Square Dance

I recently debriefed with a fellow (teacher I support) about two activities focusing on Squares, Square Roots, and Irrational numbers. Let's build number sense. Here are the goods:

• Clothesline activity using these cards
• Square Dance desmos activity

She ran both activities with students, starting with the Clothesline activity. She used the cards linked above for students to first place the visual representations on the number line. It looked something like this:

Followed by:

Students then completed the first 7 screens in the Desmos Square Dance activity. Screen 6 includes a validator when done correctly, compliments of Nathan Kraft.

*Please note that part 1 of the activity uses only whole numbers as rational numbers. I highly recommend using the activity as a launching point for students to know that perfect squares include other rational numbers like fractions and decimals. 

Back to Clothesline:

This week she will use the next set of cards for irrational numbers. It might look something like this on the number line:

Followed by:

Back to Square Dance 

Students can build better conceptual understanding of irrational numbers in the desmos activity. Also look for teachable moments throughout the activity. 

*Please note screens 11 & 15 include non-repeating and non-terminating decimal notations. 

Screen 11

Screen 15

Just like Screen 6, Kraft-y validators are included on screens 12 & 16.

Two closing thoughts:

1) My fellow was so happy to use these conceptual representations with clothesline and desmos. 

2) She hasn't seen students making mistakes like she has in the past. Here's an example (crossed out) of a common mistake she has seen regularly in the past.

If you have time, head over to this post and have your students play War with the Rational-Irrational cards provided.

Dance,

945