Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Blog Post March 12, 2014



Math Standards for Playground Project with Minecraft
I went ahead and listed the mathematical practices that I hope to focus on as well which are the same across the grade levels.  Then I highlited the standards my 6th grader(s) and my 4th grader(s) will focus on.  My friend's children would like to join in the fun, so if I can work it out I will have two fourth graders and two sixth graders working on the project.  We will begin tomorrow with the project timeline; we are heading over to the golf course to take a look around and draw some sketches.


Math:
Mathematical Practices:
  •         Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
  •      Model with mathematics
  •       Use appropriate tools strategically

Geometry
6.G Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, surface area, and volume.

Expressions and Equations
6.EE Apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to algebraic expressions.


Operations and Algebraic Thinking (4th grade)
  •  Use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems 
  •  Generate and analyze patterns.

Number and Operations in Base Ten
4.NBT Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic.

Geometry
4.G Draw and identify lines and angles, and classify shapes by properties of their lines and angles.

Class:

Class was challenging for me on Monday.  I have never made a topographic map before.  I am a little nervous about constructing one for the assignment due after spring break.  I am hoping with a little more practice I can figure it out.  Also, I thought it might be interesting to construct a topographic map for the golf course the students and I will be looking at.  I am excited to look at this as an option for a part of their project.  It may be useful if we are going to construct a world in Minecraft for them to build a playground in.  It may just be me making a world or they may use one already constructed.  I would like to try to construct something for them, though I am still learning how to use Minecraft.

Joel had so much fun playing with the class.  I worked on dinner and watched him play around.  He really enjoys talking with teachers. :)

Finally, I am excited to meet up with Chris and Colin tomorrow to create something for Joel and Ben to work on together.  How cool!

1 comment:

  1. Yes - very exciting, Sara :) That's a great idea to include a topographical map of the golf course, though your scale will probably be a bit finer than a line every 100 ft :) If your students have learned the Pythagorean theorem, you could approximate the horizontal change (one leg of the triangle) between elevation changes (the other leg of the triangle) by walking out / measuring the distance up a particular slope.

    ReplyDelete