The tragedy of the Gulf Coast Oil Spill is an excellent teaching opportunity! Aside from the obvious science lessons, the oil spill also lends itself to learning mathematics.

1. Begin the class by having a discussion about the students' current knowledge of the oil spill.

2. Then watch news clips and continue to discussion:

- I would suggest finding a video clip from the local news where your students are located to give them a "connection".


3. Once students have a true idea of the oil spill, use the following links give students an idea of the size of the oil spill and an insight into its impact:

There are also several Apps on the oil spill 
4. Then jump into the mathematics behind the oil spill.

  • Estimation - for 3rd - 8th students to get an idea of the size
  • Perimeter, area, and volume - for 3rd - Geometry students to find the perimeter, area, and volume of the oil spill
  • Graphs - for 3rd - Algebra 2 students to read, understand, and interpret graphs

  • Coordinate plane, ploting points, Latitude and Longitude - for 6th - Geometry students to track the location of the oil spill

  • Finances, Money, Stock Market - for 5th - Financial Math students to determine the cost of the oil spill

  • Linear, Quadratic, Exponential, etc Regression - for Algebra 1 - Pre-Calculus students to predict where the oil spill will be next

  • Exponential and log functions (population growth) - for Algebra 2 - Pre-Calculus students to predict how the oil spill will impact the population growth/decline



    What other mathematical concepts could you address?



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First Post! 05/18/2010
 
 Today's Youth
Picture
Generation Z. 
The NetGen. 
The iTeach Generation. 
The Digital Generation.
The iPod Generation. 
The Screenager Generation. 
The Millennials.
The Internet Generation. 




Whatever you want to call them, there is no denying the fact that today’s students think and learn differently than the previous generations before them.  To deny this generation an education tailored to their specific learning styles is to deny the future a generation of adults who have not lived up to their potential.  According to Don Tapscott, one of the entrepreneur’s behind the recent effort to highlight the unique characteristics of today’s youth, states, “With their reflexes tuned to speed and freedom these empowered young people are beginning to transform every institution of modern life.  From the workplace to the marketplace, from politics to education to the basic unit of any society, the family, they are replacing a culture of control with a cultural of enablement” (Tapscott, 2009, p6).   

Think of someone you know born after 1982.  Chances are these following characteristics describe them:

·         They price freedom and freedom of choice

·         They want to customize things and make them their own

·         They’re natural collaborators who enjoy a conversation, not a lecture

·         They’ll scrutinize you and your organization. 

·         They insist on integrity

·         They want to have fun, even at work and at school

·         Speed is normal

·         Innovation is part of life

(Tapscott, 2009, p6-7)


  What can we conclude?  99.9% of the activities that today's youth are involved in are interactive and provide immediate information and/or feedback.  This is why it is important for educators to transform from the “sage on the stage” and “guide on the side” to the “interactive instructor”. Understanding today’s youth is the best way to understand how they think and learn; and, more importantly, how to increase their mathematical understanding.
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