General Information Project Overview Curriculum Connections Resource Connections Evaluation

  General Information

  Project Overview

The purpose of this project is to have students participate in Mathematics problem solving by using the Internet. Eight students from the Mathematics enrichment class in Grade 6 from Deer Lake Pentecostal School will develop their own story problems and post them on their individual Internet home pages. These story problems will be accessed by Mathematics enrichment students from St. Stephen's Elementary, Stephenville. Solutions will be developed and then submitted to students at Deer Lake via e-mail. Feedback will then be provided by the Deer Lake students for the various solutions that are submitted.

Students at Deer Lake Pentecostal School will also be able to access story problems on the St. Stephen's Elementary home page and submit their solutions via e-mail as well.

  Curriculum Connections

Mathematics

Students who participate in this project will not only develop problem-solving skills, but will also acquire an understanding of how everyday problems require Mathematics. Further, a different perspective in the problem-solving process is developed, in that, not only does the student solve problems, but also he/she creates them. This process will undoubtedly aid the student in developing a better understanding of the problem-solving process.

Therefore students will:

• Use problem-solving strategies to find a solution to a story problem;
• Name the operation(s) necessary for solving a one- or multi-step story problem;
• Write and solve a number sentence for both one- or multi-step story problems;
• Identify unnecessary information in a story problem;
• Supply the missing information necessary for solving a story problem;
• Create story problems;
• Write questions for story problems;
• Write story problems based on a number sentence or numbers; and
• Determine the reasonableness of a given answer to a story problem.

Computer Studies

A major theme in the area of computer technology is that of critical thinking and problem solving skills, and how these skills are developed using technology. It is hoped that students will understand that technology is essential in solving everyday problems that are encountered. Further, students must realize that they are able to manipulate technology in order to meet the goals that they set. Since students will be creating home pages, sending/receiving e-mail, uploading/downloading files, saving/retrieving files, etc., they will expose themselves to invaluable computer concepts that can be used in the problem-solving process.

Outcomes for Technology Education

While participating in this project, students will:

• Use communication tools to access, evaluate and select appropriate information, and to create, modify and disseminate information;
• Use a variety of communications technologies and tools;
• Explore and identify information and communications tools in daily use at home and in school;
• Identify ways in which people, including themselves, are affected by technological change;
• Employ the language and terminology of communications processes and communications tools when solving technological problems and when describing their solutions to others;
• Demonstrate knowledge of the basic communications principles of encoding/decoding, transmitting/receiving, and storing/retrieving; and
• Use communications technologies to build new knowledge from existing information.

  Resource Connections

At this present time, Deer Lake Pentecostal School has limited access to on-line resources. With eight students participating in the project from this school, it would be very difficult to provide these students with suitable accessibility. Therefore, Internet access throughout the school would be essential if this project is to be a success.

Other resources will also be used during the duration of this project. These are:

• HTML editor (Hot Dog, HotMetal)
• Logitech Scanner (Model 256)

  Evaluation

Evaluation during this project will be ongoing throughout the school year. Students will be expected to:

• Develop story problems and discuss solutions with other students via e-mail;
• Solve story problems and submit solutions via e-mail;
• Create home pages using HTML editor;
• Transfer individual home pages onto the school's home page ensuring that they are kept up-to-date on a weekly basis; and,
• Use a scanner to place diagrams, graphs and pictures on individual home pages.