Math+Ideas

Ideas related to the subject of Math:

Now this is not my area of expertise but I have talked to some of the science teachers that I know who bring students on the field experience and some of them have made suggestions involving a multitude of calculations that could be applied. For instance, calculating distance traveled by prisoners from where they were captured to the prison, I might take that a bit further and create story problems using research for the average speed of a man walking and calculating the time. Before showing students records of actual capture date and when they arrived at the prison, you could have them make educated guesses using various modes of transportation including railroad travel, horse, and ferry from Sandusky which is how they came over to the island I believe. (Dr. Bush will have to correct me on that later) All of this could add additional insight into the experience as a whole.

The only idea I originally came up with involved using the grid system that Dr. Bush uses when conducting his research. Using the northern and easting numbers of some locations including approximately where they will be digging (or this could be found out after the field trip) the students could create their own replica of the field map above. Perhaps in an effort to create a model to scale or in location to other buildings on the map. Using ratios would be an important math concept for creating a model and discussing the changes to the camp from when it was originally built in 1862 and then later expanded in 1864.