An Example of Course Progress

Day 1:

• Cover syllabus and expectations
• Demonstrate basic use of TI 83.

Demonstrate plotting of linear modeling with (shoe size, ring size) data collected from 6 or 8 willing students.

Homework:

• Read Booklet, pp. 2-4
• Prepare hand written draft of part I, Word processor Practice.

Day 2:

• Quick calculator demo (5 min.)
• Select a few drafts from homework, read them and think aloud. (10 min.)
• In groups, do "Understanding, Interpreting...". Ask for consensus after 10 min.
• With students in pairs at the computer, begin 1^st Word session.

Homework:

• Finish 1^st Word session
• Correct and word process draft of Part I, WP practice.

Day 3:

• Quick calculator demo (golf ball toss?)
• Go quickly over laws, p.3 and absolute value, p.4
• Begin pizza problem (1^st of three real problems) in groups

Homework:

• Exercises, p.4 of booklet
• Complete pizza problem as an individual (not group) activity. Word processed.

Day 4:

• Short calculator demo – table feature.
• Take up pizza problem. Discuss. Allow resubmission by next class before grading.
• Assign students to present problems, p. 4, at the board. Socratic questioning.

Homework:

• Draft of "Morning’s Commute"
• Exercises, pp. 5, 6.

Day 5:

• Short calculator demo: Show an efficient way to compute a 2.5% increase in income over several years.
• Read and respond to a few drafts of Morning’s Commute.
• Resume assigning students to present problems at the board. Socratic questioning.

Homework:

• Final version of Morning’s Commute
• Plotting points – Interpreting Data (handwritten, not word processed)

Day 6:

• Return Pizza problem. Show an exemplary one on the overhead.
• Take up Morning’s Commute.
• Select a few "Plotting Points" attempts. Read and respond. Instruct them to refine theirs based on discussion.
• Quickly introduce absolute val., greatest integer and ceiling functions.
• Resume assigning students to present at board. Socratic questioning.

Homework:

• Final version of Plotting Points (handwritten is o.k.)
• Read and work the problems on pp. 7-10.

Day 7:

• Short calculator demo.
• Take up plotting points activities.
• Resume assigning students to present at board. Socratic questioning.

Homework:

• Read linear functions, p. 10 and work problems on p. 11. Put problem 1 on a separate sheet to turn in.
• Read "Linear Modeling, Part I" activity. We will do this activity in groups.

Day 8:

• Pick up paragraphs on slope. Read and respond, trying to identify independent and dependent variables in their paragraphs.
• Assign groups. (I use random selection for first group assignments.)
• Resume assigning students to present at board.
• If time, spend a few minutes in groups considering "Linear Modeling, part I".

Homework:

• Begin "Lin. Mod., Part I". Be prepared to work on it in groups in class.
• Read Intro to Excel. Write answers to these questions.

Day 9:

• Take up answers to (a) and (b) from homework.
• Spend 20 minutes or so in groups working on Linear Modeling, part I.
• Rest of class spent on Intro to Excel.

Homework:

• Final group report Lin. Mod., I.

Day 10:

• Pick up group reports on Lin. Mod., I.
• If not yet complete, continue student presentations at board through p. 11.
• Continue in-class practice with Excel.

Homework:

• Work the Least Squares Line individual activity including the microwave activity. Be sure to answer in context.

Day 11:

• Check for completion of Least Square Line individual activity.
• Issue colored pencils or pens for self-grading.
• Rest of class on linear modeling with Excel.

Homework:

• Be prepared to demonstrate your "pickle jar" spreadsheet (from Intro to Excel) in class.
• Read the Least Square Lines (per capita income) group activity.

Day 12:

• Have each demonstrate correct recalculation of "pickle jar" spreadsheet.
• Continue linear regression with Excel.

Homework:

• Begin Per-Capita Income activity in groups.
• Do Linear Modeling, part II. It can be handwritten.

Day 13:

• Take up Linear Modeling, part II activities. Read a few and respond, noting whether or not the student answered the question "What’s wrong with our model?"
• Have previously unsuccessful students demonstrate "pickle jar" spreadsheet.
• Begin Per Capita Income activity in class, if time.

Homework:

• Continue Per Cap. Income group work.

Day 14:

• Pop quiz: What was wrong with our model in the Linear Modeling, part II activity?
• Continue group work on Per Cap. Inc.

Homework:

• Final group reports due on Per Cap. Inc.
• Read pp. 12-13. Work problems on p. 14.

Day 15:

• Take up final reports of Per-Cap. Inc. activity. Discuss.
• Take up solutions to problems on p. 14.
• Discuss probability, p. 15. Have them begin p. 16 in class.

Homework:

• Predicting the VD Rate activity.
• Begin Portfolio Entry/Stat Functions if not done already.
• Read pp. 17-18.

Day 16:

• Discuss remaining concerns on responses to per-capita income activity.
• Discuss what is meant by "interpretation" of slopes and intercepts in context of VD Rate activity. Give another chance, if needed.
• Issue pieces of spaghetti. Break with random number table or phone book.

• Assign new groups.

Homework:

• Resubmit VD Rate Activity, if necessary.
• Begin Fractured Spaghetti activity in groups.
• Complete p. 16, if not done already.
• Read and work exercises on p. 17-19.

Day 17:

• Pick up resubmissions of VD Rate activity.
• Discuss and self-grade # 3, p. 16.
• Distribute 1^st portfolio checklist.
• Begin board presentations of homework on pp. 16 and 19.

Homework:

• Practice test I (or Sample Test I)
• Continue spaghetti activity in groups.
• Work on your portfolio.

Day 18:

• Cover practice test by assigning students to present at the board. Socratic questioning.
• Go over graphing, p. 19 if not yet complete (students present at board).
• Begin Cutting a Sandwich activity if time permits.

Homework:

• Complete Sandwich activity.
• Study for test.
• Continue Spaghetti activity in groups.

Day 19:

• Discuss and self grade Sandwich activity.
• Answer question re: test. Any unfinished business.

Homework:

• Study for test.
• Continue Spaghetti activity.
• Your portfolio is due.

Day 20: Test I

Day 21:

• Take up Spaghetti activity and discuss.
• Return Test I and discuss.
• Return Sandwich activity and discuss, if needed.
• Discuss graphs and translations of parabolas.

Homework:

• Read and work exercises on pp. 20 and 21.
• Read through page 24.

Day 22:

• Return spaghetti activity and discuss.
• Have students present homework on p. 21. Socratic questioning.

Homework:

• Re-read pp. 22-24. Work problems 1 and 2 on p. 25.
• For 5 points bonus on Test I, explain correctly and defend a solution to # 3, p. 26.

Day 23:

• Allow time for presentations of bonus problem # 3, p. 26.
• Hand out medicine droppers and rulers and demonstrate water-drop activity in "Uses of Quadratic Polynomials".
• Continue homework on pp. 21 – 25.

Homework:

• Read Back to Quadratics, p. 26 and work the exercise on p. 27.
• Begin work on the group medicine drop activity "Uses of Quadratic Polynomials – Excel Version."

Day 24:

• Continue homework, pp. 21-27.

Homework:

• Read Cubics and Quartics, p. 27.
• Work the exercises on p. 28.
• Continue your Medicine Drop group activity.

Day 25:

• Discuss functions with asymptotes – especially hyperbolas.
• Pull data for CleanUp activity.
• Return to homework through p. 28.

Homework:

• Read and work the exercises on pp. 29-31.
• Begin the Clean Up activity in groups.

Day 26:

• Have students present homework on board re: translations, cubics, quartics and hyperbolas.

Homework:

• Uses of Quadratic Polynomials (Medicine Drop) group activity is due.
• Work on CleanUp activity.
• Read pp. 32-34. Work exercises on p. 32.

Day 27:

• Take up Medicine Drop activity reports.
• Continue discussion of hyperbolas and exponentials – students present homework.
• Discuss compound interest and its relationship to the exponential function.

Homework:

• Continue work on your CleanUp activity.
• Re-read and work exercises pp. 32-34.

Day 28:

• Discuss questions that arise in the CleanUp activity.
• Cover homework exercises through p. 34.

Homework:

• Work Practice Test II
• Submit CleanUp group activity.
• Read pp. 35-37.

Day 29:

• Cover Practice Test II (present at board, Socratic questioning).
• Take up CleanUp activity and discuss.

Homework:

• Study for Test II.
• Work exercises pp. 35-37.

Day 30:

• Test II.

Homework:

• Read and work exercises on pp. 38 and 39.

Day 31:

• Cover Test II.
• Begin board presentations of exercises through p. 39.

Homework:

• Magic of Compound Interest.

Day 32:

• Take up and discuss Magic of Compound Interest.
• Continue homework exercises at board.

Homework:

• More About Loans activity.
• Read "Interested in Credit Cards". Be prepared to discuss the problem.

Day 33:

• Take up and discuss More About Loans.
• Use class time to work on credit card activity.

Homework:

• Turn in Credit Card activity.

Day 34:

• Take up and discuss Credit Card activity.
• Discuss the logistic function as a composite of previously studied functions.
• Assign new groups. Include a TI 83 in each.

Homework:

• Read and work the exercises on pp. 40-42.
• Begin study for the final exam.

Day 35:

• Cover exercises, p. 42
• Discuss CleanUp – 83 activity

Homework:

• Rise and Fall of IS activity.
• Begin CleanUp – 83 in new groups.

Day 36:

• Take up and discuss Rise and Fall of IS activity.
• Discuss term projects.
• Hand out final portfolio list.

Homework:

• Submit CleanUp – 83.
• Work on term project.

Day 37:

• Take up and discuss CleanUp – 83.
• Discuss term projects.

Remaining Time: Review, work on term projects, work on portfolios.

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