Oh, Africa!

Madaba, Jordan
Thursday, April 30, 2014

In honor of Earth Day, I once again assigned the "Make a World" project in my Geometry Class. My students never know how to get started drawing their polyhedral globes. My advice? Start with Africa: two-thirds of it lies above the equator, one-third lies below, and the shape is fairly simple--and then go from there.

Once again, the results were very nice--some of them stunningly so.

Killer dandelions

Madaba, Jordan
Friday, April 25, 2014

As previously mentioned, springtime is a time of impressive weeds here in Jordan. Watch out for one these killer dandelions in a yard or field near you...

GEO 2014

Madaba, Jordan
Monday, April 21, 2014

I am just getting ready to assemble this year's Geometry class quilt. As usual, a very eclectic combination of squares--just as eclectic, in fact, as the wonderful students who made them...

Inverse dragons

Madaba, Jordan
Saturday, April 19, 2014

Spent the weekend grading a big stack of tests. The top two images are part of the answer key, and the bottom images are one student's work: perfect sketches--and a lovely creature to boot. This particular test made my day.

Bunny cake

....and before

After....

Madaba, Jordan
Friday, April 18, 2014

A and I went all-out to make a bunny cake for Frank's birthday. Such cakes loom large in my memory: my grandmother used to make a bunny cake each Easter for us grandkids. Oh, and such a great geometry project, too...

Glorious green

Madaba, Jordan
Saturday, April 12, 2014

For much of the year, shades of brown and tan are all one can see in this part of Jordan. But this area of Jordan IS considered to be one of the "bread baskets" of Jordan and for eight weeks or so every spring, all is a glorious green as the crops come in. It gives me a lovely restful feeling to look out on such color...

Bethlehem marathon

Bethlehem, Palestine
Friday, April 11, 2014

While A and I stayed home in Jordan, Frank traveled to Bethlehem with colleagues yesterday to run in the Palestine Marathon. The marathon was held today, and Frank had a very respectable finishing time (4:24:51) and a very interesting experience, too--the race course included portions that followed the Wall. A good experience on many levels, he reports...

The heavenly loquat

Madaba, Jordan
Friday, April 11, 2014

Once again it is loquat season here in Jordan, and I am in heaven. Wikipedia has some interesting things to say about loquats--especially that they are unusual among fruits for being ripe in late winter or early spring. Ah, the joys...

The Birthday Party

Amman, Jordan
Friday, April 11, 2014

Today I accompanied A to a classmate's birthday party in Amman. It was a big bash and the kids had a great time playing on/in one of those indoor play structures, dancing, and playing games. The food and cake were wonderful (both kids and adults would probably agree), but what really got my attention was the fancy footwear on some of the mothers. Wow, did I feel under-dressed...

Yes, those heels are about 13cm/5 inches high...

Model fleet

Check out the tires...

Madaba, Jordan
Thursday, April 10, 2014

After a disappointing experience with trying to teach the idea of scale and scale drawings to my geometry students, I decided it was time to try something new: making scale models of the school's vans. I marched up to Motorpool one evening, measured the vans by headlamp, and made my own model. Then I returned the next day to Motorpool with students in tow--so they could measure for themselves. Each student got a different ratio to work with so all the vans were different sizes. I was pleased by the model vans they produced--and the fun (to-scale) details they added. (Part of the project was to add four to-scale details.) This 3D project was sure a lot more successful than those 2D drawings...

...and the license plates...

Easter baking

Madaba, Jordan
Monday, April 7, 2014

A declared it was time to get ready for Easter. I agreed but was reluctant to make her request: gingerbread Easter cookies. We went for sugar cookies instead--made use of the Valentine's Day sprinkles we had around here...