BHNmath

NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 3 | JUNE 25, 2020

Written by Adam Gesjorskyj

WRAPPING UP OUR FIRST YEAR

In the final week of this unique academic year, activity on the BHNmath website resembles a train gently rolling into a station. As many students, parents and teachers prepare for a period of much needed rest and rejuvenation, the site’s current state of tranquility provides an opportunity for me to step back and begin reviewing its first year of existence. It’s definitely been an exciting and productive year, full of learning and growth. Unlike a train, however, there are no plans to bring the development and maintenance of BHNmath.ca to a complete stop at any time. Throughout July and August, the site will remain active for those who wish to use it. Several resources will be added, user experience tweaks will be implemented and questions will continue to be answered via the Question and Answer Centre for students continuing their studies throughout the summer months. I offer my most sincere gratitude to all who have played a role in shaping BHNmath during its initial year and I look forward to bringing it up to full speed again in September!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2019-2020

  • formal launch of the BHNmath.ca website
  • collaboration with Grade 9 teachers regarding resources for EQAO preparation
  • numerous classroom visits to introduce BHNmath to students and solicit feedback
  • a huge variety of resources created and posted for students, parents and teachers

FEEDBACK WELCOME!

Do you have suggestions for improving BHNmath in the coming year? Would you like to comment on its performance/effectiveness over the past year? Please use the following form to submit your thoughts!

PRACTICE TESTS

Some of the most frequently sought-after student resources are practice tests. These review materials are designed to represent the typical length and difficulty level of classroom tests. Several practice tests are set to be posted for various courses in the near future. In addition to the test document itself, full solutions will be available. A corresponding video will also be included in some cases. As always, editable versions of the documents will be available for teachers. Click the student, parent or teacher link below to check out an example!

Lines and Planes Resources

To facilitate distance learning, a series of resources on Representing Lines and Planes was added to the Calculus and Vectors and AP Calculus AB and Vectors courses. These resources consist mainly of video lessons and corresponding student handouts. Editable versions of the documents are available in the teacher section.

Q&A CENTRE UPDATE

During the school closures, the Question and Answer Centre witnessed:

  • hundreds of questions submitted, answered and archived
  • many student work samples submitted along with questions
  • approximately 250 video responses created and accessed by numerous viewers
  • a mixture of textbook related questions and broader concept inquiries
  • a variety of interactive resources to accompany answers for reinforcement and further exploration
  • peak traffic levels on Wednesdays and rainy days

Recently added resources

Here are the five resources most recently created for BHNmath (excluding Question and Answer Centre resources):

Course: 9 Applied (MFM1P1)
Topic: Cartesian Coordinates
Type: Interactive Applet
Target: Students
Location: Relationships
Notes: Based on my daughter’s favourite book, “The Fly on the Ceiling” by Dr. Julie Glass.

Course: 10 Academic (MPM2D1)
Topic: Vertex Form Using Zeros
Type: Understanding Check
Target: Students
Location: Quadratic Relations
Notes: Requested by a student. Three problems on finding the vertex form equation of a parabola using its zeros.

Course: 10 Academic (MPM2D1)
Topic: Vertex Form Using Vertex and Point
Type: Interactive Applet
Target: Students
Location: Quadratic Relations
Notes: Requested by a student. An interactive applet to practice finding the vertex form equation of a parabola given the vertex and another point on the parabola.

Course: 10 Academic (MPM2D1)
Topic: Vertex Form Using Vertex and Intercept
Type: Interactive Applet
Target: Students
Location: Quadratic Relations
Notes: Requested by a student. An interactive applet to practice finding the vertex form equation for a parabola using its vertex and an intercept.

Course: 10 Academic (MPM2D1)
Topic: Vertex Form Using a Graph
Type: Interactive Applet
Target: Students
Location: Quadratic Relations
Notes: Requested by a student. An interactive applet to practice finding the vertex form equation for a parabola using a graph.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR BHNmath?

  • Supporting students in summer learning programs.
  • Completing various projects that were initiated during the school year.
  • Creating and posting practice test resources. 
  • Planning for next year.

Have a fantastic summer!
– Adam