Problem Solving Tasks Presentation

Presentations, Problem Solving Tasks 0 Comments

I was recently invited to run a 1.5 hours workshop for the math half of the Math and Science Summer Workshops at Fay School. I was going to just do a modified version of my NCTM Fermi Problems presentation. But, as I thought things through, I realized the workshop might not be as appropriate for the full range of grades participants teach (K through 8).

So, I did my favorite thing. I broke down my last presentation and built it back up anew. This time, instead of focusing on one problem type (Fermi problems), I aimed to develop criteria for identifying good problem-solving tasks. Then, I chose good problems that exemplified those criteria.

Here are the slides for my workshop. Additionally, when I give presentations I like to type up a document that summarizes my talk and includes all of the links and summarizes what I shared. You can see that reference document by clicking on the words you are reading right now.

Resources for my NCTM Talk on Fermi Problems

Conference, Fermi Problems, NCTM 16, Presentations 1 Comment

Whether you attended my workshop or not, I wanted to make some resources available. First, my slides from my presentation:

These slides should give you a general sense of my talk. I try to put very little text on each slide. So it might not be clear exactly what points I was trying to make or what I was blathering on about on any given slide. To help with this, I put together a detailed notes document that explains my main points with notes and links. It has lots of great stuff.

If you have any questions, shoot me an email (tyler at mathfireworks dot com) or tweet at me (@mathfireworks)

Feedback: If you attended my talk, I would really appreciate any constructive feedback you have. Leave it in the comments, on twitter, or over email. Whatever works for you. I want my next presentation to be even better!

Should You Attend My Workshop on Fermi Problems at NCTM Annual?

Conference, Fermi Problems, NCTM 16, Presentations 0 Comments

I am extremely excited to be presenting about Fermi estimation problems at NCTM's Annual Meeting in San Francisco this week! My workshop is scheduled for Saturday from 9:45 in 3006 (Moscone West).

I want to provide a bit more detail about my workshop to hopefully get more folks to attend. But, I also know that everyone's time is limited and valuable, so this may help you decide that another talk or workshop is more valuable. That's okay too! If you come to my workshop, expect to have some fun actually doing mathematics. I hope you will attend!

Here is the description I wrote last spring when I applied to NCTM:

How many bathtubs of water will you drink in your lifetime? How long would it take to count to 1 million out loud? Solve Fermi problems like these and discuss their value, their connection to the CCSSM Standards for Mathematical Practice, and strategies for implementation. Expect to work collaboratively and have fun solving problems!

That description only hints at what you will be doing. They have my workshop listed in the 6-8 grade band, but I feel that this workshop would be valuable for anyone who teaches grades 4 or higher. My outline for the presentation is as follows:

  1. Introduce Enrico Fermi and loosely define a Fermi estimation
  2. Have participants solve Fermi estimation problems
  3. Discuss what value these problems (or similar types) add to our students' education
  4. Pedagogical advice if you decide to try these out
  5. Resources for implementing Fermi problems and for continued discussions

If you have questions about the workshop, tweet me up: @mathfireworks!

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