Sam's Blog

Super excited for this geometry project .  Jobs are assigned, and I have high hopes about the finished product. Also, since students are interested in LaTeX, I gave the handout with the latex code, which looks like: % Geometry first project - make a chess board illusion like on the cover of their textbook \documentclass[11pt]{article} \usepackage{graphicx} % Default margins are too wide all the way around. I reset them here \setlength{\topmargin}{-.5in} \setlength{\textheight}{9in} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{.125in} \setlength{\textwidth}{6.25in} \begin{document} \title{(Im)possible Chess Board} \author{\em Course: \rm Geometry\\ \em Instructor: \rm Sam Havens \\ \\ Topanga Mountain School} \maketitle \noindent \em As a group, we will construct an apparently impossible chess board, modeled after the cover of \underline{Geometry: Seeing, Doing, Understanding}.  The division of labor will (ideally) reflect student interest. \\ \\ \thispa...

In a page or less, write something that communicates to me your answer(s) to the question(s): “What is real?” and/or “what is right?” It does not have to be an essay, it can be a story, a dialogue, a poem, or something else!  Feel free to add some drawings!  The only criteria is that, once I've read it, I should have a better understanding of your world. Due Monday, September 24 th .

This is the second assignment for ISRP.  It is due October 1. Introduction:  Your second homework assignment in this course is to take an online quiz; this serves two purposes.  It both gives you, the student, and me, the teacher, some idea of how much background information you already have; it also requires you to demonstrate basic technology skills.  Answer the quiz questions to the best of your ability, but realize that your score will not affect your grade - it is just to let me know from where we are starting, as a class. If you have any problems with the computer skills that are required for this assignment, please ask a parent.  If they can't help, ask a friend.  Then try a google search.  If none of these help, feel free to email me with your question. Warning:  Do not look up answers to the questions.  If you don't know an answer, the best thing to do is get it wrong.  This test is a diagnostic, and if you cheat on it, I...

This is an experiment.  I have really high hopes for it.  I think together we can learn a lot, and enjoy it. Requested Homework: Read:   http://www.cantrip.org/gatto.html Answer (please copy the questions into a text file, type your responses, and email them to me): (0)  Do you have any thoughts about what you just read?  Do you agree with Mr. Gatto? (1)  What are you passionate about?  Would you do that more if you weren't in school? (2)  Do you want to study Geometry? (3)  Can you think of any ways to work your passion into the study of Geometry (don't worry if you can't - I will help; that's my job)?  An example: if your passion is art, you could suggest doing art projects with geometric themes, like these . (4)  How do you think your grade in this class should be determined?  An example: if you would like a very traditional math class, you could suggest your grade to be 10% homework, 10% participation,...