Creating a new web log

One of my projects I'm working on is a newspaper for my literacy class. I'm actually having quite a bit of fun writing and creating articles for this make-believe mathematics-related periodical. In researching material to include in my newspaper, I've come across some interesting tidbits:

• Michael Jordan was a math major
• Teri Hatcher was a math and an engineering major
• according to The Wall Street Journal, the top three jobs to have are all math-related (for you inquiring minds, that would be in order: mathematician, actuary and statistician)
• Hirojuki Goto holds the world record for reciting the number Pi to over 42,000 digits (it took him only 9 hours to memorize)

Anyway while all that interesting, yet trivial, information was fun to gather, it reminded me of the need to set up another web log. In preparation for my student teaching next semester, I would like to have a blog for my students to read and leave comments (I'm hoping I won't have to heavily edit comments and questions) as well as for me to post classroom-relate information (such as homework assignments, test averages, upcoming unit topics and anything else remotely math- or classroom-related.

I also love brain teasers, logic problems, and riddles. I'm not good at them so I should more accurately state "I love looking at the answers to riddles/problems/puzzles and then smacking my forehead and saying 'I should have been able to solve that!' " Perhaps I would throw in a problem/puzzle for the week and see how many students would even have the curiosity to figure out.

Anyway, I'd love to know what else you think would be helpful on a math teacher's blog. And if you have any names to suggest for this blog, I'm open to these suggestions as well.

Thanks!

And here's a little brain bender for you:

What number should replace the question mark?

Flashback to childhood

Thanksgiving week is over...
Originally uploaded by radioflyer007

'Shroom has taken to sleeping with lots of stuffed animals lately....a lot. His current count is 13 (at least that's what he tells me - I have yet to verify it). Looking at this photo reminds me of my days as a youngster when I slept with many stuffed animals (only 19). I even remember falling out of bed in the middle of the night - twice.

Well, if I hear a thud in the middle of the night, I'll have to assume 'Shroom's bed was getting a bit crowded and he was the one that was ousted.

Time to move on to Thanksgiving plans

Another year of Halloween events has come and gone and I'm ready to move on to the holiday season that wraps up the year. Thanks again to Boston grandma (the kids' beloved Poh-Poh), 'Shroom and Lolli wore custom designed originals (well, if you consider modifications to a Butterick pattern a "custom original").

Lately, Lolli has been on a kick with wearing capes so this year, she wanted to be Little Red Riding Hood so she could wear a nice long cape. Lucky for me, I convinced 'Shroom that he REALLY DID want to be a magician (notice that his cape is a shorter hood-less version of Lolli's cape). Hey, I'm cheap, what can I say. One pattern - two costumes.

The kids had fun trick-or-treating with a school friend and even managed to sleep through last night without nightmares. The poor kids shrieked a couple of times when a "dead mannequin" lying on someone's front lawn jumped up and yelled at them and a "mummy statue" jumped alive right in front of their faces. Poor kids. I thought they would pee in their pants (or in this case, in their capes).

Air Boss manned the fort back at home and tried not to advertise the fact that we were willing to pass out candy. He kept the front door closed and all street-facing windows nice and dark. When I came home, I turned on the lights and opened the front door and we were bombarded with the "professional" tot'ers. I finally turned off the lights and shut the front door...we were after all running out of candy.

Anyway, so glad it's over and done with. Until next year . . . (maybe Lolli can be Supergirl and 'Shroom can be Batman - they wear capes, right?....)

'Shroom passed....

Congratulations!
Originally uploaded by radioflyer007

...his first Karate Kyu test. After a rather embarrassing rendition of 10 push-ups (part of the exam requirements), 'Shroom managed to eek by a pass to the next level. We now have a orange belt in the house and Lolli has gladly inherited his white belt. Meanwhile yellow-striped Daddy had to don his Tae Kwon Do gear and prove that his yellow belt is better than 'Shroom's orange!