Notes to teacher:  I will use this in my Geometry class in order to get students to begin to make and test conjectures, which should assist them when we do proofs.

 

FIRST DAY ACTIVITY: 

 

This activity is similar to the activity that we did at the start of the Math Science Lab Connections course at Hinsdale Central.  Instead of using course objectives and personal information as the lists that need to be shared, I have gotten seven Calvin and Hobbes comics from a website of math comics.  (The URL is on the set of comics.)

 

You will need to make 7 copies of each strip for each class (assuming  you have 28 students in your class).  Randomly number the panels 1 through 28, and record what numbers make up each original comic strip.  Make 28 copies of the comics, cut each panel out and make 28 stacks of panels.

 

Each students will be given 28 copies of the same panel.  Tell students to write down the number of the panel they start with (this is very important).  As we did at the start of class, they need to move around the room and trade with every other student so that they end up with one of each panel.  (Numbering them will make it easier for them to know what they are missing)

 

Give the students about 10 minutes to get all the panels.  After 10 minutes, see who is still missing some numbers, and get those to them. 

 

Next, tell the students that this is also a grouping activity.  Tell them that there are 7 different strips, and put a list of what numbers made up each of the original strips.  The four students who STARTED with those numbered strips are your initial random groups for the start of the year.  Tell students to get in their groups and put their comic strip into the order they think is best.  They also should write a short explanation of why they put things in the order they choose.

 

Each group should present their comic and explanation to the class. 

 

We can point out that this uses several aspects of the “scientific method” that paleontologists and other scientists use when they study fossils or other ancient artifacts.  They were given a problem and they had to collect data.  They had to analyze their data (the 4 panels of one of the comic strips) and try to come up with what they thought was a logical way to organize the facts as they knew them.  They also needed to write an explanation for their theory.  Then they presented their findings to their peers for review.

 

I plan to follow up on this activity by having longer comics (I have several Calvin and Hobbes books as well as some Far Side ones).  I will use these in two ways, to encourage students to organize “facts” as well as to try to make conjectures about how to fill in the gaps (in their “fossil” record).  I will rearrange strips that have 7 to 10 panels and give each group one set of data.  Students will need to arrange the panels into a logical order, write out their reasons, and present their findings to the class.  The other way I will follow up on this is to give them some 4 panel comics with the ending panel words whited out. Each group will need to decide what words to put into this panel, justify it and present it to the class.  (since there are 8 comic strips in the “Lab2FirstDay” file, I will use one of these 8 as either an in class or homework assignment the first day with the last part of Calvin’s words “whited” out and ask the students to come up with what they think he should say.

 

As we do these during the first week or so, I will bring in various ways that scientists, engineers or others need to develop these skills.