tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25557940234625342262024-03-13T13:23:14.535-04:00Of Geometry and PreCalcMr. Osterman's Blog for 2011 - 2012Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-77049551075931284652011-09-09T11:29:00.000-04:002011-09-09T11:29:34.851-04:00Friday's Challenge and an extra videoPre-Calc Kids:<br />
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Your wiki-Challenge:<br />
Dragon to Marine<br />
Challengers:<br />
Kelsi vs Jordan<br />
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Also:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/tfyza6bPsfk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-78184752403219525902011-09-06T08:31:00.000-04:002011-09-06T08:31:17.397-04:00We're back!Welcome back to the new 2011-2012 School Year!<br />
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If you're looking to "Like" the class on Facebook you need only look here:<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mr-R-Osterman-Math-Teacher/190134860999203">http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mr-R-Osterman-Math-Teacher/190134860999203</a><br />
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It's also important to note that if you're not a FaceBook user you can still bookmark the fan page and visit it for updates and notes. As a rule, the Facebook page is used for short updates (quiz dates and the like) while the blog is used for longer notes regarding things like study strategies, commentary, news bits, and the like. Using an app called RSS Graffiti all of my blog posts are pulled into FaceBook making it a valuable tool in the flow of information.<br />
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I will be updating this page in the coming days with my revised syllabus and other key files.Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-48066222396483516752011-06-09T14:41:00.002-04:002011-06-09T14:41:27.188-04:00Links for ReviewAs promised:<br />
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UStream:<br />
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<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/osterman-review">http://www.ustream.tv/channel/osterman-review</a><br />
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YouTube:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ROsterman92?feature=mhee">http://www.youtube.com/user/ROsterman92?feature=mhee</a>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-51562703388614625992011-03-29T09:26:00.001-04:002011-03-29T09:29:11.264-04:00Geometry Review Link DumpThere is a test on Block 2 this week for Geometry. Here is a collection of links and embeds that you may or may not find interesting:<br />
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1) Class notes:<br />
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Please send an email to RobertOsterman (at) WLCSD (dot) org if you need (and I mean ~need~) a copy of class notes. Most of them are electronic now and can be emailed out as a Powerpoint Presentation (which should be openable in most Powerpoint like software). If you need a different format please ask in the email. This applies to all classes at all times now.<br />
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2) YouTube:<br />
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You can start at the<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ROsterman92"> main channel</a> or you can look around for the specific video you need. There is also a<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmPxVEFZc1g"> tutorial video</a> posted with explanations of all the YouTube Features.<br />
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3) UStream:<br />
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You can point your browser at the <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/osterman-review">web address I listed in class</a> or simply come back to this page this evening. The review is going to run from 7:30 until 9:00 pm. If there are no students with questions I may take a break or end early but check the channel and see what's there. I'll post when I need to go AFK.<br />
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4) Online Textbook<br />
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Just head to the <a href="http://my.hrw.com/">Holt Website</a> and enter the log in information (listed earlier on the blog) to get access to some solid chapter 9 review. Remember we focused on 9-1, 9-2, 9-3 and 9-6<br />
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5) Facebook Page<br />
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Nearly all this information is also available on the<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-R-Ostermans-Page/190134860999203"> Facebook Page </a>for my classes. Just scroll down through the various posts to the video or link you need.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" height="296" id="utv883752" width="480"><param name="flashvars" value="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=7665192&v3=1"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="movie" value="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/viewer.swf"/><embed flashvars="autoplay=false&brand=embed&cid=7665192&v3=1" width="480" height="296" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" id="utv883752" name="utv_n_159633" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/viewer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" /></object><br />
<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/" style="background: #ffffff; color: black; display: block; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; padding: 2px 0px 4px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; width: 400px;" target="_blank">Video chat rooms at Ustream</a>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-1894746700578984832011-03-28T10:17:00.000-04:002011-03-28T10:17:20.096-04:00Off Topic: The Speed of Light and YouA friend of mine is a fan of No Ordinary Family and was asking about how the speed of light works with the effect of time. Since this is a fun topic I thought I'd write something over here and point him at it rather than just doing it in an email or a Facebook Page.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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Here's the thing with the speed of light: Light ~always~ travels at the speed of light or "c". It does not matter where you are or how fast you are going, light appears to travel at "c" regardless of your frame of reference.<br />
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Let's keep the math easy. Let's pretend that the speed of light is 1000 mph. It's not. It's a LOT more than that. But it's a lot easier to talk about if it's a number we can relate to.<br />
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So imagine yourself standing at the starting line of a straight bit of race track. You turn on a flash light. How fast does light shoot away from you? At the speed of light or 1000 mph. That makes sense, right? You can imagine the little photons of light shooting out of the flashlight in a beam traveling at that high speed.<br />
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Now, suppose you have a friend A that takes off running at a gentle 10 mph. From where you are standing he is moving away from you at 10 mph, and he sees you moving away from himself at 10 mph. Again, that makes sense right?<br />
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A second friend B takes off running after your first A. This friend B runs at 15 mph. You see her running away from you at 15 mph. Your first friend A sees B coming towards him at 5 mph (10-15 = 5). So far this should all work. Let's recap:<br />
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You stationary see friend A running away at 10 mph and B at 15 mph.<br />
Friend A running at 10 mph sees you moving away at 10 mph, and B approaching at 5 mph.<br />
Friend B running at 15 sees you moving away at 15mph and A getting closer at 5 mph.<br />
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All is right in the world.<br />
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Except for light.<br />
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Let's say you turn on your flash light. You see the light photons shoot out at the speed of light (which we are calling 1000 mph). That's easy.<br />
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Friend A who is running at 10 mph should see the light approaching at 990 mph, right? That would be 1000 - 10 = 990 mph. But, and this is where Light gets weird, he doesn't. He sees the light coming at him ~At The Speed Of Light~ or 1000 mph. <br />
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Friend B who is running at 15 mph should see the light coming at her at 985 mph from the same logic. At the very least, you would think that because she is running faster, the light would be coming at a slower rate. That's logical.<br />
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However, according to Einstein, the speed of light is CONSTANT in ALL frames of reference. That means that you, friend A and friend B all see the photons of light traveling at the speed of light or 1000 mph. Not close to 1000, not around 1000, but exactly 1000 mph.<br />
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How does this work? Again, according to Einstein, time slows down based on how fast you are traveling. Likewise distances appear shorter (as long as they're in line with your motion). So because Friend A and Friend B are in motion, time for them runs a fraction slower than it does for you who is not in motion. Because time is a ~tiny~ bit shorter, the light beams appear to be traveling at the same speed.<br />
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Now, because the speed of light is ~Really~ fast, we don't perceive these time shifts in our day to day lives. Humans cannot get up to the required speeds to really notice that seconds or minutes are lost at high speed travel. Unless they have superpowers, as happens on some TV shows or in comic books.<br />
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A final word: Time never travels backwards and nothing besides light ever actually ~reaches~ the speed of light. It can come very close, but never actually be that speed.<br />
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There are some really interesting reads based on this. If you find this interesting let me recommend you look up things such as this <a href="http://science.jrank.org/pages/5797/Relativity-Special-Experimental-verification.html">experiment</a>, or the classic<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_paradox"> Twin Paradox.</a> Or simply pester your physics teacher.Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-67500774652134642312011-03-25T09:52:00.001-04:002011-03-31T11:57:14.578-04:00Moving to FacebookWhile having multiple places to post information for students is a good thing, I am trying to also streamline the process of getting information out to students and parents as the year goes on. In many ways I feel like this was a year of experiments, and learning with good ways to use Social Media and Web 2.0 to really connect and share.<br />
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To this end I am going to be posting more and more information on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-R-Ostermans-Page/190134860999203">FaceBook fan page</a> for my classes. It is probable that next year I will have a separate fan page for each course I teach, but that remains to be seen. With RSS Graffiti, everything from this site gets pushed to FaceBook and often ideas appear there twice. SO I am going to advise students and parents to check the Fan Page first, then follow links back here as you need to. This site will be used for longer thoughts, the static list of useful links (on the right side of the page), and for dumps of multiple related links.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-R-Ostermans-Page/190134860999203">FaceBook </a>will be the primary source of test dates, extra credit, the weekly Friday Fun video and other short but time sensitive tid bits.<br />
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Here are some things that I want to be sure are out there regarding the Facebook Page:<br />
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1) I am not asking to friend any student or parent on FaceBook.<br />
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By "Liking" the fan page, you will recieve updates to your news feed when the page is updated. However, they are not updates from my personal FaceBook, nor does this grant me access to anything of yours (student or parent) that is locked as Friends Only or Friends of Friends Only. In short, becoming a fan of "Me" does not make us friends any more than I am friends with Micheal Bolton, Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga and Niel Patrick Harris.<br />
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2) You do not need to have a Facebook Account to access the page.<br />
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Simply going to the URL: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-R-Ostermans-Page/190134860999203">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-R-Ostermans-Page/190134860999203</a> will take you to the page and you can see everything there posted. You are welcome (and encouraged) to bookmark the page and access it that way. <br />
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3) I will not be in direct contact with any students through Facebook.<br />
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This is a personal assurance. All interactions on the page are done in the open with me posting important information. At no time do I, or will I, contact a student directly on Facebook. My personal policy is also not to Friend anyone who is a current student in Walled Lake Schools. <br />
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All dialogue should still take place through my WLCSD email: RobertOsterman (at) WLCSD (dot) org<br />
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4) Some news might not appear on your own FaceBook news feed.<br />
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FaceBook prioritizes your news feed by the people you interact the most with. When you comment on people's statuses and post on their wall, the system puts a priority on that interaction and works to bring you more of it in your news feed. Since there is not much interaction with class updates, it is likely that the system will consider it a low priority. You may need to access "Recent News" instead of "Top News" at the top of your news stream to see updates. Also if you have many active friends, even then an update from Tuesday could have dropped off the first page of stories by Thursday.<br />
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5) All postings on the page are open to comment and will remain so as long as it is properly used.<br />
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Students and parents are invited to share thoughts on relevant news articles, updates, test reminders and the like through the comments feature on the website. So far students have shown that they understand the permanence of the Internet and that the Facebook page is considered a public extension of the classroom.Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-17398890985845622992011-03-21T13:03:00.003-04:002011-03-21T13:06:43.191-04:00Online TextbookFor those that need it here is the login information for the online book:<br />
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First: Login: gfirst5 PW: z5f9v<br />
Third: athird PW: p5j4j<br />
Fourth: gfourth3 PW: z5f9v<br />
Fifth: afifth1 PW: z9s8r<br />
Sixth: asixth PW: e4p3p<br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Q8OLFnaO8tk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-49448168928201256022011-03-18T18:54:00.000-04:002011-03-18T18:54:16.559-04:00MACUL Conference Day TwoAnd my adventures continue.<br />
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My presentation went off without a hitch and I talked to an absolutely packed (standing room only) room. It was a blast, and everyone was interested and engaged. It was some of the most fun I've had as an educator outside of watching you guys learn.<br />
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As to the rest of my day.....<br />
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<a name='more'></a>My first session this morning was on Google Earth and Google-Lit Tours. It wasn't overly applicable to teaching math or Algebra, but it was interesting to see what's out there as an option. I'm chewing on a way to create some practice activities on Google Earth as a "tour".<br />
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I also talked to some people who are in the know of "iTunes University". This is a freaking AMAZING free resource ~Right In ITUNES!~ full of podcasts and video-casts of content. It is all free, and searchable. Expect links and advice to follow.<br />
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I also checked out a service called Learning Island, which was a set of tutorials and practice problems. They have some games but after watching a demo I was struck by how much we already have through the Holt website. It really begs the question: If you don't have the grade you want, how much have you used that resource?<br />
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I also had a chance to look at some other video capture and editing software and other animation tools. I'm interested in exploring better ways to prepare and record tutorial videos in class to help you guys with follow up. So far though I'm mostly finding people going over things I already have a good handle on.<br />
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But the ending keynote was simply amazing and empowering. Imagine a text book that did this:<br />
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<ul><li>Was customized to ~your~ likes. If you're into sports then all the story problems are tailored to your sports interests. Prefer fashion and society? No problem, how about some questions that focus on celebrities?</li>
<li>Speaking of, what if you could upload pictures of yourself to be the illustrations in the book? In stead of "some kid" looking in a microscope, that's YOU looking at it?</li>
<li>While we're at it, who picks the color scheme for these things anyway? Wouldn't it be better if you got to chose between the Maize and Blue as a scheme or Silver and Honolulu Blue?</li>
<li>And then I get to add in things that I find interesting as sidebars for you to explore! I'm a huge history buff so everytime we do a formula there's a little pop up about the guy (or girl) who invented it. And a teacher more into application, his book would have pop ups with architecture.</li>
<li>And what if you've got me but you want the application? No problem. Just click a few buttons and you can have both at your fingertips.</li>
</ul><div>Imagine how much easier it would be with all that to help rope you into the learning.....</div>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-90718465482916780162011-03-17T15:45:00.000-04:002011-03-17T15:45:39.552-04:00MACUL Conference day oneOkay kids, here's where I'm going to dump all the interesting links and videos I get to see and find at the MACUL conference. I do sincerely hope you're being good for the sub and that you're staying on top of the stuff we covered before I left.<br />
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All the goodies are under the break:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>UJam</b><br />
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Oh wow! Can you guys say class project? I knew you could.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ujam.com/">http://www.ujam.com/</a><br />
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Check out this catch!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TfViBYZ9bw4?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Spoiler... turns out it's a fake.... :(<br />
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And talk about school spirit!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/T7TI-AJi2O8?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br />
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And a tear jerker....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tetOSMilRKg?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br />
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One of my breakout sessions was spent checking out various animation tools. Sadly the presentation was geared more at elementary than HS so I didn't get a ton of good information but I did get this to consider:<br />
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<a href="http://www.alice.org/kelleher/storytelling/">http://www.alice.org/kelleher/storytelling/</a><br />
Story Telling Alice is a program to script and create 3D animations. I don't know how I'll use it ~yet~ but I see potential.<br />
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I also found this little gem:<br />
<a href="http://www.snapfiles.com/get/stickfigure.html">http://www.snapfiles.com/get/stickfigure.html</a><br />
Pivot is a fun little program that lets you make stick figures an animate them. Very very limited but it works for what it does.<br />
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Just attended a session on Social Networking and students as well as how teachers can and should social network with each other. Some good ideas for teachers but not much to share directly to you guys. However I did get this bit of wisdom:<br />
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"Do you have anything on the internet you don't want your mom to read? Is there anything there that would keep you from running for Governor some day?"<br />
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He went on to share that "back in our day" it would take a week to have your life ruined. Today? Thanks the speed of the internet you can ruin it in minutes with a nice quick and steady round of forwards.<br />
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Currently in a session on iPad and iPod applications and "Learning on the Go." Here's a list as they come up: (yay for live blogging) Most of these applications though are for elementary ages<br />
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<ul><li>Stack the Countries and Stack the States</li>
<li>Oregon Trail</li>
<li>Discovery Education US Geography</li>
<li>Bubble Ball - Made by a 14 year old in his free time.</li>
<li>Enigmo - Love it!</li>
<li>Frog Dissection</li>
<li>Pizza Math - fun for fractions</li>
<li>Rocket Math - Build a rocket while doing basic arithmetic problems.</li>
</ul><div>So stoked for tomorrow and my own presentation.</div>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-56585546118426076382011-03-16T14:44:00.000-04:002011-03-16T14:44:34.346-04:00Thursday and FridayAs I've mentioned I'm going to be out for a <a href="http://macul.org/conferences/2011maculconference/">professional conference</a>. I'll be off talking about how V<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCy3g-YEWzg">ideo Gaming provides an insight</a> into how people learn "stuff" and what questions teachers need to ask themselves about how to use this in their own classroom.<br />
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For you guys, all assignments are posted in Skyward and are to be completed by Friday at the end of class. My sub will be picking up all work at the end of each period. No Exceptions.<br />
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Here are the plans that are left for him:<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1<sup>st</sup> Hour: Geometry</div><div class="MsoNormal">This class is taking a BA test. Please pass out the scantron sheets to the appropriate students, then the exam. There is a set of trig tables for students without graphing calculators and the sin/ cos/ tan of an important angle is written on the board. This should stay there for the test if they need it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When they are done with the test, they are to work on the “9-1 9-2 Packet” which will be next to the test. This is due at the end of class on Friday.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">3<sup>rd</sup>, 5<sup>th</sup>, 6<sup>th</sup>: Algebra</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Students are to use class time to work on “Riddle Collection 1”. This will be in a stack on the podium as well, and notable by the first page being “Why Couldn’t the Chicken…”. This is due at the end of class on Friday but students should note that they will get another packet on Friday.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Friday: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1<sup>st</sup>, 4<sup>th</sup>: Geometry</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Students are to finish the 9-1/9-2 packet that they got last class meeting. 4<sup>th</sup> hour got theirs on Wednesday. Please collect at the end of the hour.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">3<sup>rd</sup>, 5<sup>th</sup>, 6<sup>th</sup>: Algebra</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Students are to finish the Riddle Collection 1 worksheet if it is not done and complete Riddle Collection 2 (one sheet, 2 sided). This is notable because the first page is titled “Why are babies…” Both assignments are to be collected at the end of class. </div>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-68803421750413267442011-03-08T10:20:00.000-05:002011-03-08T10:20:04.593-05:00Algebra: Quiz? Today? Maybe?Okay. Here's the skinny. We have to get to the BA sooner than later. I need to give a quiz. However I want to give it when we're ready and have enough on it to give students (and parents) feedback on how well we're learning the content.<br />
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To that end, I'm pushing the quiz back ~again~ to Thursday. It will have 7.1-7.4 on it. Exponents. All Exponents. LOTS of exponents.<br />
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That's 2 more days to get this stuff DOWN. Good? Good.Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-86306714563245191842011-03-06T18:05:00.003-05:002011-03-06T21:43:38.951-05:00Monday's WorkXander is sick again (yes second time in as many months) and is going back to the doctor tomorrow. I had hoped he'd kick this on his own but apparently he needs antibiotics.<br />
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Bring your books to class. Check back here later tonight to see the actual assignment in class.<br />
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Update: 9:34pm<br />
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Geometry: Continued practice on Sin/ Cos/ Tan. Tuesday you will get a full answer key, with open review, Q&A etc in preparation for the quiz at the end of the period. <br />
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Class assignment: Pg 538, #21-35, Pg 543, #8-20<br />
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Algebra: Exponents. On the block day we will review all the answers as well as pass back previous work.<br />
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Class assignment: Pg 464, #18-52<br />
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See you all on Tuesday. (Mrs. Osterman will be staying home with that day if he's not well enough for "School" himself, or he'll be at his Nana's.)Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-45122742725576411242011-03-04T11:26:00.001-05:002011-03-06T18:04:43.880-05:00Friday Fun: Free Falling FFX<div><br />
</div><div>Back in College I made a hobby (briefly) of making mash up music videos. This was in an era Pre-Youtube so the hardest part was finding a place on the internet to post them. Hope you enjoy.</div><div><br />
</div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/e2JXpo5ktlM?fs=1" width="425"></iframe>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-26555277600620047592011-03-04T10:40:00.000-05:002011-03-04T10:40:21.658-05:00Up Coming QuizzesThere will be quizzes in both classes on Tuesday (or Wednesday depending on block).<br />
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1) Tuesday: Sin / Cos/ Tan triangles.<br />
3) Wednesday: Negative Exponents, Scientific Notation, Multiplying Powers<br />
4) Tuesday: Sin / Cos/ Tan triangles.<br />
5) Wednesday: Negative Exponents, Scientific Notation, Multiplying Powers<br />
6) Tuesday: Negative Exponents, Scientific Notation, Multiplying Powers<br />
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Tentatively the BA for Geometry on chapter 8 will be on Monday March 14. In Algebra it will be, tentatively, on Tues/Wed March 22/23 depending on Block.Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-84360500211036043802011-03-02T10:45:00.000-05:002011-03-02T10:45:03.978-05:00Talk About Algebra: Scientific NotationWe're working with some pretty big numbers in class lately and for an example I pulled up the national debt as a big number probably better written in Scientific Notation rather than Standard Notation. For those interested here is the website that uses Standard Notation:<br />
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<a href="http://www.usdebtclock.org/">http://www.usdebtclock.org/</a>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-12347171586087810522011-02-18T07:00:00.001-05:002011-02-18T07:00:11.634-05:00Off Topic: Friday Fun: Les Mis International<div>After having One Day more stuck in my head for two straight weeks I recalled this collection of Val Jean's singing parts of "Do You Hear the People Sing?" in their native languages. Enjoy!</div><div> </div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/R4924xJl38E?fs=1" width="425"></iframe></div>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-57082437455591390082011-02-17T14:26:00.000-05:002011-02-17T14:26:35.340-05:00Algebra Study VideosAll of the vidoes for chapter 6 can be found on the YouTube Channel Playlist for Chapter 6:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ROsterman92?feature=mhsn#p/c/6872B277C4F5FA07">http://www.youtube.com/user/ROsterman92?feature=mhsn#p/c/6872B277C4F5FA07</a><br />
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But for those that need a quick refresh of what's on tomorow's test:<br />
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<a name='more'></a>6.1: Solve by Graphing: <br />
<div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5ahWyNa8H6M?fs=1" width="480"></iframe></div><div> </div><div>6.2 Solve by Substitution:</div><div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H9MWo7OExew?fs=1" width="480"></iframe></div><div> </div><div>6.3 Solve by Elimination:</div><div> </div><div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A2LjLT0MS0g?fs=1" width="480"></iframe></div><div> </div><div>6.5 Graphing Linear Inequalities</div><div> </div><div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/s-mDeY5OfE4?fs=1" width="480"></iframe></div><div> </div><div>6.6 Graphing solutions for systems of inequalities:</div><div> </div><div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xkZUfWKHoAg?fs=1" width="480"></iframe></div><div> </div><div>Story Problems:</div><div> </div><div>Ticket Problems:</div><div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZDz8rbW42Sw?fs=1" width="480"></iframe></div><div> </div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-84848038377868741032011-02-15T15:05:00.000-05:002011-02-15T15:05:35.576-05:00Test Prep RepostedHere are two articles from earlier this year that I wrote to help students prepare for upcoming exams. There are exams in both Geometry and Algebra between now and the day we leave for midwinter break. I'm reposting them for those that might find the advice in them useful.<br />
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Click on Read More to see them:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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Originally Posted on Tuesday Sept 9, 2010<br />
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<a href="http://mrostermans.blogspot.com/2010/09/test-prep.html">http://mrostermans.blogspot.com/2010/09/test-prep.html</a><br />
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My biggest concern right now is preparing for this test. There is always a lot pressure tied to BA tests as the BA test category is weighted as 50% of the overall grade. Students cannot, generally, afford to do poorly on them. However, coming in and hoping to do the "best job evah!" is rarely a good strategy and that kind of pressure can yield poor results.<br />
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So here are some tips to consider as you work with your student to prepare for this test:<br />
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1) Have a relatively distraction-free place for some of the work.<br />
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Yes, many students do better working with some kind of distraction in the background. I know I have a very hard time staying focused in a silent room, myself. However some time should be spent working without music, without Facebook, and without the TV going. The test room will be nearly silent during the test time; the study space should be the same as well.<br />
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Research has shown that the closer the preparation space is to the test environment, the better students do. This should, however, be tempered with the realities. If demanding the house be quiet leads to a sullen and unproductive teen, then perhaps a little music is worth the compromise to get the book cracked open.<br />
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2) Review classnotes and previous quizes.<br />
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Every problem on the BA has been previewed as of my lessons, in the homework assignments or on the quiz. I make it a goal to have no student walk out of a test saying they were "surprised" by the content. For this reason I strongly encourage students to invest the time to review their work, redo problems and check over our discussions.<br />
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3) Look up the answers in the book.<br />
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Most of the review material has problems with solutions in the back of the text. For every practice problem they do, they can also check to see if they got it right. Often by working the problem backwards they can find the point where they made a mistake in their work.<br />
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4) Commit to better habits.<br />
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As we prepare for the exam, students will see things they can do better next chapter. Perhaps it is a matter of taking better class notes, or a matter of asking for a new seat in the room. Students may consider making regular study groups, or plan a common day afterschool to get assistance. Challenge your student to commit to one improvement over the next chapter. <br />
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Originally posted on October 15 2010<br />
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<a href="http://mrostermans.blogspot.com/2010/10/test-prep.html">http://mrostermans.blogspot.com/2010/10/test-prep.html</a><br />
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Everyone likes to talk about how to raise student test scores. It's the big news, and the media is all over how important it is for us to get better scores out of our students. With the internet there's no lack of articles with advice, notes on <a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/46707/can_good_principals_raise_test_scores.html?cat=9"><span style="color: #0099cc;">what principals can do to help</span></a>, even <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raise-Test-Scores-Robin-Fogarty/dp/1575171635/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1287143696&sr=1-2"><span style="color: #0099cc;">books on the subject</span></a>. Intrestingly, just doing a Google search on "How to raise test scores" three of top 5 results were not how to raise scores but on how<a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39292210/ns/us_news-life/"><span style="color: #0099cc;"> teacher bonuses would not raise them</span></a>. As the kids say, "Go fig".<br />
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That all said I'd like to share a bit about how I prepared for an exam.<br />
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First there was the traditional stuff. I studied. I made flash cards for vocab. I wrote outlines for the example essay questions. I would re-read the chapter, highlighter in hand. While students can't write in their books now (unless they buy their own copy of a novel), I found it invaluable in my humanities. The act of reading something, then re-reading it while highlighting it, really helped me remember the idea, the phrase, or the quote. When it came time to write an essay later I then had an easier time finding the passages I needed. <br />
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I also studied in two different places. First I'd work in my comfort zone: in my dorm room, radio on, feet up, snack on hand. But I would also make myself spend about an hour studying in the dorm quiet room, where I sat at a table or desk, in silence, just as I would for the exam. There is evidence that memory is aided by environment, so studying in the same situation as you will be tested is a good plan.<br />
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I just hated the silence so I didn't do it all the time.<br />
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On the day of a test I would make sure I had time to eat something. Not a huge breakfast, and no 4 cups of coffee. The last thing you need is to have to make a potty break in the middle of a test. But the time spent eating gave me time to study some more, and mulitple sources have linked a solid breakfast with success on testing.<br />
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Now I would be remise not to point out that these are Correlation studies. They looked at kids who had breakfast, and those who did not, and how they did on tests. To my knowledge there have been no Causation studies, where they actually control the variables and establish that the ~only~ deciding factor was a good breakfast.<br />
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And there was one more final component to my test taking plan: The suit.<br />
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Since I'm talking about my college days here, I would usually have a block of time before an exam free, since I rarely had two classes back to back. I would use this hour to go back to my room, and take a shower. I'd take my time brushing my teeth, shaving and combing my hair. I'd pull on a nice shirt, find a tie that matched, and top it with a sport coat. If I had the time I'd even put a bit of polish on my dress shoes and brush them clean. I'd take about 45 minutes or so to do nothing but pamper myself.<br />
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Then I'd have a leisurely walk to the test.<br />
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The point of all of this was to get into a mindset of confidence. I had time to make myself feel good, and to clear my head of concerns or fear. I stumbled on to why this works while reading up on how to have the <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Happiest-Toddler-Block-Cooperative-Four-Year-Old/dp/0553384422"><span style="color: #0099cc;">Happiest Toddler on the Block</span></a></em>, by <a href="http://www.happiestbaby.com/about-dr-karp/"><span style="color: #0099cc;">Dr. H Karp.</span></a> Here's what he says about the brain:<br />
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The left half of your brain is where you do logical reasonsing, deep thinking, and language application. The right is for the emotional and creative side. In a toddler, both are developing which is why a calm, collected 3 year old can reason that if they give a toy to another kid, they can have it back later.<br />
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But when that toddler is upset, or angry or disappointed, the right side starts to shout out over the left, drowning out the logical "You can play with it later" with the emotional response of "MINEMINE NOW MINE!" In short the little guy's logical reasoning side is unable to speak up over the right side.<br />
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I don't think this ever really changes.<br />
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When we get angry or scared we tend to be more impulsive. We react quickly and strongly, and it can take a few moments to get our emotions under control, get a few deep breaths in, and then start to reason things out. This really isn't a bad thing. When our fore-fathers were out hunting, and came across a large predator, it was a ~good~ thing that they just turned and ran rather than standing around considering their options. Being able to act quickly when terrified was something that helped us survive long enough to develop tools, a civiliation and advanced financial products which would in their own way try to return us to the days of the caveman.<br />
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So now let's fast forward to the modern highschool. A student is sitting and thinking about this test, which in Math is 50% of their overall grade. They know if they don't get at least a C they can't play basketball. He starts to think about basketball. He's going to miss basketball. Must get at least a C. Oh no, he can't remember number 4. That's okay. He'll get 5 right. Oh no, that doesn't look familiar. No basketball. Oh crud. Need to focus. Can't fail. Must not fail. He is ~so~ grounded if he fails. <br />
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And slowly and steadily the left side shuts down as the right side shouts more and more about how much trouble he'll be in for not getting a good grade.<br />
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So my personal piece of advice is to relax. Clear your mind. Come into the test a little pampered and free of other distractions. Give your right brain a chance to relax a bit, and let the left brain drive for a while. I hate it when students will put their hand up during a test to ask "how many can I miss and still get a B?" because most of the time it's from a student who is starting to let panic take over and has moved from trying to show what she can do on the test, and into the mindset of how much trouble she's going to be in.<br />
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Will dressing up cause you to get a better grade? I doubt it. But the calming ritual might make it easier to come into the test and do exactly what you know how to do.Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-18879757844687922512011-02-15T14:27:00.002-05:002011-02-15T14:27:09.119-05:00Geometry: Stagecraft ProjectFor those that need the extra review/ assignment here is the Stage Modeling project again.<br />
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This is due 2/28, the Monday after Holiday Break:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Objective:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Design a stage set that creates the illusion of depth by using three layers of set dressings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compute the appropriate sizes of the three pieces to ensure proper scaling.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Product:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A successful project will create a stage set with foreground pieces, background pieces and a back drop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These will be cut out and positioned on a model stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stage should be roughly the size of a shoe box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Students will also submit a completed worksheet (attached) and a well organized collection of their work to show the appropriate size of the various pieces.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Process:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Provided is a worksheet to help organize your ratios.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not a replacement for accurately completed, shown work.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Students will begin by establishing a scale for the foreground pieces, those that are in the acting space with the actor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then using proportions determine how large the flats behind the actors should be, and finally how large the same object on the backdrop will be.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a forest scene, for example, there will be a tree next to the actor that is “full size”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then upstage (towards the back of the stage) there will be a flat of a tree that is scaled down to make it appear far away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally on the back wall of the stage will be a mural featuring another tree even smaller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All three layers work together to create the illusion of depth.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At each layer students will have one consistent object (table, tree, house, car etc) that will be scaled down as you move from the foreground to the flat to the back drop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This object must be consistent.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Scaling back:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depending on how much depth you want to create, you can use a variety of ratios to determine how large the various set pieces should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sample ratios are provided below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note that the ratios are based on your foreground:</span></span></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Foreground</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Flats</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Backdrop</span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3:4</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1:2</span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1:2</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1:10</span></span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1:4</span></span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: #d4d0c8; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: #d4d0c8; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1:20</span></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Student projects will be voted on the day after they are due.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The project with the most votes will receive a $20 iTunes giftcard.</span>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-40115885745323261512011-02-11T15:06:00.000-05:002011-02-11T15:06:38.175-05:00Algebra: Quiz 2 Answer Key<iframe width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jZS1WgNwoWE?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-30583646067704128722011-02-11T14:52:00.000-05:002011-02-11T14:52:31.360-05:00Geo: Quiz Answers<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U0FoW9UocW0?fs=1" frameborder="0" width="480" height="295" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DmFkIsBvjmc?fs=1" frameborder="0" width="480" height="295" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-90519738622708563162011-02-11T08:47:00.001-05:002011-02-11T08:47:34.182-05:00Friday Fun: In FRENCH!Students have been asking a lot lately about me playing the World of Warcraft in the evening. I'm guessing it's a way to mock me.<br />
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Well.... would they mock the world renowned martial arist and action hero Jean-Claude Van Damme?<br />
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(probably....)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HNg5ysYd0zc?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-44032942937509791792011-02-11T08:34:00.001-05:002011-02-11T08:35:41.802-05:00Talk about Math: Forced PerspectiveIn geometry we've been talking a lot about the use of camera tricks to create various optional illusions related to scale. One trick often employed in the theatre is to use different scaled back drops and flats to make the stage appear to be deeper than it really is by having the scaling shrink as you move away from the action. Only if an actor walks upstage and stands next to the small scale tree do you realize that the tree is not 40 feet away, but only 10. <br />
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It's nearly impossible to talk about these kind of scalings without talking about The Lord of the Rings, a cinematic masterpiece that combined computers and cutting edge digital technology as well as some good old fashioned 1920's era camera manuevers to create the illusion that Elija Wood was a 4 foot hobbit, towered over by Ian McKellen's Gandalf. <br />
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But how did they do it? Click below to see:<br />
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We begin with a short video on the use of Forced Perspective and what it means:<br />
<iframe width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RMJj1ZmgxQE?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe><br />
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But static cameras are a little boring, aren't they? We like motion, to feel like we're there, moving with the scene. So what do you do when the moving of the camera will break the illusion?<br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jDlxpnRxDJs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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Sometimes the computer really does help, but the less you ask it to do, the easier it is. So what about building two different sets of props and shooting the actors on them, then merging them into a single scene?<br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a0fJUPU5xys" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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And finally the oldest trick in the book: Just use actors of different sizes:<br />
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nTnmDor17dc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-82089323692482355392011-02-10T14:37:00.000-05:002011-02-10T14:37:01.694-05:00Algebra: Quiz FridaySo... what's on the quiz on Friday in Algebra?<br />
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Welll.......<br />
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There will be cases of "Solve by Graphing"<br />
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<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kQTqK4ciV0A?fs=1" frameborder="0" width="480" height="295" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br />
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There will be problems where you have to solve by substitution:<br />
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<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WNofjTYngWA?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe><br />
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There will be examples of solving by elimination:<br />
<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cuqPp8HLJx0?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe><br />
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Some problems, like on the last quiz, will ask you to verify that something is a solution like we did on the first day:<br />
<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AVPa6-a9Vo4?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe><br />
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And there will be examples of graphing the solutions to linear inequalities:<br />
<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8ZKA_FYXcvM?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe><br />
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And don't forget the story problems.....<br />
<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZDz8rbW42Sw?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe>Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2555794023462534226.post-88421309426973293092011-02-10T08:45:00.002-05:002011-02-10T08:45:32.584-05:00Geometry: Quiz Friday, Test FridayFriday 2/ 11: Quiz on Chapter 7 Sections 1, 2, 3 (no proofs) and a hint of 4. Expect a lot of movie magic and other modeling problems.<br />
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Friday 2/18: BA Test on Chapter 7. There will be a study guide available on Monday.Mr. Ostermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998654106883156106noreply@blogger.com0