Math 130

Fall 04

 

Study Group Homework

Week of September 20

 

Logistics: I suggest that all groups start out at the Resource Center this week, just so you can find each other and take a look at the math materials etc. that are there.  The Resource Center is located in the basement of the Classroom Building.  It is only open until 7 on Mondays, so it won’t work as a location for the Monday groups (it’s open 10-9 on Tuesdays, however, so it’s fine for the Tuesday groups).  Ask to see the “math closet”  there are tubs of manipulatives there; you can check out a Ziploc bagful to take home for a week.  There is also a copy of our text, the Explorations manual, and the CD-ROM; these need to stay in the Resource Center, but you can use them there.  The Monday groups should look around for another location  you can try the classrooms on the 2^nd floor of ACW, the Learning Center (ACW 304), or another classroom, dorm lounge, etc.

 

The Assignment: Problems 3 and 4 of Exploration 1.1 (in the red book, pages 4-5)

 

Before Study Group: (if possible) Read the problems carefully.  Work to understand what they mean.  If you have any confusion about what you are supposed to do, explain your confusion in your notebook. 

            Now take a few minutes to think about a strategy for approaching these problems.  What are you going to try?  Do the problems remind you of any you’ve seen before?  If so, what strategies worked for those problems?

            If you have time, start working on the problems.

 

At Study Group:  This week you will meet by yourselves; next week you’ll have a TA.  Begin by (re)introducing yourselves.  Talk for a few minutes about how you’d like your group to operate; you’ll discuss this more with you TA next week.  Make a contact list w/email, phone, etc.

            Choose which problem you’d like to start with; it’s OK to do them in either order, and there’s probably too much to finish in two hours.  Don’t rush; it’s more important that you’re understanding what you’re doing and exploring many strategies together than that you “get through” everything.  If you wish, your group can split into two smaller groups to work for a while, but be sure to work on the same problem so you can share your thinking when you reconvene. 

 

After Study Group (or near the end): Take some time to summarize in your study group work in your notebook.  Where are you with the problems now?  What did you figure out, and what is still left to do?  What strategies worked?  Explain with some detail.   What avenues proved ineffective or frustrating?  Why?

            If possible, spend some more time working on the problems by yourself after study group. 

 

   Copyright 2005, Debra K. Borkovitz.  You may copy or edit this material for non-profit, educational use only.

 

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