Crocodile Mathematics 1.1

www.crocodile-clips.com

KS4 (Years 10 - 11)

Mathematics

This product is distributed by Crocodile Clips Ltd. (Tel: 0131 2261511)

As a demonstration tool in the hands of a very experienced user, who has had time to practice the difficult manipulations required to control shape, size,

The product is quite accessible and fairly easy to master and provides the classroom teacher with access to some 88 interactive models of mathematical concepts within the Key Stage 4 National Curriculum.

The resource was used to introduce a new topic 'investigating the equations of straight lines'. I used three 'models' from within the software's collection of 88 pre-designed models and displayed them on a data projector. My aim was to: demonstrate how the aspect and orientation of a straight line varied with different equations of a straight line; dynamically alter the y-intercept and investigate the result of doing so; and dynamically alter the gradient and investigate the resultant effect on the aspect of the equation of the straight line. Four members of the class were encouraged to utilise the software to check their pen and paper results.

This software was used as a whole class demonstration aid (in conjunction with an interactive whiteboard) to show the principles and theories involved in enlargement and triangles. As a whole class teaching aid in experienced hands, it was a very useful tool and generally all the objectives of the lessons were achieved satisfactorily. It was also used to investigate positive and negative correlation, with the students working on individual machines. This aspect of its use was not as good as whole-class demonstrations. Many students found it difficult to manipulate the data (plots and coordinates). Some students also tried to run their own investigations into shape and size and found the software very difficult to use.