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 The Curriculum Overview describes the components of a project and guides you in thinking about and using them. Each project provides ideas for integrating the Secondary Math and Science software and Apple technologies, helping your students make new connections and gain new insights.
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  Math: Pendulum Motion Since ancient times humans have looked for patterns to understand natural phenomena. Students investigate the motion of simple pendulums to learn how their period of motion can be predicted mathematically. They experiment with actual pendulums and create a computer simulation of pendulum motion to test their initial hypotheses. Working with three variables--length, mass (weight), and angle--students discover how to determine the period (the time for one complete swing) of any pendulum. They collect data from the hands-on pendulums and the simulated pendulums, analyze their data using a variety of graphs, and explore mathematical equations that fit their data.
Science: A Monumental Task  Math: Problems of the Times Students solve mathematically rich situational problems using problem-solving tools in Work It Out. They then create their own, often humorous, adaptation of the problem into a Middle Ages or Renaissance setting. Students solve the problem they have created and design a series of progressively helpful hints for other students to use in solving the problem. Students create a software presentation of their problem, including the problem situation, hints, solution, and an interactive formula that represents a generalized solution to any problem of that type.
Science: A New Vision of the World  Math: Colonial Entrepreneurs To run their businesses successfully, Colonial entrepreneurs needed keen math skills to keep track of accounts, inventory, loans, profit, and loss. In this project, student-entrepreneurs become familiar with the types of businesses it took to build the New World. They create a spreadsheet that simulates the first year of business of a Colonial craftsperson. The young entrepreneurs create and run their business simulation, analyze the results, and compare their results to those of other entrepreneurs in the same business.
Science: Science on the High Seas  Math: Disaster Zones Students research natural disasters that could affect their community and survey community attitudes and preparedness regarding these potential disasters. Students collect and analyze their data, exploring various ways to represent the data with Venn diagrams, histograms, and scatter plots. They compute means, medians, totals, and percentages. Students create a summary report which includes their conclusions, supported by their data graphs, and their recommendations for the community.
Science: Pattern Detectives  Math: Constellations Student-astronomers research noteworthy constellations and their associated mythical figures and legends. Using math skills that include measuring distances and angles, applying proportions or percent, and working in a coordinate plane, young astronomers create two- and three-dimensional scale models of a constellation. Students explore their three-dimensional model to see how the configuration of stars changes when viewed from a different perspective. They select one alternate perspective and use the resulting arrangement of stars to discover a new constellation for which they create a unique legend to tell of its history and meaning. Science: Journey to a New World Students learn about the solar system, and the planets, moons, and other celestial bodies that make it up. Then they research the rhythms and conditions of Earth, compare these to what they've learned about the conditions on other worlds in the solar system, and report on the obstacles that will confront any efforts by humanity to travel to other worlds and establish outposts there.  Math: Predator-Prey Systems Students research running speeds and endurance of natural stalking predators and their prey. They then apply what they have learned to create simulations of natural predator-prey interactions using linear equations. They use their simulations to investigate different scenarios. Finally, they share their simulations with their group and create computer-based presentations for other classes.
Science: Web of Life |
