Technology Integration Unit Plan Template

Revised September 16, 2003

Name: _Chantel Cowan________

Date: _September 16, 2003 ___

1. Purpose
Clearly and concisely describe the purpose and the identified needs of your
technology integration unit:

 The NCTM strongly suggests that technology be used to enhance and teach math
curriculum. “Technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences
the mathematics that is taught and enhances students' learning.”
(http://www.nctm.org/standards/principles.htm). The Utah State Core Curriculum also
strongly suggests that technology be used to teach math. “Technology must be integrated into
the curriculum and used appropriately as part of mathematical instruction. Technology provides visual
images when teaching mathematical ideas and concepts, facilitates the organization and analysis of data,
facilitates efficiency and accuracy in computation, enhances the investigation and modeling of a wide variety
of mathematical concepts” (http://www.uen.org/core/math/7-12.html)

 I want to help my students find math challenging and interesting. Technology

can help me achieve this goal. “Students are consistently more enthusiastic if a
project involves working on the computer” ( High-Tech Teaching, Halpert, p. 11).

 The needs that this unit will address are:

o Students need to be introduced to spreadsheets

o Students need to learn ratios.
o Students need to have real world examples of ratios.

 The purpose of this unit is to have students use ratios in a setting other than
bookwork. Students will need to have knowledge of what a ratio is and how one
is created. They will also need basic knowledge of a computer like how to turn a
computer on and how to log on to their account.

2. Description
Describe the instructional goals, audience, design (overall approach), and the role of
technology in your technology integration unit:

The goal of my unit is to teach students how to use the graphing calculators and
spreadsheets to organize and analyze data. The math goals are to learn about
ratios and how to set them up. Also, another Math goal is to experience ratios in a
real world situation. This unit will be taught to a 7 th grade Math 7 class. The overall
 approach will to present and teach students, in class, what a ratio is and how to set
ratios up. Then the students will learn how to use the graphing calculators to
calculate with ratios. Finally, students will learn how to use spreadsheets to do the
same things with ratios that the graphing calculators can do. Once students have
the mathematical background, technology will be use to enhance the students
learning experience. The technology will allow students to use ratios in a real
situation and not just in a contrived book example. Technology will help students
see that ratios can be helpful.

The instructional goals for this unit are taken directly from the Math 7 Utah state
core curriculum (http://www.uen.org/core/math/7-12.html).
They are:
 Students should be able to “represent whole numbers, fractions
(rational numbers), and decimals in a variety of ways”
 Students should “model and solve real-world problems using various
representations, such as graphs, tables, manipulatives, and pictures”.

The audience of my unit is my 7th grade math 7 students. They are the lower end
math students in 7th grade.

This unit will take 7 days to teach. This is a lot of days to teach ratios, but it is
worth it for the students to learn how to use spreadsheet and to see a real example
of a ratio, not just one that was in the book.

This unit will start out as being teacher centered as I teach the students what a ratio
is. Then, students will be divided into groups and discover on their own what the
golden ratio is. The graphing calculator will mostly be teacher centered because I
will be giving the students step-by-step directions. The spreadsheet section will be
student centered in that they will enter in their own values as I walk around and
answer questions. They will have a list of steps to follow, but I will not be walking
them through it step by step.

3. Activities
Describe in detail the activities involved in your technology integration unit—(this
section should be written so that other teachers could conduct your unit by following
the activities you describe):

The entire lesson plan including attachments can be found at:

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=6685

Here are the day-to-day activities to be preformed. (Taken from the above-
mentioned lesson plan).

RATIOS
 Day 1
 Introduce ratios
 A ratio is a comparison of two numbers by division.
 You can write a ratio three ways:
o 3 to 4
o 3:4
o ¾
 Give the following examples for students to write ratios the three
different ways.
o The United Stated Census Bureau predicts that in the year
2010 there will be about 64 males for every 100 females
who are 75 years old or older. Write this information as a
ratio in three ways.
 64 to 100
 64 : 100
 64/100
o Why is writing the above ratio of males to females as 100 :
64 wrong?
 You need to write the ratio in the order the
information is given. There are only 64 males, not
100, and males should be listed first.
o The Untied States Census Bureau predicts by the year 2010
there will be about 73 million people under the age of 18
and 39 million people 65 and older. Use the information to
write a ratio in three ways.
 73 to 39
 73 : 39
 73/39
 You can also use a decimal to express and compare ratios
o To change a ratio to a decimal, divide the numerator by
they denominator when the ratio is expressed as a fraction.
o Examples:
 An official United States flag has a length-to-width
ratio of 19:10. The larges U.S. flag measures 505 ft
by 255 ft. Is this an official U.S. flag?
 Original flag – 19/10 = 1.9
 Largest flag – 505/255  1.98
 The ratio 1.98 is not equal to the ratio 1.9, so
the largest flag is not an official U.S. flag.
 Express each ratio as a decimal. Round to the
nearest hundredth, if necessary.
 ¾ (0.75)
 16 to 5 (3.2)
  8:9 (0.89)
 7/3 (2.33)

 Assign the homework: Page 234-135 1-20

 Day 2
o Ask the students for questions on the homework.
o Have volunteers work any questions the students had on the board.
o Correct the homework
o Assign the worksheet 6-1

 Day 3-4
o Correct the worksheet going over any questions the students have.
o Introduce the “Go for the Gold Activity” (note: this activity is taken directly from
the TI-73 Explorations book.)
 Divide students into groups of 4. Assign each group the label of G1, G2,
G3 etc.
 Pass out the worksheet, “Go for the Gold” and have each student make the
necessary measurements on the picture and record their answers one
number 1 on their worksheets. All measurements should be done vertically
or horizontally.
 Skip to number 3 on the worksheet. Have the student measure each other
while filling our number 3 on the worksheet.
 Pass out the graphing calculators
 Set the decimal place in the mode function to 3.
 Have the students use the calculator to calculate the required ratios
on the worksheet. (Problems 2 and 3).
 Have the fill out the table worksheet with their individual ratios
 Have the student average their group’s ratio and record those numbers in
the second column.
 To average the ratios together, have the students add up all the
ratios in their group, then divide this answer by 4 (there should be
four in each group).
 When these averages are found, have a member of the group
record them on the teacher transparency under their group number.
 When all the groups have recorded their numbers, display the transparency
and have the students fill in the table on their worksheet.
 Enter these values into the graphing calculator using the list function.
 Name the lists – RAT, G1, G2, G3, . . . , AVE
o Name the lists first by pressing [2nd ] [INS]
o Then press [2nd] [STAT] 2 [ENTER] to rename the list.
o Type in the name using letters and numbers. When you
click on [DONE] and press [ENTER] the name will be
recorded and you will be on the first line to enter data.
 In the RAT column, enter in the text for the ratios. Example: A/G,
E/D, etc.
  Enter the averages in the other columns.
 In the AVE column, enter the following formula.
o AVE = (G1 + G2 + G3 . . . +GN)/N
 N = the number or groups.
 Go back to the home screen. [2nd] [QUIT] [CLEAR]
 Enter in the mean function [2nd] [STAT] [→] [→] [↓] [↓] (to select
mean) [ENTER]
 Select the lists named G1, G2, etc by pressing [2nd] [STAT]
 Find the mean for each column and enter it into the table on the
worksheet.
 Have the students answer question 4.
 When the students are done using the calculators have them reset the lists
by going to the memory function and resetting all RAM.
o Further extension:
 Have the students draw a strange face using the “Golden Ratio”.
 Draw the Greek face without any using the “Golden Ratio”.

 Day 5 – Introduction to spreadsheets.

o Let students know that they may not always have access to a graphing calculator,
but if they have a computer, they most likely have a spreadsheet program
available for them to use.
 Introduce spreadsheets by projecting the software onto a TV using a
linking cord.
 Give each student a paper copy of a spreadsheet.
 Give the students cell names and have them mark the cells as you tell them
to.
 Example: Put a smiley face in cell C5
 Go through each icon on the spreadsheet and explain what they do.
 Talk about formulas and how to put them in the spreadsheet program.
 Work a few formulas out with the students and have them write the
formulas in the cells.
o =AVERAGE(B3:G3) this will average the row of cells
going from B3 to G3
 Have the students fill out another copy of the spreadsheet putting
in all their data from the golden ratio worksheet.
o See the attached spreadsheet for a sample of what their
spreadsheet should look like.
 Day 6
o Go to the computer lab and have the students enter in their numbers and formulas
from their worksheet of the spreadsheet.
o When students finish, have them change a few of the numbers to see what
happens to the other numbers and to the “Golden Ratio”.
o Evaluate the students’ abilities by using the attached rubric.
 Day 7
 o Evaluate the students’ knowledge of ratios and spreadsheets by giving them a test.
(See attachment.)

4. Standards
List the NETS standards for students that your technology integration unit will
address and how your unit meets those standards:

The first performance indicator for technology-literate students, grades 6-8, that my
unit will cover is number 4. Indicator number 4 says that prior to completion of the
8th grade, the students will “Use content-specific tools, software, and simulations
(e.g., environmental probes, graphing calculators, exploratory environments, Web
tools) to support learning and research. (Http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_profile-68.html).
This performance indicator is linked to the standard categories “Technology
productivity tools” and “Technology research tools”. Having the students learn to
use graphing calculators when dealing with ratios will address this performance
indicator. Not only will the students have to know what a ratio is, but they will have
to know how to use a graphing calculator and its list function to be able to carry out
the task the students have been assigned.

The second performance indicator for technology-literate student, grades 6-8, that
my unit will address is number 5. Students will “apply productivity/multimedia tools
and peripherals to support personal productivity, group collaboration, and learning
throughout the curriculum”. This indicator falls under the standard categories:
“Technology productivity tools” and “Technology problem solving and decision
making tools”. The ratio unit will have students working together as a team to use
the calculators. Then the students will work individually on the spreadsheets. They
will see that it is more efficient to use either the calculator or spreadsheet when
dealing with a large number of calculations.

5. Resources
List both Web and non-Web content related resources you used for preparing your
technology integration unit. (Remember you need at least 5 resources):

http://www.nctm.org/standards/principles.htm - This is where the National Council of

Teachers of Mathematics’ recommendations for teaching math can be found. They
stress the importance of using technology when teaching math to students.

http://www.uen.org/core/math/7-12.html - This is where the State Core Curriculum created by the Utah
State Office of Education is posted. They also stress that using technology in the classroom is a must
when teaching math.

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/index.cgi - This is the lesson plan tool that I used in creating my unit.
This tool allows my lesson to be accessible on the web with all of the worksheets attached.
 Http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_profile-68.html - This is the National Educational Technology Standards
for students website. This particular page has a list of tasks and knowledge, related to technology, that
the students should know and be able to do by the time they have completed the 8th grade.

High-Tech Teaching, Felicia E. Halpert, 1999, Computers in Education 02/03, 10th

edition, page 11-12. – This article shows that students can learn more when using
computers because they are more motivated.

Middle Grade Math: Tools for Success, Course 2, Prentice Hall, 1999 – Most of the
in class work was taken from this book.

Explorations: Discovering mathematics with the TI-73, Activities for Grades 7 and 8,
Ellen C. Johnston, Texas Instruments, 1998 – The “Go for the Gold” activity (number
7) was taken form this book. This book was also very helpful in giving step-by-step
directions for using the list function.

Mr. Win Young, South Davis Junior High, Math teacher, expert on spreadsheets. –
Win is the person who gave me the idea to use a spreadsheet template before even
going to the lab. This way the students already know what the formulas should look
like and what information needs to go into each cell.

6. Assessment
Describe in detail how students would be evaluated in your technology integration
unit:

The students’ knowledge of ratios will be assessed by a test given at the end of the
unit. This test will mainly come form the work that was assigned from the book.

The students will also be evaluated on how well they were able to calculate ratios
using the graphing calculators and spreadsheet software with a rubric.

Ongoing visual assessment will also take place during the entire unit. This way, if
students need to move faster or slower with the curriculum or technology, I can
make the necessary adjustments.

Copies of both the test and rubric can be found at

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=6685

Below is what the rubric looks like:

“Golden Ratio” Rubric

Name Period
Use a spreadsheet to find and investigate the “Golden Ratio”.

Excellent – 3 Good – 2 Needs Improvement - 1

Data Entry Enters correct values in all
the right cells.
Appearance Able to format cells by
adjusting cell type, size,
color, and borders with little
or no help. Also able to
move data around to different
cells.
Formulas Able to figure out and enter
formulas correctly without
help.
Application Able to explain what the
“Golden ratio” is and how to
find it. Also able to explain
how a spreadsheet is useful in
finding the “golden ratio”.
Enters most values into Needs help entering values
each cell correctly. into each cell.
Needs moderate help in Not able to adjust cell type,
adjusting cell type, size, size, color, or border
color, and borders. Also without extensive help.
able to move data around Also needs help in moving
to different cells. data between cells.
Needs a little help in Needs a lot of help with
figuring out and entering formulas.
formulas.
Knows what a “golden Does not know what a
ratio is”. Knows what a “Golden Ratio” is. Does
spreadsheet is. not know what a
spreadsheet is.

Total Score
Comments:

7. Note to teachers
Provide ideas for how other teachers can adapt your technology integration unit for
different grade levels and subject areas:

One way to adapt this unit to a younger group of students is to have the
spreadsheet formulas already set up in a spreadsheet template. Have the students
make the necessary measurements, then have them enter the numbers directly into
the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet will do all the necessary calculations allowing the
students to talk about the results, (the “Golden Ratio”) without getting caught up in
all the calculations.

For older, more advanced students, you could tell them, “There exists a special ratio
called the ‘Golden Ratio’. Our faces, arms, and legs, for the most part, adhere to
this ratio. See if you can find this ratio by comparing the lengths of different
measurements that you have taken from your face, arms and legs.” You could then
have these students conduct research on the Internet to see what they could learn
about the “Golden Ratio”.