Sets

4.4 SETS

SETS LESSON IDEA 1

TITLE: VENN DIAGRAMS, SET NOTATION ­ AND ACTION!

TOPIC: SETS

AIM:

1. That students will engage in an active learning experience of sets.
2. That students will practise changing from English words to set symbols and vice versa.
3. That students will understand the relationship between set symbols, English words and Venn diagrams.

RESOURCES: A large clear space (gym, courtyard). A set of large cards (at least A4 size) with the numbers 1 to 10 on them. A flip chart and marker or a blackboard. A large Venn diagram with three overlapping circles marked on the floor with chalk/paint/tape/rope. It is preferable if each circle is a different colour, for example blue, green and red.

METHOD :

1. A class of thirty is divided into three groups of ten. One group of ten students represents the ten elements from 1 to 10 (each holding one card from the range 1 to 10). Another group of ten students will give instructions in English (E) regarding where the students representing the elements 1 to 10 will be placed in relation to three Venn diagrams. The final group of ten students will give instructions in mathematics (M) (i.e. using symbols) on a flip chart to replicate the instructions given in English by the previous group of students.
2. Here is an example of how the game might progress. The first E student calls out: Number 1 is in the blue setbut he's not in the red set or the green set. So, number 1 element goes and stands in the relevant section.
3. The first M student writes on flip chart: or similar set notation to describe the position of the student representing the element 1.
4. The next E student calls out: Number 2 is in all of thesets. The student representing the number 2 element goes and stands in the relevant section.
5. The next M student writes on flip chart:
6. The game continues until all of the elements 1 to 10 have been placed.
7. Some possible alternatives to this include:
   M students give instructions first and then E students describe where the element is standing
   or
   The elements go and stand wherever they like and M and E students then have to describe in set notation and English words respectively where each of the elements from 1 to 10 is standing.
8. After each game is completed, students could switch to a different group and then repeat the exercise.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS: This active learning methodology depends on having access to a large open space area. A cut-down version of this can be managed in the normal mathematics classroom with three hula-hoops or three small ropes (or a poster of the diagram) and students placing counters in the various sections on the instructions of their classmates. The development of students' communication skills in mathematics is a key outcome of this learning activity and the group exercise facilitates this process. This activity could also be suitable ­ although not quite as much fun ­ as a chalk and talk exercise, with students actively communicating in the language of set theory.