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Math
Posts: 155
 
Location: Lafayette | Does anyone have any ideas about what topic we should focus on for our unit? Didn't Natalee say something about using a March or April topic?
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Math
Location: IAKSS | We will discuss more in November, but be thinking about what your unit might be: Geometry, Algebra I or part one or part two.....Would be something that someone in the grant would be teaching at that time of year..... |
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Math
Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | I think we should focus on an Algebra topic since that is something common to all, except me, but you just never know what I might be teaching next year!! What topics do you cover around March - April? I think we need to get a general idea so that we can all be thinking of some great activities. |
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Math
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Location: Lafayette | I teach algebra I and part I so either would be benificial. I think March-April is the factoring and quadratic units. |
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Math
Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | Ooo - I think that might be a great topic for our unit since it is something that they tend to struggle with!! What does everyone else think? |
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Math
Posts: 82
Location: Lafayette | I was looking at the long range plans.
Algebra I (red book) is on Solving Systems of Equations in March, and Radicals in April. I was mistaken, Factoring is in December
Algebra I Part I is on Graphing Lines.
What if we did solving systems of equations for our unit? Then Algebra I and Algebra I Part II could use the unit. |
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Math
Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | I think that systems would be a great topic - it would lend itself to lots of real world activities. Are there any specific problems that you use with that unit already that we could incorporate into our unit?
What does everyone else think?
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Posts: 82
Location: Lafayette | There seem to be tons of word problems with systems of equations. I could see us making a computer application for the graphing method. What do you think think would be possible to do with Flash? |
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Math
Posts: 82
Location: Lafayette | I was just browsing the forum and noticed Kelley posted Problems with a point, we could always find a good application problem there. |
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Math
Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | I am still not able to answer your Flash questions just yet. It is something that we should look into doing. What about Geometer's Sketchpad? I have been using it with my geometry kids and I think that we might be able to do some systems of equations because we can find slope, etc. Is it better to use lots of different technology such as Flash, geo sketchpad, graphing calcs, or just stick to one? |
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Math
Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | Kelley used that site lots last year to find interesting problems so I think that it could be a very useful source of problems. We need to keep all these resources in mind when we get ready to start putting things on paper. |
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Math
Posts: 82
Location: Lafayette | Multiple types of exposure is always best, because some students will get the concept one way and some students will get it another way. Does geometer's sketch pad have a grid on it, so the student can count the squares? I am about to start graphing in Algbebra I and I can see that being helpful. Do our COWs have sketchpad on them? |
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Math
Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | Sketchpad does have grid that you can hide or show. I think it is one one of the COW's but I have the CD in my room if you need it!! Maybe we can take a look at the COW on our plan one day and see if it has it on there. What about the smartboard? Doesn't it have a grid? |
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Math
Posts: 82
Location: Lafayette | The smart board tools (or something like that) does have a grid. Do you remember when we got our training on it last year? We used it then. I would rather just use the cow and hook it to my projector if I could. That could be the modern version of the human graph. I would like to have the students go up to the screen and physically count the squares. What would be a good way to present the substitution method in our unit? |
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Math
Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | Me, I like the substitution method but the students seem to have a really hard time grasping it.
It seems like there was a book I used once from the math lab that had algebra "equations" to solve that involved symbols rather than variables. You had to figure out that 3 triangles = 1 circle and then make that substitution. Maybe something like that before you actucal got into the topic might help them understand it better. Maybe I can talk with Natalee and we can figure out what book I used. What do you think...a concrete approach first?? |
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Math
Posts: 82
Location: Lafayette | I like the idea of using shapes before introducing variables. I have also used students to represnet expressions and subitute them in for each other. |
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| Perhaps we could put together a unit to help get ready for testing. We usually do something in part 1 covering prob/stats. However, it could be modified for Alg 1 and 03 Geometry if needed.  |
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Location: IAKSS | I will send the resource / (puzzle) book out (from the math lab) and you can share! |
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Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | I am amazed that you know what book I am referring to!!! |
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Location: Lafayette | Algebra sounds good for a unit. I teach part 2 and freshmen algebra 1. |
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Math
Posts: 82
Location: Lafayette | So are we all in agreement to do Algebra I/Part I? Systems of equations? |
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Math
Posts: 155
Location: Lafayette | Since no one has disagreed that systems should be the topic, I say we go with it! what should the next step be? Maybe list the objectives for the unit and create a timeline? |
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unit topic
