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GeoGebra

For the next few entries, I want to focus on Math applications. I'm desperately trying to tear my students away from their textbooks. The ones we have in our class are from the mid-nineties. They still have money questions with pennies and word problems about buying DVDs.
At the same time, I think that it's very important that students have the opportunity to practice the math concepts we learn together numerous times to make sure that they're able to internalize the processes.
 I stumbled upon GeoGebra. It seems to be a collection of smaller programs and activities all under one large umbrella. This might be a good site to have my students explore for me. Give them all one period to try to find a worthwhile activity for the class to try. Have them categorize them into strands. I promise, having students do my research for me is more for them than it is for me. My students love to be the ones to recommend something to the class. They love the opportunity to lead the group. As I get older, they are also sometimes able to figure out new programs more quickly than I ever could.

https://www.geogebra.org/ 
Promises free web apps used by over a million students. They have an easy to navigate menu where they've separated the apps into elementary, middle school and high school categories.
I chose the 'Four Colour Theorem', Google translated the instructions from the original Spanish for me when I arrived. I really like the international vibe this community has. App designers and educators from all over the world are making and sharing apps on this forum. It's very cool.
https://www.geogebra.org/m/zadqespn
Space Race is also pretty fun. I had to practice my mental math skills to get the spaceship to race around the planet faster than the other student who was apparently playing somewhere else on the other side of the world!
https://www.geogebra.org/m/qJR8EbT2
Exploring nets for geometry solids was easy and straightforward, but would be a great way to review old concepts.
https://www.geogebra.org/m/n6EjQDw8
Image result for geogebra images
THIS JUST IN!!!
After some fiddling, I found a magical button on the navigation page! On the top right-hand corner, there is a button that will send the GeoGebra program you've found directly to Google Classroom as an assignment for your students. This is a gamechanger. The website itself could be confusing for students, but if I can beam them directly to the students I would be a lot more likely to use it in Class.
This site will take a lot more exploring, but with its easy connection to Google, I'm sure to use with my students, at least a little.
I'm starting to get more and more excited to go back to school in a month. Is that weird?
I'M GOING TO TRY THIS WITH MY STUDENTS...WILL YOU?

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