In this final blog post I will discuss Probability and the Maker Space Workshop, which we participated in as a class. Probability The major concepts of probability in the junior and intermediate level are:
Collection and organization of data
Data relationships
Probability
Graphing
In the probability strand data can be represent in so many different ways. This can be through graphs, charts, or diagrams, but also through concepts such as, mean, median, and mode.
This is a very cool activity that a teacher could use in their classroom, which demonstrates how probability works. It is highly interactive and something that would definitely engage students.
For these two weeks we looked into geometry/spatial sense and measurement. Geometry and Spatial Sense In the junior and intermediate level some of the key concepts are:
Properties of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional figures
Geometric relationships
Location and movement
Application of geometric properties in real world
When instructing this strand of math it is very important to differentiate instruction to target individual learning strengths. It is imperative to present geometry and spatial sense in concrete, pictorial, and abstract forms. Instruction should also include examples and non-examples, for example, when teaching symmetry and technology should be incorporated.
Here is a game for teaching students about basic co-ordinates on a graph.
The game is suitable for a grade 5 level and I like how it relates to a map of the world. Use can use the game to encourage cross-curricular development by encouraging students to think about what continent or country the plane lands in based on the given co-ordinates.
Measurement
Using real world situations is a good way to get students thinking about measurement.
Measurement relates to:
Length
Perimeter
Area
Mass
Capacity
Time
In Canada and the rest of the world the metric system is what is used to determine measurement, but this is not the case in the United States.
This is a great video to get students thinking about measurement. It features legendary and future Hall of Fame quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees. Even in a game like football, measurement is a critical part of it and you must advance the ball at least 10 yards to achieve a first down. Quite often the chains will come into measure if the ball has advanced 10 yards. As you can see in the video objects, which relate to real life are used to do measurements as any standard can be used. "The Game of Inches" Measurement is a math strand with plenty of real world application and something, which is a vital life skill. When building anything or designing blueprints, measurement comes into play and we are using it all the time. Sometimes this is through estimation or visualization and educators must also emphasize this in their instruction of measurement. There are many ways educators can make teaching measurement engaging and hands-on for students and this should be the ultimate goal.
This week we focused on proportional thinking, patterning, and algebra. Proportional Thinking: Ratios and different types of proportions such as direct and inverse proportions. When thinking about proportions it helps to think about them in relation to recipes for example. If you decide to make a cake larger you must adjust all the ingredients accordingly. Many activities relating to recipes are great for use in the classroom as they are relevant to student's everyday lives and have real world application. Here is an activity that I think students will really enjoy as it is humorous and can be related to either Harry Potter or Halloween.
You can also adjust the numbers used in the activity to increase or decrease the level of difficulty, in order to make it suitable for the appropriate grade level. For example, you could incorporate fractions for students at higher grade levels. As you can see this version is the bronze level. Patterning and Algebra: This topic is generally introduced in grade 4 and continues throughout high school. When introducing students to patterning and algebra there are 4 things we can teach, which can help students develop an understanding.
Investigate problems involving patterning and algebra in real life setting
Extend knowledge of patterns that involve addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication as well as ones involving reflection, translations, or rotations
Investigate problems involving missing numbers and develop and early sense of variables
Extend their understanding of equality of expressions using multiplication or division in equations with unknown qualities on both sides
This a great introductory video explaining algebra that could be shown to students. I think incorporating videos and other forms of media when teaching math is good strategy to keep students engaged in a subject that can sometimes be quite dry.
