Geometry Sketch Pad & Fathom

In math this week we spent a little bit of time in the computer lab as well as in the classroom. In the computer lab, we worked on two different programs. The first program was called geometry sketch pad and dealt with geometric shapes. This was a great tool in terms of looking at the properties of different shapes and recognizing how these shapes can be moved in different directions and still hold true to their properties. The task we were given was to copy a picture by adjusting a number of different shapes. Although I am usually fairly comfortable with math, this activity made me a bit uncomfortable. I was having trouble seeing each shape as its individual properties rather than all of them together as a whole picture. Another program that we explored was fathom. This program dealt with creating graphs and charts of information. One really fascinating thing this program did was collected data from a website and put it into an easy to read chart.

In a future classroom, I could see myself using both of these programs. I would use the sketch pad if I was teaching higher level math. The way we used this program was very effective in allowing me to see how shapes can remain the same shape but appear very different than how they may normally be shown. This program also has many chances for differentiated instruction. I am looking forward to exploring it more and finding more useful ways to incorporate it into my future classes. As far as the fathom program, I could see this being a huge resource in teaching tables, graphs, charts, and almost anything else that has to do with data. I could also see myself using this program in the lower level classes to make charts and graphs that I can provide to the students.

Overall, this week in math provided me with a glimpse into the computer world of math. My only question is, now what? Where are we going to go in the computer/math world from here. It seems like just when you think they have thought of everything, something else cooler and more helpful is developed. I cannot image what will be next!