Feeding Body and Mind

Just in case you are wondering, our dinner menu for this week is as follows:

Creamy Pearl Coucous with Shallot, Fennel & Radicchio, Vegetarian Times, September 2012, p. 73

Roasted Shallot, Squash, Grape and Green Bean Salad, Vegetarian Times, September 2012, p. 71
minus the salad part; I am increasing the veggies and making this more of a “casserole”

Grilled Cod with Scalloped Tomatoes (from the Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook)

Philly Cheese Steak Pizzas, Food Network Magazine, September 2012, p. 102
using Naan bread instead of pitas or prepared pizza crusts

Bacon & Broccoli Rice Bowl, Food Network Magazine, September 2012, p. 109

Chicken with Arugula Pesto, Food Network Magazine, September 2012, p. 109

Hubby and I went to the farm market and grocery store today, so we are all set with ingredients!

The weather looks to be really nice this week (upper 70s, low 80s) so maybe we will get out and walk, but at least our windows are open so we can hear the birds that are visiting our feeders outside the dining room and kitchen windows. I like to work at my dining room table so I can watch the birds! I especially enjoy watching the Chickadees take a bath in the dish of water on the table.

I spent my afternoon writing a quiz for my Functions/Trig quiz next week. I have been modelling some of my problems that we use for in class discussion and homework on the Exeter problems as discussed at Global Math Department.  And I just figured out how to make a link here (big props for someone who does not text and is just learning web 2.0)!

 

The past week was a good, but tiring one. We had Back to School night on Day 3 … so 14 hours at school that day! I love how my room is set up … 7 groups of 4 so the kids are beginning to understand that I want them to talk about math (have to find another desk for one class). I have challenged my Functions/Trig (pre-calc AB) kids with Pythagorean Theorem using quadratics and introduced my Algebra 2/Trig kids to point-slope form (which is SO much easier).

 

Cool opener … I had the kids (on day 1) work in their groups to

1. write the equation of a line given a slope and a point

2. write the equation of a line parallel to (1) through a given point

3. write the equation of a line perpendicular to (1) through a given point

 

While they were working on this, I circulated around the classroom and praised those who were on the right track (and let them know if they were correct) and encouraged those who were lost to talk to the others who were on the right track. After about 10 minutes, I challenged the class and gave whiteboards out to those who wanted it. I had student put up a slope and 3 points on the Smartboard and we raced to write the equations. I won by a landslide each time, but it was a great entry into point-slope form. I then went over the 6 problems with the class. 

 

Not sure why half of this post is italicized, but my attempts to undo it result in nothing! Oh well.