Unit Plan

http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B5xuCct142nkZjBjYzEyNzMtODNhMS00ZDBjLThhMjUtOGE1ZmNhYjY0YjUy&hl=en

Math Project

1) Project Sketch

2) Assessment: strengths/weaknesses of project, evaluation criteria, affordances & constraints, modify/adapt/extend project

3) Project idea: Divisibility test of numbers from 1 to 10 in base 10
An enrichment project

Grade Level: 10-12
Purpose: The students will gain better understanding of the divisibility of numbers in base 10 and the students will be challenged to think mathematically.
Description of activities: The students will first make conjectures about the divisibility for each of the numbers from 1 to 10. Then they will need to reason to themselves about why or why not the conjectures work.
Sources: N/A
Length of time project will take (in and out of class): 2 classes, 2 weeks
What students are required to produce: A poster or pamphlet of the students’ own conjectures on the divisibility test of numbers from 1 to 10 in base 10.
Handouts, graphics, etc.: N/A
Marking criteria: Number of solutions; Organization; Appropriate conjecture (i.e. not just saying to plug the numbers into the calculator…)

by Jenny Chu, Alan Hsueh, Sara Wang

Milkcrate Problem

Memorable Moment from Practicum

During the practicum I had the opportunity to teach a PreMath 9 lesson. The topic I was teaching was Powers. I did my lesson plan and created a worksheet for the students well in advance before the lesson. Thus, I had the opportunity to receive feedback from my SA and FA as well as revising my lesson and worksheet. My biggest concern and worry is not being able to manage the class. I also thought I may have lots of difficulty in getting one student to not talk excessively or do the worksheet without complaining loudly to the class. I was also concerned about the possibility that another student would talk rudely and give me negative attitudes. My worries and concerns quickly washed away as I was able to help the students understand the benefit of learning Powers. In my bridge activity, I had the students write out the expanded form of 2^2, 2^3, 2^4, 2^5 and 2^6 and complete the multiplication. Then I asked them, if they would always want to write out repeated multiplication expressions and the answer I get from everyone is a “no”. So no one complained or made negative remarks like “there is no point in learning this” or “this is stupid.”

My goal of the PreMath 9 lesson was to make the material easy enough that everyone can understand and learn about powers without much difficulty. Overall, my lesson and plan went well since the major difficulty students have is with the tricky problems on the worksheet. The students all worked hard throughout the class and there wasn’t excessive talking or inappropriate student behaviors. In general, my first lesson went very well and better than I had imagined. It was definitely a positive experience that I can look back at.

Reflection on Free-writing Exercise

I think this exercise is useful in class as an introduction or reflection exercise to get the students to start thinking and relating math topics/ideas.

Strengths:
- Easy to brainstorm ideas and possibly allow different ideas to be linked together
- Encourages free and active thinking
- Allows students a chance to reflect on current or previously learned ideas
- A different activity – might interest and engage more students especially those whom dislike math may see math in a different light

Weaknesses:
- Students can easily get off topic
- Time constraint on this exercise may give students pressure and prevent a thorough investigation in thinking about a math topic
- Some students may feel bored and left out because they could not think of anything

Division by Zero Poem

Multiplication of any number by 0 is fine.
What about division by 0?

0 divided by a non-zero number is fine,
Because we get 0.
A number divided by 0 and we get undefined.
Oh ooo, something is not quite right.

What do we do now?
Take a look at limits????

Free-Write on Divide and Zero

Divide:
- Splitting things into equal sizes of groups or each person gets the same amount of “something”
- Opposite of multiplication
- A math concept
- Has real life applications for splitting the cost of food or accommodation costs etc between two or more people
- Dividing a fraction by 1 gives the reciprocal
- Can’t divide by 0

Zero:
- A number
- Oval-shaped or a circle
- 0 is in grades and prices, for example 80% and $10
- 0 is on the number line
- Cant divide a number by 0
- Multiplication of a number by 0 is always 0
- Reminds of me eggs
- No one wants a 0 on exams
- Neither positive or negative
- We want lots of 0s behind digit(s) 1-9 in our bank account balance