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IT'S OFF TO WORK WE GO!
MASTER TEACHERS Sharrell Eads/Cerise Weeks
GRADES 3-5
OVERVIEW
This lesson will provide students with opportunities to discover
and explore how math is used in the real world. Students will interview
adults in the work force about the use of math in their occupations and present
the information gathered to their classmates by means of skits, posters, videos,
and/or written reports. The students will also write story problems and create
graphs using the data they collect. A book containing the reports, story
problems and graphing activities will be published and placed in the
school library to be shared with other grade levels.
ETV:
Eddie Files #101 Welcome to Math
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
*describe various situations in which math is used
*clarify mathematical operations in diverse occupations
*demonstrate interview skills
MATERIALS
paper and pencils for recording findings
per group of students
one shopping bag containing 3 objects used at a variety of jobs
(i.e. measuring cups, paintbrush, compass, etc)
sticky tac
butcher paper ( 0ne sheet per group of students )
markers
overhead projector
pen for overhead
VOCABULARY
occupation - employment, work done for money
mathematics - science dealing with the measurement,
properties and relationships of quantities as expressed in numbers or symbols
interview - meeting of persons face to face to talk over
something special
PREVIEWING ACTIVITIES
Ask students, "What jobs do you think use math?"
List on the board. "Do any of your parents use math in their
job?" Students will be divided into groups of 4. The teacher
will list the vocabulary words on the overhead. Students will have 5-7
minutes to work in their groups to define the words using only prior knowledge
and word clues. Students will record their definitions on butcher paper
and post on the classroom wall. One student from each group will
then share the group definitions. Students will listen for the vocabulary words
while viewing the video. The teacher will clarify misconceptions during
this part of the lesson and give actual definitions as words are used and
defined in the video. Students will record definitions in a journal.
FOCUS FOR VIEWING
To give students a specific responsibility while viewing say,
"You will be responsible for recording vocabulary word definitions in your
journal as you hear them in the video."
VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Begin the video Eddie Files "Welcome To Math"
at the beginning of tape. Pause video when Mrs. Toliver, standing
in front of the class (the teacher) says, "Math is my favorite subject but,
you don't have to love it right now." The classroom teacher will then
distribute a shopping bag (containing objects at a variety of occupations) to
each group of 4 students. Students will classify the objects according to
the work for which the object is used and explain how it is related to
math. Resume tape. Stop when Mrs. Toliver, while standing in
from of the class asks, "How long?" (The students in the
video have been give an assignment to interview people about using math in their
work. The assignment is to be completed in one week.) The classroom
teacher will assign the students the same task, saying ,"Now we will
develop a list of questions to use while interviewing people about using math in
their various occupations."
POST VIEWING ACTIVITIES
We've discovered that many careers necessitate the use of math.
We are going to replicate what Mrs. Toliver's class is going to do and interview
people about how they use math in their careers. To do that we will need
to develop an interview tool. Students will brainstorm a list of 8-10
questions to ask when interviewing a person about the use of math in their work.
This questionnaire will be formatted and printed for each student to use to
complete their assignment of interviewing people regarding the use of math
in their occupations. Students will go out into the community to complete
their interviews. Students will present the information they gather to the
class using one of the following methods: a skit (radio/TV
interview),a video, a photo collage, a poster, a song, or an oral presentation.
Students will create line graphs and bar graphs depicting the information
gathered. Story problems will be written using the information about the
various occupations and the mathematical operations required. Bind interviews
and illustrations in a class book and present it to the school library.
ACTION PLAN
Students will take various field trips to community businesses
(a grocery store, a refinery, a mall, several restaurants). After
returning to school, students will create "Real-World Math
Booklets" using the information gained from their experiences.. This
may be placed in the library.
Invite a bank teller, a waitress, a cashier, an engineer, a
police officer, and a photographer to visit the classroom to discuss ways in
which they use math in their professions.
EXTENSIONS
Language Arts
Students will choose an occupation, investigate the ways in
which math is used in this profession and report back to the class.
Creative Arts
Students will create a play or an advertisement for
"math" featuring ways in which math is used in the real world.
Bibliography
Creative Science Classrooms by Sandra Markle
The School on Madison Avenue
Advertising and What It Teaches by Ann E. Weiss
Internet
Eisenhower National Clearinghouse is a central source of
information on mathematics and science curriculum materials.
http://www.enc.org
http://www.enc.org/feform/journals/math.htm
http://www.enc.org/classroom//lessons/doc/ENC2221/2221...htm
Updated: April 01, 2008
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