TEKS Based – We have taken all learning standards for this course and applied them to the project-based environment. All math concepts are performed on projects the students actually construct.
Innovative – As the year progresses, students will be given parameters for projects to complete. The criteria given relates to specific TEKS within the course. For example: One projects must have an element that uses electrical wiring due to the fact that they have electrical TEKS to learn about. One project must include circular elements due to the TEKS related to circular math.
Relevant – Students learn real-world mathematics through experience. They are placed on a team that truly becomes a functional company. The students are given a budget to buy materials. They plan projects through professional 3-D software, compile materials lists, keep detailed expense reports, market and sell their products, and keep accurate books along the way. Each “company” competes for the most profitable of the year.
Excellent Alternative to other math courses – Many students need to have a final math credit, and traditional courses do not appeal. They are able to see the “why do we need to know this” by actually experiencing the need for skills including measurement, trigonometry, budget, finance, and using the latest construction software.
What our curriculum includes:
Student Workbook and Portfolio -Includes notes for math concepts, QR codes to videos teaching software, project planning, budget tracking, math application over projects, etc.
Teacher Guide which includes all of the following:
TEKS Verification – A document that shows where each TEK or learning standard is covered
TEKS based worksheets – These are the math skills the teams complete over the projects they actually construct
Shop Challenges – These are cross-curricular, cross-campus challenges that provide the opportunity for younger classes to design projects that fit fixed parameters and our Applied Math students plan and build them. Both the designers and builders present to a panel of judges and one team is named the winner. TEKS based math is completed by the high school students as well as the younger students.
Rubrics for grading – This includes rubrics for the shop challenges, as well as for Sketchup designs for each project.
Instructional videos of Sketchup – These show the basics of how to create a 3D design of the project to be built in Sketchup, but also how to use the tools easily see relevant Engineering views, thus hitting TEKS calling for Engineering views/comprehension.
Spreadsheet to keep track of expenses for each “company” and whole class – This spreadsheet includes a different page for each company, as well as a cover page tying all expenses together with formulas. This keeps track of all expenses, deposits, profit margins, etc.
Slideshows of Engineering content – Students are required to know information regarding types of lines and views in engineering. In addition to the Autocad videos showing different views of our projects, there are slideshows that teach the line types and view definitions.
Basic layout for year – An example of timeline you could use for structuring the year. This would represent one way to plan, but we adjust each year to other options.