In the classroom, students gathered together and listened intently as they focused on the projector screen. On it, however, was not a class lesson or a movie. Instead, a TI-84 graphing calculator simulator was graphing various linear equations.
On Friday, September 28, dedicated Needham High School students attended a “Calculator Education Session” hosted by the NHS Math Team in order to learn more about their newly-acquired graphing calculators. Students had arrived in the morning with different mathematical skill levels; however, all of them were united in their unfamiliarity with their calculators.
“I just don’t know how to use this thing,” one student explained.
Many other students were also attracted to the event due to the novelties of their calculators, and they expressed their eagerness to learn more about their devices.
Fortunately, students gradually gained a better understanding of their calculators throughout the event. Beginning with the simplest aspects of their calculators, such as the locations of certain buttons, the students at the event progressed through more advanced functions of their devices, such as the different modes, math formula shortcuts, and analyses of linear graphs. As the Math Team displayed a graphing calculator emulator on the projector screen and explained step-by-step processes, students were able to follow along, exclaiming, “Oh, I get it now!” at regular intervals. Ultimately, the session provided an interactive experience for NHS students to become better acquainted with the devices that they would frequently use in the future.
Funded by a grant from the Needham Education Foundation, the NHS Calculator Education Team has operated since last school year as a way for students to learn the basic foundations of their graphing calculators, as well as more advanced functions. Furthermore, graphing calculators play an important role in students’ high school careers, as students often use graphing calculators in most mathematics and science courses. In the past, the team has held similar events at both NHS and Pollard Middle School to great successes. With the support of Mrs. Kaitlyn Garner and other math teachers at NHS, the team held last Friday’s event in hopes of continuing to provide lessons and information to Needham students lacking experience with their calculators.
For more information on the calculator education sessions, contact the Math Team at needhamhighmathteam@gmail.com.
