Spring ISTEP begins next week. How many test questions/problems will students have that are geometry related? Anyone have a guess on the percentage of geometry questions? In the past, it seems like elementary students are always given a tricky "find the area problem". I will bring in some "old" Istep questions next week to class that relate to geometry.
Three questions. I would like to hear some of the other proposals for the master's project.
I would also like to know if anyone else is going for their middle school lis. and if so I would like to chat.
I would also like to see a lesson live or on video of exploratory learning.
Mark, you are right sometimes there are a lot of Geo questions on ISTEP. It depends on the year. And they always give an area problem, but they usually give them the formula too.
Wendy I am going for my middle school license as well. I am a bit confused though I have been teaching Middle School since I began 10 years ago with Cowan and now because of the wisdom of our statehouse I need to get get a license. Frustrating to say the least!!! Do you or anyone know if Ball State is going to offer the classes we need. I only need two?
I am hoping to gear my Master's project toward incorporating Geometry into my Algebra classes. I am not sure how to go about it though. My questions to everyone would be.... 1. If you teach Algebra, what Geometry concepts to you see 2. What concepts would you find easier to teach with techology
In response to the ISTEP question, we do not have any Geometry questions on the extended response portion in 6th grade. We will have geometry questions in May.
My master's project is to gear Geometer's Sketchpad to the 6th grade standards and make investigations to go along with the standards. I also want to make a Sketchpad for Dummies so I can give it to the other 6th grade teachers so they might use Sketchpad too.
Can't wait to talk to the two of you who are also going for that lis. This would be the first class that I have taken for it, so I would see how things are going with you. Are you taking any classes this summer or on-line?
I'm still back and forth with what I want to do for my masters project. Right now I definitely want to gear it to something involving Geometer's Sketchpad. I'm thinking about trying to create something with fractals.
In response to Amy Olsen's question (If you teach Algebra, what Geometry concepts do you see?), I teach Pre-Algebra and some Algebra to students with mild disabilities. Our textbook often gives problems involving perimeter, area, circumference, and angles. I must admit that before this class, I often felt that I lacked the expertise in fully explaining these types of problems. I strongly needed to review some basic geometric concepts. Now I often find myself talking about my own learning to my students and having more "geometry" discussions in class. Now (to go back to your original question), when learning to solve proportions, my students really struggle with using two similar triangles to set up a proportion. Unless they've had some experience with geometry, then these problems will continue to be difficult for them.
Amy, Doesn't algebra deal alot with slope? It seems this could connect to geometry with parallel, perpendicular, and intersecting lines. Sketchpad has the coordinate grid available so maybe you could use that somehow.
Seeing that the elementary teachers gave the math portion of ISTEP today (at least our school did and I think others did too) could we have a 5 minute "arrgghh" session?! :)
We just finished another day of grueling GQE testing for some of our students. We had an 11th grade mild disabilities student who had to take the test because ISTAR Assessment would be counted as a non-participant. On yesterday's essay portion of the test this student wrote, I hat (hate) the test, I want to kill myself, I want to burn myself. Do you peplon (people) understan. I hat hat hat. I read someone's comment earlier about how their autistic child felt like a failure because of the ISTEP and it makes me sad and angry that our children have to be put in such a position....for what?? My 11th grade student will NEVER receive a diploma but this student must be humiliated by sitting in a classroom with peers who know of this students limitations and frustrations. Surely there is some way we can satisfy state requirements without putting our certificate students through this torture.
I read Classroom Research Informs Measure up, Chapter 7 that described the work and experiences of three research teachers of the MU project team during the first year of this project. I thought it was interesting that after teaching childern to learn to count the Russian team did not move on to whole number addition and subtraction. Instead they focused on teaching students how to look at the large picture rather than smaller fragments to build bigger ideas. These teachers believed that understanding structure would allow students to apply properties and underlying foundations to any number system.
Spring ISTEP begins next week. How many test questions/problems will students have that are geometry related? Anyone have a guess on the percentage of geometry questions? In the past, it seems like elementary students are always given a tricky "find the area problem". I will bring in some "old" Istep questions next week to class that relate to geometry.
ReplyDeleteThree questions.
ReplyDeleteI would like to hear some of the other proposals for the master's project.
I would also like to know if anyone else is going for their middle school lis. and if so I would like to chat.
I would also like to see a lesson live or on video of exploratory learning.
Mark, you are right sometimes there are a lot of Geo questions on ISTEP. It depends on the year. And they always give an area problem, but they usually give them the formula too.
Wendy, I am also going for my Middle School math endorsement. I am not trying to do it very quickly, but I do plan on getting it.
ReplyDeleteAndrew
Wendy I am going for my middle school license as well. I am a bit confused though I have been teaching Middle School since I began 10 years ago with Cowan and now because of the wisdom of our statehouse I need to get get a license. Frustrating to say the least!!! Do you or anyone know if Ball State is going to offer the classes we need. I only need two?
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to gear my Master's project toward incorporating Geometry into my Algebra classes. I am not sure how to go about it though. My questions to everyone would be....
ReplyDelete1. If you teach Algebra, what Geometry concepts to you see
2. What concepts would you find easier to teach with techology
In response to the ISTEP question, we do not have any Geometry questions on the extended response portion in 6th grade. We will have geometry questions in May.
ReplyDeleteMy master's project is to gear Geometer's Sketchpad to the 6th grade standards and make investigations to go along with the standards. I also want to make a Sketchpad for Dummies so I can give it to the other 6th grade teachers so they might use Sketchpad too.
Can't wait to talk to the two of you who are also going for that lis. This would be the first class that I have taken for it, so I would see how things are going with you. Are you taking any classes this summer or on-line?
ReplyDeleteI'm still back and forth with what I want to do for my masters project. Right now I definitely want to gear it to something involving Geometer's Sketchpad. I'm thinking about trying to create something with fractals.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Amy Olsen's question (If you teach Algebra, what Geometry concepts do you see?), I teach Pre-Algebra and some Algebra to students with mild disabilities. Our textbook often gives problems involving perimeter, area, circumference, and angles. I must admit that before this class, I often felt that I lacked the expertise in fully explaining these types of problems. I strongly needed to review some basic geometric concepts. Now I often find myself talking about my own learning to my students and having more "geometry" discussions in class. Now (to go back to your original question), when learning to solve proportions, my students really struggle with using two similar triangles to set up a proportion. Unless they've had some experience with geometry, then these problems will continue to be difficult for them.
ReplyDeleteAmy,
ReplyDeleteDoesn't algebra deal alot with slope? It seems this could connect to geometry with parallel, perpendicular, and intersecting lines. Sketchpad has the coordinate grid available so maybe you could use that somehow.
Seeing that the elementary teachers gave the math portion of ISTEP today (at least our school did and I think others did too) could we have a 5 minute "arrgghh" session?! :)
ReplyDeleteWe just finished another day of grueling GQE testing for some of our students. We had an 11th grade mild disabilities student who had to take the test because ISTAR Assessment would be counted as a non-participant. On yesterday's essay portion of the test this student wrote, I hat (hate) the test, I want to kill myself, I want to burn myself. Do you peplon (people) understan. I hat hat hat. I read someone's comment earlier about how their autistic child felt like a failure because of the ISTEP and it makes me sad and angry that our children have to be put in such a position....for what?? My 11th grade student will NEVER receive a diploma but this student must be humiliated by sitting in a classroom with peers who know of this students limitations and frustrations. Surely there is some way we can satisfy state requirements without putting our certificate students through this torture.
ReplyDeleteI read Classroom Research Informs Measure up, Chapter 7 that described the work and experiences of three research teachers of the MU project team during the first year of this project. I thought it was interesting that after teaching childern to learn to count the Russian team did not move on to whole number addition and subtraction. Instead they focused on teaching students how to look at the large picture rather than smaller fragments to build bigger ideas. These teachers believed that understanding structure would allow students to apply properties and underlying foundations to any number system.
ReplyDelete