Ms. Warburton's Lesson: The Seesaw Method
In this lesson involving mixtures, Ms. Warburton was able to take a concept that seemed complex and difficult, and gave her students two methods to attack and solve the problems. One method is called the “Mixture Picture” and the other is called the “Seesaw Method.” I appreciated her introduction to mixture questions by declaring that “Mixture problems are perhaps the most dreaded type of problem in Algebra 1.” She stated it as very matter of fact, which of course brought a sense of impending doom. She followed this statement by reading a mixture question involving multiple percentages and volumes out loud to the class, in order to further prove how challenging these problems are. It was evident in the students faces and reactions that they were in “done for.” She then used her teaching virtuosity and began to unfold the problem before them. By using a demonstration in which they could see the results and
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Warburton she called the Seesaw Method. This results in an equation that can be used for the more complex problems, (such as when the numbers and ratios don’t work so easily.) She began by sketching a seesaw with different sized people on it and asked how they could be balanced. Several students came up with the (correct) answer. At this point I would suggest to Ms. Warburton that another demonstration or even a manipulative for the students could have been introduced. Having students try to balance two small unequal masses (like 100 grams and 200 grams) on a ruler resting on a simple fulcrum (like a marker) would take only a few minutes, but could be very effective for the students, especially the tactile learners. In any case; she continued by showing that the product of weight and distance from fulcrum for both sides would be equal when the seesaw is balanced. At this point she shows how the same equation can be used for mixtures, revealing how something that seems complex and difficult can become very
Warburton she called the Seesaw Method. This results in an equation that can be used for the more complex problems, (such as when the numbers and ratios don’t work so easily.) She began by sketching a seesaw with different sized people on it and asked how they could be balanced. Several students came up with the (correct) answer. At this point I would suggest to Ms. Warburton that another demonstration or even a manipulative for the students could have been introduced. Having students try to balance two small unequal masses (like 100 grams and 200 grams) on a ruler resting on a simple fulcrum (like a marker) would take only a few minutes, but could be very effective for the students, especially the tactile learners. In any case; she continued by showing that the product of weight and distance from fulcrum for both sides would be equal when the seesaw is balanced. At this point she shows how the same equation can be used for mixtures, revealing how something that seems complex and difficult can become very