Fall Fermi Math League
Do you like to measure, estimate, and play around with
technology? Then join the Fermi Off-the-Wall Math League!
Now in its 13th year, this Internet-based math competition
welcomes students in grades 1-9 from around the world who
seek enrichment, small group work, and creative,
A Fermi question is posed with limited information given.
- How many water balloons would it take to fill
- How many cockroaches will fill the trunk of a VW Beetle?
- How much fabric would it take to make a camo-suit for
- How many eggs would fit in the Trojan Horse's body?
Fermi questions require that students ask many more questions;
emphasize process rather than "the" answer; demand
communication and writing; and utilize estimation, rounding
numbers and guesses.
The six-week Fall '11 season of Fermi Math started Wednesday.
PoW taking place: math problem-solving moment of the week
"Changing the representation is a good way to see what happens
when you're dealing with infinite situations. Dion's equations
might give you a starting point for a graph. Richelle's guess
and check is a great start to a table, and Siena's insight
means you only have to test the odd integers."
- Max, commenting on the Algebra PoW's latest solution
Space Math @ NASA
The Space Math @ NASA website has officially re-launched.
Register for free to access the archives of over 400 math
problems, 20+ problem books, and timely news articles with math
extensions, all with complete answer keys.
In particular, check out the Inquiry Projects. This new area
boasts 15 free Microsoft Excel spreadsheets of data
- the sun and space weather
- rockets, satellites and spacecraft
- our own solar system
- the search for planets outside our solar system
- stars and the Milky Way
Now taking place: math education conversation of the hour
"What's cool about computer programming is the 'show your work'
part is built in: you won't have the numbers without showing
your work, which in turn is self checking as if the logic is
broken, you won't get the numbers. From a math teaching
standpoint, you've got one of those to-die-for self-reinforcing
feedback loops. Why more math teachers don't couch it in
programming is one of those TV pundit questions for the sports
bar (you can find me at Claudia's some Thursdays)."
- Kirby, posted to the math-teach discussion
World Space Week
Space Week takes off next Tuesday. This global celebration, as
declared by the United Nations in 1999, has grown to become the
largest public space event on Earth, with activities in over
55 nations to inspire students to study space.
Check and add to the calendar for events near and far:
Space Week 2011 marks 50 years of human spaceflight. Read more
about this year's theme here:
The free downloadable guide includes the lessons
- Eggnaut ... or ... Houston, We May Have an Omelet!
- Zero-G Game of Sport
- Observation Inclinometer
- Astronomy and Soccer
- Estimating Cloud Cover