Utilizing Polypad: An Explanation for Educators
Polypad, a user-friendly digital math tool, offers a dynamic and engaging platform for teaching math concepts to secondary students. This free tool, accessible on all devices and browsers, integrates multiple math representations, making it an ideal resource for enhancing conceptual understanding.
Upon logging in, teachers can import their classes from Google Classroom if they already have them. The Polypad interface is intuitive, featuring a virtual whiteboard accompanied by a bottom toolbar, side toolbar, and a top left main menu for easy navigation and access to various tools.
One of Polypad's key strengths lies in its ability to visualize and explore geometric concepts. Students can interactively explore tessellations, transformations, and nets of 3D shapes, aiding spatial reasoning and properties of shapes.
Polypad's function machines and algebra tools help students develop an understanding of functions, inputs/outputs, and relationships between variables in an interactive way. Incorporating tables and graphs within activities further facilitates deeper insight into mathematical patterns and relationships.
The platform encourages active learning and exploration through hands-on pattern creation and problem solving. By combining multiple visual math tools on one platform, Polypad creates a rich environment for differentiated instruction, supporting various learning styles.
Polypad's polygons come with musical tones that represent their properties, including vertices, perimeter, area, angles, and fractions. The core functions are housed in the Tiles menu, which includes interactive math tools in categories like geometry, numbers, fractions, algebra, probability and data, and games and applications.
The built-in Help menu is fully integrated into the Polypad workspace, providing instant access to tile summaries, examples, and lesson ideas with a simple click on the question mark. To create a class, teachers can choose Classes in the left menu, then Add New Class, and an invite code for students will be automatically generated.
Polypad's games and apps, such as chess, logic and computing, currencies, clocks, dominoes, and music, offer interactive and engaging ways to learn math concepts. The platform is fully accessible for students using adaptive technologies, with keyboard shortcuts enabling full participation in the lesson.
Teachers can also use Polypad in conjunction with Amplify's Desmos Classroom Activity Builder to create custom teaching activities incorporating various tools, including Polypad. An extensive set of pre-designed puzzles, activities, and lesson plans are available for expert guidance and ideas for using its tools with students.
Polypad's welcome screen showcases features such as the 2024 Polypad Art and Music Contest winners and testimonials from educators and students. Whether you're a seasoned teacher or new to the digital classroom, Polypad provides a practical, classroom-ready resource that blends mathematical content and pedagogy.
- Teachers can utilize Polypad, a digital math tool, for teaching math concepts in school, as it integrates seamlessly with Google Classroom.
- Polypad's intuitive interface includes a virtual whiteboard, bottom toolbar, side toolbar, and a main menu for easy navigation and access to various tools.
- Students can use Polypad to interactively explore and visualize geometric concepts, such as tessellations and transformation of shapes, improving spatial reasoning.
- Polypad's function machines and algebra tools help students develop a better understanding of functions, inputs/outputs, and relationships between variables.
- The platform encourages active learning and exploration through hands-on pattern creation, problem solving, and interactive activities, making it ideal for differentiated instruction.
- Polypad's Help menu provides instant access to tile summaries, examples, and lesson ideas within the workspace, supporting educators and students alike.
- With Polypad, students can enjoy a rich, engaging online education experience, complete with interactive games and apps, as well as the ability to create their own mathematical art and music.
