Students discover the mathematical constant phi, the golden ratio, through hands-on activities. They measure dimensions of "natural objects"—a star, a nautilus shell and human hand bones—and calculate ratios of the measured values, which are close to phi. Then students learn a basic definition of a mathematical sequence, specifically the Fibonacci sequence. By taking ratios of successive terms of the sequence, they find numbers close to phi. They solve a squares puzzle that creates an approximate Fibonacci spiral. Finally, the instructor demonstrates the rule of the Fibonacci sequence via a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT robot equipped with a pen. The robot (already created as part of the companion activity, The Fibonacci Sequence & Robots) draws a Fibonacci spiral that is similar to the nautilus shape.

For this lesson students will learn the different parts of the elements of a story. They will be able to watch a catchy movie explaining the parts and apply their knowledge to an interactive website.

Using the LEGO® NXT robotics kit, students construct and program robots to illustrate and explore the Fibonacci sequence. Within teams, students are assigned roles: group leader, chassis builder, arm builder, chief programmer, and Fibonacci verifier. By designing a robot that moves based on the Fibonacci sequence of numbers, they can better visualize how quickly the numbers in the sequence grow. To program the robot to move according to these numbers, students break down the sequence into simple algebraic equations so that the computer can understand the Fibonacci sequence.

Introduction to "soft" consumer research methods, useful for getting quick customer input into decisions on product design and development, strategic positioning, advertising, and branding. Covers interview techniques, observational methods, Voice of the Customer, focus groups, and analyses suitable for qualitative data. Introduces new information-gathering methods in development at MIT.

In this manual we will show how to use Pencil Code to explore programming. Pencil Code is a free programming tool available at pencilcode.net. Pencil Code was developed by Google engineer David Bau together with his son Anthony Bau, with open-source contributions from many others.

This manual is intended for a high school, an introduction to programming course. Students 9th, 10th and possibly 11th graders would benefit from taking this course. An advanced 8th grade student could take this. A typical math pre-requisite of pre-algebra would be sufficient to take this course.

Week 34, Day 4-5
How Do You Raise a Raisin? written by Pam Muñoz Ryan illustrated by Craig Brown.
Introduce Book and Preview Technical Vocabulary
Teach Text Structure
Model a Comprehension Strategy and Ask Questions During Reading
Engage Students in Discussion
Update Text Structure Anchor Chart
Teach Sentence Composing
Assign or Model Written Response
Review and Share Written Responses
*Planning Notes
This is a mixed-genre book, with a poetry strand that parallels information text. One approach to reading it aloud would be to read the poetry and prose during separate sessions, but it seems wiser to take advantage of the humorous verse while making sure that students acquire the substance of the text.
A world map or globe will be useful in indicating other countries where raisins are grown.
Note that the last page contains recipes. These would make a delicious finale to the book. Another idea is to bring a cluster of different kinds of grapes for a grape tasting party. Just make sure you have one of each type for all your students.
Bringing actual raisins in boxes would also provide an excellent prop as well as a reward. These activities could take place later in the day.
Note that the verse that appears on each page is fanciful and fun, but there is also a slight risk that by saying aloud the incorrect information it contains you run the risk of students coming away with misinformation. (For example, the verse asks whether raisins are wrinkled because they are placed in bathtubs.) Simply be careful that the correct information is made clear on each page.

Animate a Name with Scratch. With this 1 hour activity, you can try the Tutorial, download a set of Coding Cards, or view the Educator Guide. Resources available in over 60 languages.