Mathematics and Society - OS X Lion Server

DIDACTICSTEACHING VIA LAB APPROACHESe(IN CLOSINGEach of these tools--laboratory approaches, concretematerials and small groups--seems to have much to offer.Lessons which use all three can work toward higher levelcontent objectives, socialization concerns or firm basesfor concepts.1. Take the objective of one of your recent (non-laboratory) lessons and think ofpossible laboratory approaches for it.2. (Discussion) Think of possible laboratory approaches for these objectives.Compare ideas.a. The student will be able to set up a proportion for a rate situation.b. The student will be able to solve a proportion.c. Some objective that is of interest to several teachers.3. Plan how you would (a) organize the class for, (b) prepare the students for,and (c) follow up each of these laboratory lessons.a. Watts Up? in MATHEMATICS AND ASTRONOMYb. Muscle Fatigue in MATHEMATICS AND BIOLOGYc.d.People-Counting Rates in MATHEMATICS AND THE ENVIRONMENTI Believe in Music in 'MATHEMATICS AND MUSIC(s. Decay and Half-Life in 'MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICSf. Dropping the Ball in MATHEMATICS AND SPORTS4. (Discussion) Compare notes with other teachers about .••a. how best to make up groups for small-group work.b. the best group size for a mathematics laboratory lesson.c. classroom furniture arrangements for laboratory lessons.d. whether an in-class lab is preferable to a lab in a separate room.e. using more than one laboratory lesson at a time, with different groups workingon different lessons.f. how frequently laboratory lessons can and should be used.5. (Discussion) Ms. Doe: "I tried a lab lesson once and just didn't feel comfortablewith it. The students worked at different rates, soI couldn't explain anything to everyone at once. Therewas a little more noise, but I could live with that. Whatbothered me was that I didn't feel in control of theinstruction."What would you say to Ms. Doe to encourage her to try laboratory lessons again?6. (Discussion) Mr. Denson:Do you have any ideas for"I know what Ms. Doe means, but you can get used tonot being 'center-stage.' I use lab lessons often butam bothered by one thing: some of the students justlet the others do the work and the thinking and thencopy down the final results."Mr. Denson?c52