Determining the Area of A ‘Real’ Irregular Object

Submitted by: Mark Helberg
School: Deep Run High School

Summary

Teams of students will investigate different methods and strategies to find the area of an irregular shaped object. In this case, the students will measure the area, in square feet, of the turf inside of the buss loop. The project will be presented as a request for grass seed and fertilizer to be planted on the field (actual work that the school needed).

TIPC Ratings

This lesson is approaching as students determined the questions they need to research. Then they gathered and evaluate the reliability of information needed in order to solve the problem. Students critiqued their information sources while selecting from a variety of digital resources (including some “starter sites” provided by the teacher.) The students assembled their information and answers in presentations shared in class and reflected upon their learning processes.

This lesson is approaching because students were allowed to create their own teams, then they assigned one or more roles to team members in order to effectively collaborative and create a meaningful solution. At the end of the lesson, students were asked to reflect on both their findings and their collaborative processes.

Critical thinking is at the approaching level as the students use digital media to communicate, justify and reflect upon their problem solving approaches. The teacher designed a real world problem and gave student instruction on problem solving skills that help students solve the task. It is interesting to note that each group used different skills and content knowledge in their attempt to resolve the problem.

This lesson is approaching; by design the teacher created a lesson that helped students see the relationship between algebraic knowledge and authentic problems. Students worked in collaborative teams to resolve a resolution, creating meaningful work while completing the assignment. In addition, students reflected on both their solution and the processes that lead them there.