Rebecca Zook - Math Tutoring Online

Here’s a fun way to remember the formula for surface area of a cylinder—singing these lyrics set to the tune of Camptown Races (in the style of Foghorn Leghorn):

2 times pi times r times h; that’s the middle.
2 times pi times r times r; top and bottom, too.
Surface area!
Of a cylinder! It’s
2 times pi times r times h plus two times pi times r times r.

If you’re not sure about how to fit the lyrics with the Camptown Races melody, just listen to the intro of this sweet rendition on YouTube:

With this handy mneumonic device stuck in my head, I feel the urge to belt “Surface areAAAA! Of a cylinDERRRR!” while walking around my neighborhood and puttering around my kitchen!

Many thanks to Becky Brickell for sharing this great idea on the Texas Instruments Classroom Activities website!

Related Posts:
What Does Pi Sound Like?
There’s Always Room for Cello
Happy Pi Day – a beautiful song about 3.14159…
Five fun ways to help your kids learn math this summer with rock songs and raps

Just in time for Pi day, here’s a delightful musical interpretation of pi from Michael John Blake, using a piano, ukelele, autoharp, accordion, and bowed something-or-other, not to mention some totally sick handclaps!

I have already listened to this 3 times today. Maybe I should go listen to it another .14 times to bring the total to 3.14!!

If you’re not sure about this song, hang in there until around 2:33, where it really starts to rock.

Makes me want to make my own cover/dance music video of this song!!

Happy Pi Day, everyone! (Thanks to my Dad to bringing this video to my attention.)

Related posts:

It’s 3.14 – Happy Pi Day 2010 (beautiful song and video about 3.14159…)
Five fun ways to help your kids learn math this summer with rock songs and raps
There’s always room for cello

I want to give a MASSIVE shout-out to my dear friend Nan Kemberling, who created this awesome rap video about cello technique!

Not only did Nan come up with this totally creative, fun, sassy, helpful, and accurate rap full of cello do’s and don’ts, but she also directed and starred in the video, honed a new persona as a rapper, showcased her own students, and created a viral youtube phenomenon!

This video is also a powerful example of what can happen when artist/teachers create educational music that you actually *want* to listen to.

When I asked Nan about the creative process of writing this rap, she said that she was always telling her students the same things, so why not make a rap song about it? This seems to echo the sentiment of Tim Bedley, veteran teacher and creator of the “Rockin’ the Standards” album of math songs: “My students just have the hardest time remembering some really important concepts. I have to keep reteaching and reteaching. If only I could get them to sing the information, they would NEVER forget!”

Here’s to a world where there are more awesome songs to help us learn the important stuff!

Related posts:
Five fun ways to help your kids learn math this summer with rock songs and raps
Happy pi day (beautiful song and video about 3.14159…)
“Simple, but not easy” (Lynn Harrell)