Two Column Solution: Coin Slide Puzzle

Micro-Teaching: Lesson Plan

Topic: Graphing Relations
Grade: 10
Partner: Sissi

Objective/Goals: Students will be able to describe a possible situation for a given graph and sketch a possible graph for a given situation.

Time: 15 minutes

Strategies to help learn: Class is set in groups to allow students to work together. Also, it is inquiry based learning; students will develop critical thinking and collaborative skills

Hook: Kahoot quiz serves as a hook

Materials required: Computer, colorful envelopes (group activity), large paper for the group activity, markers

Assessment: The group activity will act as formative assessment of their knowledge, and the kahoot will serve as a check of prior knowledge.

Assumed prior knowledge: It is assumed that students will know the axes of a graph, as well as the coordinates of a graph, and be able to plot a graph given the points

Development of idea/skill:
** Possibly start off by checking for prior knowledge on rate of change (go over constant, not constant, and no rate of change using desmos?)

• Start off with Kahoot Quiz
• state that students are able to get into groups (MAX: 2) so this allows students to collaborate
• Group Activity: groups receive envelope and either have to create a situation for a given graph, or create a graph for a given situation
• if time permits, each group gives their answer
• Conclusion/come together and talk about underlying message of lesson

Conclusion: Go over key points of the lesson (i.e. rate of change)

Further extensions/Applications:  Extra envelopes for students who finish earlier, talk about speed in physics (driving and the speed you drive)

• exponential growth can be related to decay and half-life, and also finances (analyzing stock market history…?)

Article Reflection: Arbitrary And Necessary

Article Reflection

1) What does Hewitt mean by "arbitrary' and "necessary"? How do you decide, for a particular lesson, what is arbitrary and what necessary?

In his article, Hewitt describes the terms "arbitrary" and "necessary". By arbitrary, he means this is something that a student learns and is told to memorize. There aren't good explanations for these things that would make sense to the student so they are always told to memorize. Necessary refers to something that a student would be able to figure out on their own. These are things they could teach themselves with the proper "awareness" - proper background in order to understand and answer these questions.
In order to decide what is arbitrary and necessary, it is important to note what you intend for the students to know and learn by the end of the lesson. Once you do this, you can split the points into either arbitrary and necessary based on whether a student would be able to figure it out on their own through "awareness", or whether they would just need to be taught it and told to memorize it.

2) How might this idea influence how you plan your lessons, and particularly, how you decide "Who does the math" in your math class?

This idea is a major component that can be considered before creating a lesson plan. It is important to understand which parts of your lesson will be merely "memorized", and which parts will force the students to think for themselves and figure out the questions on their own based on the background they have been taught. When the teacher is deciding which aspects are necessary, those will entail students "doing the math", whereas arbitrary aspects will just entail memorization. 

Reflecting on SNAP Math fair

I really enjoyed the SNAP math fair, and all the work that the students put into it really seemed to have paid off! They were clearly very excited to have visitors at their stations to explain their problems and the reason behind choosing the problem.
One problem I particularly liked was this one about collecting all of the totem poles in the most correct way without doubling over your steps. Not only was the problem tricky but still solvable, the students who presented their problem had excellent presentation skills and were very engaged the entire duration of our visit to the station! I was particularly impressed by this station but still had a very good experience at every other station.
After viewing the SNAP math fair, and seeing exactly how it works, I truly feel like this could be implemented in my practicum high school.

SNAP Math Fair Booklet Reflection

Question

Could you, and would you, run a SNAP Math Fair in your practicum high school? Why/ Why not? If you can imagine doing so, how would you adapt the Math Fair to your school and classes, and why?

If I was to run a SNAP math fair at my practicum school, I feel that my students would be very receptive and willing to take part. Of course not all students would be willing to take part, but I know for the most part there would be a healthy interest. I would definitely love to do something like this as I feel that most students would take interest and want to participate. In order to have a successful fair, a huge part of it is student interest. 

I would create a general group of grade 8 students who were interested, and gear the questions to suit students of all levels in order to fit any student who was interested. There would be no competitive aspect to encourage students to participate knowing there would be no consequences if their project was not adequate enough in someone else's eyes. Instead of making the fair open to all students, making it open to only grade 8 students makes it easier to organize, and possibly even keeping it to my practicum class of 8's makes it even easier. Students would be able to choose their own question they feel passionate about - they could possibly even call it a "passion project". They could then put their "projects" or math questions on display for a class of grade 7 students, who could come in and view their work.