MATH
171 GEOMETRY for ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
TEACHERS
SYLLABUS WINTER, 2008
INSTRUCTOR: Ginger Warfield (a.k.a. Dr. Virginia M. Warfield)
Office:
Padelford C-437
Phone: 543-7445
(office) or
525-0175
(home--9:00 A.M.-10:00 P.M.)
E-mail address: warfield@math.washington.edu
The most dependable way to communicate with me is either to nab me after class
or to use e-mail.
NOTE: My e-mail inbox is currently overworked.
To be sure I spot your message, please
start the subject line with 171, no matter what the content Ñ for
instance:
171 homework question, or 171 web page update?, or 171 math autobio (that one is
explained below!)
T.A.. (co-instructor):
Stephanie Vance
Office:
Padelford C-8J
E-mail address: slvance@u.washington.edu
OFFICE HOURS : Warfield Weds after
class in the classroom, Fris 11-12
Vance:
Mondays 1:30 Ð 3:00 plus another (time will be filled in)
TEXT:
Sowder, Sowder and Nickerson, Reconceptualizing Mathematics
for Elementary and Middle School Teachers: Reasoning about Shapes and
Measurement. Available at
Professional Copy on the corner of 42nd and University. Note: this is a pre-publication
edition, which we have the privilege of trying out and reporting on. I have
requested that it be printed on 3-hole paper so that you can bring a couple of
chapters at a time to class. You should always have the current chapter with
you. If I do any skipping around I will warn you.
COMMUNICATION ESSENTIAL: In an effort to save trees, I plan to minimize the
number of handouts I produce. Information will be available on the blackboard
and on the course web page, which is at
http://faculty.washington.edu/warfield/Math_171/Home.html
Assignments will be on that page (if you donÕt find
one when you expect it, please zap me an e-mail), and you should also check the
page regularly for announcements.
CLASS FORMAT: One of the beauties of
geometry is how much can ‑Ñ in fact, must Ñ be learned hands-on. In
addition, it is a rich area for exercising communication skills. Putting into
words an idea that seems completely clear to you in such a way that it becomes
clear to someone else is challenging and valuable. A lot of your class time
will be spent working in groups to develop and express ideas. Most days you
will be turning in a group effort of some sort. A tremendous amount of the
benefit of this course stems from activities and discussions that go on in
class, and no one can give you that benefit by simply describing the class after
it is over. If you are violently sick or have a family crisis or something
equally serious, tell me about it and I will work with you if need be, but
otherwise try very hard not to
miss class.
COURSE COMPONENTS AND GRADING:
1)
The group products
from class are an essential element. For course credit, you need to turn in at
least 80% of them.
2)
There will be
homework almost every night. It needs to be turned in promptly and neatly, and
to be carefully written up. The introduction to the book has a nice discussion
of what this means and why it is important. We will choose some problems to
grade carefully; others will be more lightly read (weÕll let you know which is
which). Homework that comes in more than one class period late will receive a
maximum of half credit. For course credit you need an overall 80% of homework
credit.
3)
Timed midterms and
finals seem to me to put on a kind of pressure that can often hide the state of
the mathematical knowledge at issue. On the other hand, if there is nothing at
all like an assessment, it is hard for students to have any feeling for how
much they are absorbing. I am going to try out a compromise: 4 to 6 times
during the quarter I plan to give a mini-test during the last 20 minutes of
class. For some or all of it you will not be conferring with your group Ñ it
will be just your own work. If it goes well, you will simply get credit for it.
If it reveals what appears to be a gap in your understanding, then to get
credit you will have to come talk it over with Joshua or me, and possibly do a
little fill-in work. Then weÕll all know that youÕve got it. YouÕll need credit
on all of those.
4)
On the other hand,
I think we need to have something that is closer in scope to the usual midterms
and finals, so I plan on including two or three projects. Details will follow.
ASSIGNMENTS 1
& 2:
For Friday,
January 11:
NOTE:
Both of the assignments for Friday should be sent to us on e-mail. Remember to
start the subject line with Ò171Ó. Send them to me (warfield@math) with a cc to Stephanie (slvance@u.washington.edu).
A)
In the textbook, read
the ÒMessage to Prospective and Practicing TeachersÓ on pages 1 Ð 6. Think
about it, then read it again and then write a brief (1/2 to 1 page) response.
If you did not take Math 170 last quarter, then the response should basically
center around 1) what that you just read do you look forward to with pleasure
and/or excitement and 2) what makes you feel either anxious or skeptical?
If you did take 170 last quarter, you may opt instead
to relate what you see there to what we did in 170 Ñ what seems the same or
different? What says the same thing as before but doesnÕt match what actually
happened?
B) Also please send us a mathematical mini-autobiography. Basically, I am interested in how much mathematics you have had (especially how much of a geometrical nature) and how long ago you had it, and in your response to it all Ñ i.e., how you feel about mathematics.
Please include with that your reason for taking this
course. Are you planning on going into elementary education? Wondering about
doing so? Just curious? Whatever! I have had excellent 171 students in all
three of those categories Ñ IÕm asking because it helps me shape the course.
A)
Make polyhedral
shapes: use the figures printed on card stock that you got with your book, and
the instructions on p. 11 entitled ÒPreliminary Homework Activity for Section
16.2: Fold them upÓ. This may be
the only homework all quarter that you can do while watching TV or chatting
about the Huskies game (but donÕt try to do it at a Huskies game.) You will
definitely need the shapes in class on Wednesday.
B)
Read Section 16.1.
Turn in Learning Exercises 1 Ð 6.