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Equations WebQuest

 

Curator: William Stremple

 

Name & Link to tech tool: http://wstremple.wix.com/solving-equations

 

Brief description of tool:  This is a WebQuest I created for my students to learn the practical uses of expressions and equations in real life.  More advanced students can work at their own pace, but for lower level students the learning process needs to be more structured.  I have made many changes to this since originally using it my classes this past fall and I am excited to use it again this coming fall.  The students that have tested it out lately have learned more and enjoyed it more than the oringal version.

 

Technical cost & considerations: This is a free resource that requires the occasional use of YouTube and Java for several of the games included.

 

EVALUATION

 

Description of Learning Activity:  Students are to work on this WebQuest in pairs or groups of three.  I plan on structuring this unit plan around students finishing certain actvities by certain days.  I will provide students with a day-by-day plan/calendar in order to keep them on-task.

 

1. Learning activity types

  • Practice - with each activity, students have an opportunity to practice each new concept

  • Present - this WebQuest presents the new content of expressions and equations

  • Present-Demo - provides demonstrations of new content

  • \Present-Explain - provides explanations of new content

  • Explore - students work through activities and conduct research to develop solutions to problems

  • Apply - students will apply the mathematics learned by completing the WebQuest activities to develop solutions to a problem

 

2. What mathematics is being learned?

 

NCTM Standards

  • NCTM-Alg-patterns - understand patterns, relations, and functions;

  • NCTM-Alg-symbols - represent and analyze mathematical situations and structures using algebraic symbols;

  • NCTM-Alg-models - use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships;

  • NCTM-Alg-change - analyze change in various contexts.

 

VA SOL Strand

  • 8.15 a, c - The student will (a) solve multistep equations in one variable with the variable on one and two sides of an equation and (c) identify properties of operations used to solve an equation.

 

Proficiency Strands

  • conceptual understanding - students will comprehend solving equations by the completion of the WebQuest

  • procedural fluency - students will be assessed on the accuracy of their mathematical solutions

  • strategic competence - students need to create and solve equations through representations to develop solutions to a problem

  • adaptive reasoning - students are aksed to develop a solution to a real life problem

  • productive disposition - the posed problems connect the concept to real life

 

Additional comments on what is being learned

This is traditionally a unit that requires lots of teacher instruction and lectures.  This problem-based approach provides students a different learning experience and holds students accountable for their own learning.

 

3. How is the mathematics represented?

What role does technology play?

The technology is used in various ways: numerical representations, visual representations, virtual manipulatives.  Depending on which game or activity students are using at what time, the representation will vary.

 

Advantages

  • Students are held accountable for their learning

  • The problems and activities are engaging and motivating for students

  • The assessments are very open-ended and students are allowed to create informal assessments for each other

 

Disadvantages

  • Requires access to a computer lab or laptops for each student or pair

 

Unique contribution

  • The use of computers allows students to research about the problems and use various resources to enhance their own learning

 

Affordances

  • computing & automating - certain activites ask students to calculate and practice skills

  • representing ideas & thinking - students are asked to represent and think about how to solve equations

  • accessing information - students have acces to computers to access alternate information and research

  • communicating & collaborating - students work collaboratively to develop unique solutions to a chosen problem

  • capturing & creating - students create homework assignments for each other and have the option to create their own problem to solve

 

5. How does the technology fit or interact with the social context of learning?

The WebQuest asks students to work collaboratively to come up with a solution to a problem.  The technology can be used in all aspects of this learning experience.

 

6. What do teachers and learners need to know?

This WebQuest was designed for an 8th grade Pre-Algebra class and has problems that are based on things relavant to my students.  The information is laid out chronologically and is easy to follow.  Some of the activities require the use of YouTube and Java.

 

7. How could this resource supplement/facilitate PBL?

The WebQuest is a great way for teachers to facilitate the learning process.  I was able to observe my students working collaboratively and talk individually with each group about their plans for solving one of the problems.

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