Mathematics & Science Institute 2008
July 21-24, 2008
Course Descriptions
Morning Courses meet for two hours each morning (See Schedule) from July 21 through July 24, 2007. Courses are limited to 15 participants you must preregister to be able to attend a course. Courses with fewer than 10 participants are subject to cancellation.
Afternoon Courses meet two hours each afternoon (See Schedule) from July 21 through July 24, 2007. Courses are limited to 15 participants you must preregister to be able to attend a course. Courses with fewer than 10 participants are subject to cancellation.
Morning Courses
- An "Excel-lent" Adventure In High School Mathematics
Microsoft Excel is a more powerful and versatile tool for mathematics education than most people realize. Learn how to make scrollbars, animate graphs, and use simple Visual Basic commands to jazz up Excel for exciting classroom demonstrations and meaningful student projects. This is a hands-on course with material appropriate for the entire high school mathematics curriculum, from algebra through calculus. No previous experience with Excel is required.
Jim Marsalis, St. Martins
- Number Systems: Rules, History, Pictures
Over several thousand years, people have developed various number systems, such as counting (natural), negative (integers), fraction (rational), real (real), and complex (complex) numbers. We will look at each of these, seeing how they are interrelated. We will touch on the history of the numbers and the problems that caused new types of numbers to come into being. Participants will see pictures representing the systems and use manipulatives and computer simulations to show how the number properties for all the systems can be developed from the counting number properties. Knowing how all the number properties are related will allow participants to gain a deeper understanding of the mathematics they are expected to teach, helping them to guide students in developing number sense and the ability to represent mathematical concepts.
Bruce Baguley, Cascade Math Systems, Inc.
- Seven Ways to Describe a Straight Line
Linear functions and straight lines provide the core of Algebra I. In this short course we will examine seven ways to describe a straight line - namely, seven forms for the equation of a straight line. Each form for a linear equation encodes information about a straight line in a different way by using particular characteristics of straight lines in different combinations. Thus each form makes certain information explicit and changing from one form to another brings other information to the surface. Being able to read (interpret) and write (describe) linear forms is critical to understanding the properties and characteristics of straight lines and linear functions. If we have enough time we will also consider five ways to describe a parabola and … fifty ways to leave …
Bill Crombie, Rutgers University
- Multiple Representations via Multiple Perspectives
Basic algebraic, geometric, and measurement concepts will be revealed and modeled using multiple representations – kinesthetic, numeric, tabular, verbal, symbolic, visual, and/or graphic. Being able to think mathematically from multiple perspectives is fundamental and ultimately necessary for student success in high school algebra and geometry classes. Basic mathematics concepts will be explored and investigated through multiple representations and approaches using problem-solving tasks, hands-on activities, games, arts/crafts, and graphing calculator labs. This session is appropriate for teachers of pre-algebra, algebra, and geometry – especially for teachers of “at-risk” students who struggle in a traditional educational setting. Various instructional activities will be modeled with participants taking on the role of student. Whole group discussions and brain-storming sessions will focus on how these activities can be modified and integrated into various units and lessons during the coming year.
Kay Butler, Patrick F. Taylor Academy
Afternoon Courses
- History, Geometry, and Technology
This course blends mathematics, science, history, and modern computer technology for both middle, secondary, and university level teachers. Geometry is a subject with a long history and history has a number of interesting ties to geometry. In this course we will look at a number of these connections from the ancient Greeks, to the Age of Enlightenment, and through to modern times using the software package: GeoGebra to help you build your conceptual and computational understanding of these "big ideas". Some experience with dynamic geometry software would be helpful, but if you are willing to learn the course will allow novices to participate [a Sunday afternoon preparatory session will allow some novices to build skills and familiarity with GeoGebra before work begins on Monday]. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their own laptops for this course.
Andrew Talmadge, PELL, Inc.
- Calculus Problems for the Algebra I Classroom
In this short course using small group and whole group discussions, participants will develop the principal concepts of the tangent line and derivative of polynomial functions, without the use of approximations or limits, using only the content of a high school Algebra I course. We will take a fresh look at how the properties of tangent lines and derivatives are derived from the elementary properties of straight lines and slopes. This material is part of an on-going program to develop advanced topics in secondary mathematics from an elementary standpoint.
Bill Crombie, Rutgers University
- Taking Thinking to the Next Level in the 7th Through 12th Grade Mathematic Classroom
This course will focus on creating lessons that develop higher order thinking skills and improve conceptual understanding. The participants will be involved in hands-on, inquiry-based activities that seek conceptual understanding through innovative questioning and self discovery. Inter and intra-disciplinary connections will be emphasized. The incorporation of number theory in the 7th through 12th grade classroom will be evident throughout the course.
Lou Schultz, Southeastern Louisiana University
- Statistics: Is it the Missing Link?
Statistics ? Is it the Missing Link? ? How does your school teach topics in statistics if any? Is any data analysis taught in math and science classes and how can that be accomplished? Should your school offers a full course in statistics or should it be part of another course? How can my school offer an Advanced Placement Statistics Course? How can hands-on and real life applications problems be used and developed teaching statistics or data analysis in the math and science classroom? Through discussion, presentation, and activities, these issues will be explored with ideas and demonstration. This course will hope to address concerns for teaching data analysis and statistics in middle to high school math classrooms as well as using data analysis as a teaching tool in the science classroom.
Mark Firmin, Archbishop Rummel HS
Full Day Courses
- Exploring Math with TI-Nspire
Exploring mathematics with TI-Nspire technology - These institutes, held at nationwide locations and facilitated by T3 Instructors, will focus on the integration of TI-Nspire technology into the classroom with the use of content-specific activities for Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Precalculus and Calculus. Each participant will receive a TI-Nspire handheld and TI-Nspire computer software. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their own laptops for this course.
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