2009 College of Education Graduate Publishes First Book with Team

Sonya Sherrod, who completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Math and Science Education in 2009, is one of the proud new authors of a math and science textbook entitled Science and Mathematics: Integrated Activities for Middle School. 

The writing team consisted of Jerry Dwyer, an Associate Professor in the department of Mathematics and Statistics at Texas Tech University, who has worked in computational mechanics and, more recently, on issues of mathematics education. Sonya Sherrod, in the Office of International Affairs at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, has research interests in science and mathematics education and collaborative learning. Katherine Hitchcox is an engineer in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The book contains a series of integrated math-science lesson plans designed for use in K-12 classrooms. The focus is on the middle school level, but several of the lessons may be adjusted to suit higher or lower grade levels, according to teacher interest.

Each chapter contains three lessons on a particular theme. The descriptions of the lesson plans are self-contained. There is a brief introduction to each theme at the beginning of the chapter and some additional mathematical background is provided in the appendices.

Discussion questions and assessment criteria are provided for each lesson. All lessons include a reference to the United States’ national mathematics and science standards. Materials required are simple and can be easily obtained at neighborhood stores. Assessment questions should be amenable to all participants.

Discussion questions are provided, which may extend student thinking beyond the material presented. Interested readers may find the appendices useful for designing more advanced versions of the lessons.

Contributed by Sonya Sherrod and the Barnes and Noble Synopsis of the book

Pictured Sonya Sherrod