Interactive Mathematics Program: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:00, 24 November 2012

Revision as of 04:39, 16 February 2013

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* Each book of the curriculum is divided into five- to eight-week units, each having a central problem or theme. This larger problem serves as motivation for students to develop the underlying skills and concepts needed to solve it, through solving a variety of smaller related problems.

* Each year of the IMP curriculum integrates the algebraic, geometric, and trigonometric topics traditionally taught in separate courses, as well as topics from [[statistics]] and [[probability]] that are not included in many traditional programs.

* There is an emphasis on students working together in [[collaborative learning|collaborative groups]]. Together, they tackle problems that are usually too complex to be solved by any one individual.

* The development of communication skills is embedded throughout the curriculum, through the use of group and whole class discussions, the use of writing to present and clarify mathematical solutions, and formal oral presentations.

* The IMP curriculum expects students to make nearly daily use of a scientific [[graphing calculator]]. Students become comfortable with the calculator to such an extent that a Year 4 project tasks students with using their knowledge of trigonometry, [[Matrix (mathematics)|matrix algebra]], [[graphical projection|geometric projections]] and [[transformation (geometry)|transformations]], and computer programming to design and present an animated cartoon on the screen of the graphing calculator.<ref>Fendel, R., Resek, D., Alper, L. and Fraser, S: “An Animated POW”, page 160, ''Interactive Mathematics Program: Year 4'', Key Curriculum Press, 2000.</ref>