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July 2013 – A Function Machine that Functions! |
This month I’d like to share another resource that we have animated. We now have a Function Machine that actually functions! As an engineer in another life I know the importance of understanding function machines, with their inputs and outputs. Maybe, if I’d met the humble function machine in my early education I wouldn’t have been quite so overwhelmed by things like Laplace Transformations. On second thoughts, after a quick look back at Laplace… I know it made some sense to me once upon a time!
Seriously though, the function machine will help to lay the foundations for understanding algebra and looking for number patterns. The function will eventually get called ‘x’ and the word function will be a familiar one, and algebra just might not be quite so scary, as it appears to be for many children.
This example is part of the latest provision for 10 to 11 year olds. The principle is the same throughout the age ranges: click a number at the input, or on a question mark at the output, and the number moves through the machine changing value on the way.
As usual, roll over the top right hand corner to see all answers, in this case to watch a full sequential animation of the numbers; roll off to reset the machine.
Even if you don’t use our interactive versions, the general appearance has been made more interesting with colour coding of the inputs and outputs, along with a more 3D look.
https://www.goodmorningchildren.com/public/images/738FM%2010-11.swf
We are currently working on resources for the last three weeks of this academic year, the first of which will be adding to the existing topic of ‘The Seaside’, since that is likely to be on the minds of many excited children before the rapidly approaching end of term.
Since this is our last newsletter before the summer break, have a great holiday. Like you, preparation for next year will be an important part of the summer. We’ll be off adding to our collection of photographs, looking for creative opportunities and following up on your topic requests.
Click on the following link for the dates for July and we look forward to your feedback.
https://www.goodmorningchildren.com/blog/monthly-dates/important-dates-for-july-2013
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Mike Hutchins
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