Assignment 4 - Unit Plan

Unit Plan Chart

Unit Plan Project

Unit Plan Lesson Plans

Unit Plan Rationale

Assignment 3 - Project

Ski Hill Project

PowerPoint Presentation - Polyhedra and Ski Hill

Word Problem Analysis

From Mathematics 10 p. 313 # 12

Sharon creates a function in the form f(x) = __ x + __   for her classmates to solve.  To figure out the actual equation, students give Sharon input values.  She gives them the output from the function.  The values are f(1) = 5, f(2) = 8, f(-1) = -1, and f(-2) = -4.  What is the equation for Sharon's function?

Create a function of your own.  Have someone determine the equation of your function by giving you input values and studying the pattern in your responses.

1. Is it practical?

To me this question does not seem overly practical.  When in life are students going to have to create an equation that their peers will have to guess?

2. Is the imagery memorable?

Once again the question is not overly memorable.  The question is just another exercise for students to run through, only this time they get to run through it with a partner.  They will likely forget this very quickly.

3. Can it be solved with the given information?

Yes, the problem gives you enough information that it can be easily solved.

4. Can it be interpreted in more than one way?

I do not believe that this particular question can be interpreted in more than one way, though the responses to the second part will surely be different across the class.

5. Would students be able to interpret it as intended? 

I believe so, yes.  It is a very straight forward question.

6. Is there anything strange about it?

Beyond the fact that it has little connection to real life situations that students will find themselves in, there is not anything strange about it.

The question seems to me to be just another drill and kill kind of question that does not require a lot of creative thinking or true problem solving.  It is just a practice question disguised in a different costume.

Cycling Digits

The uploaded images did not scan well at all, but I could not make the colouring any darker.  Once I had done my work on the problem and been satisfied with it I uploaded it, but later when talking with the others that did this problem they did find a solution that works.  I however did not find a solution that made their statement true.

Response to Adaptive Article

Ferret's story was very touching.  To have that confidence in your own abilities is what we all want for our students, but to know as the teacher that that confidence is leading to missteps is a difficult thing to deal with.  Do we step in and point out the error or do we lead the student to see the error for themselves?  I feel it is much better to lead the student to see the error for themselves.  The other question that comes to mind is if Ferret is using this strategy incorrectly how many other students are also using it incorrectly?

Another aspect of the article that I want to touch on is the idea of correcting a students method based on the efficiency of it.  If a student has found a strategy that works for them and they feel comfortable using, in my experience they are less likely to switch to a different method.  For example, my grade 10's became comfortable using algebraic methods to find the x and y intercepts of a graph and when they were introduced to how the calculator could aide them they were very resistant to using it, even though it is a tool that speeds up the process.  We have to question the purpose behind introducing a method that we feel is more efficient.  Is the purpose of mathematics to produce efficient problem solvers?  Or is the purpose to produce students who are comfortable solving problems not matter what method they may use?  I would prefer the second.

Experiences from the Past Two Weeks

While everyone else was out on their short two week practicum, I spent my time writing a 10 page literature review for EDCP 550 - Math Education: Origins and Issues.  My literature review was based on the trend of math anxiety - what are its causes and how can the high school class teacher help students to deal with their anxiety in a positive way.  A lot of the reading that I had to do for the paper made me think of my students from the past two years.  The last two years I spent at a private Christian school teaching students in the applied stream of mathematics.  So they already come into my room with a negative opinion about their abilities as math students.  By building relationships with my kids I was able to, I think, help they get past some of their fears and worries.  I know that when I told them I would not be returning for September of this year they were less than impressed.  I got the comment "Miss L.  I'm going to fail Applied 30 if you are not here to help me!"  This tells me that the student knows that I was and am on their side, more interested in helping them succeed than simply getting them through.  Even this semester I have heard from a few of them asking how I am doing in class and telling me that I need to come back to them.  I definitely believe that the relationship you build with the students in your class can and does go a long way in helping students deal with some of their anxiety.  I can only hope to continue to build similar relationships with my future students and create an environment where math anxiety is lessened.

Another lesson from the past two weeks is the importance of making connections with colleagues.  As we were a small school the high school staff was very close.  Thus when they found out I was planning on doing my diploma program I had the grade 12 English and socials teacher offer to be my editor for any papers that I would have to do.  Too often at larger schools we can get locked into our department and not necessarily make connections with others.  My connection with the English 12 teacher allowed me to email her my 10 page paper and be confident that the editing would be done by someone who may not necessarily understand math, but is awesome with the written word.

Poem

Something from nothing,
Is it really possible?
Not from our human perspective.
Infinite, unending, beyond us

Division, splitting, separation
Why do we have to be divided?
Sometimes pain is necessary for growth.
Still it is painful

Zero to worry about,
Why do we worry about what tomorrow will bring?
There are infinite possibilities
He is in ultimate control

Something from nothing,
It is really possible,
Beyond our human perspective
Infinite, unending, forever