Class Projects

I have used several projects in my math classes and have more yet to try. My goal in using projects is not just for students to have fun with math. (Although that's good too!) My goal is to have students interact with mathematics and learn mathematical concepts by using them in real-life situations. My projects also focus on making data-based decisions. I feel it is important for students to be able to determine the best course of action based on the given circumstances. I try to encourage my students not just to make a decision and then try to find data to back it up, but to analyze their data and make decisions based on that data. I would like to share with you some of the ones that I have done recently and a few that are on the horizon. The Werewolf Game - This project had students gathering data by playing a game of "Throw the Bone to the Werewolf." Students threw a paperclip towards a target with their dominant and non-dominant hands from different distances. Based on their findings, they recommended an appropriate distance to throw and a fair price for dominant and non-dominant hands. This project takes about a week and students love it! See a picture of the werewolf and a presentation board. Proportion Webquest - This project was based on a fictional situation where the local Community College got a new basketball team that could jump propotionally like any one animal. Students worked in groups to decide on what animal to jump like, what concessions to buy, how to divide up the budget and how to design the arena. After this students designed a group presentation and presented their findings to the class. We even had some 3D models of the new arena. You can try the webquest yourself if you like. Structural Integrity of Shapes - Here students built a 4 inch tower that could hold a baseball for 30 seconds using tootpicks and raisins. They did this by examining different polygons and determining which would hold the most weight. Math Board Game - The students were asked to design a board game that involved different types of math. This is a good project because it can be used as a review for almost any topic in math. See pictures of a couple of game boards. Building a Scale Model - Here students made blue prints for and built a scale model. They were allowed to scale something up or down. They also had to give the Surface Area and Volume of their original object and of the scale model. This tied together proportions and geometry. Exploring Linear, Quadratic and Cubic Equation Graphs - I think it's important for students to write in mathematics. My advanced classes write a 5 page paper about how the graphs of linear, quadratic and cubic equations change as you change the value of the constants and coefficients. This assignment always stretches them, but it teaches them to systematically search for patterns and express their conjectures in mathematical language. Paper Airplane Explorations - This project has students working on different levels of Bloom's Taxonomy and gives them the freedom to choose different ways of completing the project. This is an appropriate project since we just passed the 100 years of flight! Students learn about variables, data gathering and justifying their solutions. Behind Enemy Lines - This project has students analyze a set of linear equations to try to find a downed fighter pilot who is behind enemy lines. Very exciting!