Translating English to Algebra, a Modified Gallery Walk for Online Students
Summary
In this online assignment students will read about different phrases that indicate the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. They will write additional phrases from their own experience and use them in a full sentence. Students will then receive a compiled list of these phrases and sentences which they will evaluate, synthesize and/or use.
Learning Goals
Students will improve their ability to identify key information in an application problem.
Students will evaluate their own problem solving skills and be introduced to new ways to approach problem solving.
Students will evaluate their own problem solving skills and be introduced to new ways to approach problem solving.
Context for Use
This activity has been designed for an online intermediate algebra course at a community college to refresh students' memories of elementary algebra. It could also be used in a face-to-face class as a standard gallery walk. 3 days – 1 week online course time or 1 hour in a face to face class. Students should be familiar with linear application problems from a previous course.
Description and Teaching Materials
The "Translating English to Mathematics" PowerPoint walks students through some of the most common ways that addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are expressed in English. Assign this as a mandatory activity before starting Part I of the graded assignment.
The "ModifiedGalleryWalk" Word document contains the questions for Part I where students list words, phrases, and sentences from their own experience, and Part II where students read and interact with responses given by the whole class.
Create an online tool to accept submissions for Part I. You can use an online form or set it up as an online assessment with short answer or essay questions.
After the due date on Part I has passed, combine all of the answers for A in a single list eliminating repeated words or phrases. Do the same for C, E, and G. Pick a varied selection of 3–10 of the best answers from questions B, D, F, and H. Insert these lists where indicated in Part II of the Modified Gallery Walk. You can create an online form or quiz for Part II or have the students complete it on paper. Translating English to Math PowerPoint (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 171kB Dec9 16)
Modified Gallery Walk Questions (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 15kB Dec9 16)
The "ModifiedGalleryWalk" Word document contains the questions for Part I where students list words, phrases, and sentences from their own experience, and Part II where students read and interact with responses given by the whole class.
Create an online tool to accept submissions for Part I. You can use an online form or set it up as an online assessment with short answer or essay questions.
After the due date on Part I has passed, combine all of the answers for A in a single list eliminating repeated words or phrases. Do the same for C, E, and G. Pick a varied selection of 3–10 of the best answers from questions B, D, F, and H. Insert these lists where indicated in Part II of the Modified Gallery Walk. You can create an online form or quiz for Part II or have the students complete it on paper. Translating English to Math PowerPoint (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 171kB Dec9 16)
Modified Gallery Walk Questions (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 15kB Dec9 16)
Teaching Notes and Tips
It may also be beneficial to add a problem solving strategies question to Part I, give students the list in Part II, and have them write about the key themes in the list.
Some students avoid doing "story problems". Check in with students who haven't completed the assignment a day or two before it's due.
Some students avoid doing "story problems". Check in with students who haven't completed the assignment a day or two before it's due.
Assessment
Credit on Part I should be based entirely on participation. In Part II, students can be graded on accuracy. On the agree/disagree portion, I base the grade on (right – wrong)/total.