Every year, there is a concept with exponents that students just “don’t get” the first time around. Namely, the difference between expressions like (-2)^4 and -2^4 mystifies them. Some “don’t get” it the second or third time around. Throw variable expressions in the mix, and you have a mess. That’s where I am right now with some of my students.
We had a wacky schedule today that afforded me some time to be novel with my approach to this re-teach of a re-teach. I decided to let my students use the Animator Free app to design an animation of a problem involving exponents.
I modeled several problem types and left them up for the students to reference as they began their projects. Students loved using this app! Of course, some wanted to doodle before getting right to the math, but I expected that. After exploring the settings and understanding how the app worked, they began their creations.
Here’s one student’s work. I feel like this was just the push they needed, because it made a re-teach more fun and interactive!
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Pingback: Animator Free App Helps Students Understand Exponents | mathycathy's blog | iPads in Education | Scoop.it
Hi Cathy!
I know this was posted long ago, but I happened across your blog and think it’s awesome that you used Animator in this way! I hadn’t thought of educational uses when I originally created it, but I’m glad you did!
Cheers,
Jonathan
Awesome! I have also been recently sending students animation “mathygrams” using Google Classroom. Check out this post: http://www.mathycathy.com/blog/2016/09/righteous-anger-and-activity-builder-before-and-after/