Reply To: Katrien's Progress Log

[Katrien Vance]

I can’t figure out how to make a new post, so I’ll keep replying to my original post.  🙂

The 5 strands I was referring to are the content strands:  Numbers and Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis and Probability.  These feel very similar to the TIPS4Math overviews I looked at.  I’m trying to call units “cycles,” just to keep that re-cycling image in my mind.  

My colleague Maggie and I are each creating month-long units filled with all kinds of problems, tasks, etc., and then swapping classes.  So I will do each one of these, except Bootstrap, twice.

Cycle 1 (Sept & Oct) — done twice, with 2 different classes) – “Roads, Ramps, and Rockets”- builds off of a unit from the MathScape curriculum, adding rockets to it and a question about trailer’s ramp and whether it could/should be moved, since it ends in a huge pond-like puddle when it rains.

Cycle 2 (Nov and Dec) – “Candy Crisis” – inspired by Halloween, this takes the candy task I did last year with my class (Are there the right amount of each kind of candy in the Hershey’s minis variety 12-ounce bag?) –tons of data analysis, writing to Hershey’s, etc.  Spiraling through pentominoes, algebraic expressions and equations, and more while we wait for the data to collect on Google forms. Would like to pull in integers here.

January – Bootstrap 2 – stand-alone coding unit that uses algebraic ideas to help kids write code for games or images; kids did Bootstrap 1 last year

Cycle 3 (Feb & Mar) – Growing Things – all about functions, sequences, word problems — Zombies for exponential growth — Would like to fit absolute value in here — There are many problems and tasks on this topic; I just need to sift and choose.   Connection also to Humanities class – Black Plague spread

Cycle 4 (April & May) – Breaking Numbers – inspired by John Sangiovanni’s phrase, this is about factoring, polynomials — I don’t have the problems, tasks, or projects for this yet

Cycle 5 – Game Time – creating a “fun fair” for elementary-ages students – probablity, data collection and organization — I don’t have time for this one!  Perhaps it becomes an Elective.  I really love the idea of a math elective.<br><br>

Keeping the door open is a great image.  For example, I plan to use the stacking paper task to talk about proportions the first time we see it but then come back to it later in the year to talk linear relationships.  

I plan to share this quote with parents early in the year:  “We want to present a universe of math that is interconnected and logical, rather than arbitrary. ”  (Geoff Krall)  

ALL thoughts, ideas, suggestions, task ideas, cautions, etc. welcome!