BHNmath
NEWSLETTER | ISSUE 6 | FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Written by Adam Gesjorskyj
A QUICK HELLO
Hello! Although I’m currently in the process of writing a detailed newsletter outlining BHNmath’s current plans and progress around the new Mathematics, Grade 9 course, I wanted to write this interim issue as a brief update. Some new resources are hot off the press and I didn’t want to wait to share them with you. I hope you’ll find these new materials useful. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me anytime with questions or requests!
WELCOME, FELLOW BOARDS!
The BHNmath mailing list has recently been witnessing a significant increase in subscriptions from members of boards of education across the province. I am pleased to welcome you all to the BHNmath community! I sincerely hope that you’ll benefit from the resources available here and that you’ll share them with other teachers, students and parents who may also find them helpful.
PROGRESSIVE EXERCISES FOR SOLVING LINEAR EQUATIONS
A small request to create an applet for students to practice solving linear equations quickly turned into a large and growing series of such activities! The Solving Linear Equations: Progressive Exercises collection currently features 21 sequenced interactive applets through which students can practice solving a huge selection of linear equations. Each exercise addresses an equation of a specific form. There are hundreds (sometimes thousands) of randomizations for each one. Students are encouraged to solve several variations of each form before moving on to the next, more complex exercise.
The collection presently begins with single-step equations and progresses to those requiring simplification and the manipulation of variables on both the left and right sides. Equations involving the distributive property and fraction coefficients will also be added in the near future. Each exercise is accompanied by a fully adapted solution. In some cases, multiple solution methods are available. Attention is always given to the use of proper terminology and mathematical conventions.
Although this series of questions is best accessed via its GeoGebra book, links to each exercise can be copied and pasted as needed. If you’d like to see a particular type of equation added to the collection, please let me know!
GeoGebra Classroom Webinar
I recently had the pleasure of hosting a webinar to introduce teachers to GeoGebra Classroom, a powerful learning platform that allows teachers to connect with students in real time using a variety of digital math tools and activities. Its intuitive operation, immense versatility and instant access to millions of interactive resources make it a perfect tool for engaging students in their study of mathematics, especially during periods of remote learning. This workshop took participants on a tour of GeoGebra Classroom’s basic operation and key features, from setting up activities to monitoring students’ progress as they work. I had a blast preparing and delivering this session and was thrilled with the turnout and follow-up! Many of the GeoGebra activities mentioned in this newsletter are a direct result of the workshop. You can view a recording of the webinar below.

Differentiated Instruction
With an inevitably large diversity of learners in the same class, differentiated instruction will undoubtedly play an important role in the successful implementation of the new de-streamed Grade 9 curriculum. To support teachers and students both in the classroom and in remote learning environments, I’ve begun developing several digital activities based on open questions. These resources offer multiple entry points for students and provide immediate feedback. Click an image below to see some samples.
Recently added resources
Here are five more resources recently created for BHNmath:
Course: Mathematics, Grade 9 / Grade 8 Mathematics
Topic: Operations with Integers
Type: Video
Target: Students
Location: TBD / Number (Operations)
Notes: Requested by a teacher. A demonstration of why the multiplication of two negative numbers must result in a positive number, using the distributive property of multiplication over addition.
Course: AP Calculus (MCV4UP)
Topic: Solids of Revolution
Type: Interactive Applet
Target: Teachers/Students
Location: Applications of Definite Integrals
Notes: Inspired by a discussion with a teacher. An applet to explore surfaces created by rotating a function about an axis.
Course: Functions (MCR3U1) / Advanced Functions (MHF4U1)
Topic: Transformations of Trigonometric Functions (Degrees / Radians)
Type: Interactive Applet
Target: Students
Location: Trigonometric Functions
Notes: Requested by a teacher. An applet to practice graphing transformed sine functions. A version using radian measurement is also available here.
Course: Functions (MCR3U1) / Advanced Functions (MHF4U1)
Topic: Transformations of Trigonometric Functions (Degrees / Radians)
Type: Interactive Applet
Target: Students
Location: Trigonometric Functions
Notes: Requested by a teacher. An applet to practice plotting points of transformed sine and cosine functions. A version using radian measurement is also available here.
Course: Functions (MCR3U1) / Advanced Functions (MHF4U1)
Topic: Transformations of Trigonometric Functions (Degrees / Radians)
Type: Interactive Applet
Target: Students
Location: Trigonometric Functions
Notes: Requested by a teacher. An applet to practice identifying constants in equations of transformed sine and cosine functions. New questions take a bit of time to load with this one! A version using radian measurement is also available here.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR BHNmath?
- Developing resources to support the upcoming Grade 9 de-streamed math curriculum.

Stay safe and stay warm!
– Adam