MAKING THE MATH/SCIENCE CONNECTION

One of CLIME's goals is to explore ways of integrating math and science more effectively with the help of technology. What got me interested in this and at the same time disturbed me was an article that I read in a journal for science educators. In the article was an activity that had upper elementary level students find the height of a flagpole using a clinometer. After doing their measurements, they were given the formula: Height = Baseline X the tangent of the angle of elevation and asked to plug in the values. A table of tangents was conveniently included to make this process relatively painless. But there was not even a footnote of an attempt to explain what a tangent was! Either the author felt it was not necessary, or too hard, or maybe both. This bothered me enough to motivate me to write an article in "Leading and Learning with Technology" (ISTE: February, 1996) entitled: Measuring Heights or What Trigonometry Tables Are All About? In it I show how younger students can learn and appreciate how this table of tangents is helpful in solving the problem. (I just finished putting the article on the web. I would be very interested in your reactions.) I hope that this article and the discussion that ensues will lead to further action. Stay tuned....

DID YOU KNOW?

At the Washington Meeting this year there are 33 sessions devoted to math and science integration - a significant increase over last year. (Listing of sessions)

Bill Nye (the Science Guy) who does an entertaining and informative science program for children (on PBS and other stations) has a show on probability? In it he talks about the birthday problem. At one point in the show he starts to write on the board the formulas involved in finding the probabilities, then gets frustrated with its complexity and gives up! Moral of the story? Don't bother understanding the formulas (there just too hard)... just plug in the numbers! Even this scientist/entertainer who works at promoting a love of science will support the belief that the mathematics experience is a kind of magical, mystical carpet ride. (He should have played some Beatle music to go with it!)

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