RAFT Hands-On Education

What do math and music have in common?  Numbers tell us a lot about music! Math explains why notes sound higher than others, why instruments look the way they  are, and why some sounds are more pleasing to the ear than others. Math and music  are universal languages and use patterns to convey meaning! On November 3rd, at this year’s Marion Cilker Conference at SJSU, RAFT’s  Education Team’s Jeanne Lazzarini and Dianne Hurvitz co-presented “Harmonizing  with STEAM Standards” on that very subject in front of enthusiastic SJSU students!  Participants tackled a Design Challenge creating music collaboratively out of recycled  materials and making connections with mathematics! This challenge also introduced  other opportunities for cross-disciplinary STEAM lessons in literature, technology,  engineering, and science! How can you generate curiosity about music and math Watch this fantastic YouTube video with your students : Landfill Harmon...

What can cause math anxiety among students? Research shows an imposing authority figure, the risk of public embarrassment, and time deadlines (e.g. the pressure of timed tests) often cause math anxiety and unproductive tension among students. Students may not see relevance for knowing mathematics in their lives. Some teachers who do not understand much about math impose fear on students to prevent them from asking questions which might expose the teacher's ignorance. Math is often related with frustration --- students make negative associations with numbers from seeing adults with unpaid bills, unforeseen debts, overdrawn checkbooks, or other money experiences. What can be done to reduce math anxiety? Design classrooms to make students feel more successful. Students need a high level of success or a level of failure that they can tolerate. Incorrect responses must be handled in a positive way to encourage student participation and enhance student confidence. Studen...

Since I’m an enthusiastic swimmer, and since the summer London Olympic Games are rapidly approaching, I got to wondering which woman holds the fastest Olympic record in the 100 meter freestyle stroke. I discovered the current Olympic record in the women's 100 meter freestyle swimming event is held by Britta Steffen of Germany with a time of 53.12 seconds. The record was set at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. But really, how fast is that? To help me figure this out, all it took was knowing some simple mathematics!! It helps to keep in mind the following: • 1 meter = .001 kilometer = 0.000621 miles = 0 miles and 1.09 yards • 1 hour = 3600 seconds Now we’re all set to go: • The swimming pool is 50m long, 25m wide and 3m deep. • It takes 1 complete lap to swim 100 meters. • 100 meters = 0.10 kilometers = 0.062 miles. • Speed = distance divided by time in hours; so time in hours = 53.12 seconds ÷ 3600 seconds = 0.014755 hours. So, Steffen’s speed = 0.062 miles ÷ 0.01475...