The students in the Functions and Applications class recently embarked on an exploration of the graphs of sine and cosine. They used the ratios that they had been studying during the unit on right triangle trigonometry to physically measure and then graph the appropriate values. Taking a hands-on approach to this topic helped students reach a better understanding of why the graphs of sine and cosine look the way they do, because they were in fact, creating them from scratch! The exploratory process was documented on the iPads and later synthesized as a stop motion video. Creating the video enabled students to step back, look at the project as a whole, define the important points, and find a creative way to share it with others through the video.
Ms. Bonis, Math Teacher