TI Graphing Calculator

We had a math workshop at school on June 22nd and June23rd. Larry who is from Haddon Heights in New Jersey came and showed us some really awesome activities we could use in our classroom using the TI 84 calculator. We played around with the Calculator robots and programmed them to move around a yardstick and run into a golf ball. We also learned about a subway in Canada that is designed using the digits in PI. We created a design ourselves using the same pattern. I learned a little more about Parametric equations. We had two motion detectors going at once and a third person traced the letter "P" using a yardstick. We put the lists together that contained the distance of the horizontal and vertical movement of the yardstick. When we graphed the two distances together we had the letter "P" drawn out on our calculator. This was a great introduction to Parametircs. We also played around with trig functions. This was a challenge for me. (12hrs)

I learned several new ways to use the calculator. I am excited to take what I learned and use it in the classroom. I learned more about saving data as a program in the calculator and also how to manipulate my lists to really utilize them.

Then from June 26th to June 30th I went to a TI training to become certified in using and training with the TI 84 calculator. I learned a few new things like how to type in an equation on the home screen and use the Boolean symbols to test and see if my solution was true or false. I also learned how to store a value for a variable and at the same time substitute it into an expression and find the value. I know these tricks will be very useful for teaching students how to take the math SATs. I also like learning more about the Appls like the study cards and the Algebra apps. I really enjoyed the transformation app which is very useful in teaching students about how functions move and change. (35hours)

We took some time to play around with the software TI Connect. We learned how to download apps from the internet and onto our calculators. I plan to spend some time next week focusing on TI Interactive. From what I understand there is so much more to it than how I use it on a daily basis in school. I hope to share what I learn with the other teachers I am in training with the TI. We have four more days of training. (28hrs)