Math Activities for Interdisciplinary
Studies
Presentation for AMATYC Conference 2002
Phoenix, Arizona, November 17, 2002
Central Arizona College
Math Instructor: Shay Cardell
Archaeology Instructor: Maren Wilson
Math Activities for Interdisciplinary
Studies
Math and Archaeology
at
Central Arizona College
Aravaipa Campus
The Aravaipa Learning Community
“Coming Together Where the Waters
Meet”
Learning Community Activities
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Field Trips
Guest Speakers
Science Labs
Simulations
Reading, Writing and Math Skills Practice
Community Service
Group Projects and Presentations
Planning Activities
• The instructors planned the initial activities
to demonstrate active learning methods
• Later the students planned and provided
their own learning activities.
Simulation Group Projects
Students divided themselves into groups for
research projects and presentations:
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Plants and Animals
Indians
Trappers
Ranchers and Farmers
Government
Miners
Townspeople
Types of Research Products
Students organized their research into
interesting and meaningful presentations:
Dramatic historical reenactments
Computer Simulations
Interactive Web Pages
Powerpoint presentations
Guest Speakers
Role play simulations
Debates
Videos
Stories
Field Trips
Scrapbooks
How to Put Math in a Project
1. Find number(s) with a cause & effect
relationship (“A Function”).
2. Translate the relationship into 5 math
languages.
3. Predict a result.
4. Use the math to discover an interesting
conclusion.
5. Communicate your results clearly.
Five Math Languages
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Words
Table
Graph
Equation
System Model
Math Activities and Skills
Riparian Plant Survey
– Tree Diameter – Circles
– Percent canopy cover – Percent
– Height of a tree - Ratio
Math Activities and Skills
• Soil Salinization Lab – Density, Volume
Math Activities and Skills
Fish Banks Ecology Simulation – Number sense
and estimation
Math Activities and Skills
• Camp Grant Massacre – Linear Model
Math Activities and Skills
Estimating Height from Bones – Ratio, Linear
Model
Math Activities and Skills
• Tree Ring Dating – Ratios, Linear models,
Equations
Math Activities and Skills
• Hohokam Land Use – Area, Population
Density
• Population Growth- Exponential Growth
• Limits to Growth – Logistical Function
Math Activities and Skills
Radioactive Dating – Exponential Decay
Math Activities and Skills
Site Recording – Measurement, Angles, Ratio,
Scale Drawing
Math Activities and Skills
Site Transformation – Measurement, Pythagorean
Theorem, Graphing, Ratio, Scale Drawing
To be continued…
For more about our activities
visit our web page at:
http://www.geocities.com/lcomavc
The Aravaipa Learning Community
“Coming Together Where the Waters
Meet”