How to Solve a Problem
from Teach Like your Hair's on Fire
by Rafe Esquith
Viking 2007 page 147
How To Solve A Problem
Step I. Understand the Problem
(Put your pencil down)
Collect Relevant Data
Step II. Choose an Appropriate Strategy
Act It Out
Choose an Operation
Draw a Picture
Guess and Check
Look for a Pattern
Make a Chart or Table
Make an Organization List
Use Logical Reasoning
Work Backwards
Step III. Solve the Problem
(Pick your pencil up)
Step IV. Analyze
Does My Answer Make Sense?
Note: Teach Like your Hair's on Fire by Rafe Esquith is a book to read and cherish. On those days when your energy wanes and you wonder why you ever decided to teach, Rafe Esquith will bring you back to the ideals that fire your teaching spirit.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Lesson Idea - How to Buy a Used Car
For many years I taught the lowest level 11th grade English classes. Here is a lesson that worked.
How to buy a used car.
Ask the students if they have bought a used car. Ask those who have to relate their experiences. Take notes on the board and begin to brainstorm the process. Ask a student to put each idea on a 3x5 card one side and one idea per card. Budget, plan, search, compare, shop, test drive, mechanically evaluate the used car, negotiate, purchase, buy insurance (search, compare, shop, negotiate, and purchase), buy the plates, and continue to test drive for the 30 to 60 day warranty on a used car, if there is a warranty, are some of the ideas that will be offered. Here are some more ideas for after the purchase: plan for repairs, plan for regular maintenance, plan for gas, plan for gas to go up in price, budget for the real cost both per mile and per day of the car. Have the students brainstorm all these and more. Use a modified Delphi method * to get all students to participate by giving the students 3x5 cards and having them write their ideas, one per card, without their names. Collect the cards, type up a list of ideas, give the students the list of ideas, and brainstorm one more time. Give the students the second list of their ideas and have them organize the process. Using the 3x5 cards with one idea per card, put all the cards on a table and have the students come up with piles with names that would help organize the process and see the process clearer. I use small boxes that can be labeled for each pile. We try out different labels while we sort the cards. Search the Internet for help. Go to Kelley Blue Book and Used Car Buying Tips. Ask a car salesperson to come to the class room and talk to the students. Ask an auto mechanic to come in or ask the mechanic to agree to be recorded in an interview on how to evaluate a used car. Now develop a formal procedure manual. Edit and polish it and put it on a blog. Ask students, parents, and interested people to contribute to the blog. Name it Roosevelt's (your school's name) Guide to Buying Maintaining, and Affording a Used Car or Second Period 's Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Affording a Used Car.
Follow up unit idea.
How can I cut my car costs to almost nothing? If the average car payment is say $250 per month. What if I could go for 10 years with no car payments? $250 times 12 times 10 equals $30,000 dollars. What could I invest that money in to make more money? Now opened a new problem with many exciting prospects.
*"Single experts sometimes suffer biases; group meetings suffer from "follow the leader" tendencies and reluctance to abandon previously stated opinions (Gatewood and Gatewood, 1983, Fowles, 1978)." To avoid biases and follow the leader problems, use a modification of the Delphi method.
How to buy a used car.
Ask the students if they have bought a used car. Ask those who have to relate their experiences. Take notes on the board and begin to brainstorm the process. Ask a student to put each idea on a 3x5 card one side and one idea per card. Budget, plan, search, compare, shop, test drive, mechanically evaluate the used car, negotiate, purchase, buy insurance (search, compare, shop, negotiate, and purchase), buy the plates, and continue to test drive for the 30 to 60 day warranty on a used car, if there is a warranty, are some of the ideas that will be offered. Here are some more ideas for after the purchase: plan for repairs, plan for regular maintenance, plan for gas, plan for gas to go up in price, budget for the real cost both per mile and per day of the car. Have the students brainstorm all these and more. Use a modified Delphi method * to get all students to participate by giving the students 3x5 cards and having them write their ideas, one per card, without their names. Collect the cards, type up a list of ideas, give the students the list of ideas, and brainstorm one more time. Give the students the second list of their ideas and have them organize the process. Using the 3x5 cards with one idea per card, put all the cards on a table and have the students come up with piles with names that would help organize the process and see the process clearer. I use small boxes that can be labeled for each pile. We try out different labels while we sort the cards. Search the Internet for help. Go to Kelley Blue Book and Used Car Buying Tips. Ask a car salesperson to come to the class room and talk to the students. Ask an auto mechanic to come in or ask the mechanic to agree to be recorded in an interview on how to evaluate a used car. Now develop a formal procedure manual. Edit and polish it and put it on a blog. Ask students, parents, and interested people to contribute to the blog. Name it Roosevelt's (your school's name) Guide to Buying Maintaining, and Affording a Used Car or Second Period 's Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Affording a Used Car.
Follow up unit idea.
How can I cut my car costs to almost nothing? If the average car payment is say $250 per month. What if I could go for 10 years with no car payments? $250 times 12 times 10 equals $30,000 dollars. What could I invest that money in to make more money? Now opened a new problem with many exciting prospects.
*"Single experts sometimes suffer biases; group meetings suffer from "follow the leader" tendencies and reluctance to abandon previously stated opinions (Gatewood and Gatewood, 1983, Fowles, 1978)." To avoid biases and follow the leader problems, use a modification of the Delphi method.
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