Grow Beasts: Growing understanding through active engagement and inquiry

Grow Beasts: Growing understanding through active engagement and inquiry

2012 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Annual Conference

April 26, Philadelphia, PAMark Roddy, Ph.D.Seattle University

Objectives:Students engage in:

• an application of data gathering, prediction, slope, linear (and non-linear) rates of change;

• the use of inquiry and student choice to engage in the construction of understanding and skill;

• the development of positive disposition in mathematics / science.

Grow Beasts: Growing understanding through active engagement and inquiry

How does a Grow Beast grow?

Let’s take a look, shall we?

Kinesthetic -> Tabular -> Graphical -> Abstract(After AIMS “Model of Learning” http://blog.aimsedu.org/2013/05/24/learning-model-with-the-math-practices-poster/ )

Using Grow Beasts to teach math

• In a second grade class– measurement, data recording, prediction and

estimation;

• In middle school – ratio, proportion, rate and slope;

• In high school– Inquiry, modeling, research, presentation, etc.

WSMC WSMC

How does your Grow Beast grow?

Simulated Grow Beasts

Grow Beasts A, B and C

Grow Beasts A, B and C

Grow Beasts A, B and C

Here are your three GBs:

• “A” was grown in a medium salt solution (10cc/200ml)

• “B” was grown in warm water (~30oC)

• “C” was grown in room temperature water (~20oC)

HOURS elapsed   Med Salt Warm Water Just Water

begin 10AM 10/8/08   10cc/200ml 30 degrees C 20 degrees C

0   4.3 4.2 4.1

1   4.3 4.4 4.3

2   4.3 4.7 4.5

4   4.5 5.2 4.8

6   4.6 6.0 5.4

8   4.7 6.8 6.0

1012 4.9 7.4 6.4

12   5.0 8.4 6.9

14   5.0 8.9 7.2

22   5.3 11.0 8.1

24   5.3 11.5 8.3

28   5.4 12.1 8.7

32   5.4 12.5 9.1

37   5.6 12.9 9.4

48   5.7 13.6 10.1

50   5.8 13.9 10.3

56   5.8 14.2 10.6

62   5.8 14.6 10.9

72   5.8 14.8 11.0

A B C

Grow Beasts: salt water, warm water, and just waterCA B

Tabular

Grow Beasts: salt water, warm water, and just water

B

C

A

Graphical

CA B

To 500 ml of room temperature water I will add:• somewhere between 5 and 50 cc of salt, or• somewhere between 5 and 50 ml of lemon juice.

Your team’s mission is to develop a mathematical mathematical modelmodel that will enable you to accurately predict the length of the GB at 6-hour intervals for four days.

How does a Grow Beast grow?

Kinesthetic -> Tabular -> Graphical -> Abstract

WSMC WSMC

Using Grow Beasts to Teach Math

• 5th grade: measurement

• 6th grade: ratio and rate

• 7th grade: rates of change, slope and linear equations

• 8th grade: more linear functions and the analysis and summary of data sets

Height vs stride

This is an example of middle-level students exploring, exercising choice and making use of the spreadsheet, having had the kinesthetic, the tabular and so forth….

Mark Roddy, Ph.D.Seattle University

Grow Beasts: Growing understanding through active engagement and inquiry

Grow Beasts: Growing understanding through active engagement and inquiry