Adam Chawansky

Rated 4.9 out of 5, based on 62 reviews

158 Followers

New York, New York, United States

About the store

DOE and charter schools in New York City, middle to high school

Open-Ended Math Problems - The Polyomino Problem

Collection of 70 Rebus Puzzles

Open-Ended Math Problems - The Caterpillar Problem

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Collection of 70 Rebus Puzzles

Created by

Adam Chawansky

Rebus puzzles were originally created purely by combining pictures to express a word or phrase. These days they also utilize words and symbols to express a hidden phrase or idea. This collection of rebus puzzles is nicely formatted into a PowerPoint file that's ready to go. You can use them as a warm-up or quick brain break. I've tried hand-raising, but typically students love shouting out their ideas and sounding the puzzles out as a class. Enjoy!

4th - 12th, Adult Education

For All Subjects

Open-Ended Math Problems - The Polyomino Problem

Created by

Adam Chawansky

Open-ended math problems are a valuable resource in any math curriculum. Built on a simple premise, they provide a low entry point for all students. But they also are automatically differentiated upward by having high exit points. The Polyomino Problem asks students to consider the number of shapes that can be made by aligning a given number of squares. For example, the pieces in the game Tetris are 4-ominoes. How many pentominoes (made of 5 squares) can be formed? As students explore this and

3rd - 12th

Geometry, Other (Math)

Open-Ended Math Problems - The Caterpillar Problem

Created by

Adam Chawansky

Open-ended math problems are a valuable resource in any math curriculum. Built on a simple premise, they provide a low entry point for all students. But they also are automatically differentiated upward by having high exit points. The Caterpillar Problem describes a simple rule for building a "caterpillar" and then poses a challenge to students. Students will experiment with numbers, generate strategies, and look for patterns. From simple arithmetic to two-variable algebraic equations, this

4th - 9th

Arithmetic, Math, Numbers

Finding Area Through Floor Plan Design

Created by

Adam Chawansky

I haven't had a chance to write-up my suggestions on how to use this project, but I wanted to share it with you. This project is appropriate at the beginning or end of a unit studying how to find the area of polygons. At the beginning, it serves as the motivation for thinking about area of different shapes. At the end, it functions as an assessment that demonstrates student mastery. I've also included some quizzes that can be used throughout. One common misunderstanding students learn in eleme

5th - 7th

Geometry

CCSS

6.G.A.1

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About the store

Experience

DOE and charter schools in New York City, middle to high school

Teaching style

I have been described as a "mathy" math teacher. Having studied theoretical mathematics as an undergrad, I have a deep understanding and love of math. My classroom has students investigating interesting problems, making artifacts of their knowledge (last year my 7th graders designed a board game for their final project), and discussing the tools/strategies of successful mathematicians. My current school uses the CPM curriculum for grades 6-12. My co-teacher and I incorporate physical models, guided notes, open-ended questions, data analysis, and literacy strategies into our lessons. I am currently focusing on strategies for collaborative learning and the use of rich math tasks to engage students.