Change in Plans

Due to the limited bandwidth at the school, we've had to discontinue all computer based programs which is making it challenging.  As a result, the department heads had to figure out how the alternative students will finish their classes.

The majority of these kids are there because they have difficulty in regular class and honestly, the majority of them have not been doing well with these computer based classes.

As a response, we've put together units which we hope students will find interesting.  The majority of students taking math were enrolled in a 6th or 7th grade math.  I believe the idea was for them to get through a math class so they could graduate but few have finished more than 5% of the class.

 Most of the teachers are hoping students will do better if they can choose what they want to study.  I spent Saturday putting four different units together for 15 students.  The units only contain the first week of work but I have more to organize for the next two to three weeks.

One unit covers aviation math which will look at simple vectors, converting C to F, calculating distance, speed, and time, calculating amount of fuel needed, ground speed, take off and landing, and a few other topics.  The first week has them reading a general introduction to the topic so they have a better idea of what the math is for each item.  They will do a worksheet on vectors, converting C to F, and calculating airspeed. 

Another unit is on carpentry math.  The first assignment is focused on learning about angles, Pythagorean theorem, and roof angles.  There are four reading assignments with problems, and identifying angles as right, acute, or obtuse.  Carpentry is a skill they can use out here in the village so its something they might be interested in.

Of course, I threw in a Cryptography Unit because I think its fun.  They begin by working some simple codes using the Caesar shift. The next activity explores this shift in even more detail followed by the reading and trying to work a worksheet introducing each type of common cipher.  Each week, they'll do more coding and breaking codes while learning about various codes in detail.

The final unit is on Forensic Math.  For the first week, they will use ratios to calculate a perpetrators height based on their foot length and they have to identify if the person walked, jogged, or ran away.  The last assignment will deal with bullet trajectory.  Next week they will be introduced to the math of blood splatter.  Over the next few weeks, they'll calculate how long since the person died, learn more about calculating height from the bones, and if the victim is male or female etc.

The hope is that these students will do more math if it is not taught in the traditional way and if its something that will peak their interest.  The science teacher is offering a forensic unit from a science point of view which is why I chose to look at the math. We are hoping students might get interested and do the work.

I'd love to get feedback from people on this idea.  These students don't work in regular class. They are absent or late to class to much and only seem to come to school for the socialization.  We hope this sparks their desire to work.  Have a great day.