Having a Choice and a Voice While Learning Math
Eight graders applied their knowledge of functions and data sets to investigate subjects of interest to them.
In Algebra 1, we cover various types of functions - linear, quadratic, absolute value, rational, radical, and more–and use digital resources, such as Desmos to visualize our functions and compare them. One of our recent projects involved designing pet houses using linear functions and inequalities. Each student created their design and spent time perfecting their house for their dog, cat, guinea pig, and even a house for Spongebob. In the coming weeks, students will create projects during the quadratics unit. Some will create parabolic Rube-Goldberg machines, model the Golden Gate Bridge, some explore parabolic string art, and some explore quadratics with light. Math is art! Students at Live Oak get to see their learning come alive in their projects - they have a choice and a voice in their learning.
One throughline for the year is the investigation of change over time. In our linear functions unit, students work on a project in which they choose a data set that matters to them. One student chose to investigate rates of people experiencing homelessness in our city. One chose to look at COVID-19 spread, one at Disneyland attendance. There is such value in students choosing to investigate a topic of their choice. Celebrating agency and ownership allows students to start looking at their school, their community, the world and say - how can I make things better? How am I a changemaker?
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