When you learn something about math, you might hear about Desmos. However, you have no idea what it is until now. Even though it was a long time ago since you heard the world, you are still wondering about it and still want to know about it. So, what is Desmos in math?
In the math field, the term Desmos refers to the kind of thing with the aim to help every student learn math and love learning it. This one can be used by both teachers and students. If you are a teacher, you can explore and enjoy the collection of digital activities offered by Desmos with your students. Everything is free so there is nothing to worry about.
For the teachers who want to use Desmos, it will be needed for you to create a Desmos. Not only free, it also can be done easily. To be able to create an account, you can use any existing email on teacher.desmos.com. Aside from that, another option is to use an existing Google account.
After creating an account, you will be able to start running your first lesson. Here is the guide to follow to be able to do that on Desmos:
- Firstly, select an activity, which can be done by visit teacher.desmos.com, scrolling down to the featured activities, and selecting any activity that you one. All the activities are divided into:
- Conics: Each activity included here is designed for Algebra 2 or precalculus students studying conic sections.
- Distance Learning – Algebra: Each activity included here is designed for Algebra students. They are all especially useful in distance learning settings.
- Distance Learning – Algebra 2: Each activity included here is designed for Algebra 2 students. They are all especially useful in distance learning settings.
- Distance Learning – Calculus: Each activity included here is designed for Calculus students. They are all especially useful in distance learning settings.
- Distance Learning – Grade 6: Each activity included here is designed for Grade 6 students. They are all especially useful in distance learning settings.
- Distance Learning – Grade 7: Each activity included here is designed for Grade 7 students. They are all especially useful in distance learning settings.
- Distance Learning – Grade 8: Each activity included here is designed for Grade 8 students. They are all especially useful in distance learning settings.
- Distance Learning – Precalculus: Each activity included here is designed for Precalculus students. They are all especially useful in distance learning settings.
- Elementary Grades: Each activity included here is designed for 3rd to 5th grade classrooms. Apart from that, they can also be used anywhere where the students would get the advantage from the playful exploration of these ideas.
- Exponential Functions: Each activity included here is designed for algebra students who are studying exponential relationships.
- Functions: Each activity included here is designed for any classroom where students are working on the definition of function.
- Inequalities: Each activity included here is designed for any classroom where students are learning or reviewing the way to represent inequalities algebraically.
- Intro to the Coordinate Plane: Each activity included here is designed for a wide range of students, starting from upper elementary to middle school and beyond.
- Linear Functions: Each activity included here is designed for algebra students who are studying linear functions as tables, graphs, and equations.
- Linear Systems: Each activity included here is designed for algebra classrooms where students are learning to represent and solve systems of two linear equations.
- Middle School Geometry: Each activity included here is designed for classrooms studying concepts in geometry, including angle relationships, the Pythagorean theorem, area, and volume relationships.
- Middle School Statistics: Each activity included here is designed for middle school classrooms where students are studying univariate data or bivariate data represented in dot plots, histograms, scatter plots, and so on.
- Modeling: Each activity included here is designed for students who have worked with linear, quadratic, and exponential functions and for those who are ready to use these function types to represent real world phenomena.
- Quadratic Functions: Each activity included here is designed for algebra students who are studying quadratic functions such as tables, graphs, and equations.
- Recently Released Activities: Each activity included here has recently been released for classroom use. The newest ones are located at the top.
- Starter Screens: Each activity included here offers starter screens that can be copied and pasted into your activities. They are all divided here by their different purposes.
- The Power of Expressions: Each activity included here is designed for middle school students who are studying early ideas of symbolic algebra.
- Transforming Functions: Each activity included here is designed for algebra or precalculus students who are studying function families and the methods in which the new functions are derived from the existing ones.
- Transforming Shapes: Each activity included here is designed for middle school or geometry students who are studying congruence and transformations of geometric figures in the plane.
- Then, press the Assign button. There are two options to choose from: Assign to Your Classes and Single Session Code. Please choose the first option if you already have your class set up. As for the second option, it is for those who are just getting started.
- After making the code, it is time for you to find the activity’s teacher dashboard. If you have no idea how to do it, all that you have to do is to scroll down to Activity Sessions and choose View Dashboard. You can share the invitation link or the 6 letter code to the students to make them join on student.desmos.com.
- When everything is done, you can start teaching the first lesson.
What about the students? Should they create an account as well? As for the students, they are not required to create one. However, it is still better for them to create one before accessing a Desmos activity at student.desmos.com. When they are signed in to their account, they can resume and view their work after leaving the activity. Meanwhile, those who do not have an account will not get that privilege.
If you are a student, you will need to get an activity link to create an account. Besides, you can also use an invitation code. After clicking that link or entering the invitation code in the student.desmos.com, the next thing that you have to do is to create an account. The method to create an account for the student is the same as the one for the teacher. Feel free to use an existing Google account or use a different email.