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Science and Math

Naomi Tamura

9/14/2009

By introducing science to math lessons tutees can see the interrelationship between the two subjects

and gain more than just math or science knowledge.



ScienceandMath

Substitute teaching and private tutoring in the elementary schools has given me an

advantage in knowing how to emphasize the subjects that are used to baseour school mill levy

appropriations. Money will be appropriated solely based on the scores of reading and math. Of

course, other subjects are taught but the emphasis is very heavily on reading and math. There

are many support services for these two subjects. For classes in science, social studies,

geography, and others they're taught either alternate day, doubled up with each other and

usualIy have very Iittle emphasis on the importa nce in them. This ls not the faultof the teachers

just as it is not due to parent's wishes for most of the situation is due to the state mandated

testing/ scoring and the bond issue.

The situation creates students who are very poorly prepared for middle school science.

This has prompted me to offer science as a tutored session to the tutees that have come to me

for help in math. All of the parents who have been approached about this were very eager to

add science to the curriculum. I have found since science and math are very closely related that

it is easyto show how math plays a very integrated part of working asa scientist.

While working as beginning scientists many of my tutees found that it was not only a fun

subject but also had many different subjects connected to the world of science. We found math

was useful in calculating the measurements of household ingredients for our home

experiments. I would challenge them to try and make more or less of the science project. For

example, when we were making slimey goo Iwould tell them that I only had a smaller container

for all the ingredients to safely go in and they needed to calculate how much less of the

ingredients we would need to complete the experiment. This was done using mathematical

skills in fractions and subtraction. Since also all of my tutees were coming for math assistance

this was a great way to show the practical use of math. I was pleased to see their face

acknowledge that connection through a big grin or words of Ahhh.

We then found using good writing skills was necessary to keep accurate records of our

observations. A little bit of art capability helped make the "pictures worth a thousand words" a

true saying for us. Reading also was a very important part of doing our experiments. If the

words did not make sense and/or were foreign to them I would have them look it up in the

dictionary or on the computer. Soon their science notebooks were filled with questions,

hypothesis, observations, and conclusions. Each of them would, to various degrees of

excitement, greet their parents with their new learning of the day.



Double Digit

Deciphered

A variation using math strategies to find products of

double digit number.

Naomi Tamura

9/1/2009

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Bibliography

Double Digit Deciphered

When we conquered the world of single digit multiplication,

we feel like a super hero on a good day. Everyone knows the thrill of

getting our math facts done in 5 minutes and passing on to the next

level. When we reached our 12's it was with a jump for joy feeling

that we were able to take home and show our parents. Little did we

know more was to come to bring us down to earth in a meteoric rush!

One of my 6thgrade tutee had a lot of difficulty with math facts

and memorizing to recite facts back randomly. Her inability to know

basic facts made math a nightmare. She would always be the very last

one to turn in her tests and worried about.the correct answers

afterwards. By the time she came to me for tutoring, her perception ofmath was it was not only difficult but a drudgery to put up doing. We

started with discussing how single digit multiplication was

remembering the doubles (4X4=I6) and using the different strategies

like the Nifty Nine. She soon was able to do single digit

multiplication but only up to II's without hesitation.

The higher double digits were her next hurdle to try and

overcome. At first, she would sit and look at the problem and gulp a

few times and then try to write a product. This process would take her

at least 2-3 minutes. I'm sure it felt like a lifetime of agony for her .

and I could feel her uneasiness during this time. We then hit on the

idea to take the double digit (only if it was an even number) and cut it

in half. Then multiplying that number by the other single digit factor

she could easily get an answer. This was a continuation of her

mastery of single digit multiplication mentioned above. With this

answer she would then double the answer to get her fmal product.

18 X 8 =?

Take the 18 and halve it, which makes it 9.

Then multiply 9 X 8 =72



Last double 72, which =154We then used a variation of the basic adding

tragedy of adding the double digit figure after

doing the above steps.

18 X 9 =?

We know 18X 8=154 from the above steps andthen added 18 to get 172.

While she was learning this strategy, she gradually could

see how learning strategies will help her in other life situations.1

We called this math logic or math sense. Her whole attitude

towards math changed from dread to finding math can not only

be done but can be somewhat fun! I have watched as she

progressed to apply this "logic" to other subjects. For example

she has related to me that she can see how logic is used to help

in solving math work problems and in choosing answers in

tests. We have since moved to doing some math and a lot more

Science. Two subjects very closely joined by numbers and

logic.



Bibliography

www.accesscenter.org/training: Improving outcome for all students K-8 ...

www.brainpopjr.com/mathl ...lbasic adding/growup/weml

Van DeWalle, J.A.(1990). Elementary school mathematics:teaching

developmentally .... Lonciman, N.Y.

http://www.accesscenter.org/training:

http://www.brainpopjr.com/mathl

http://www.brainpopjr.com/mathl

http://www.accesscenter.org/training: