Colloquium

A Science & Math Curriculum Structure for Effective Student Learning

Hashim Saber University of Montana

State standards and benchmarks are identified and essential questions that serve as advance organizers for the instructional unit are developed, and used as the controlling device for the development and flow of the unit, lesson by lesson. We developed a novel formulation of a unit plan through a template that is based on essential questions and offers a range of teaching and learning strategies which promotes different types of thinking required for effective learning. The unit design and its lessons will be presented together with a full layout of examples in each of the following two applications: Modernizing Montana Science Curriculum: Extremophiles mark the boundaries and robustness of life, and they are inherently an interesting part of Montana environments. In order to modernize science curriculum, supplement older textbooks, and customize curriculum to the natural environment of Montana, NASA materials related to the Extremophiles theme are used to design grades 5-8 science materials. A demonstration will be given of the electronically-disseminated materials which will be available to educators and students. Augmenting Precalculus and Calculus textbooks: The same unit design is also used to construct precalculus and calculus materials. A demonstration of precalculus examples will be given.

Thursday, 21 October 2004 4:10 p.m. in Jour 304

Fall 2004 Colloquium Schedule          Mathematical Sciences | The University of Montana