
The Multiplayer Math Classroom: Using Games to Enhance Learning and Teaching
Beyond Flipped: Creating a Student-Centered Math Lab
Solving Equations with Algebra Tiles and iPads
How to Rewrite Drill Exercises to Require Problem Solving
Rebuilding Statistics: Project-Driven, Game-Based, Textbook-Free
Creating Higher-Order Thinking Questions through the Standards Unpacking Process
Ancient Tradition or a Modern Math Manipulative: Origami in the Classroom
Friday Morning Keynote Speaker
Neurologist and veteran teacher, Judy Willis. Ms. Willis will speak about how teachers can
use breakthroughs in neuroscience to harness the stimuli and circumstances that grab students'
attention and motivate them. She will also present a session later on Friday titled: Motivating
Active Learning, Memory, and Perseverance by Harnessing the Power of the Video Game
Model.
Saturday Keynote Speaker
Linda Gojak, the current President of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Her
28 years of classroom experience and numerous, successful leadership experiences provide a
rich background to share with conference goers.
See you in Duluth!
Minnesota Council of
Teachers of Mathematics
March 2013
Inside this issue:
President’s Message
3
Election information
3
Candidates 4
District 7 feature
9
Assessment updates
11
Special points of
interest:
District directors’
message—p. 8
Ideas for Pi Day—
p. 9
Interesting number
patterns—p. 7
April Math Aware-
ness Month
theme—p. 6
2013 MCTM Board of Directors Election
The 2013 MCTM Board of Directors Election will be conducted electronically. For you to
participate in the election, MCTM must have your current email address on record. It is im-
portant to realize that you will only be able to vote using the email that MCTM has on record.
To change or verify your preferred address send an email to [email protected]
Instructions for how to participate in the election, including the appropriate link for accessing
your individual ballot will be emailed the week of February 25.
Be sure to verify that messages from [email protected] are not being blocked by your server
or that these messages are not being placed in your SPAM folder.
If you do not receive the election email the week of February 25 or have difficulty accessing
the electronic ballot, contact Tom Muchlinski, MCTM Executive Director, at
To develop an active interest in the science of mathematics.
To help provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas and materials regarding in-struction in mathematics.
To further the study of problems relating to the teaching of mathematics at the ele-mentary, secondary, and college levels.
To work for the improvement of mathematics instruction at the elementary, secon-dary, and college levels in Minnesota.
To work for the improvement of employment and service of members of the Council and members of the profession in general.
MathBits Page 2
Elected Officers
President
Michele Luke
President-elect
Ellen Delaney
VP Elementary
Pam Richards
VP Jr.High/Middle School
Mary Jo Hughes
VP High School
Paula Bengtson
VP Mathematics
Christopher Danielson
VP Mathematics Education
Kathleen Cramer
VP at Large
Lisa Conzemius
District Directors
District 1 Amy Wix
District 2
Christy Hemp
District 3
Cheryl Tucker
District 4
Karen Hyers
District 5
Tracy Bibelnicks
District 6
Courtney LaRoche
District 7
Sherri Kruger
District 8
Russ Davidson
Appointed Offices
Executive Director
Tom Muchlinski
Financial Secretary
Craig Rypkema
Recording Secretary
Patty Wallace
MathBits Editor
Teresa Gonske
Webmaster
Rich Enderton
MDE Mathematics Specialist
Sue Wygant
NCTM Representative
Abe Schwartz
MinnMATYC Representative
Becky Groseth
2012-2013 MCTM Board of Directors
Goals of MCTM
Mathematicians do not study objects, but relations between objects. Thus, they are free to replace some objects by others so long as the relations remain unchanged. Content to them is irrelevant: they are interested in form only. ~Henri Poincare (1854-1912)
The key to any good organization is its people!
We are indebted those of you who volunteer your time to serve our organization. Please let me know or fill out the informa-
tion sheets at the Spring Conference if you would like to become more active in MCTM.
We have wonderful candidates who have stepped up to run for office this year. Please take the time to get to know them and
vote!
Your voice can also be heard at your District Meetings at the Spring Conference and at the Delegate Assembly on Friday eve-
ning of the Conference. We appreciate your participation in MCTM and invite you to get even more involved!
Four offices on the Board of Directors of MCTM will be filled in this current election. The members of the Nominations and
Elections Committee have nominated candidates for each office. Please read the descriptions of the nominated candidates on
the attached pages and complete the online ballot. Officer Qualifications and Responsibilities:
Vice President for Mathematics Education
The Vice-President for Mathematics Education shall be from a Minnesota college or university and be someone whose primary
professional duties include teacher education in mathematics. A nominee for vice-president must be a member of the Council
and have participated in the activities of the Council. The vice-president serves a three year term. The vice-presidents plan all
conferences sponsored by the Council.
Vice President for Junior High/Middle School
The Vice-President for Junior High/Middle School represents junior high and middle school teachers from across the state. A
nominee for vice-president must be a member of the Council and have participated in the activities of the Council. The vice-
president serves a three year term. The vice-presidents plan all conferences sponsored by the Council.
District Directors—Districts 3 and 6
District directors represent the members in their district. It is the responsibility of directors to promote membership in MCTM,
to serve as representatives of their district’s members in the Delegate Assembly, and to identify and work to solve problems
that may be specific to mathematics teaching in their district. Nominees for district directors must have been a member of the
Council, have a record of involvement in mathematics education, and must work in the district that the director is to represent.
The directors shall serve a term of three years.
[This information is excerpted from Bylaws of the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics, effective Nov. 1, 2012.]
Join the national Council of Teachers of Mathematics for a premier math education event
Join the mathematics education community at NCTM’s Annual Meeting in Denver, April 17-20, to learn more about current
math education topics, such as the Common Core, response to intervention, assessment, research, reasoning and proof, technol-
ogy, and STEM. More than 700 sessions, workshops, and burst presentations await you in the Mile-High City. Take home tools
and strategies that you can immediately apply to help your students grow and succeed. This is THE math education event you
can’t afford to miss. Register by March 15 and save up to$80. Register online at nctm.org
Conference Dates 2013 Research Pre-session, April 15-17
2013 Pre-Conference Workshop, April 17
2013 Annual Meeting & Exposition, April 17-20
For more NCTM opportunities, contact Minnesota’s NCTM Representative, Abe Schwartz at [email protected]
President’s Message Michelle Luke, MCTM President
March 2013 Page 3
2013 Board of Directors Election Candidate information begins on the next page
MathBits Page 4
Candidates for Vice President for Mathematics Education Brickwedde and Goerdt
Current Position Assistant Professor,
K-6 Mathematics Education,
Hamline University, St Paul
Education
Ph.D. Mathematics Education,
University of Minnesota
MSE, Elementary Education,
Univ. of Wisconsin, River Falls
BA, Arts Administration,
Metropolitan State University
BA, Environmental Design & Plan-
ning, State Univ. of New York,
Buffalo
National Board Certified, Early Childhood/Generalist,
1998-2008
Goals as MCTM Officer
I have worked with children for 22 years in an elementary
classroom. I have supported teachers in Cognitively Guided
Instruction sessions from Blue Earth to Talmoon, from Fer-
gus Falls to Stillwater. I now work with undergraduate and
graduate pre-service teachers at Hamline. Understanding
how children think mathematically and how to use that
knowledge to shape instruction has been a focus of my work.
My current work at Hamline involves guiding pre-service
teachers in launching their mathematical learning on how
children learn, how to become reflective practitioners
(including being involved with the implementation of the
new Teacher Performance Assessment), and how to continue
to grow in their practice during their years of teaching.
MCTM is positioned to support individuals at all stages of
their professional careers. Finding ways to reach out to ele-
mentary teachers across the state is a constant need, one built
on relationships formed at conferences, in email conversa-
tions, and through publications. Having been active as both
an elementary classroom and university teacher provides me
with insights on how instruction, assessment, and evaluation
is enacted and how research to practice unfolds.
Professional Affiliations
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Association of Mathematics of Teacher Educators
American Association of University Professors
Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education
MCTM District 5 Representative, 1997-2000
Annual presenter at MCTM Spring Conferences since 1995
NCTM Regional Conference presentations
CGI National Biennial Conferences: Presenter 2002-present,
National Program Chair, 2002
Current Position
Associate Professor, Mathematics
& Statistics Dept, St Cloud State
University
Education
PhD, Curriculum & Instruction,
Ma t h e ma t i c s Ed uc a t io n —
University of Minnesota
MS, Mathematics—St Cloud
State University
BA, Mathematics—College of St
Scholastica
Goals as MCTM Officer I am committed to supporting the MCTM organization in its
ongoing efforts to provide opportunities for outstanding
professional development and collaboration for all educa-
tors of mathematics, PK-16, throughout Minnesota. I am
also interested in considering additional opportunities for
the MCTM organization to support improving mathematics
education for all PK-16 students in Minnesota.
Professional Affiliations National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Mathematics Association of America
Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education
I have been an active member of MCTM for almost two
decades. I served as an MCTM District Director in recent
years. I also enjoy presenting and attending the MCTM
conferences regularly, both fall and spring. On occasion, I
also present at national mathematics and mathematics edu-
cation conferences including both NCTM and MAA. I cur-
rently prepare future educators as a professor at St Cloud
State University. I also serve as a mathematics education
consultant to many companies and organizations.
James Brickwedde Sonja Goerdt
Coordinator & Instructor CGI professional development
classes, 1995-present
Embedded professional development support in elementary
classrooms for five metro school districts
Math & Science Teacher Academy, Region 11, Planning
team and Instructor, 2008-2009, 2012-2013
Research in teacher discourse practices and 3rd-5th grade
transitions to multiplicative thinking
Candidates for Vice President for Jr High/Middle School LaRoche and Roden
March 2013 Page 5
Current Position
Peer Coach for Math and Science
teachers at the High School Level,
Wayzata Public Schools
Education
B.A, Architecture, Univ of Minnesota
Masters of Education, College of St.
Catherine
Goals as MCTM Officer
To increase participation in MCTM and to promote the many
opportunities offered by MCTM that support teachers to be
life-long learners of mathematics
To promote continued communication among math teachers
across districts and grade levels
To support and promote best practices in math education
Professional Affiliations
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics
ASCD
Education Minnesota
Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education
District 6 District Director & Membership Committee Co-
Chair
8th grade Math Teacher Wayzata Public Schools
Regular presenter at MCTM State Conference
Facilitator of Symposium breakout session at the MCTM
Spring Conference 2011 and 2012
Writer for the 8th grade SciMath MN Frameworks
Member of the MCTM District Leadership Task Force
District curriculum review committee.
Other information
This is a great opportunity to explore the world of math edu-
cation from a bigger perspective. I look forward to network-
ing with colleagues from other districts and developing ways
to support teachers as they grow and adapt to the ever chang-
ing world of education. The more MCTM members and
potential members we can get actively involved in the or-
ganization, the more empowered we are to impact student
learning in the State of Minnesota.
Current Position
Assistant Director of Assessment and
Evaluation, Mounds View Public
Schools #621
Education
Education Supervisor EDS,
University of St. Mary’s
M.S., K-12 Curriculum and Instruc-
tion, St. Cloud State University
Secondary Mathematics Education
Certification, Univ. of St. Thomas;
B.A., Univ. of Minnesota, Morris,
Majors in Mathematics and Elemen-
tary Education
Goals as MCTM Officer:
To encourage the use of instructional best practices in
mathematics education
To increase communication among mathematics educators
in Minnesota
To advocate for quality profession development for mathe-
matics educators
To increase awareness of MCTM and the opportunities it
provides
Professional Affiliations
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Association for Supervision of Curriculum Development
Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education
Current Facilitator of Elementary/Middle School Math
Coaches at Mounds View Schools; Current Member of the
MDE/MCTM Teacher Leader Workgroup; MCTM District
4 Director-2007-2011; District Mathematics Curriculum
Facilitator- Facilitated the adoption of a K-12 mathematics
program for a district of 7000 students and professional
development for over 100 district mathematics educators;
Member of the 2007 MN Academic Standards Revision
Committee; Middle Level Mathematics Educator for 18
years; Mathematics Teacher Mentor; Participant/Presenter
at the MCTM Fall and Spring Conferences for almost 20
years; Presenter of mathematics instructional best practices
at the middle level educators’ state and national conven-
tions.
Courtney LaRoche Mary Roden
The name of the popular search engine ‘Google’ came from a misspelling of the word ‘googol’, which is a very large number (the number one followed by one hundred
zeros to be exact).
MathBits Page 6
Candidates for District 3 Director Cayo and Mikkelson
Current Position
Teacher, Eden Prairie Public
Schools, Currently teaching fifth
grade with a STEM emphasis
Education
BS, Elementary and Special Educa-
tion, Emphasis in mathematics
Central Michigan University,
Mount Pleasant, MI
Master of Arts in Education,
Saint Mary’s Univ. of Minnesota
Certificate in Staff Development,
University of Minnesota
The certificate is geared to education and leadership.
Goals as MCTM Officer
To work with others who are passionate about mathematics
education in the state of Minnesota as well as at the local
level. To find ways to bring educators together or to connect
teachers as learners and professionals.
Professional Affiliations
Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education
In the past I have been involved with MCTM and have pre-
sented and helped in planning of the spring MCTM confer-
ences as well as NCTM when we hosted in Minneapolis. I
have been involved with Mathematics Frameworks, both the
original and current on-line version. I served at the Elemen-
tary Math Coordinator for SciMath MN from 2000-2002.
Other Information Curriculum is implemented into the classroom using brain-
based research and current practice
Member of STEM Research and Implementation Committee
and building Professional Development Committee, in addi-
tion to other district and building committees.
Current Position
Algebra Teacher and AP Calculus
Teacher at Red Wing High School
Education
BA, University of MN Morris
Major- Math
Minor- Business/ Economics
Secondary Teaching License (7-
12)
Coaching License (7-12)
MA in Education at St Mary’s
University
Goals as MCTM Officer My goal is to help other teachers and myself become better
teachers. This would be a great position to be able to learn
new methods and techniques of teaching and pass that in-
formation along to others. I would also like to use my past
experiences teaching at Buffalo Middle School and Minne-
tonka High School to help identify and solve problems in
District 3. In addition, I will promote the membership of
MCTM and represent our district well.
Professional Affiliations
MCTM Member, NEA Member, Negotiator for ISD 256,
Young Life Support Team Member and Volunteer staff,
Young Life Treasurer, C3 Vision Team Member, Building
Leadership Team Member at Red Wing High School, Red
Wing Chamber of Commerce Member.
Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education
I have attended the MCTM Conference numerous times in
the past 18 year of teaching.
Kristin Cayo Tammy Mikkelson
Mathematics Awareness Month - April 2013 Theme: Mathematics of Sustainability
The American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical Association, the Mathematical Association of America, and the
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics announce that the theme for Mathematics Awareness Month, April 2013, is the
Mathematics of Sustainability.
Humanity continually faces the task of how to balance human needs against the world's resources while operating within the
constraints imposed by the laws of nature. Mathematics helps us better understand these complex issues and is used by mathe-
maticians and practitioners in a wide range of fields to seek creative solutions for a sustainable way of life. Society and individu-
als will need to make challenging choices; mathematics provides us with tools to make informed decisions.
Mathematics Awareness Month, held each year in April, was created to increase public understanding of and appreciation for
mathematics. It began in 1986, when President Reagan issued a proclamation establishing National Mathematics Awareness
Week. Activities for Mathematics Awareness Month generally are organized on local, state and regional levels by college and
university departments, institutional public information offices, student groups, and related associations and interest groups.
For resources, posters, essays, and more, visit http://www.mathaware.org/index.html
Candidates for District 6 Director Knudson and Thompson
March 2013 Page 7
Current Position
District Math Coach K-8
Education
Masters in Education
Goals as MCTM Officer
To increase membership and raise awareness of benefits of
MCTM
To collaboratively work with area districts to pool resources/
staff development around the proficiency and process stan-
dards
Professional Affiliations
MCTM, MCSM, CMRC, MRA, IRA
Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education
Last year I received the travel grant to attend my first
MCTM conference in Duluth. I was able to return to my dis-
trict and present information to our collaborative math
groups that will help our math staff become more effective
math teachers.
Current Position
Teacher, Park Center Senior
High,
Brooklyn Park
Education
B.A., Mathematics & Linguistics
– St. Cloud State University
Coursework in Educational Ad-
ministration & Leadership – St.
Cloud State University
Goals as MCTM Officer
Promote Efficient Grading Practices. As assessment & ac-
countability has evolved, it seems like testing is consuming
our classrooms while teaching and learning has taken a
backseat. The only way to get back the time we need to
plan great lessons is to make our grading practices more
efficient. We can do this by condensing and combining our
assessments so that we are testing less. Learning should
still be broad and open-ended, but we need to focus our
testing on the most important standards.
Promote Technology for Ongoing Professional Develop-
ment. Some of the best ideas I’ve ever come across have
come from online blogs and twitter. Reading and reflecting
on what others are doing in their classrooms has been such
a powerful tool for me personally. There are so many great
ideas out there; I believe very few of us are taking full ad-
vantage of what blogs and twitter have to offer.
Promote & Define the Benefits of MCTM Membership.
MCTM provides terrific professional development through
its conferences and had an extremely impressive talent pool
full of great ideas. I’d like to clearly articulate the benefits
of MCTM membership to math teachers in our state and
promote membership though those benefits.
Professional Affiliations:
Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Education Minnesota
Minnesota High School Coaches Association
Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education:
I have been a math teacher since 2004. I’ve been involved
in curriculum adoption and STEM training. I’ve also pre-
sented at MTCM in 3 of the past four years on standards
based grading in math. I’ve been an SBG pioneer in our
district and have a deep knowledge of what does and does
not work. In addition, I’ve had extensive International Bac-
calaureate training, including the Middle Years and Di-
ploma Programme (Standard and Higher Level Mathemat-
ics).
Mardi Knudson Marshall Thompson
Interesting Number Patterns
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321
12 + 3 - 4 + 5 + 67 + 8 + 9 = 100
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
The Arnie Cutler Scholarship for Mathematics Course Work for Middle Grades Teachers provides funds to grades 6-8
teachers for mathematics content course work. The purpose of this grant is to provide financial support for improving teachers’
understanding of mathematics by completing course work in mathematics. Scholarships with a maximum of $800 each will be
awarded to persons currently teaching in grades 6 – 8. The Foundation is now accepting applications. Additional information
and an application form are available on the MCTM website. The next deadline for this Scholarship is March 31, 2013 for
funds for Fall 2013.
MCTM Foundation funding may support the following:
Recruitment /retention assistance for math teachers, schools and district.
Acquisition of proper teaching tools and materials.
Teachers to attend external learning opportunities.
Peer networks within schools, districts and statewide.
A Math Mentor Network.
Business and industry partnerships, to provide practical applications
Donations to the MCTM Foundation in support of this funding can be made in the following levels:
$1-$49 Ada Lovelace (1815 - 1852) "The Analytical Engine weaves algebraic patterns, just as the Jacquard loom weaves
flowers and leaves."
$50-$99 Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci (1170-1250) "How many pairs of rabbits can be bred from one pair in a year?"
$100-$249 Grace Murray Hopper (Admiral) (1906-1992) "From then on, when anything went wrong with a computer, we
said it had bugs in it."
$250-$499 Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777 - 1855) "If others would but reflect on mathematical truths as deeply and continu-
ously as I have, they would make my discoveries."
$500-$999 Sofia Kovalevskaya (1850-1891) "Say what you know, do what you must, come what may or....It is impossible
to be a mathematician without being a poet in soul."
$1000 and up Benoit Mandelbrot (1924 - 2010) "Science would be ruined if (like sports) it were to put competition above
everything else, and if it were to clarify the rules of competition by withdrawing entirely into narrowly defined specialties. The
rare scholars who are nomads-by-choice are essential to the intellectual welfare of the settled disciplines."
MCTM is YOUR professional organization and seeks YOUR input for direction. This is the one time a year to meet with us
and give us your input. Each district selects delegates to attend the Delegate Assembly Meeting Friday after dinner. A fabulous
dessert is served :
Chocolate Fondue: Chocolate Brownies, Sugar Cookies, Fresh Strawberries, Fresh Pineapple, Hot Fudge, Candy Sprin-
kles, Nut Topping and Whipped Cream.
If YOU would like to be an important part of your organization, want to make a difference, be a delegate and partake in the
dessert, contact your district director. Don’t know which district you are in? Contact anyone of us and we will make the con-
nection. District directors’ contact information is on page 2.
MathBits Page 8
MCTM Foundation Rose Gundacker, Foundation Board Chair [email protected]
District meetings and the delegate assembly at Spring Conference
A message from your district directors
It is India that gave us the ingenious method of expressing all numbers by means of ten symbols, each symbol receiving a value of position as well as an absolute value; a profound and important idea which appears so simple to us now that we ignore its true merit. But its very simplicity and the great ease which it has lent to com-putations put our arithmetic in the first rank of useful inventions; and we shall appreciate the grandeur of the achievement the more when we remember that it escaped the genius of Archimedes and Apollonius, two of the
greatest men produced by antiquity. ~Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749-1827)
Chocolate Pie, Apple Pie, Pizza Pie…oh my!! The staff at the Badger School located in the northwest corner of Minnesota
celebrates Pi Day school wide. On March 14 students can be found creating pi necklaces, pi number chains, making human
circles, reading Sir Cumference and the First Round Table (Neuschwander and Geehan, 1997), or Sir Cumference and the
Dragon of Pi (Neuschwander and Geehan, 1999).
Each teacher plans an activity or discussion about 3.14159…and its connections to geometry and irrational numbers in general.
Examples of Pi Day activities have included the following.
A special education teacher had students listen to Kate Bush sing Pi on her 2005 album "Aerial”, make pi posters for our
shirts, and walk around the building.
In geography class, students talked about Archimedes and his development of pi. Students and teachers also discussed
Euclid and his work in geometry and Euclidian math and its impact on Greece (where it originated) as well as how it is
used every day now.
The English class wrote riveting "pi-kus," which are similar to haikus. These are three-line poems similar to a haiku, but
the syllables in each line represent pi. The first line has 3 syllables, the second line has 1 syllable, and the third line has 4
syllables. The pi-kus were put on display outside the classroom.
The 6th grade class had a discussion about pi in their morning meeting. The teacher shared some of the interesting facts
about the number. In 6th grade math, students each found a round object in the classroom. They also measured the cir-
cumference and the diameter and divided them to see how pi is calculated. The class also experienced reading the story
Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi for additional fun.
Here are some resources that can be used to develop activities for Pi Day.
Pi Day Activities for Middle School
http://www.ehow.com/list_6504241_pi-day-activities-middle-school.html#ixzz1oTQiGJti
Preschool/Kindergarten Pi Activities
http://helpinglittlehands.blogspot.com/2011/03/kindergarten-pi-day-activities.html
Pi Poetry http://letsplaymath.net/2007/03/14/poetry-for-pi-day/
Pi math lesson ideas from NCTM http://www.nctm.org/resources/content.aspx?id=28520
50 interesting Facts about Pi http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/07/03_pi.html
Finally, as another highlight to the day, students are treated to an “Eskimo PI” bar by the math club, and the staff participates
in the annual PI contest in the staff workroom to try to win the coveted Silver Pi Award. (Aluminum throw away pie pan that
has been decorated). Well rounded fun with some irrational learning is had by all.
What fun activities are you planning for Pi Day this year?
A Pre-Calculus Conics Project, Badger School Dist 676, Sherri Kruger Instructor
The following article was written and submitted by my Precalc students; Tanner Creviston, Seth Christenson, Ami Brousseau,
Nolan Kaml, and Tyler Castle. Each year my students follow the Conics chapter with this project. This group discovered the
software that took it to the next level.
As we sat in our third hour Pre-Calculus class, our teacher Ms. K briefed us on our newest mission.
Our objective: design and construct a garden with a hyperbolic pathway, an elliptical pond, a parabolic bridge, and a circular
fountain. It seemed that this would be an easy task; little did we know that constraints waited around every corner. Our pathway
had to be tangent to the bridge, the bridge must cross over the pond, and the fountain had to be smaller than the pond. Also, the
flower garden was to be formed of one fifth roses, one fifth pansies, one fifth daffodils, and the remaining two fifths would be
tulips.
(Continued on page 10)
Celebrate Pi Day on March 14 in Creative Ways Sherri Kruger, District 7 Director
March 2013 Page 9
MathBits Page 10
Our tools: our hands and pencils for drawing, a compass, a protractor, and if necessary, curved lids.
Staring at the incomprehensible pages set before us, our minds numbed with shock, we all came to the same conclusion… We
had to find an easier way to do this! We began scouring the web for software that would allow us to graph our gardens. After
hours of searching, we found an awesome weapon of mass destruction; oops I mean math instruction, called desmos.com. It
was an online graphing calculator application (OGCA) and after creating an account and joining forces with this OGCA, we
were able to graph our objective and any other line, curve, circle, or elliptical equation we needed. However, a problem with
the constraining of our lines arose, forcing us to rendezvous with the people at the OGCA. They readily emailed us all the infor-
mation we required and the project was back on track.
Overall the program worked wonderfully for all parties, except for those who attempted to use the new Windows 8. The only
major complaint about the OGCA was that it would randomly quit working and all of our hard work would be wasted. Also, the
computer you want to use has to have either an internet minimum of Windows 9 (which requires Windows 7 software), Google
Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, for the program to work. Fortunately, this wasn’t a problem for our group (except for one who
doesn’t have a computer with internet at home).
Before using desmos.com, none of us were confident with solving conic equations. However, I think everyone had a much
deeper understanding of the strength and power of the equations. Thanks to desmos.com we were successful in our mission,
and it definitely helped with the learning process. Check out our gardens!
(Continued from page 9)
CONNECT Committee to Orient and Network New/Novice Educators into a Community of (math) Teachers
Resources for Online Math Assessments
To prepare for the online 3–8 Mathematics MCA and grades 5–8 Mathematics MCA-Modified, a number of resources are cur-
rently available on the Minnesota Assessments portal www.mnstateassessments.org.
Item samplers: Item samplers are available on the Item Samplers page or through the secure browser for online tests. The item
sampler will allow students to become familiar with the format of the test and the types of items that will be included. All
students should practice taking an assessment using the item samplers prior to test administration.
To use the online item samplers, either the Firefox browser or secure browser must be used.
To use text-to-speech with the online item samplers, the secure browser must be used.
Online student tutorial: A combined student tutorial for all online Title I assessments is available on the Student Resources
page. The tutorial provides information on navigating in the test, using online tools, and answering different item types. All
students must have the opportunity to review the student tutorial before taking an online assessment.
Calculators: Stand-alone versions of the online calculators are available for student practice outside of the item samplers on the
Student Resources page.
Calculator Policy for MCA: As the technology available to students changes, the policy regarding use of that technology gets
updated. This policy is published in the Procedures Manual: The 2012-2013 Procedures Manual for the Minnesota As-
sessments is available on the General Resources page. The calculator section starts on page 168.
The symbol indicates where additions or revisions were made to the policy.
Grade 11 MCA-III
On-line field testing of items for Grade 11 MCA-III is January 28–February 22, 2013. Teacher committees will conduct Data
Review and items will then be eligible for inclusion in the Grade 11 MCA-III administered in spring of 2014. The online tests
will contain technology-enhanced items and type-in items and will have audio available to all students.
You can look for support materials for the Grade 11 MCA-III early in the 2013-14 school year.
Optional Local Purpose Assessment (OLPA)
Over 240,000 OLPA tests have been completed by Minnesota students in grades 3 through 8 as of February 8, 2013.
Want to try something new or innovative in your classroom but need some funds to get started?
Apply to MCTM for those funds through the Teacher Incentive Grant.
The application form and a list of FAQs are on the MCTM website. MCTM offers up to $1500 as a grant to support educators
desiring to implement projects in math. Grant applications may be for almost any innovative purpose that involves students in a
unique way. Eligible expenses include supplies, materials, equipment, printing, etc. These funds are not intended for student
travel such as field trips or for the personal gain of the Project Director. For more information and the application , visit
www.mctm.org/incentivegrant.php
The next application deadline is March 15, 2013.
March 2013 Page 11
Statewide Assessment Updates Rosemary Heinitz, Math Assessment Specialist, Statewide Testing
Opportunities—Teacher incentive Grant
UPCOMING EVENTS:
MCTM BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION
2013 MCTM Ross Taylor Symposium for Mathe-matics Education and Leadership, April 25
2013 MCTM Spring Conference, April 26-27
Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics P.O. Box 289 Wayzata, MN 55391
Michele Luke, President
Tom Muchlinski, Exec. Director
612 - 210 - 8428
www.mctm.org
Mission Statement
The MCTM is an organization of professionals dedicated to promoting the teaching and learning of meaningful mathematics for all students by supporting educators in their efforts to improve mathematics education.
The MCTM strives to provide membership with current information regarding mathematics education in the
state of Minnesota. To accomplish this goal, we need an accurate, permanent address for each member and
a correct email address. To update your address information contact Exec. Director Tom Muchlinski at 612-
210-8428 or [email protected] or visit the MCTM website (www.mctm.org) membership page to make your
change.
If you received a paper copy of MathBits, it was a result of one of the following:
1) You explicitly requested to receive a hard copy through the USPS mail by contacting the executive director at [email protected]
2) Messages sent to your email address have come back to MCTM as undeliverable.
If you did not make a direct request for a hard copy, it is important that you contact MCTM to verify a correct email address. Please check that messages from the address [email protected] are not being blocked by your server or being sent to your spam folder.
Submit items for publication in the next issue of MathBits to [email protected]. Many types of contributions are welcomed. Email or call 651-631-5228 with questions or comments. Thank you. Teresa Gonske, Editor.
