The NTCM standards in mathematics suggest that students should be given real world mathematics problems instead of contrived problems that have no relationship to real world situation. The lessons in this unit will attempt to provide students with problem situations that are rooted in real life phenomena in the area of bio- engineering, so that students can use mathematics to make connections to the issues that are confronted in this field of science.
This unit's lessons will seek to adhere to selected standards detailed both in the NTCM standards and the Connecticut Core Curriculum. Standard 9 (NTCM Connection) states that:
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a) Students should be given the opportunity to recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas connection.
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b) Understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and build on one another to produce a coherent whole
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c) Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts out side of mathematics.
The unit will use scenarios from the content of the seminar to provide the mathematical connections to bio- engineering. Students will be able to see the connection between mathematics and real-life, and mathematics and other disciplines. They will also be able to see mathematical concepts as the thread that runs through scientific innovations.
Standard 8 Communication states that Students should be given the opportunity to:
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a) Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication
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b) Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly
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c) Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies to others
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d) Use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas.
Students will be required to communicate their problem solving strategies, or to write responses to scenarios in which they will be able to explain their findings and communicate their opinions.
The integration of the Big Content Ideas
The scenarios will present students with background information from the concepts of bioengineering (ex. drug delivery, the growth of cancer cells, artificial implantation). They will use mathematical models to provide solutions to the problem situations.