This course is designed for participants who want to transform their teaching into an exciting, fresh approach. Every participant will be given their own Tablet PC for the week. The course will focus on the art of teaching and how it can be transformed with a tablet, including preparing for class by creating digital whiteboards, teaching with tablet-oriented software, and posting notes. Participants will become thoroughly familiar with OneNote – Microsoft’s primary note-taking software. Other tablet-oriented software will be demonstrated as well. The examples shared will come from Algebra II, but the ideas in this course are easily transferable to any mathematics or science class.
This workshop uses real-world data to promote algebraic thinking. Want to teach green algebra? Use Worldwatch environmental data to build mathematical models and make predictions for the future. Use motion detectors to create piecewise-defined functions and fit transformed absolute-value functions to the collected data. Between promoting environmental awareness and getting students up and moving while learning mathematics, you can reach a much broader range of students and get them excited about learning algebra and precalculus.
The student labs used in this course provide an innovative approach to problem solving. We will begin with visualization and conjecture building, often overlooked skills, and proceed to deductive reasoning. We will use Sketchpad to explore real-world problems that were developed in a joint project with Russian mathematicians. The materials provide an opportunity for students to explore multiple theorems and concepts and allow for multiple representations (algebraic, coordinate, geometric) - important ingredients to a successful and interesting geometry curriculum. The dynamics of teamwork and the undeniable benefits of collaborative learning will be emphasized. No prior Sketchpad experience is necessary.
Explore the mathematics of linear equations. Demonstrate the interconnections among four representations for solving and graphing linear equations. See representations for properties of rational numbers, one- and two-step linear equations, and multi-variable linear equations. Find a linear equation given two points, move between forms of equations (standard, slope-intercept, and parametric), and solve simultaneous linear equations.
Explore beginning concepts in number theory. See visual representations of divisor, greatest common divisor, and least common multiple. Use pictures to solve problems involving the Chinese Remainder Theorem and linear Diophantine equations. Find solutions to linear equations in two unknowns. Use manipulatives to apply the Euclidean algorithm and see its relationship to continued fractions and the Fibonacci numbers. Find the sum of the divisors of a number. Prove the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic.
This course will provide a thorough introduction to The Geometer's Sketchpad covering all the important features of it. No prior experience will be assumed. Participants will learn both basic and advanced features of version 4. Emphasis will be on learning to use Sketchpad effectively in geometry classes, designing labs and exploration activities, using Sketchpad for classroom demonstrations and explanations. Macintosh and PC CD’s with extensive examples of labs and explorations will be provided.
This course will explore a variety of mathematical models including models from algebra, geometry, precalculus and calculus. In addition, models from the COMAP international modeling contest will be discussed. Excel will be used extensively to analyze some models and the modeling program Stella will also be demonstrated. The course is appropriate for the teacher who wishes to add more sophisticated modeling problems to his current course or wishes to design a modeling course. In addition to the course handout, additional models and ideas will be included on CD.
We are in the middle of the decade of the genome. Are you ready? The human genome has been sequenced. Do you have your DNA Day activities ready? This course explores the new genetics, including human genetics, DNA manipulation, and genetic disorders. Participants in this course will be introduced to some of the newest science teaching technologies — computer simulations, Internet resources, the newest genetics and bioethics CD ROMS, as well as hands-on laboratories. This course will explore the incredible online genome resources including the Cancer Genome Project. Emphasis will be on activities that are web-based and can be brought back and immediately incorporated into your classes.
This course will focus on the central concept of modern biology — evolution. It will feature the science of evolution based on Darwinian natural selection. The instructors will show why it is critical to teach this core biological concept despite the growing controversies surrounding the teaching of evolution in the classroom. Emphasis will be placed on what science is and what science is not. A number of activities (both web-based and hands-on) to help students investigate both the nature of science and the nature of evolution, will be presented. The goal of this course is to provide teachers the materials and the support to teach evolution in their science classrooms with the proper emphasis. Many web-based resources that can be incorporated into the teaching of evolution will be introduced, along with CD-ROM versions of a Virtual Voyage of the Beagle.
Explore the newest tools, techniques and technologies that will enhance your science classroom. Do you blog with your students? You should! How about web cameras and podcasts? Do you wiki? This workshop will help all of the participants geek-up just a little bit. We have the best communications tools in the history of the world; let's start using them.
This course will engage participants in an exploration of various problems and activities with the help of TI-84s, CBRs, CBLs, Excel and The Geometer’s Sketchpad. Data collection and modeling for a variety of functions ranging from linear to exponential will show you how to make mathematics more meaningful for your students and more fun! You will also see how to make more advanced problems accessible to younger students through the use of technology and how to bring out their creative side. From artwork to bungee jumping, this course will get you and your students excited about mathematics.
This course will engage participants in an exploration of various problems and activities with the help of TI-Nspire. Participants will learn how to use this new technology while going through meaningful mathematical activities. Problems will involve algebra, precalculus, and geometry and you will see how these are integrated with TI-Nspire. This course is intended for novice users of TI-Nspire. Participants will leave with classroom-ready activities and inspiration for making their classrooms more dynamic and fun!
The best way to teach many statistical concepts is to have students see principles in action. In this hands-on course, participants will engage in classroom simulations that explore hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, power, the t-distribution family, and other difficult topics. Most of the simulations will use manipulatives, some the TI-89 (or TI-84). All topics are part of the AP Statistics curriculum.
We will cover (mostly free) technologies that mathematics and science teachers can use to engage students, uncover their preconceptions and build their intuition. We will learn to use wikis, blogs, simulations, podcasting, screencasting, and online quizzes, as well as plan ways to apply these tools to your teaching. We will assess the value and cost in teacher time of various web tools; we will identify strategies that make teaching easier and more effective. No experience is necessary other than being able to e-mail, word-process and browse the web.
Some problems are good because they teach a particular concept well and some are good because of the really interesting mathematical techniques they use. Participants will be looking at five problems that are good for both of these reasons and because they can be carried throughout the course of a student’s mathematics study from elementary-level mathematics to calculus. These theme problems allow students to connect their mathematics together in a meaningful way and enhance their mathematical understanding. To assist in your exploration, you will use spreadsheet applications as well as The Geometer’s Sketchpad. Every participant will leave with five ready-to-use problems that are rich in this multi-level format.
Let's spice up our precalculus curriculum with some amazing labs. We will use Excel, Sketchpad, and the TI-84 to explore some of the fun concepts of precalculus through great problems and interesting constructions.
For some, the thought of bringing technology into the classroom is met with excitement. For an educator who prefers chalk and chalkboard, using computers can be intimidating. This course will give techno-phobic teachers real ways to implement technology. Each day we will use a different tool: PowerPoint, TI-82, Excel, the Internet, and Podcasting. Ideas for using each tool will be presented gently to prevent intimidation. The goal is to convert teachers who fear technology into teachers who embrace it.
PowerPoint presentations can make a teacher’s life easier, especially in combination with other technology. The weak note taker, the visual learner and the absentee student all benefit. Presentations are consistent between sections and you will be able to connect with your students in a more meaningful way. This course is for a teacher with minimal experience with PowerPoint. Bring ideas for your own lessons.
This course is built on the notion that teaching through problems requires more than choosing appealing and mathematically interesting problems; it also requires contending with important issues such as the management of how ideas come up and are processed by a class. Teachers who teach through problems must make many tactical decisions. In this course, we provide an opportunity to study such work and how such activity may be managed more skillfully. This course focuses on teaching with problems in high school mathematics, concentrating particularly on two issues that are of concern to teachers of introductory algebra and of geometry: (1) how can a teacher use typical word problems as a venue for mathematical thinking and (2) how can a teacher use construction problems to promote students’ conjecturing of geometric theorems. We will study videos of classroom interaction and ponder the decisions made by the teacher in the video; we will propose and consider alternative decisions, and anticipate the developments that might ensue in a real class; and we will reflect on what we might do in our own classrooms.
Using software, Web sites, manipulatives, videos and interesting problems, the traditional geometry course can be greatly enriched. Although no prior computer experience is required, the seminar will focus on interesting applications of geometric construction packages such as The Geometer’s Sketchpad and Cabri, the use of a graphing package such as Autograph to enhance the teaching of coordinate geometry, and the use of Cabri 3D and SketchUp to teach solid geometry in new and interesting ways. The use of manipulatives such as Jovos and Zometools to supplement the teaching of interesting topics such as tiling the plane with polygons, applications of the golden ratio and the Platonic solids will be explored. A variety of problems that can be used to motivate the teaching of important geometric concepts will be presented as will a collection of elegant proofs of important geometric theorems.
SketchUp is a free, easy-to-use, powerful, architectural design program. It can be used in a variety of new and exciting ways in the teaching of geometry. This course will focus on using it to study symmetry in two and three dimensions, a variety of tiling and tesselation problems, as well as the traditional three-dimensional topics such as volume and surface area of prisms and pyramids. Some wonderful results about regular and semi-regular polyhedra will also be covered. In addition, the course will show how SketchUp is used at the Groton School to teach a senior, hands-on elective that focuses on the mathematics of design.
Learn how to use the function-graphing features in The Geometer's Sketchpad, version 4. You can now explore, animate, and analyze functions of algebra and trigonometry. Learn how to build and animate parameters within functions. You can use cartesian or polar grids. You will also look at the conic sections and various ways to construct them. You will explore numerous classroom-ready tasks. There are some great new possibilities for teaching algebra and trigonometry.
Fathom is well known as a program for data analysis, but it also useful in exploring the big ideas of algebra. The program can dramatize and connect the concepts of functions, variation, graphing, and modeling, all within a data-rich environment. This course will be an introductory one, for teachers with little or no experience with Fathom. The content will draw from the conventional topics of algebra I and algebra II. The goal of the course is for the participants to gain enough experience so that they can continue to explore the teaching possibilities on their own.
We will model explorations with the TI-84 that help students improve their understanding of functions, inverse relations, parametric equations, data analysis, motion problems, simulations, applications of polynomial functions, and other topics. We will also use CBRs to do explorations and experiments. Participants will leave with a written set of explorations and activities. We welcome all levels of experience with the TI-84. Novice users are encouraged to attend the Sunday morning workshop: Learn How to Navigate the Keyboard.
We will model explorations with the TI-84 that help students improve their
understanding of exponential, logistic, and trigonometric functions, vectors, parametric and polar equations, limits, rates of change, and analytic geometry. We will also use CBRs to do explorations and experiments. Participants will leave with a written set of explorations and activities. We welcome all levels of experience with the TI-84. Novice users are encouraged to attend the Sunday morning workshop: Learn How to Navigate the Keyboard.
Why use textbook data when you can use real data? For example, when will women run faster than men in the Olympics? Does the budget of a film influence the film's income? Using Fathom, Excel, and the TI-84, algebra and precalculus can be enriched with the vast amount of real data available on the Internet. This course will show you a variety of web sites that can provide data for any type of function. We will look at linear data, quadratic, exponential and even some logistic functions. A variety of activities will be provided for algebra I, algebra II and precalculus. Attendees will gain ideas on sources of data and activities that encourage students to find data.
Do you ever wish that your students had a deeper understanding of the science behind many current news stories such as black holes, quarks, nuclear energy, and lasers? In this course, participants will encounter strategies and materials they can use to introduce high-school students who lack a strong mathematics background to the fundamental concepts that explain the structure of matter and interactions, the possibility of space travel, and the effects of radiation on human health.
During this course we will explore how the traditional game of tic-tac-toe can lead to rich lessons that address NCTM and state geometry standards. Our path will pass from board games with a creative twist to non-Euclidean constructions on the Lenart Sphere. On the way we’ll find ways to improve students’ spatial reasoning and sharpen their higher order thinking skills. We’ll see how reading can be incorporated into your mathematics classroom and how connections can be made with the social studies and science curricula. Our non-technical approach is ideal for involving all students from middle school to high school.
Regression is more than a calculator command - it is a remarkably rich and versatile mathematical tool. This course will explore the mathematical underpinning of linear regression and will then extend our understanding to include quadratic, exponential and power-regression models. Statistics teachers will deepen their understanding of regression beyond the curriculum they teach, and teachers of precalculus and calculus will take home data-based activities they can use to teach the concepts of those courses.
Participants will explore a series of interesting, relevant, and realistic problems which demonstrate and utilize all the common toolkit functions. Each participant will receive a set of classroom-ready handouts with all the problems, applications, and activities. The course is applicable to various levels of algebra, trigonometry, precalculus, or integrated mathematics programs, and includes problems involving geography, economics, finance, physics. Examples include Kepler’s Law, the Richter scale, drug-testing, how a virus spreads, and postal rates. Classroom strategies, teaching methods, and technology will also be discussed, including many tricks and tips using the TI-83/84 graphing calculator. Some experience with the calculator will be helpful, though the course does not require great proficiency.
In this course participants will explore ways to incorporate modeling into the calculus curriculum for AB and BC Advanced Placement Calculus courses. Given real-world problems, participants will develop mathematical models and use various calculus techniques to solve these problems. For example, we’ll explore the spawning habits of salmon, world oil production, and how lead moves through the body. Most work will be done using a computer and either the TI-84 or TI-89.
Participants will experience a multitude of TI-83/84 based activities that are sure to revitalize their algebra and precalculus classes. Topics include: geometric probability, toolkit functions and transformations, parametric equations (conics and projectile motion), two-variable statistics (median-median line), recursive routines and linear data, problems involving applications of quadratic and cubic functions. The theme "mathematics must be taught in context" will be developed throughout the week.
This course will explore the mathematical development of notions germane to algebra and geometry. A significant portion of this course will be devoted to the concept of number — its evolution from its ancient times in the Near East and India to the modern day, and its interaction with geometry. You will explore the three classical problems of antiquity and show how attempts to solve these inspired the creation of algebraic curves. A major outgrowth of research into these curves was Fermat's last problem (which will also be discussed). Islamic/Arabic contributions to algebraic development, the innovations of Fibonacci in medieval Europe and the race to solve the cubic equation will all be explored. Along the way, I will present biographical information and report on the soap-opera lives of some famous (and infamous) mathematicians.
Participants will discuss general problem-solving approaches and solve many unusual physics problems that come from various sources, including physics contests of all levels, and two works authored by the course leader, Challenging Problems for Physics, and a column of challenges in The Physics Teacher. These brain twisters force students to think creatively and fully utilize their knowledge of physics concepts. Classroom activities will include individual and small-group problem solving and discussions about pedagogy of problem solving and its role in learning physics concepts. The participants will also receive an ample supply of great physics puzzles to bring back to their students and will be familiarized with existing resources on problem solving. This course is for those physics teachers who enjoy problem solving and would like their students to feel the same.
There are certain concepts in physics that are especially difficult for students. Participants will develop ways to teach such concepts through problem-solving activities. We will focus on mechanics and electricity, two main topics in AP Physics C. However, you do not have to be an AP Physics teacher to enjoy the course and to make use of it in your classroom. The discussion and the problems will emphasize the concepts, not high-level mathematics.
This course is intended for all chemistry teachers who think they do not remember much physics, but wish they did. The course will present several physics topics that are of interest to chemistry teachers. By reviewing these topics in greater depth than a typical chemistry course generally requires, the participants will enrich their content knowledge and classroom curriculum. The tentative list of topics to be discussed: the structure of the atom and basics of quantum theory, photons and photoelectric effect, isotopes, elementary particles, nuclear science, transmutations, kinetics, energy considerations in nuclear reactions, thermodynamics and gas laws, electricity and electrochemistry. The participants will also be given specific curriculum ideas and a list of Internet sources for labs and simulations.
Ken Bain, in his book What the Best College Teachers Do, attempts to describe the "best teaching practices" among a number of successful college professors. This course will take Bain's work one step further by exploring what it is that the "best teachers" know about their students that helps facilitate the learning process. While discussing various topics, including the effect of stress on the brian, neuroplasticity, and the impact of language on the brain, participants will provide personal accounts to support the latest research on learning. Better yet, this course will discuss new ways to incorporate recent findings on learning in the classroom. The is course is open to both math and science teachers.
This particular class will explore software produced by EDUCO International. EDUCO has material in algebra, geometry, precalculus, calculus and will soon have it in statistics. This course will look at the precalculus unit. The software allows the teacher to develop lectures, quizzes, notes, and homework, all on line. Also, it maintains a grade book. I have been using this software in my college classroom for the past 2 years and have found that it has shortened my preparation time and increased the students’ understanding. In our course we will develop quizzes, homework, and lectures that can be used immediately.
Using The Geometer's Sketchpad, the TI-84 and TI-Nspire, all high-school students can explore topics normally covered in a calculus course without actually knowing any calculus. We will work through activities related to topics such as the fundamental notion of change, max-min problems, related-rate problems and area under a curve. This course will be of interest to teachers looking for ways of making their algebra, geometry and precalculus courses more interesting and deepening students’ understanding of mathematics.
The focus of this course will be on taking photographs of the mathematics that we encounter daily and then using these images to create mathematical questions for students. These questions will enable algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, discrete and calculus teachers to connect their curriculum with the world in an artistic manner. Participants are invited to bring their mathematical photographs to share with the class. A CD that contains a collection of photos will be provided to everyone. The Geometer's Sketchpad, the TI-84 and TI-Nspire will be used to model the mathematics in the photographs.
This course will introduce the use of research-model organisms to teach fundamental concepts in biology. Through hands-on exercises involving baker's yeast, flatworm planaria, nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, and sea urchins, participants will explore important biological topics such as genetics, metabolism, development, stem cells, neurobiology, behavior, and environmental science. In addition to laboratory experiments, we will discuss the maintenance of each organism and its application in current biomedical research.
In this course, participants will explore several unique problems, developed specifically for the TI-Nspire, that are focused on the development of students’ skills in recognizing and using multiple representations at various levels of mathematics from algebra to calculus. While covering a wide range of topics, these problems focus on such ideas as shape reconstruction, paths and trajectories, optimization, and geometric transformations of functions. While working with these problems, participants will also learn how to create other mathematics problems, designed for the TI-Nspire.
Learn how the TI-Nspire can be used in your physics classes to create experiment simulations for students’ explorations. Build templates for your students that will help them to solve physics problems in and out of class. Work through several examples of activities from different areas of physics, and develop various activities for your physics classes.
In this course, particpants will study the natural history of the seacoast area of New Hampshire. We will take field trips to nearby ecosystems, including a kettle bog, a rocky intertidal zone, a mixed deciduous-coniferous forest, a beaver flowage, and a coastal salt marsh. Participants will collect samples and data on each trip to bring back to the classroom. Laboratory time will be available to work up the data in the afternoons and evenings. Sample exercises, with procedures and materials used, will be distributed to all participants. Level and content will be appropriate for all interested conference participants.
Through classroom exercises chosen from Phillips Exeter Academy's biology and physics curriculum and designed with the Harkness teaching philosophy in mind (question, think, discuss, do), participants will see how hands-on lab work can be used to introduce new material, strengthen developing ideas in current material, or bring closure to material at the end of a unit. The theme of the week will be light and participants will conduct different labs every day with Biology units on cell respiration, photosynthesis, alternation of generations in ferns and moss, and Physics units on mechanics and optics. This class is designed for both math and science teachers to take.
What is National Board Certification in Mathematics? How can National Board Certification improve your teaching? How can reflective practice impact student learning? In this course participants will study the core propositions for National Board Certification and the Standards for Adolescence and Young Adulthood Mathematics Certification. Participants will also analyze their own students’ work in order to understand one of the required portfolio entries for National Board Certification. Participants should bring samples of student work from two assessments within a single unit.
Historically, the basis for a good deal of secondary mathematics stems from the development of physics. In fact, Isaac Newton invented the Calculus in order to solve problems relating to the gravitational force produced by extended bodies in space (namely, the Earth). Our focus here is very basic. Participants will gain a conceptual and mathematical understanding of the physics used in the secondary curriculum. The course is a basic-physics college class with mathematics teachers in mind. We'll study concepts and problem solving, not laboratory work. No previous physics education is necessary. If you had physics a long time ago and remember little to nothing or have never had a physics class, this is for you! Stress level for this class is rated as ZERO! Knowledge of a TI graphing calculator is helpful but not necessary. Topics include: measurement and uncertainty, dimensional analysis, kinematics (motion) in one & two dimensions, dynamics (forces) and circular motion will be covered in depth. Other topics (work/energy and momentum) will be covered if time permits.
In this course participants will learn how to enliven the concepts of derivative, rate of change, antiderivative, Riemann sum, related rates, and optimization. Using the TI-Nspire, participants will learn to make dynamic numeric-geometric-graphical-algebraic connections that are not possible on other handheld calculators.
In this course participants will learn how to enliven the concepts of transformations, the unit circle, polar equations, conics, regression, and optimization. Using the TI-Nspire, participants will learn to make dynamic numeric-geometric-graphical-algebraic connections that are not possible on other handheld calculators.
Learn to use the TI-Nspire and related software. You will be given and shown how to use several TI-Nspire activities for various high-school mathematics levels. You will be instructed with a SMART board and will learn how to incorporate its features into your classroom: post your daily class notes as color pdfs with audio files; create videos of your lessons to be used as tutorials; use graphing calculator emulators for TI-84 and TI-Nspire.
Learn what a Computer Algebra System (CAS) is, and how to incorporate it into algebra I, algebra II, precalculus and calculus courses via TI-Nspire CAS with tried and true activities. This is the next frontier - get prepared now! You will be instructed with a SMART Board and will learn how to incorporate its features into your classroom: post your daily class notes as color pdfs with audio files; create videos of lessons; use graphing calculator emulators.
How does one integrate technology into mathematics and science classrooms? The tablet PC makes this transition seamless and easy! This course will connect traditional methods of teaching mathematics to current technologies. Participants will use their own tablet pc to create activities for Algebra I and II. These activities can be easily converted to work in any mathematics classroom. Software such as Office 2007, MathType, and Sketchpad, and various interactive websites will be used.
With the support of technology, all high-school students can learn the logic of inference, the importance of sampling distributions, the need for random selection, and the meaning of confidence intervals. In this problem-based course, participants will use manipulatives, TI-84 calculators and Fathom to do simulations designed to help students make sense of these key ideas. No prior experience with any of this technology is needed.
This course is for teachers who are interested in learning about Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and possibly altering their teaching style. The presenter will speak from her experience of transforming a geometry curriculum from a very traditional textbook-oriented course to a discourse-driven, technology-oriented and problem-motivated curriculum. Learn how to integrate more problem-solving into your current curriculum with motivational problems and change your pedgagogical style to be totally PBL. Whatever your interest, you will learn about research backing up the theory of PBL and why it works for students of all levels. Although we will focus on geometry, we will also discuss some topics in algebra and trigonometry as well. You will leave this course with a set of Sketchpad files and labs, problems to take home and try with your classes and loads of other technological resources about PBL.
Participants in this course will be asked to bring a textbook or a syllabus from a course that they teach and would like to convert to a problem-based learning approach. There is some expectation of the basic principles of problem-based learning and even possibly having taken the presenter's introductory course on PBL. There will be exercises designed to take a lesson plan and create problems that will motivate a discussion in the direction of goals and outcomes that exemplify that lesson but with the students' work creating the outcome instead of a lecture. Participants will leave with at least one complete set of problems motivating a lesson, including a technology lab or discovery activity and an assessment packet on that topic as well.
This course will cover the topics included in Phillips Exeter Academy's discrete mathematics course. These include fair-division problems such as apportioning the House of Representatives; network problems, such as map-coloring, scheduling, minimal-cost spanning trees, and the traveling salesman problem; various methods for extracting group preferences from election data; and quantifying the effect that coalitions have on voting power. Supporting public-domain software, Windisc, will be used.
Whereas popular dynamic geometry programs allow one to draw figures and make numerical measurements, Geometry Expressions creates algebraic expressions within figures. Learn how to use this radical new tool in mathematical discovery and problem solving both on its own and in conjunction with CAS. The class itself will be conducted in a discovery learning format. Topics for discovery will be taken from problem areas in geometry, in calculus, in differential geometry, and in geometric optics. No prior experience of CAS or geometry software is necessary.
This course offers a kinesthetic method ( feet-on rather than hands-on) for teaching geometry and trigonometry concepts. Movement enables students to be wholly engaged in the learning process and encourages cooperative work. Participants will find kinesthetically the sums of interior and exterior angles of polygons and work with concurrent lines in a triangle. A big circle on the floor will be the center of activity in the trigonometry unit. Participants will discover properties of radians by walking on the radius of the circle and walking on the arcs. Explorations will lead to the definition of circular functions. Graphs, transformations of functions and inverse circular functions will become easy to grasp thanks to kinesthetic activities.
We all realize that we have to teach the Pythagorean theorem, but often wonder about the angle-bisector theorem. We question what theorems should we emphasize and which ones should we just mention because they are needed in the flow of theorems that lead to the next theorem. Our geometry books are very rich in content and heavy to carry but do not prioritize. They leave us often wondering what to teach and what not to teach. In this course, participants will analyze familiar theorems that are fundamental in the proofs of properties of conic sections, trigonometric identities, special points in triangles, and celebrated min-max problems. This course will enable the participants to state with assurance whether a particular theorem is important.
A historical approach to the pivotal experiments of physics and their intersection with history. Who were the instigators, what did they do, why is it special, how do you include and fit these scientists and their work in your lessons and curriculum, and why should you do so? With main themes of light and gravity, we look at the Moors, the Italians of the Renaissance, the Europeans of the 17th century, and a few modern ones.
This course is designed for those who want to have some fun learning about how to write codes and break codes. The course will incorporate making your own Code-O-Graph, cracking the Enigma machine, orienteering, making a math trail (which others will need to follow), puzzles, and bar codes. It will include activities that can be used in the mathematics classroom to motivate students to reflect upon the major breakthroughs in mathematics in history. We will use Simon Singh's BBC code-breaking program, and learn about the DaVinci trail through London. Come and find out how good a spy you could be!
Many of the students we teach find it difficult to understand both the mathematical concepts and the level of abstraction we tend to expect of them. They see little relevance in what we are asking them to do and are uncomfortable learning the mathematical processes in situations they perceive as isolated and unrelated. Despite this, these students can solve problems. This course will cover a wide range of extended projects using standard software (Word, Excel, and freeware) and Internet access (where applicable) to enable these students to provide solutions to open-ended problems using traditional mathematics in a practical way. Elements of traditional high-school mathematics is covered, but not necessarily in a traditional manner.
