It's the Look -
In late March, Cape Hatteras Secondary School of Coastal Studies sixth grade students in Scott Day's math class were using wireless notebooks for multiple practical applications. In a great example of incorporating writing and use of technology in applying math concepts, students researched a data display where part of their assignment was to print out a graph from a website and to write a descriptive paragraph about the information. "We looked at different types of graphs, and what type of graph best represents the given data," described Day. Examples included a circle graph representing usage of social networking sites in the US (eg, Facebook, Twitter); line graphs of stock prices; and how box and whisker plots are used by the state of North Carolina to determine the EOG (end of grade) test/assessment scores; and how quartiles (levels 1,2,3,4) are determined for sixth grade math students statewide. From left, Emery Becker, Icy Webb, Jasmine Quidley, Allie Quidley, and Kiara Bowman.
Photo: Donna Tokazowski
Click here for the district's resource page to learn more about the new core curriculum and essential standards that are being implemented in Dare County (and schools across the nation) next year. Many Dare County teachers, such as Day, are incorporating writing, technology, critical thinking and collaborative problem solving in their classrooms ahead of the state mandates. Many of these "new" best practices have already been implemented as standard practice in local classrooms.
Find the Secondary Program of Study 2012-2013 (grades 6-12) here,