So, "What is "Maud-ified" instruction," you ask. To explain this, I have to introduce my mother, Maud. She is an amazing woman. I believe I saw every craft fad that came out between 1960 (when I was born) to 1978 (when I graduated high school). My mom, not only did all those crafts, but she excelled at them and taught them to me. She is also amazing at sewing, kniting, crocheting, and cooking. Her rule of thumb is that every recipe, pattern, instruction, etc. is just a guideline. Because of her extensive and varried experience and ability to "see" the process and the product before beginning, she is able to "Maud-ify" the project and improve it or personalize it.
In my Literacy in Content Area class, I am creating a unit for my high stakes assessment. I'm using an Algebra & Trig textbook I got at the thrift store as my foundation. The format I am using is from Bernice McCarthy's book, About Teaching. The unit is taught following a cycle of learning styles and brain modalities; a Universal Design for Learning model. I developed a teaching progression loosely based on chapter 8 in the text, Systems of Equations and Inequalities. Toward the end of the chapter there was a great example of a system of equations developed from an objective of providing water and medical kits to an area hit by an earthquake. I took this idea and "Maud-ified" it to use as my introduction (connect and attend) to the unit. The instruction through the unit will prepare them for solving this multi-faceted problem.
The unit begins with an anticipation guide and YouTube clips of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Students discuss their experiences with disaster, either natural or personal, and imagine what resources victims of these diasters need. Then students look at what would be involved in getting resources to people on a broad scale. In their project at the end of the unit, students will develope a system of linear inequalities modeling a relief effort transporting water and medical kits flown in a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. This is all the information they will be given and they will have to search for the information they need.
Instruction during the unit will progress from graphing and observing graphs of systems of linear equalities in two variables, seeing the need for a more accurate (mathematical) evaluation, and having students develop an algebraic approach. Systems in three variables and non-linear systems will be discussed but not extensively. Linear inequalities are then introduced and evaluated before beginning their unit project.
Two problems in the text gave me ideas for how to introduce these concepts to students. To introduce a simple linear system, I created a handout with a "Maud-ified" or stripped down lemonade stand problem from the text. Students are asked to think through what they need and find the information; less helpful. To introduce linear inequalities, I "Maud-ified" a problem in the text that had a picture of a graph of target heart rates for exercise based on age. We'll discuss sports, exercise, and keeping healthy. I'll show a table I got from the American Heart Association web site and have students create the mathematic model and graph and then discuss the boundries.
Now they are equipped to tangle with the bigger idea presented at the beginning of the unit.
Disclaimer: Any representations made by the author are based on theory and not actual milage. Images are closer than they appear. Side effects may include nausea, headach, or (hopefully) a connection to the beauty of math.
