Science and Mathematics Collaboration –

Liz Waterman (AST) and Steve Brimson (AST)

 

Session Objective:

To outline how the Maths and Science Faculty at Westfield is developing collaborative strategies in order to raise attainment in both subjects.

Issues

Timeline Language Used How the maths is taught and where the

emphasis is.

Westfield Case Study:Timeline Issues.

SCIENCE MATHS

Graphing Skills (Drawing, Analysing and Interpreting) required from year 9 onwards.

In maths this is taught by March in year 9.

An understanding of ‘Rates of Change’ required in years 9, 10 and 11.

Gradient delivered to the majority of students in years 9/10.

Timeline Issues

SCIENCE MATHS

Students need to be able to manipulate fractions, decimals and percentages with a calculator.

Fractions, decimals and percentages taught throughout KS 3/4.

Any Higher Tier year 9 student has to be able to rearrange formulae by the summer term.

Rearranging formulae taught to most students in year 11.

Timeline Issues

SCIENCE MATHS

Students need to simplify ratios from whole numbers or decimals in year 10.

Ratio taught in KS 3 and examined in year 10.

Language Differences.

Range: 2 – 9 or 7? Slope or gradient? Line Graph or Scatter Graph? Line or curve of best fit?

How is the maths taught and where is the emphasis?

Manipulating percentages, for example, will have a different emphasis within both Science and Maths.

Overcoming these issues?

The creation of a Maths / Science Faculty with combined meeting times has facilitated the sharing of mathematical techniques and teaching strategies.

Timeline issues can be partly resolved by manipulating schemes of work collaboratively.

Where Science supports Maths.

Combining curriculum time to deliver shared concepts e.g. to deliver the Data Handling cycle to year 9

The Data Handling

Cycle (maths)

Coursework skills

(Science)

Understand the statistical problem solving process:Specifying the problem and planningCollecting DataProcessing and presenting the dataInterpreting and discussing the results

Maths Functional Skills.

Science to provide maths faculty with questions that have a rich scientific context and require good mathematical understanding.

Developing a bank of Questions to deliver the maths through Science.

Grade CQ) A new drug called prednisolone was trialed

on leprosy patients. 13 500 patients were given prednisolone and 12 700 patients were given a placebo. 74 % of the patients given prednisolone reported an improvement in their health.

How many of the patients given prednisolone reported an improvement in health?

Our next steps.

To identify where science topics would benefit from the prior teaching of a particular maths concept.

Using Faculty meetings to disseminate strategies supporting a common approach to mathematical concepts.

To develop further an integrated approach to the delivery of maths and science.