On My Way Home!

My flight was delayed but I should still be back in time for school tomorrow. I had a chance to meet another one of my mathematical heroes! 

Here is a picture of me with Dan Meyer. I'm 5'4''. Any guesses on how talk he might be?

Dreams Really Do come True!

Do you guys have a favorite celebrity that you've always wanted to meet? We'll I have two math celebrities that I've been dying to meet and yesterday I got to meet both of them! 

I know you guys won't recognize these women, but they are both amazingly smart mathematicians who have truly inspired me throughout my entire career. 

Jo Boaler: 

Marilyn Burns:

I miss you guys and I'm looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

PS- We went to Emeril's last night and I was allowed to walk through the kitchen. Amazing!

Math Conference Day 1

Yesterday was a day full of math! So basically, a perfect day for me! I got to meet the author of our textbooks, two guys who have found a way to math really exciting for kids (more about that when I get back), and go to dinner with quite a few of your former elementary school teachers. Can anyone calculate how many seconds it will be before it see you guys in the hallway before school in Thursday? I'm curious because I'm literally counting down the seconds until I see you guys again and I need to know where to start the count! 

Here is a picture if the desk duck enjoying a lemon-pyramid dessert. It was called Lemon La La:

Here is a math problem written by your textbook author. Feel free to send me comments on this and get this discussion going! :)

Making Friends

Making new friends this morning. 

Walking Adventures

Today was another day full of adventure! I started my morning with a walking tour of the French Quarter and a visit to the St. Louis Cemetery. It was foggy and raining all day which just made everything creepy. 

Entrance to the St. Louis Cemetery:

Nicholas Cage's FUTURE tomb. (This is a square pyramid by the way.)  

The desk duck found a cupcake shop. He ate the lemon cake. He tried to convince me to buy cupcakes for the whole team but I reminded him that I have a limit to how much I can carry on the plane. If  two cupcakes fit in a 6in x 6in x 4in box, how many could I pack in a standard empty carry-on?

I found a fountain for the duck to swim in while I ate a bite for lunch. 

We had dinner at Emeril's. It was ridiculously yummy.

As we were walking back we realized that WWF was having wrestle-mania at the Superdome. A very kind man was happy to let me borrow his souvenir championship belt to strike a pose. (Ignore my horrible rain-ruined hairstyle!)

Here is your last math problem for the day. Today I traveled about 17,500 steps. Can anyone calculate my approximate distance in miles?

Tomorrow the teaching part of my conference begins so I may not be able to post. Keep checking back and leaving comments (and be good for the sub)! 

Jackson Square

Having a great time walking around Jackson Square. Desk duck especially loved the music and food!

My first NOLA meal- The Original Po Boy from Mother's:

St. Louis Cathedral:

Corner of Saint Ann's Street and Chartres Street:

Art work:

Street Concert:

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde:

Can anyone calculate the area of Jackson Square? (Here is a hint: I'm not convinced it's actually a square.)

 

A Book For the Flight

Getting ready to board my flight. I was on the wait list at the library, but I broke down and purchased a book suggested by one of my period 9 students- you know who you are. I've already read the entire first chapter. Can you figure out how many pages I have to read each day in order to finish my book before I get home on Thursday?

NOLA bound

Hi Team 6A! 

 

Starting as early as tomorrow morning you can start checking in on my progress as I travel to New Orleans.  Here are some fun facts about New Orleans that I found:

1. New Orleans is where opera was first performed in the U.S., back in 1796.

2. The first Mardi Gras parade took place on Shrove Tuesday 1838 in New Orleans.

3. New Orleans is the largest port on the Gulf of Mexico, the second largest in the U.S. and the third largest in the world in volume of cargo handled.

4. The Superdome is the largest enclosed stadium/arena in the world.

5. The first U.S. theater was established in New Orleans.

6. Antoine’s, established in 1840, is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Louisiana.

7. The name “Uncle Sam” was coined on the wharfs of New Orleans before Louisiana was a U.S. territory — goods labeled “U.S.” were said to be from “Uncle Sam.”

8. Poker was invented in New Orleans in the 1700s.

9. When individual states had their own currency, the Louisiana dix (French for 10) was a favored currency for trade. In English they became known as “dixies” and the term “Dixieland” was coined.

10. New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz, which still reigns supreme in the city today. Later, jazz spawned both the blues and rock and roll.