Summer 2000 Teacher Intern
Saveth Soun
The locations of my internships: Tulip Graphics (graphic communications company) and University of California Printing Services (printing services company); both in Berkeley, CA
My colleague and partner for this program is Belinda Evans, who is an English teacher. Ms. Evans and I are teachers at Adams Middle School for the 2000-2001 school year. I teach seventh and eighth grade math.
I will implement teaching strategies that will make math stimulating, interactive, and real to my students. They will learn about math and its relevance to their lives and future careers.
I have learned through completion of my internships, collaboration work, and curriculum writing that math and language arts skills are important in the workplace. My unit that follows is based on the premise that math skills are necessary in many careers. I have met my goal for this program, which was to "learn about necessary math applications in the work force in order that I may make math relevant in the classroom."
I strongly recommend that teachers participate in any future School-to-Career Internships. As an educator, I plan on making future collaborations with companies, universities, School-to-Career Office, and schools in order that I may be the best advocate for my students in their educational success and career endeavors. As a result of my internships this summer, I was able to simulate what students experience in their internships. It was rewarding since I was able to receive hands on training versus only classroom lessons. Therefore, I also recommend to students to participate in any internships. This is essential in keeping many students committed to their middle school and high school education and in preparation of work-related interactions and experience
Applying Math in Color Blending
Outcome: Student teams will each prepare a portfolio (eleven pages in length) to be presented to the class. Each team is made up of four students. Use STAD (Student Team - Achievement division) approach. Refer to Conditions for in depth explanation of STAD.
Overview: This unit is interrelated to Language Arts, Printing, Graphic Arts, and Science. It will take approximately seven days to complete. Students will cheer each other on amongst their team, which will create a climate of individual accountability and excitement. Each student will be able to see the relevance of math skills in the workplace.
Standards: Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools. Each lesson notes the specific math standards addressed. English / Language Arts Content Standards. Each lesson notes the specific English / Language Arts standards addressed.
Assessments: Academic Rubric, Life Skills' Rubric, Quizzes, Individual Summary Papers, Group Portfolios
Goal: To stimulate interest in math as the student sees the relevance of the subject in everyday life and in their future careers. The student will use ratios and proportions in color blending activities. The student will collaborate with other students in their STAD teams. The student will create charts and graphs to display their understanding of ratios and proportions. The student will use written language to explain and interpret the visual aids (such as the charts and graphs). The student will use their creativity in formulating colors. The student will be able to summarize color blending theories. The student will use prediction to hypothesize outcome of color blending activities. The student will summarize outcome of their particular color blending activity and compare to hypothesis.
Conditions: Each student will belong to a STAD team (which teacher organizes). The main idea behind the Student Team - Achievement Division is that each small cooperative group competes with all the other cooperative groups. Not only does this simulate real life situations, but it also fosters a great deal of excitement and stimulation in the classroom. Emphasize to class that all group members are responsible for ensuring that everyone in their group masters the material. The group is not finished with a task until all group members have achieved that goal. Each student will contribute appropriate amount of work to group activities and to completion of portfolio. Each student will use teamwork skills to cooperate, collaborate, and give valuable input. Each group is responsible for asking necessary questions to teacher as they arise during unit. This unit is built on the premise that students have already mastered ratios, proportions, and cross multiplying.
Modifications: Length of portfolio project is based upon number of students in the group. Therefore, if there are five students in the group instead of four, there will be twelve pages total. However, if there are three students in the group, there will be ten pages total.
Materials: Handouts of Color in Printing, unlined white paper, lined paper, crayons, colored pencils, markers, pencils, lined paper, chalk and chalkboard, overhead, overhead markers, poster paints, scales, empty jars (10 to 16 ounces in size), formula guide (if possible, Pantone Color Formula Guide),
Lesson 1: What is Color in Print? How is math connected to it?
By Saveth Soun
Outcome: The student will summarize in three paragraphs Color in Print. The student will explain in this paper the difference between additive and subtractive colors. The student will analyze the color blending theories. The student will explain the significance of ratios and proportions in color blending. The student will quiz each other on material from notes and papers. The student will take a teacher-paced quiz.
Conditions: The lesson will take two class periods. Have class arranged in horseshoe manner.
Anticipatory Set: Begin class by holding up Pantone Color Formula Guide. Give a four to five minute explanation of the guide. Pass out to students so that everyone has the opportunity to see, touch, and feel it. Make sure to explain that this guide is used in the graphic communications and printing industries. Explain to class the outcome of the unit.
Lesson Development: Day #1: Pass out handouts on Color in Print and have students read Origins of Process Color. Lecture to students for about fifteen minutes on this information and its connection to ratios and proportions. Use the overhead and or the chalkboard to give notes and make illustrations of the color mixtures. Students are to take notes in their notebooks. Give instructions to students to write a three - paragraph paper on Color in Print. Allow approximately fifteen minutes for this summary writing activity.
Day #2: Group students into assigned STAD teams and have them study and quiz each other on this material using notes. Each team discusses their members' papers. Allow about fifteen to twenty minutes for this portion of activity. Inform students that they will be quizzed on this material today. Give a quiz on Day #1's lesson. Inform the students now that they are allowed to use their notes and papers. However, each student is to work individually. Allow about fifteen minutes for quiz. If possible, have quiz up on overhead so students are following along with teacher at teacher's pace. This is a classroom management device that I employ to keep class quiet and attentive.
After the class has completed the quizzes, teacher collects and puts aside to grade later. At the close of class, inform students that tomorrow, they will be implementing ratios and proportions for color blending activity.
Materials: Color in Print handouts, notebooks, pencils, overhead, overhead markers, chalkboard, colored chalk, prepared quiz on transparency
Assessment: Teacher uses Academic Rubric to grade paper. Teacher uses Life Skills' Rubric to grade for cooperation in STAD teams.
Standards: English / Language Arts Content Standards / Reading, grade 7, Word Analysis, 1.3 and Reading Comprehension, 2.2.