Project Website:

www.transitionmathproject.orgProject Website:

It's a Beautiful Thing! New Senior Math Courses

Add Beauty and Excitement

2008 OSPI January ConferenceJanuary 30-31, 2008

www.transitionmathproject.org

Project TIME Laura Moore-Mueller-

Project Time Director, Math Instructor, Green River Community College

Robin Washam – Project Time Co-Director, Math Coach, OSPI, Puget Sound ESD

Joyce Hammer – Project Time Co-Director, Math Instructor, Green River Community College

Yakima Valley ProjectKristen Maxwell-

Regional Math Coordinator-ESD 105


An Alternative Course •Motivation:

high school choicecollege- and work-

ready•Development•Content•Pilot test 2007-2008•Lessons learned



•Moving Beyond Course Requirements to Clarifying What Students Should Know and Be Able to Do

http://www.transitionmathproject.org/marketing.asp#standards

CRMS




Senior Course DevelopmentCreated by faculty from GRCC

and partnerschool districts.

Provides rigorous alternative to calculus track for high-school seniors.


Senior Course Development• Investigate deep and interesting

topics in mathematics while preserving and improving algebra competency.

• Rekindle the fun, excitement and beauty of mathematics.


Pre-Development Issues

1 semester or 2 semester course Module based or stand alone course H.S minimum math requirements Competing AP math courses


Pre-Development Issues• Available high school math

teachers• Time to meet• What’s in a name?

Discrete MathBAT MathAdvanced Quantitative ReasoningCollege-Prep MathApplications in Mathematical Reasoning


Course Content Semester I

• Graph Theory • Scheduling • Linear Programming • Voting • Statistics and Probability • Fair Division • Game Theory


Course ContentSemester II

• Finance • Geometry• Modeling continuous

functions: linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, and logistic


Process(equal in importance to

content!)

Inquiry Problem solving Reasoning Communication


Pedagogy(equal in importance to

content!)

Active engagement Authentic (real-world) activities

Study skills for success


Examples of Activities

Bob and CarolHouse Re-

model


The Teachers• Professional development workshops

• Feedback from the classroom“Every day is different… a fresh start

for each unit of study.”


Lessons Learned

• Textbooks• Curriculum resources / time• Teacher preparation• Teacher learning community• Student preparation• Communication with counselors and

students


Course Assessment• Assess students at beginning

and end of year with WAMAP.

http://www.wamap.org/

• Administer student and teacher perception surveys

• Observe students’ progress post-senior year


Websitewww.project-time.org


Yakima Valley Project

• Different school districts so courses based on student needs

• Students must have passed third year of math to take the course

• Option for Juniors or Seniors who don’t want Pre-Calculus or Statistics

• Main focus is on college• Work in progress


Wapato and Mabton

• Content – probability, statistics and mathematical modeling

• ILAPS• Appropriate technology for

success in college• Community business or

organization project• Mainly for Seniors


West Valley - Yakima

• Content – polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions

• Prepare for college placement exams

• Approval for course


Lessons Learned

• Writing and piloting ILAPS• Modular class with no textbook• Different districts working

toward a similar goal• Other types of modules• Other teachers as part of the

process• Time and resources

Documents

Project Website: