Abstract
Research suggests that integrated STEM activities can best support students in developing their mathematical and scientific understanding. On one hand, while science provides mathematics with real-life authentic problems to investigate, mathematics provides science powerful tools to explore those problems. In line with this call, in this study, we designed an integrated lesson at the cross-section of proportional reasoning and added sugar present in food products to explore how added sugar provides students with a meaningful context to engage in proportional reasoning and how proportional reasoning helps students identify the quantity of added sugar present in different food products and provides students with a platform to initiate a conversation around quality of food products. Developed on the theoretical framework of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME), this lesson was remotely implemented on three middle school students. The result section highlights the design principle of the lesson that provided students with an opportunity to construct an understanding of both the disciplines through a mutual interaction.
Highlights
Over the years, an increased emphasis has been given to the integration of mathematics and science curricula
Keeping in mind the importance of integrated education and its implication on students’ out-of-school lives, in this study, we developed a lesson at the cross-section of the health science of added sugar and the mathematical concept of proportional reasoning and explored, Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
With a similar goal in mind, in this study, we provided students with a familiar problem setting of added sugar in food products and explored the ways added sugar provides students with a meaningful context to engage in proportional reasoning
Summary
An increased emphasis has been given to the integration of mathematics and science curricula. According to NCTM [1] and NRC [2], a well-coordinated science and mathematics curriculum can provide learners with a meaningful learning experience and develop an in-depth understanding of both the disciplines. Advocates of integrated education argue that in real life, situations do not involve only a single discipline; an integrated science and mathematics curriculum will reduce students’ fragmented learning experience and help them to recognize the relevance of different scientific and mathematical concepts in their lives [4,5]. Keeping in mind the importance of integrated education and its implication on students’ out-of-school lives, in this study, we developed a lesson at the cross-section of the health science of added sugar and the mathematical concept of proportional reasoning and explored, Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Keeping in mind the importance of integrated education and its implication on students’ out-of-school lives, in this study, we developed a lesson at the cross-section of the health science of added sugar and the mathematical concept of proportional reasoning and explored, Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. González
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