Pre-Planning Questions
The topic I have chosen for my project is exponential growth/decay as it relates to real-world contexts (buying a car/house, appreciation/depreciation of value, compound interest, etc.).
A. What standards need to be addressed?
The standards addressed with this project would include all Common Core Mathematics Standards that have to do with exponential functions. These standards include A.CED.1, F.IF.7e, F.IF.8b, F.LE.5, S.ID.6a. Basically, students should be able to identify, create, and graph exponential functions as they relate to the context of their project problem.
B. What technology resources are available?
Students in my school will have access to computer labs or chrome books when not in use by another teacher in the building (they are hard to get your hands on when the English department is using them all the time). Students will also have the advantage of using their own devices to conduct research in the event that we are unable to secure a chrome book cart or a computer lab. The Internet will be a valuable resource throughout the research process as it will help students get a handle on the concepts of exponential functions in the real world. I would also argue that a calculator is a valuable piece of technology that will be available for student use as well.
C. How long will preparation of instructional resources take?
The preparation of instructional resources will not take me any time as I have already taught this material for several years and have created resources for students to view if they need help with mathematical concepts. I ran my classroom as a flipped classroom last year, so students will be able to refer to those video lessons if they are in need of a “mini lesson” regarding concepts in the exponential functions unit. Preparing the project itself will take much more time as I have to decide the pathways students could take before trying to come up with a rubric for scoring their work.
D. What other resources are available?
Other resources that are available to students include my previously recorded mathematics video notes on exponential growth/decay and compounding interest. Students will also have arts/crafts supplies at their disposal if they choose to create a more “non-technological” presentation of their information. I will float around the classroom as a resource for students to use as they bounce ideas off of each other. Students also have access to their Algebra 2 textbooks if they need to refer to them for additional information that can aid them in completing their project.
E. What is a realistic planning time frame for PBL?
I do not see myself replacing my entire exponential functions unit with a project. Instead, I will be supplementing their instruction with a project that will help deepen their understanding of exponential growth/decay and compounding interest. I could see myself giving them one day for the introduction of the project, two days to work on compiling information relating to their project, one day to plan and assemble their presentation, and one day for presenting to the class. I feel this would be a fair amount of time to come to terms with these mathematical concepts as they would normally spend about that much time working with these concepts in class before moving into the inverse relationship between exponential and logarithmic functions.
A. What standards need to be addressed?
The standards addressed with this project would include all Common Core Mathematics Standards that have to do with exponential functions. These standards include A.CED.1, F.IF.7e, F.IF.8b, F.LE.5, S.ID.6a. Basically, students should be able to identify, create, and graph exponential functions as they relate to the context of their project problem.
B. What technology resources are available?
Students in my school will have access to computer labs or chrome books when not in use by another teacher in the building (they are hard to get your hands on when the English department is using them all the time). Students will also have the advantage of using their own devices to conduct research in the event that we are unable to secure a chrome book cart or a computer lab. The Internet will be a valuable resource throughout the research process as it will help students get a handle on the concepts of exponential functions in the real world. I would also argue that a calculator is a valuable piece of technology that will be available for student use as well.
C. How long will preparation of instructional resources take?
The preparation of instructional resources will not take me any time as I have already taught this material for several years and have created resources for students to view if they need help with mathematical concepts. I ran my classroom as a flipped classroom last year, so students will be able to refer to those video lessons if they are in need of a “mini lesson” regarding concepts in the exponential functions unit. Preparing the project itself will take much more time as I have to decide the pathways students could take before trying to come up with a rubric for scoring their work.
D. What other resources are available?
Other resources that are available to students include my previously recorded mathematics video notes on exponential growth/decay and compounding interest. Students will also have arts/crafts supplies at their disposal if they choose to create a more “non-technological” presentation of their information. I will float around the classroom as a resource for students to use as they bounce ideas off of each other. Students also have access to their Algebra 2 textbooks if they need to refer to them for additional information that can aid them in completing their project.
E. What is a realistic planning time frame for PBL?
I do not see myself replacing my entire exponential functions unit with a project. Instead, I will be supplementing their instruction with a project that will help deepen their understanding of exponential growth/decay and compounding interest. I could see myself giving them one day for the introduction of the project, two days to work on compiling information relating to their project, one day to plan and assemble their presentation, and one day for presenting to the class. I feel this would be a fair amount of time to come to terms with these mathematical concepts as they would normally spend about that much time working with these concepts in class before moving into the inverse relationship between exponential and logarithmic functions.
Resources
First Resource: http://questgarden.com/75/84/4/090121190659/process.htm
This first resource is an example project that could be used for demonstrating exponential growth and decay. I could use this resource to give me ideas for ways in which I can structure my project. I like that this resource has students researching financial institutions and gives them two opportunities to "purchase" high end items (cars and houses) and evaluate the values of these items as they appreciate/depreciate over time. This is similar to what I was considering for the direction of the project, so I am certain this resource will be very helpful as I move forward.
Second Resource: https://docs.google.com/document/d/118I73DU4j2JsRPZqO8Vx3XmxKvV3MQX0-zeWu6_efBA/edit
I chose this second resource because it deals with a "zombie outbreak." I thought my students might be interested in working on a project like this because a lot of my students are interested in The Walking Dead and other zombie related films/shows. In this project, the mathematics side of the project seems very guided and does not give a lot of opportunity for student choice in the manner in which the project is completed. However, I chose this resource because it offers questions at the end of the project that allow students to analyze and think about what they have been learning. I liked this aspect and would use this in my project to get students to really think about the work they are doing.
This first resource is an example project that could be used for demonstrating exponential growth and decay. I could use this resource to give me ideas for ways in which I can structure my project. I like that this resource has students researching financial institutions and gives them two opportunities to "purchase" high end items (cars and houses) and evaluate the values of these items as they appreciate/depreciate over time. This is similar to what I was considering for the direction of the project, so I am certain this resource will be very helpful as I move forward.
Second Resource: https://docs.google.com/document/d/118I73DU4j2JsRPZqO8Vx3XmxKvV3MQX0-zeWu6_efBA/edit
I chose this second resource because it deals with a "zombie outbreak." I thought my students might be interested in working on a project like this because a lot of my students are interested in The Walking Dead and other zombie related films/shows. In this project, the mathematics side of the project seems very guided and does not give a lot of opportunity for student choice in the manner in which the project is completed. However, I chose this resource because it offers questions at the end of the project that allow students to analyze and think about what they have been learning. I liked this aspect and would use this in my project to get students to really think about the work they are doing.