Re: Resources for math

Jim Foerch (alrai@ix.netcom.com)
Fri, 26 Jul 1996 17:40:17 EDT

Dear Mr. Scollin,
Two ideas:
1. For a traditional 6-12 grade math class room (students in desks in rows,
textbook-driven curriculum, daily homework) I recommend the Saxon series.
Mr. Saxon has designed a text-based curriculum with lots of review built in.
The students will be doing problems in May like they first learned in
September. Because the progress is linear, less able students find the
Saxon series less threatening than Chicago math and the quicker students
don't get paired with slow kids in cooperative groups. Saxon will guarantee
results- your students will be able to pass standardized tests or your money
back! Caveat: If you want to nurture creativity, interdependence or
concrete life applications, Saxon's books won't do it. If your students
have poor attendance and 'forget' to bring materials to class or do
homework, Saxon won't help them.
2. For fun, excitement and real life applications,try this lesson
plan based on the Crutchfield car/home audio catalog. Students learn a ton
of acoustic and electrical theory while juggling numbers from Hertz to dollars.

Auto Audio Lesson
based on Crutchfield Catalog

The real textbooks of your life are high tech catalogs. Real answer sheets
of your life are mail order forms. This lesson is an opportunity to learn
the theory of sound as applied in car/home stereo shopping in the
Crutchfield catalog. Start by reading your text, Ch. 27. Here's the
learning objective:
TLW demonstrate an understanding of sound by defining and/or using the
words frequency, Hertz (Hz), pitch, ultrasound, decibels and medium.
You will use these technical terms to describe you choice of car audio
components from the catalog. In addition you will define and learn to use
the following technical terms from the catalog:

stereo
speaker
presets
FM mono sensitivity
RCA Preamp outputs
FM stereo separation
tape EQ
faders
dynamic range
track programming
RDS
subwoofers
tight vs loose bass
crossover
regulated power supply
2-ohm stable
graphic equalizer
metal tape
efficiency
45 receiver
AM
peak power
Dolby Noise Reduction
Signal-to-noise ratio
flutter
monowiring harness
FM
scan
disc memory
woofer
bass box
frequency range
RMS vs peak power
MOSFET
in parallel
equalizer bands
audible freqency range
impedance
anti-theft
RMS power
frequency response
wow
music search
power-off release
full-logic controls
illumination
CD programming
max peamp output voltage
tweeter
speaker sensitivity
amplifier
discrete output devices
bridged power
THD
high-bias tape
midrange
LP

Work in groups of 4. Each student is responsible for defining 5 of the
terms and teaching the other team members about them. Then use your new,
technical expertise to choose your personal, ultimate car or home stereo.
Fill out an order form and append a note saying what sort of home
electronics you think you'll have ten years from now.
Best of fortune to you,

Jim Foerch
Banjo, math & science teacher at
Pine Street Creative Arts Alternative School,
Grand Rapids, Michigan
alrai@ix.netcom.com