Thursday, June 30, 2011

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Stats for the day:
·         4521 steps (on pedometer)
·         Temperature at 7am just outside of the Grand Canyon: 62°F
·         Temperature 6 hours later at Hoover Dam: 110°F  (in the shade) at 1500 feet
·         Temperature just 2 hours later (and not in the shade) at Hoover Dam: 115°F
·         Monies won in Vegas: 98 quarters (You do the math!  And I only spent 1 quarter.  Check out that rate of return!)

After packing up at the Grand Canyon, Matt and I headed toward Hoover Dam.  After Hoover Dam, we were headed to Las Vegas for the evening.  The original plan was to camp at the KOA in Las Vegas, but as the temperature started rising and the price there being not too much less (seriously) than a hotel, we opted to treat ourselves to a bed and AC. 

I’ve been to Hoover Dam once, but I was young enough that I don’t think I truly understood what was happening there.  I am amazed at the technology and skill that went into building the dam, and I think each new fact that I read or saw on the video was a new idea for my classroom. And, visiting a power plant with an electrical engineer gives everything a new meaning, too. 
You wouldn't believe the materials that went into making this!
Because this is a power plant, it's hard to avoid power lines!

I can't believe how many Aggies there are out there.  Everywhere we go, someone comments on the hat!


I’ve not been to Vegas since I was very young, and the kid carnival level at Circus Circus is all that I remember.  I’m not sure I would make it in Vegas for very long because there is so much stimulation I would just shut down.  So, Matt and I opted for dinner at Todd English’s Pub where we had the best thing ever: cold, cold water.  The food was good, too.   Then, Matt treated me to a show, KA.  I think I spent have the show tense and nervous someone was going to fall and get hurt.  It was amazing.  And I wish I was in that kind of physical shape.  Then, it was on to a little gambling.  Matt knows I’m not very fond of casinos.  I sit there and calculate the electric bill that was just lost, or the percentage of my salary, etc, etc.  Therefore, Matt took me to a great little old school horseracing game.  It’s simple, you bet a quarter on which two of the five horses will come in first and second (they give you odds), then the horses actually race around a track (we’re talking small, mechanical horses in a glass case in the middle of the table), and if you bet well, you win the odds!  I liked it.  I liked it even better when I was brave enough to tell Matt to bet on the 3-5 combo that had 99-1 odds, and I won!  And that’s how I do Vegas.  The old school horseracing machine.

At the Bellagio.  And I still haven't taken time to figure out how to rotate my picture on this blog.  I swear they are saved as vertical images.  Any suggestions out there?

Math thoughts for today:
·         Hoover Dam is a math wonderland.  There are so many statistics and documented data to be used for almost any type of math skill!  I stole a move my dad usually uses and took 2 of the free booklets. It’ll be good for the classroom!
·         The temperature changes today will be fun percent change problems, as well as being able to be used for rates. (If you haven’t noticed, lots of math revolves around rates and proportions.)
·         Time Zones!!!  I think we can work on some logic by writing a problem about time zones and traveling between Arizona and Nevada.  I’m not sure how long it took us to confirm what time it actually was.
·         My adult math class could incorporate some gambling info: odds, percentages, rates of return, etc, etc.  The junior high students might be a bit young for this, and I think teaching someone how to count cards might get me in trouble.

Shout-outs:
·         Sioux City crowd – Driving from the Grand Canyon to Hoover Dam (and then to Las Vegas), I saw a Picadilly Circus.  I loved having the little wolf on the tricycle bring me my pizza!
·         Joe and Rosario, and John and Amy – Any baby news???
·         Midwest crowd – While water is hugely impacting lives at home in the Midwest, I’m driving over bridge after bridge that was no water beneath.  Each one has a name (they are washes out here since they only have water sometimes) just like our rivers, but it’s striking how dry it can be in one place and how wet in the other.  Hope everyone is safe at home!

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