Who's iPad is on 1st? No, that's What... Why? Hmmmm....

Do you have a tablet or smart phone that is still defaulted to the stock photo background it came with? This can be a real security problem especially in offices or schools where everyone has the same device, case and only a serial number sticker to tell them apart. 

Save yourself a headache and make a "lock screen" so your device is personalized. It doesn't have to contain any personal information (like a photo of you) unless you want it to. For classrooms of iPads, especially in the younger grades, a student picture may be the way to go since they can't read each others names. 

Click here to watch a screen cast from start to finish, of how to change your lock screen.

OR... are you a directions follower? Here is your to-do list:

1. Find a background picture you like, preferably from Google Images so it is different from the stock backgrounds that everyone else already has. 
2. Save it to your iPad's camera roll
3. Open the Skitch program and import the picture you chose.
4. Write a lock note like "Bart's iPad" on top of your picture with the pen tool
5. Click the "share" button that looks like a rectangle button with an arrow (top right)
6. Select "Camera Roll" again to save your annotated picture
7. Find the picture in your photos and click the "share" button again
8. Select "Use as Wallpaper"
9. Select "Set Lock Screen" and then exit the program
10. Click the sleep/awake button to make sure it saved.

The below example is what I would suggest doing with your younger students (sans cat). The name on the iPad doesn't matter as much as the picture but it's helpful to have both the name and the picture on the device in case you have a substitute teacher or other classroom assistant in your room. 

I was trying to do my best Caesar Flickerman pose, but clearly I need some work.

In other news, I have begun work on my second workbook, entitled "Advanced Coordinate Graph Art for Grades 6-8: Transformations in the Coordinate Plane". To be written, edited and published some time this summer. I have much of it mapped out in my head, but I haven't had the time yet to sit down and flesh out the details. What I can tell you, is that the sections will look like this:

Section 1: Review the Basics of Cartesian Coordinate Graphing
graph in Q1, Q1&4, Q1&2, Q1-4 + Q1-4 challenge puzzle

Section 2: All about Translations
graph in Q1, Q1&4, Q1&2, Q1-4 + Q1-4 challenge puzzle

Section 3: All about Dilations
graph in Q1, Q1&4, Q1&2, Q1-4 + Q1-4 challenge puzzle

Section 4: All About Reflections
graph in Q1, Q1&4, Q1&2, Q1-4 + Q1-4 challenge puzzle

Section 5: All About Rotations
 graph in Q1, Q1&4, Q1&2, Q1-4 + Q1-4 challenge puzzle

Section 6: Transformation Challenge! Mixed (X,Y) Rules
-translation + dilation (larger)
-translation + dilation (smaller)
-translation + dilation (X larger, Y smaller)
-reflection + dilation (X smaller, Y larger)
-rotation + dilation + translation

I did two self-edits, one peer edit and one set of student edits before publishing my last book. It's now much earlier in the summer the second time around, and I don't have a class of students to fall back on anymore as my guinea pigs. If you are interested in editing a section for me, I will send you a free digital copy of the final product once it is published, and list your name on the copyright page as an editor. Win Win!

Drop me a line at support@mathbymandy.com if you are interested.

Have a great week!
-Mandy