I have 2 rules for myself when I teach Algebra:
#1 Introduce every concept with a real-world application
#2 Each application must be personal (for each student) & captivating
I’m proud to say that each of the “application projects” included on this website does exactly that!
And thanks to your feedback, I’ve updated the webpages to be organized by the content (rather than the application). I hope you find this helpful!
The "Application 1st Approach" - Before we teach any skills or content, we present the students with a relevant and interesting problem to solve. In order to solve this problem, the student must apply the mathematical skills & content from the unit. Typically, application projects are presented and assigned on the first day of the unit and they are due towards the end of the unit.
For every application project we do, the students will follow a 3-step process:
1) Collect Data
2) Build a Mathematical Model (Equation)
3) "Predict the Future" (or predict something useful to know)
