Software: Zoombinis

Week 11: March 24

MATH 459/ELMA 559 ~ Technology in Elementary and Middle School Mathematics Instruction ~ Spring 2004

Class meeting schedule and topics

Wednesday, March 24 ~	Zoombinis
	1. Visit the Zoombinis Web site. (www.zoombinis.com).
	2. Play the Mudball Wall Demo (www.zoombinis.com/games/mudball.htm).
	3. Observe demonstrations of "Zoombinis Logical Journey" and "Zoombinis Mountain Rescue." Complete outline reviews of these programs. Please focus on the mathematical content of the program.
	4. Examine the Lesson Plans provided at the Zoombinis Web site (www.zoombinis.com/index_moz.html?bw=2732).
	5. Install and run the Zoombinis Island Odyssey Demo download (www.riverdeep.net/support/download_center/docs/zoombinis_island_odyssey_demoexe.jhtml).
Wednesday, March 31 ~	Sunburst Software programs
Wednesday, April 7 ~	The Geometer's Sketchpad

Homework Assignments

10. Due Wednesday, March 31

    Required work

    1. Complete rows of the Zoombinis "Activity Matrix" for the "Mudball Wall" demo and the "Island Odyssey" demo.

    2. Write a lesson plan in the style of those provided on the Zoombinis Web site for either the "Mudball Wall" demo or the "Island Odyssey" demo.

    3. Complete the four pages of "Printable Games" that accompany "Zoombinis Logical Journey."

    Optional work

    • Write a lesson plan in the style of those provided on the Zoombinis Web site for either the "Island Odyssey" demo or the "Mudball Wall" demo.

11. Due Wednesday, April 7

    Required work

    1. Use Tinkerplots to explore the Indiana County PSSA scores data for grades 5, 8, and 11. Create graphs to search for associations in school district, grade level, reading, and mathematics.

       Use your graphs to prepare a letter to Dr. Yong Colen and his family. Dr. Colen will be joining the IUP Mathematics Department faculty this coming Fall. As he prepares to move to Indiana, use your graphs to illustrate comparisons in schools and school districts in Indiana County.

    2. Other work may be announced ...

    Optional work

    • To be announced ...

12. Due Wednesday, April 14

    Required work

    1. Write a review of the Tinkerplots software. Address your review to the Statistics Education Research Group at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Base your comments on our class discussions on what a good review should contain.

    2. Other work may be announced ...

    Optional work

    • To be announced ...