Technology+Assisted+Assessment+Inquiry

__Calendar Mathematics Using Expressions and Matrices__ __Abstract:__ The project I have created is a mathematical calendar that employees the students’ knowledge of expressions and operations contained within them (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, operations with matrices, simplifying and evaluating expressions). This project serves to replace a traditional quiz that is normally given to the students at the end of this chapter. It offers them an opportunity to present their knowledge to me in a non-traditional format using technology to create a calendar that showcases all types of these operations to generate the dates on the calendar. It also affords me an opportunity to upload their work to my teacher website to share with their parents and other faculty, staff, and community members.

__Content Standards (Elementary Algebra, Strand II):__
 * Carry out a procedure to simplify expressions using the properties of real numbers (associative, commutative, and distributive).
 * Carry out a procedure to evaluate an expression by substituting a value for a variable.
 * Carry out a procedure to perform operations with matrices (addition, subtraction, and scalar multiplication).
 * Carry out a procedure to simplify a polynomial expression.

__Goals and Objectives of the Lesson:__ __﻿__ __Assessments Used:__
 * The learner will be able to demonstrate understanding of proprieties of real numbers by using the associative, commutative, and distributive properties.
 * The learner will be able to evaluate an expression by combining like terms and substituting a value for a variable.
 * The learner will be able to perform operations with matrices.__﻿__
 * The original assessment I used for this unit, was a quiz that was basically recall with little application of knowledge. The students prefer this type of assessment because it is not very challenging for them and only requires the basic understanding and first few layers of Blooms' Taxonomy.

(after these are used at least three times, you may choose the rest of your examples randomly from these five types) These projects need to be submitted in paper format (printed out) and electronically. They will be displayed on my teacher website for others to view your work.
 * The new (technology) assessment is outlined in the following steps.
 * 1) Students will use their knowledge of the properties of real numbers including simplifying and evaluating expressions, combining like terms, operations with real numbers, and matrices to create a mathematical calendar using a table in Microsoft Word or an Excel spreadsheet.
 * 2) Details for the calendar:
 * It must be created for the student’s month of birth. (For example, I am a December baby so my calendar would be for December.)
 * You may use your date of birth for a “free space” that will not need any mathematical information on it.
 * For each space (1-28, 1-30, 1-31 depending on the number of days in a given month), create an example (problem and solution) that generates the number on the date. (For example: Simplify the following expression: x^2 – 4 for x = 5. The answer is 25 – 4 = 21. This expression would be used on the 21st of that month.)
 * You must use at least three of every type of the following from this chapter:
 * 1) Multiplication with real numbers
 * 2) Division with real numbers
 * 3) Operations with matrices
 * 4) Evaluating an expression for a given variable
 * 5) Simplifying an expression (combining like terms)