Hard to teach. Secondary maths. Volume 1

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Quadratic functions and their graphs are notoriously difficult to teach in a way that sustains students interest. At Henry Cort Community College in Fareham they address the problem by having the Maths, PE, Design & Technology, Science and IT departments working together. Henry Cort is a specialist sports college, so it's natural to video basketball throws and use movement analysis software to plot the parabolic trajectories. In Design & Technology the students build adjustable table tennis ball launchers and analyse the track of the balls. In the Year 10 Maths lesson the students use dynamic geometry software to plot quadratic functions that match the flight of their ball, and get a feel for how the various coefficients affect the shape of the graph. Later they go on to look at the science behind projectile movement. This integrated approach throws up timetable challenges and curriculum mis-matches but the staff know the students appreciate the links between the topics.