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Week 8

 Welcome back to the Alge-blog! This week's class was another interesting one! We explored the grade 11 and 12 math curriculums and the connections of concepts throughout the different courses available. We looked at the possible pathways students can take in grades 11 and 12 what is important to students in those grades. We also completed several new fun and interesting activities that I can consider applying in my future classroom.

What stood out and what I learned

In table groups, we looked at the different course expectations across grades 11 and 12 and put them into a table to show their connections. It is important to analyze the connections of concepts across different courses because students can be coming into a class from different pathways. For example, students in grade 12 university courses could be coming from grade 11 university or mixed class pathways. Understanding their prior knowledge can help the teacher to be more prepared to teach. 

Furthermore, we discussed what students in grades 11 and 12 are looking for and what they need. We determined that at this time in their high school career, they are starting to hone in on their post-secondary plans, and will decide on a pathway that will lead them to their goals. While most will be more focused and taking courses they want, some will be taking classes to check of requirements for their post-secondary goals. Because of this, we discussed how grade 11 mixed math and grade 12 data management will likely have the most mix of abilities and backgrounds. Grade 11 mixed math can lead to both college and university pathways, and grade 12 data management is a common course that students take to complete the 4U math requirement for universities. For these reasons, I think these are the most likely classes to have a wide range of ability and passion for mathematics.


Activities:

I really liked the “Log Wars” activity we did today! I think it was fun, simple, and related well to the topic. This is an activity I think I will incorporate into a future math lesson because it challenges students to follow the given formula or concept to solve for x, and it is in the form of a popular card game that adds the excitement of competition to learning. 


Today, we also had a couple more “Leading a Learning Activity” Presentations. The groups had very creative activities planned. The first group did an activity on simple interest and compound interest using popcorn as the money. I think that it was a fun activity, and I liked getting to eat the popcorn. However, as much as I enjoyed the activity, I found the instructions confusing, and I usually try to stay away from using food in activities. Thinking about a grade 7 or 8 class, I dont think this lesson would go smoothly, but it depends on the group. 

The second group did a speed-dating theme activity, which I thought was cute and fun and aligned with the content well. I liked the matching idea as it was interactive and got students moving. I think this is a good activity to keep in my back pocket. However, depending on the group, I may consider changing the name to something more neutral. When I was in the cadet program, we played a game called “Prom date” with a ages 12-17, but we had to stop playing due to some participants making inappropriate jokes. This experience made me cautious about dating-related themes, but the structure of the activity itself was excellent and adaptable.



Finally, we participated in a “who done it” murder mystery themed activity. I thought it was creative and engaging, but my group found it more challenging. I think this could have been because of the time constraint, or the large number of cards from the beginning. Either way, I liked the idea as it it encourages collaboration, discussion, and problem solving. 


Key takeaways

This weeks lesson reminded me of how important it is for teachers to understand the diversity of students needs within their classroom, especially in senior grades where students goals and motivations can vary greatly. As a future math teacher, I want my lessons to be meaningful and relevant for all students. Recognizing the connections between courses, and the potential pathways students can take, will help me to prepare lessons that build on students knowledge and prepare them for their next steps. I also want to create an inclusive classroom where students feel supported no matter their level of passion or ability. 

The various activities we completed in class today reminds me of the importance of keeping lessons engaging and adaptable. Each offered new ideas on how to make mathematics interactive and fun. As a future teacher, I want to design lessons and activities that are creative and get students involved in their own learning, but also ensure they are clearly structured and appropriate for the group. I will carry these activity ideas into my future classrooms and consider adapting and applying similar ideas into my lessons with the focus of creating a positive and effective math activity. 

Comments

  1. Deidre13 November 2025 at 09:07

    Great post - lots of good thoughts and connections to your future classroom.

    ReplyDelete

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