Joan in GE Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Ds is doing block scheduling for Calculus, preparing for the AP AB exam (though I wouldn't mind hearing about materials for the BC exam as well), so we're just getting into this subject... I've researched lots of syllabi online and am pretty overwhelmed. If it was just going through the book with DVD's and two review books it would seem easy, but now the more I look, the more I find.... For example, on some syllabi, there are all these extra problem solving questions and calculus projects, then there are labs and explorations in other places. On the AP site, there are 5 modules and 3 special focus materials - Curriculum Modules Extrema (.pdf/3.0MB)New! Motion (.pdf/2.8MB) Reasoning from Tabular Data (.pdf/1.8MB) Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (.pdf/2.6MB) Functions Defined by Integrals (.pdf/792KB) Special Focus Materials Approximation (.pdf/1.2MB) New! Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (.pdf/2.6MB) Differential Equations (.pdf/663KB) All kinds of related articles and other materials (see here) There are Calculus Labs Can anyone point me to the most important extra activities to accomplish? I'm presuming these AP modules and focus materials are quite important..... What extras have you done? Thanks! Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted December 30, 2010 Author Share Posted December 30, 2010 (edited) Plus I forgot to mention all the extra Calculator and computer math programs that can be added into the equation... Maple animations Mathematica animations Java Applets Calculus in Motion (with Geometer Sketch) I've been hearing that the TI-Nspire is quite good for understanding the bigger Calculus picture. We only have the TI-84+ so could do some of the trial-online Nspire activities... But if these aren't really necessary for the AP, we could do them after the AP to deepen his understanding. I'm hoping someone can help me through this maze of possibilities.:001_smile: Joan again Edited December 30, 2010 by Joan in Geneva Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 I have no knowledge about the AP exam, but since you said you are interested in a deeper understanding, you should consider studying Motion. Physics has been a driving force in the development of calculus : Newton wanted to describe motion. That's where it has its most obvious application which will be very beneficial for an understanding . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted December 30, 2010 Author Share Posted December 30, 2010 Thanks Regentrude! I've been looking at the problem pages and sometimes I think I'm looking at a physics book, so I can see what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Thanks Regentrude! I've been looking at the problem pages and sometimes I think I'm looking at a physics book, so I can see what you mean. Yes, but it really is a great way to visualize what "change" means - because we all have some intuitive concept of velocity and acceleration and thinking about these in terms of "change of position" and "change of velocity" goes a long way in making more sense of calculus ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 (edited) Joan, We had time constraints during my son's senior year when he was studying Calculus. Because of college apps, CC courses, and his senior project, no large projects were attempted in his least favorite course, Calculus. (Sigh...) Outside of the text, however, I found that I had to focus a fair amount of time and energy on calculator usage in order to prepare for the AP exam. While my son had used the calculator for basic graphing, he had not used the solver function for example. There was far more approximation material (such as using the calculator to estimate derivative values) than I had realized. None of the college courses I had taught in the subject incorporated the calculator so extensively so this rather blew me out of the water. Good luck, Jane Edited December 31, 2010 by Jane in NC clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 A good source for calculator skills is a calculator lab book by Benita Albert and Phyllis Hillis. Both women teach AP Summer Institutes for College Board and Ms. Albert served on the test writing committee for many years. Joan, We had time constraints during my son's senior year when he was studying Calculus. Because of college apps, CC courses, and his senior project, no large projects were attempted in his least favorite course, Calculus. (Sigh...) Outside of the text, however, I found that I had to focus a fair amount of time and energy on calculator usage. While my son had used the calculator for basic graphing, he had not used the solver function for example. There was far more approximation material (such as using the calculator to estimate derivative values) than I had realized. None of the college courses I had taught in the subject incorporated the calculator so extensively so this rather blew me out of the water. Good luck, Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted December 30, 2010 Author Share Posted December 30, 2010 regentrude - I'm sending your quote to my son for inspiration. Jane - thanks for the info about approximations - I need all the help I can get! Caroline - the TC looks interesting, but I only have one student, so ordering for 10 greatly inflates the cost! Anywhere else to get the info? Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 regentrude - I'm sending your quote to my son for inspiration. Jane - thanks for the info about approximations - I need all the help I can get! Caroline - the TC looks interesting, but I only have one student, so ordering for 10 greatly inflates the cost! Anywhere else to get the info? Joan I didn't realize you had to order it in packs of ten. Mine was a gift from the author. A good AP Calc test prep book should have the same information. The labs are just a good way to practice it. You might try emailing the authors. Benita and Phyllis teach high school in Oak Ridge, TN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Maybe it's time to stop looking for more stuff to do?:) Those labs and extras are probably wonderful, but you only have time to do what you have time to do, kwim? I suggest saving the links and using them only if your student has interest, otherwise don't worry about them. The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus and Extrema should be covered by a comprehensive text. It is quite possible to learn calculus and get a good AP score without extras. I also agree with Regentrude. Studying calculus-based physics at the same time as learning calculus is the best reinforcement I can think of. GardenMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 Maybe it's time to stop looking for more stuff to do?:) LOL I guess this means that most people are just using the book (and DVD's)? (that would be presuming that most of the people who have done Calculus have read this question though) Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphispeg Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 What books does everyone use? I am planning on Calculus/Physics for next year. I'd like some texts that are more project oriented, more IB than AP(?). We are using Foerster for Pre-calc and my daughter has done v. well just working through the book. She has gone to the Khan web-site for reassurance and comfort. I'd like her to do BC Calc. so she could take the AP exam and get placement in college (she is an aspiring science major). Just being lazy here, I'll search the forums at curriculum planning time. Thanx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 What books does everyone use? I am planning on Calculus/Physics for next year. I'd like some texts that are more project oriented, more IB than AP(?). We are using Foerster for Pre-calc and my daughter has done v. well just working through the book. She has gone to the Khan web-site for reassurance and comfort. I'd like her to do BC Calc. so she could take the AP exam and get placement in college (she is an aspiring science major). Just being lazy here, I'll search the forums at curriculum planning time. Thanx My two oldest used the Chalkdust calculus program plus the Princeton Review prep book. Both learned calculus well and did very well on the AP. Ds is a math major; he had done very well in his math classes at the university, too. You right; if you search the forums you will find many comments about AP Calc. GardenMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 (edited) I'd like some texts that are more project-oriented, more IB than AP(?). I'd never heard about the IB being more project-oriented for Calculus. I'll have to look into some of the books from the local international school. You've made me curious. We also used Foerster for Pre-calc. Because he liked it so much, I thought he would want to use it for Calculus (as he'd rejected Larson). But after looking over the various books (I had a few others to choose from as well) a few weeks ago, he chose the Larson (Calculus - with Analytic Geom) book. When there's something he needs to know more about, he'll use Thomas (& Finney) and sometimes the Foerster or Bradley. I find it helpful to have other books around. Foerster has some Explorations in the Teacher's manual also. We got the Chalkdust DVD's from Amazon and so far they have worked well. I'm going to go and compare math books now as my oldest was at the International School in higher math. I hadn't even considered them before because of lack of teacher's and solution manuals. (Not that I'm going to change now, just curious what it entails.) ETA- I've just looked at his books, but I'm pretty sure they are not using them any more as now I remember that they were a personal preference of his math teacher (and they aren't at all project oriented). It also reminded me that we needed books that prepared for the AP exam not the IB. But I'm still going to look at the Int. School books next time I go out of curiosity. Joan Edited January 1, 2011 by Joan in Geneva add info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memphispeg Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Joan - We are just starting to hear about IB curricula in our city. From what I have read, the sciences seem like something business schools do. You learn the info. and then apply it to a sort of "science case study". I would like to do Physics/Calculus this way. When I took physics in grad-school, I had to spend quite a bit of time re-learning calc. for each topic. Hopefully, there will be some texts that do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 Peg? (guessing that is your first name) Now you've piqued my curiosity even more... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in Richmond Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Just wanted to add on a couple more ideas that I haven't seen mentioned yet. I've used this book for project ideas with calculus students (both AP high schoolers and college kids) who wanted to do something more. It includes a variety of multi-step mini research projects, i.e., topics with open-ended questions that the student can investigate, of varying lengths. Mostly, though, high school kids don't have enough time to do this sort of interesting stuff. What a shame, but it's hard enough to get in all the required AP topics before May. The other thing I'd recommend is to use wolframalpha.com to play around with different calculus concepts. Look under the Examples by Topic, and then look for Mathematics and finally Calculus. They have some ideas to get you started. And it's free :-) hth, ~Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 Thanks Kathy! I've now ordered that book because it looks like a more cohesive approach than just me picking activities off the internet which don't usually give much background of when you should use them, how they really fit in, etc. and wanted something a little different, esp when I don't really know what I'm doing... Hopefully we'll have some "time"...I see already how long the regular problems are taking... Thanks again, Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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