Back to School Night QR Codes, Playful Yoga, Ghirardelli Brownies

Math ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to school night is very early at our school - during our second week! I usually try not to change things up from year to year because I am so busy getting ready for the new school year. Of course, that never seems to work, because I inevitably have learned something over the last year that I want to add in. This year, it's QR codes. Last year, I got an idea from Pinterest to make a label for a single bag of microwave popcorn. It said "Thanks for 'popping' in!" and gave all of my information on the label. Not only did parents go home with some popcorn to make, they had a label with all of my info which made it easy for them to contact me. This year, I decided to use a QR code to give parents all of my info, so that they could store it in their phone if they so desired, and so they could begin to see how technology is being integrated into my classroom. I used the website http://goqr.me/ to create a free QR code that included my information. It was so easy! Then I bought 2"x4" labels from Target and created labels just like the one below (by the way, 120 labels from Target's brand up&up cost less than $5.) I hid the QR code here just because I didn't want my cell phone number out...so obviously it does not look like that on the label. 

My cat, Tiki, loved the idea of the "popping in" popcorn for Back to School Night.

Labels for single size bags of popcorn.

Here is a copy of the labels...insert your own QR code:

Play ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yoga is an activity that I have been doing for about 15 years now. I have been to numerous studios and several different instructors. Here is my guide to finding a good studio:

1. Go to several local yoga studios to find one that you like. If you have to drive far, you probably will not go. Instead, you could use DVDs, but I find that when you don't anticipate what comes next in yoga, you actually feel freer ,and you can do more than if you know what is coming up.

2. See what the other members of the studio do before class. Are they welcoming? Do they smile or say hello when passing you? Or are they taking themselves too seriously, and are there noticeable cliques? I feel so much more comfortable in a studio where everyone is chatting before class than one that is serious and quiet. 

3. Does the instructor recognize you and/or greet you by name? This is not a must, but it makes me feel very comfortable when the instructor is personable. It definitely makes me want to go back for more.

4. Are there a variety of good instructors at the studio? If you only like one instructor, you are very limited to the times you can go, which means you won't go when you have the time if your instructor is not teaching.

5. Are the instructors playful? What does playful mean? It means they laugh during class, they can have fun, they do not take themselves too seriously. Maybe they yell out a big "WOOHOO!" They have a good following because people are drawn to their energy. They will take risks and try new things and will admit when they cannot do a pose. And they will help you to become your better self by allowing you to play and possibly fall - only to encourage you to get back up and try again. 

Of all the places that I have gone to, the most playful and joyful studio is Haute Yoga. Holly is the owner, and I have been going to her classes before she opened her studio. Her studio is one of pure happiness. Holly always has a smile, and her enthusiasm during class is catching to others. She loves to challenge you to your fullest, and I come out of her classes drenched, sore (a good sore), and craving more. I love Holly!!

Here is a picture of Holly taking a Caroline's class (another awesome instructor!) at her studio. I mean, seriously, how cute is she???

I want to mention that I bought a pair of pants at her studio from http://www.thejivashop.com/. They are amazing and are out of Palm Beach Gardens. I love the bright colors, and the pants are so comfortable and colorful that I feel so much more playful during yoga when I wear them. I wash them constantly because I want to wear them time I do yoga.

I emailed Nikki from Jiva and she offered 5% off if you order Jiva pants (so worth it!) Use the code EPM5 at checkout! You will definitely feel playful! 

Eat ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are the best brownies out there...better than scratch, according to my brother-in-law. And they are sooooo easy! I use the Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix from Costco. 

I timed myself, and it took 3 minutes 45 seconds from start to oven from this picture below:

I top with powdered sugar from a shaker. Another option is to put a can of frosting in the microwave (no lid) for 30 seconds, stir with a butter knife, and pour on top of uncut brownies. Then smooth with the knife. So so easy and tastes so good. You can also add a little kahlua and/or walnuts to the batter, but I don't do this when making it for students. 

Hmmm two pieces are missing...like father like son...

By the way, the next morning, more was missing?!

My students seemed to enjoy them!

Have a great week!
~Lisa

My First Blog--Eating, Playing, and Explain Everything!

After attending the Anja Greer Conference on Math, Science, and Technology at Phillips Exeter Academy as well as ISTE 2014 in Atlanta, I realized that this old dog CAN learn new tricks. My main goal from attending both conferences was learning how to implement technology in teaching high school math. I can't even begin to tell you what I have learned...previously, I thought being technologically savvy meant knowing how to navigate my iPhone and Mac well. Not only did I learn a ton of new things, I began to actually USE my twitter account @lisaqt314, started reading blogs (I start my morning each day reading through blogs on bloglovin.com) and watching tons of free Google webinars on http://www.simplek12.com/. I am inspired daily by what so many of these great teachers (and bakers! yes I follow food blogs, too) do! I have learned so much and decided to just pick one major thing to start with rather than make a list...it will give me more to write about in the future!

Math~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What Explain Everything page looks like on my iPad

One of the best things I learned about at Phillips Exeter is the Explain Everything App. You can check out how to use it here: http://www.morriscooke.com/?p=134. Explain Everything is so easy to use, so intuitive. Using the iPad, I can create a video that explains a math problem. I can write in different colors, draw pictures, and record my voice so students can basically see the problem all over again, any time they want. Here is one video I made that goes over the famous "maximizing-the-area-of-a-three-sided-fence" problem. By the way, I should tell you that when I went to ISTE, I was told NOT to perfect the videos (hard for me to not perfect)...basically do it once and be done with it. Otherwise, it will take too long to create each video. That was the best advice for me because I would have redone this video 12 times before finally uploading it to youtube! And trust me, if I can do this, you can too!!

Now the BEST thing about this is I can use a URL shortener and/or QR code creator (I use the chrome extension goo.gl URL shortener) to create a short link or QR code for the video...and copy it right next to the problem in my notes. (I pre-type my notes with lots of examples and space...I find that gives me a lot more time for questions and discussion). See, here's the codes! So for the more difficult problems, a student can look at the video at home to see me explain it again. Explain Everything is awesome! And so is the google shortener!!!

QR code for my Explain Everything video

http://goo.gl/8nQPTX (goo.gl shortener for my video)

Play~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know, it's not in the right order of Eat Play Math, but it makes sense to focus on the math first for me!! For the PLAY part, I need something good for the soul...something that makes me just feel great, that is unrelated to work. This could be a great workout, a fun excursion, a class unrelated to math, a fantastic restaurant, an awesome time with the family, or a fun time with friends. 

For my first blog, I'm going to talk about a cooking class I took this week with my mother-in-law. It was at Publix Apron's Cooking School. Publix is a grocery store chain in Florida. There are other several cooking classes available if you look online...Wholefoods has them from time to time, as do local culinary schools. This one was so much fun because there were only 5 of us and 2 chefs! I met a food blogger, who also inspired me to get started. Follow Shaina on Take a Bite Out of Boca. I wish I took pictures (there are some on the food blog I just linked you to), and I will for next time. For now, just do something fun that is great for the soul!! It was such good bonding time for my mother-in-law and me, and I learned something and met other people with common interests. So fun!

Eat~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For this portion, I am going to post a recipe that I tried and loved. My family asked for this again this week after I made it last week. I find most (if not all) of my recipes on Pinterest. Follow me on http://www.pinterest.com/lisaqt314/ for the recipes I love as well as tons of math/tech stuff! What I made was Healthy Blackened Chicken Fajitas with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
A. MAZE. ING. (Yes I know how to spell amazing, ha ha!) 

photo courtesy of 
http://fromeverydaytogourmet.blogspot.com/2014/05/healthy-blackened-chicken-fajitas-with.html

Well I think that is it for my first blog! I hope you enjoyed. Comments or questions? Let me know :)

~~Lisa