Math can come alive when it becomes a real life adventure. Students need a positive experience with math that they can hold on to for the rest of their lives. A treasure hunt using GPS receivers will put students into the experience they need.
My students attend a city school in Central Illinois.
43% receive free and reduced lunch. Many of them have not had positive experiences in math. However, they get excited to see math in action instead of just out of the book. When demonstrations are done on the screen or activities are done using motion sensors they get very interested. They enjoy having something visual to latch on to when in math class. They are students who need to have a physical experience that they can relate to when absorbing the math concepts.
My Project
3 teams are sent to to various locations in our local park. Using GPS receivers they must locate a cache that will indicate their precise location. When each team finds their location they will radio to the central command station. When all the teams are set the instructor at the command station will simultaneously radio to all the remote stations to prepare for the air horn sound. The sound will be broad-casted across the radio and through the air. Everyone at each station will have a stopwatch to time the difference between the sound across the radio and the sound through the air. This will be done three times. For all three sounds of the horn every ones time will be recorded. All times will be averaged to determine the most accurate time. This time will be used to calculate the distance to the secret location.
The three teams will rendezvous at the starting point to share data. Using math they will find out how far away they were from the secret location.
Students need activities that go beyond the book so they can have something to relate to when working on new math concepts.
From this experience, students will be able to talk about linear equations, velocity, geometry, mapping, triangulation, time, distance, unit conversions, and so much more. The experience bleeds into science and physical education as well. This will give students a more enriching high school educational experience.
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