Graphing the Real world

School:: South Walton High School
Subject:: STEM Education
Teacher:: Christopher Anderson
Students Impacted:: 160
Grade:: 11
Date:: October 2, 2021

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

CHELCO - Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative - $1,437.50

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 160

This grant gave my students the opportunity to learn to utilize graphing calculators in the classroom to solve real world problems. In class today they were able to use them to assist in calculating combinatorics to find the probability of a pitch being thrown high and inside of the strike zone. Having this familiarity with the graphing calculators greatly improves students PSAT and SAT scores.

Original Grant Overview

Goal

This will help the students in many aspects from increased ability to comprehend the concepts to increased SAT scores etc. It will also help to engage students who do not otherwise see the value in many math topics. When they have the chance to see its application in real world situations, their retention rate is much higher.

What will be done with my students

Projects will be done that utilize real world skills through the Ti 84 graphing calculator to simulate real world problems in quadratics though projectile motion and in Statistics through the probability simulations. Throughout the year, students will learn to use the graphing calculators to solve a range of real world application problems from utilizing parabolas to solve projectile motion situations in a project to find the ideal trajectory to hit a target on the football field, as well as in a project involving permutations and combinations and binomial distributions. Another project that is being considered is using the python coding software in the calculators to show students how math can be utilized to create programs and is heavily used in coding programs.

Benefits to my students

Students' familiarity with the Ti-84 graphing calculator will be beneficial on both the SAT and in the college math classroom. As a College instructor, I utilize this calculator and expect students to have a degree of familiarity with it coming into the course. Giving students exposure as early on in their math careers as possible will benefit them in the long run when they are expected to utilize it in the college setting. My goal is to best prepare students to be successful in higher education. This addition to the classroom will also effect and benefit a new group of students each year as they can be used for years to come.