As has been my custom for the past several years, after returning to Toronto for a week or two to set up my classroom, meet with teachers, and just generally organize the framework for my return to fall/winter, I head back to PEI for as much of the Labour Day weekend as I can manage.  This two-to-three-day getaway allows me to arrange closing up of the house, and to enjoy one final peaceful getaway (no kids, no partner, no dog!!) before the organized chaos of life in the big city becomes the focus for the next 10 months or so.

Some readers will remember the introduction of Sneakers, our family's new dog, earlier this summer.

In an effort to help Sneakers burn off excess energy (a tired dog is a happy dog!), we try to get her to the leash-free park at least once a day, in addition to walks around the neighbourhood.

Because we don't have a car, and because the dog park is a little too far to walk for a puppy who is not yet fully "loose-leash walking" trained, Ms. K decided to take Sneakers in the trailer attached to the back of her bike.  Sneakers wears a harness, and this harness is clipped in two ways to keep her safe (and the rider stable!)  Then Ms. K heads out of the parking lot and down to the bike path, which leads directly to several nearby leash-free parks.

On the weekends, the boys come with us on their bikes, and we all go together as a family, but during the week, Ms. K usually takes Sneakers on her own after everyone else has left for school and before Ms. K has to go to work.

It's very funny to see Sneakers' furry doggie head sticking out of the trailer, and it's great exercise for the rest of us to go to the dog park, too.  Sneakers loves to play fetch, though she also enjoys just finding a big stick and chewing it in the cool grass!

And now, a little Math:

If Ms. K bikes to the dog park and back every day, how much "mileage" (how many km) does she add to her weekly bike-mileage count?  (The dog park is 3.1 km away from our home.)

Pedaling a dog to the park builds strong leg muscles! The bike trailer alone weighs about 21 lbs, and there are about 5 lbs of bedding, water bottle/bowl and dog treats in the trailer, along with the dog. 

Last week, Ms. K took Sneakers to puppy training classes at Petsmart.  While there, she picked up a 30 lb bag of dog food, which she put in the trailer, along with the dog! The trailer has a weight restriction of 120 lbs, and with Sneakers and all her stuff in the trailer, they were 9 lbs under the limit.  How much does Sneakers weigh?  How do you know?

I've decided to add a new category to my blog.  "Math Eyes" will include various visual provocations I plan to use with my kids at home and/or my students at school, based on scenarios we observe in the world around us.

I've been developing my "math eyes" for a few years now, but it really started to come together for me pedagogically at last spring's OAME conference, where I had a chance to hear Dan Myer and various other math educators talking about how best to engage students in the 21 Century.

Here's one to get you started... stay tuned for more, or feel free to contribute your own by contacting me, or by leaving a comment below.

Why is it that the week before school, when teachers are invariably hauling boxes, moving desks, rearranging seating and running up and down the stairs of non-air-conditioned buildings to consult with colleagues, the weather in the GTA insists on skyrocketing into the 30s?!

This year, I am trying to be very conscious of how the physical plant in my classroom can support inquiry and collaboration; I am trying to create spaces -- given the limitations of the existing furniture and space -- where students can meet as a class as well as in small groups, where they can find a corner to work on their own or with a partner, where they can use their bodies, their pencils or their devices to explore and record their learning.