What's happening in my Maths Studies classes?

This regular blog feature is ust intended to give a real overview of how one teacher is planning their maths studies classes.

DP1 - Year 12 - Grade 11

Unit - 5, geometry and Trigonometry

Subtopic - Right angled trigonometry

Time allowed - 3 hours + homework

We are in the Geometry and Trigonometry unit just now. We have had a busy couple of weeks looking at the coordinate geometry element (sections 5.1 and 5.2) and now we are on to the right-angles trigonometry. (section 5.3) In most cases this is revision for students. That is not to say that they understood it the first time though. I think the tension here is balancing revision with a fresh chance to understand where it all comes from. With that in mind I plan the following.

The Lessons

Lesson 1 - I will do the  Trig Calculator activity where we use dynamic geometry make a construction that will calculate any trig ratio based on the proportions of the sides of a right angled triangle. I think its important to try and link trigonmetry to to its geometrical roots. This is also makes for a good ToK moment.

Lesson 2 - This lesson I will use the 'Making Statements' activity where the aim is to encourage students to recognise relationships in given diagrams. Once thye have recognised a few they can choose the one that is most appropriate for them. Having done this we will use the solving problems powerpoint to move from choosing the right reltionship to actually solving the problem.

Lesson 3 - This will largely be spent problem solving with right angled trigonometry. Some individual work and some as a whole class.

Homework - I will set exercise 5.3 from the OUP Course companion as homework for the week.

DP2 - Year 13 - Grade 12

Unit 3 - Sets, Logic and Probability

Subtopic - Probability

Time allowed - 9 hours - (Students will not be set homework as they prepare for their mock examinations)

I love this unit and particularly the way the three elements intertwine. The Stes and logic give teaching probability a new edge for me. The issue, as ever, is what do I have time to do?

The lessons

Lesson 1 - We will use the  Probability trees activity as a review of thta which is hopefully already understood about probability. This is a nice intuitive activity that is engaging in nature and prods the memory nicely. Its pushing it to do this in 1 hour so I will probably help them along through some sections.

Lessons 2 and 3 - We will start the  Fairground games activity - I always worry about wether or not their is time for these students to do these things, but there are few opportunities left for students to have a bit of fun while they are learning as the IB pressure machine winds up. I like this activity because of the way it makes students link the probability with the sets as well as making students test experimental and theoretical probabilities.

So thats a busy week planned then!