Step 0: Read through the unit

Due: Tuesday, February 13, 2001

• Make a copy of your chapter for each member of your group. As a group, you can keep the book, in case you want to look at the units before or after your unit. Please do not write in the books; they are my private property.
• Read through the unit from the cover page through the supplementary problems. This will give you an overview and a sense what the unit is all about.
• As a group, determine the primary mathematical concept(s) developed in the unit. Also, if applicable, determine the context of the unit (for IMP groups, this would be the "Big Problem." Core Plus units usually entertain several smaller themes; list those you find important)

Step 1a: Choosing the problems

Due: Tuesday, February 20, 2001

• Read your chapter a second time. As you read, choose the problems you want to work. The problems you are choosing should be representative of the main ideas, concepts, and skills developed in the unit. For IMP groups, the" Big Problem" and its solution should be included.
• Be prepared to turn in you list of problems 2/20/01. Look at this list as tentative. That is, if - during your work on the unit and preparation for your presentation - you realize that a different problem would be more appropriate than one on the list, you can make an exchange. Also, the set of problems you choose do not have to identical within a group.
• Don't panic, the final version of the worked problems is not due until the due until the date of your project (April). Nevertheless, I will not provide you with the teacher's edition until you have worked through the problems.

Step 1b: Working the problems

• Your write-up of each problem should include: Problem statement, solution process, solution explanation, and some kind of evaluation (basically, the first four parts of a POW write-up).
• In the evaluation of the problem you should address why you chose the problem, what you got out of it (conceptually), whether or not you enjoyed it, and what you think students would get out of working the problem. You do not have to address all the points made in the book, only if they are appropriate.

Step 2: Assemble Project Write-Up

Minimum Requirements:

• Cover page
• Statement of context of unit problem (IMP) or primary context (CorePlus) and of primary math concept(s)
• Overview of unit (you can organize the overview by days (IMP) or by lesson (CorePlus))
• Revised list of worked problems
• The worked problems - this is the biggest part. I prefer that you start each problem on a new page, this makes for better reading. It will help you later if you want to use one or several problems in your teaching; you can just pull them out of your folder.
• List of math concepts and out-of-math contexts/concepts; work on the list as you work (or skip) the problems. The list should not make a lot of extra work, it should be a side product of your work on the problems. But it will help you in your decisions of which problems to include and which to omit. Here is an example from the population unit:

Context	Math concept	Math / non-math context
Growth of oil slick	Average rate of growth (p. 291) Instantaneous rate of growth (p. 318)	Area, quadratic equations
Falling objects (rescue bundle, diving speed)	Average rate of increase (speed) over different time intervals (p. 311); Instant rate of increase (speed; pp. 313, 314)	Speed, quadratic equations
Deflation	Exponential decay (p. 347)	Depreciation of car value
Inflation (broken eggs)	Exponential growth (p. 328)	Recursive thinking

• An overall evaluation of the unit, how you liked or disliked it; what you learned; (optional: How you might modify the unit or parts of the unit if you were in charge)
• Two problems as suggestions for the final;
• Skip the POW's; optional for extra credit

Step 3: Preparing the Presentation

The presentation will grow out of the written report (or better: the written report and the presentation will complement each other) and should contain

• Title of unit
• Overview of unit
• Statement of unit problem (or primary context)
• Presentation of primary math concept(s) of unit
• Development of solution of unit problem / primary problem
• Preparation of one activity for the class to do so they get the flavor of the unit and its content; for the IMP groups, the activity should relate to the unit problem.
• Prepare one homework problem (10 points) which you as group will grade;

The presentation will be graded on four criteria on a 0 to 5 scale:

• Mathematical correctness and clarity;
• Presentation (e.g., equal participation of group members, smooth transitions, fluency);
• Professionalism (e.g., quality of overheads, having all the materials, being well prepared);
• Class involvement (as appropriate for the topic; a 75-minute lecture would not be appropriate);

Everyone in the class will be involved in the grading, including the presenters. You have to justify the points you are assigning in the comment section. You can give the same number of points to each group member or you can differentiate between group member.

Very important: Please remember that the four group members will be evaluated on all four criteria. Therefore it is very important that you divide the presentation equally. For example if a group member would present only the overview of the unit, then there would be no mathematics component that we could evaluate.

As we are coming closer to the presentation dates, I will consult with each group. However, if you have questions in between - you know where to find me.

Finally, please remember that the project (write-up plus presentation) represents 40% of your grade. Together with the homework grade you have power over 60 % of your grade. It would be less trouble (work, thought, planning) for me if I replaced the project with two tests. But then you would not learn what I want you to learn: how to analyze a unit, its concepts and contexts, in preparation for teaching.