Week 12: Language Arts Learning Activities
For this week's assignment, the task was to integrate language arts into my curriculum unit. I wrote an eBook using Mixbook that included factual information about limits and their importance to the field of Calculus. The following is my eBook on this topic.
eBook Learning Activity
Lesson Title: Take it to the Limit Writing Assignment
Instructor: Marci Smith
Content Area: Calculus
Grade Level: 10-12
Lesson Overview:
The first chapter covered in Calculus is on Limits. Often students can evaluate limits but they do not have a good understanding of the concept of a limit. Since this concept is part of the foundation to understanding Calculus, it is important for students to get a clear grasp of this idea. This learning activity asks students to not only explain the concept of a limit in mathematical terms but to also find a real world example that applies this limiting concept. Students are expected to come up with a creative, original idea and express their thoughts in the form of an eBook.
Objectives:
NCTM Standard 2: Mathematics as Communication.
In grades 9-12, the mathematics curriculum should include the continued development of language and symbolism to communicate mathematical ideas so
that all students can
In grades 9-12, the mathematics curriculum should include investigation of
the connections and interplay among various mathematical topics and their
applications so that all students can
In grades 9-12, the mathematics curriculum should include the informal exploration of calculus concepts from both a graphical and a numerical perspective so that all students can
Timeline: This learning activity will take one 50 minute class period. Students will be given an additional night to finish what doesn't get completed in class.
Learning Activities:
1.) Students will complete their quiz on evaluating limits and the teacher will discuss the question on the quiz that asked the students to write the definition of a limit.
2.) Following this discussion, the teacher will show the class the MixBook example above explaining limits.
3.) Students will then be assigned the task of writing their own eBook on the topic. The teacher will explain that while limits are a fundamental concept in Calculus, the idea of a limit can be found elsewhere in life. Music, visual arts, advertising, and other areas of popular culture often use the concept. Their task is to find a song, concept, movie, or other item and explain how it uses or demonstrates the concept of a limit. They are to write about their thoughts and justify how they believe it displays the idea of a limit. The idea is to demonstrate a clear understanding of limits and their ability to communicate it and relate it to everyday life. For example, the lyrics of the song “Take it to the Limit” by the Eagles are a good example. In this song, the singer finds himself drawn to thoughts of someone and no matter what happens he keeps coming back to her, this is a limit! A function tends toward a value and no matter what, as x approaches c, the function approaches the limiting value L. For this project, students must come up with their own original idea and apply it to their knowledge of limits. Students should write their story so that someone who has no prior knowledge of the calculus will understand it. Students must write a book of at least 8 pages and include some graphics throughout.
4.) Students will be expected to use an online eBook tool to write their story. The teacher will show the class examples of these sites such as Mixbook and Blurb; class time will be used for students to get started on the assignment and specifically begin their use of these tools.
5.) Students will be graded on their creativity, organization and accuracy according this rubric.
Instructor: Marci Smith
Content Area: Calculus
Grade Level: 10-12
Lesson Overview:
The first chapter covered in Calculus is on Limits. Often students can evaluate limits but they do not have a good understanding of the concept of a limit. Since this concept is part of the foundation to understanding Calculus, it is important for students to get a clear grasp of this idea. This learning activity asks students to not only explain the concept of a limit in mathematical terms but to also find a real world example that applies this limiting concept. Students are expected to come up with a creative, original idea and express their thoughts in the form of an eBook.
Objectives:
NCTM Standard 2: Mathematics as Communication.
In grades 9-12, the mathematics curriculum should include the continued development of language and symbolism to communicate mathematical ideas so
that all students can
- reflect upon and clarify their thinking about mathematical ideas and
relationships - express mathematical ideas orally and in writing;
In grades 9-12, the mathematics curriculum should include investigation of
the connections and interplay among various mathematical topics and their
applications so that all students can
- recognize equivalent representations of the same concept;
- use and value the connections among mathematical topics
In grades 9-12, the mathematics curriculum should include the informal exploration of calculus concepts from both a graphical and a numerical perspective so that all students can
- investigate limiting processes by examining infinite sequences and series and
areas under curves; - understand the conceptual foundations
of limit, the area under a curve, the rate of change, and the slope of a tangent
line, and their applications in other disciplines;
Timeline: This learning activity will take one 50 minute class period. Students will be given an additional night to finish what doesn't get completed in class.
Learning Activities:
1.) Students will complete their quiz on evaluating limits and the teacher will discuss the question on the quiz that asked the students to write the definition of a limit.
2.) Following this discussion, the teacher will show the class the MixBook example above explaining limits.
3.) Students will then be assigned the task of writing their own eBook on the topic. The teacher will explain that while limits are a fundamental concept in Calculus, the idea of a limit can be found elsewhere in life. Music, visual arts, advertising, and other areas of popular culture often use the concept. Their task is to find a song, concept, movie, or other item and explain how it uses or demonstrates the concept of a limit. They are to write about their thoughts and justify how they believe it displays the idea of a limit. The idea is to demonstrate a clear understanding of limits and their ability to communicate it and relate it to everyday life. For example, the lyrics of the song “Take it to the Limit” by the Eagles are a good example. In this song, the singer finds himself drawn to thoughts of someone and no matter what happens he keeps coming back to her, this is a limit! A function tends toward a value and no matter what, as x approaches c, the function approaches the limiting value L. For this project, students must come up with their own original idea and apply it to their knowledge of limits. Students should write their story so that someone who has no prior knowledge of the calculus will understand it. Students must write a book of at least 8 pages and include some graphics throughout.
4.) Students will be expected to use an online eBook tool to write their story. The teacher will show the class examples of these sites such as Mixbook and Blurb; class time will be used for students to get started on the assignment and specifically begin their use of these tools.
5.) Students will be graded on their creativity, organization and accuracy according this rubric.
AECT Standards achieved: 1.2 Message Design, 1.3 Instructional Strategies, 1.4 Learner Characteristics, 2.1 Print Technologies, 2.2 Audiovisual
Technologies, 2.3 Computer-Based Technologies, 3.1 Media Utilization, 3.2 Diffusion of Innovations
Technologies, 2.3 Computer-Based Technologies, 3.1 Media Utilization, 3.2 Diffusion of Innovations